BMX racing speeds out of the gate
If hurtling on your bike around a winding track, flying over jumps as you leave your fellow racers in the dust is an idea that appeals to you, then the 13th Ave BMX Club has the perfect sport for you.
“It’s a very good cardio exercise,” said Mike Stopanski, co-founder of the 13th Ave BMX Club. “It’s a lot of fun, and that’s why we think that more people should join.”
Stopanski himself has relished BMX racing since he was a child, and it has remained a passion for him well into adulthood. “I think people should get involved because it is a sport that is excellent for all ages – it’s a family sport, really,” said Stopanski. “We have riders right from age five to over 50.”
Although BMX racing bikes may superficially resemble the ones used for freestyle BMX, the two sports are quite distinct from one another. “Even though it’s on a BMX bike, it is a different sport, for sure,” said Stopanski. “Obviously, when people are going over jumps, they’re going to clear them, and there’s going to be air, and it’s really exciting to watch – but it’s not necessarily doing the tricks and such that you’d be doing at the skate park.”
A lighter bike is an asset in racing, but the 13th Avenue BMX Club does not demand that its racers ride any particular model. “Most race clubs don’t accept mountain bikes or anything like that,” said Stopanski. “However, we’re okay with that.” Indeed, the club’s membership includes racers of all ages, shapes and sizes who ride children’s bikes, regular and cruiser-style BMX bikes, mountain bikes and dirt jumpers.
Racers must, however, remove reflectors, kickstands, chain guards, BMX freestyle pegs or any other accessories that might endanger other riders.
With the proper precautions, BMX racing is considered quite safe. “We just require every member to have a full face helmet, long sleeve shirt, gloves, tear-resistant pants (no sweatpants, yoga pants, or anything like that) and enclosed shoes (no sandals),” said Stopanski. “We encourage riders to wear padding as well.”
The 13th Avenue course used by the club has enjoyed several incarnations over the years. “In about ‘86, the track was there, and then it went away, and then it came back from ‘94 to ‘97, and then it went away again,” said Stopanski, who credits his long-time friend Richard Bandet with the idea to revive the course.
“In 2011 and 2012, we started renovating the track again, because the layout was still kind of there with a start hill and jumps, but it was just overgrown with a single path right through everything … and then 2015 was the first year that we started holding races.”
The track is city property and is usually available for public use. “We just hold our races every Monday night at 6:30,” said Stopanski. “This year, we’ll start on June 4. We’ll race right until September long weekend (Sept. 3), and, during that time, we meet every Monday at 6:30.”
Stopanski appreciates the track and the assistance provided by the City of Regina to the area’s BMX community. “We’re lucky to have this track, and we’re lucky to have the support of the City,” he said. “They see value in having it. Last year, it wasn’t just members in Regina – we had [racers from] White City and Moose Jaw – so it really was Regina and surrounding areas that we were helping.”
That interest has been both surprising and encouraging for the club. “Our first day, we had 28 people show up just to register and start racing,” said Stopanski. “We were kind of scrambling. We weren’t prepared for that. We thought we were going to ease into it, so that was quite fun. That year, we ended up with about 40 members; the second year, around the same; but, last year, we grew to 60 members.”
As befits an all-ages sport, that membership includes parents and children who enjoy BMX racing as a family. “Unlike just going to your son’s baseball game or your daughter’s soccer game, the parents can also get involved. They can also have a bike and ride, so they can watch their son race, their son can watch them race and it’s really good exercise,” said Stopanski. “It’s something that your whole family can get involved in. It’s something that teenagers can do. Everybody has a bike, so why not bring it down and race it?”
To learn more, check out 13th Ave BMX Club’s Facebook page or email: