Track in top order to host SI champs
THE track is smooth, the surface has been raked, raked and raked again. The tyres are pumped and ready to ride.
Now all thoughts for the Dunedin BMX community switch to the South Island championships which it will host at its new Forrester Park track for the first time on January 1113.
The club had a working bee on Saturday to get everything right for the championships which have attracted just under 300 riders.
The track has had a $140,000 facelift in the past couple of years and the championships will be a great way to showcase it.
There are 295 entrants for the event across 32 race classes. The boys 8 years is the biggest class with 22 riders.
There are nine South Island clubs lining up, providing 207 entrants, while 19 North Island clubs have 82 racers repre sented. There are also six Australians.
Not surprisingly, Dunedin is the biggest club there with 52 competitors taking part.
The pinnacle of BMX and best racing to view will be the elite men’s and women’s classes, followed by the 17 to 24 years male and female categories.
Dunedin rider Bella Wadsworth is believed to be the first female junior elite racer from the Dunedin club in its 40year history.
With Rayner Jackson (women’s elite) coming down from Christchurch to race, it now means all the juniors have to step up to the women’s elite class. This will be tough racing with BMXNZ/Cycle NZ hub racer Ella Hansen also lining up.
Dunedin BMX will be holding a special old school ’80s night on January 9, to begin the celebrations of the club’s 40th year. It will be a fun, racingpacked evening.
There are also the Mainland South regional races taking place in Alexandra and Cromwell on January 67, which will be a good buildup for many.