Getting ready for nationals
New Zealand’s BMX community has been focused on checking out the Taranaki track where the sport’s national championships will be held next year.
More than 340 riders from around the country peddled their way through the 2017 Shark Tank Challenge on Sunday at the $600,000 track at Bell Block where the 2018 BMX New Zealand (BMXNZ) championships would take place during Easter weekend.
Taranaki BMX trust member Blair Riddick said the event was the first big test for the world class facility he had initially championed in 2006 after the New Plymouth club was told its track in Marfell was no longer adequate to host national events.
He said more than 300 of the riders competing were from out of town, coming from as far afield as Christchurch to take part, and ranged in ages from three to 70 years old.
‘‘It’s the big build up meeting before the nationals next year.
‘‘Because it’s the nationals track, they’ve all come to try it out, we don’t usually get 300 to a race meeting.’’
Competitors and spectators packed every vantage point around the track’s banks on Sunday and Riddick said hosting the national’s would also be good for the local economy.
‘‘It will be like this for four days in a row.’’
Comments about the track, constructed by American company Elite Trax that has built the last three Olympic tracks and the majority of the world’s super tracks, had been positive, he said.
‘‘It’s been phenomenal, they love it. It’s a very good racing track, that’s the feedback we are getting.
‘‘The facility is being raved about.’’
The New Plymouth Sharks BMX Club membership had exploded since the track was officially opened in 2016 and Riddick hoped it would give Taranaki riders a competitive advantage
Because it's the nationals track, they've all come to try it out.
Blair Riddick
next year.
‘‘Our membership has almost doubled since the shift from Marfell.’’
He said a ‘‘massive effort’’ had gone into repairing the track and getting it back up to standard after vandals damaged a nearby water pipe which led to a portion of the surface being flooded in June.
Riddick’s 12-year-old daughter Sophie, who won the 2016 National points series competition, was just one local rider hoping to do well at the nationals next year on her home turf.
‘‘Since it’s your home track you get the advantage,’’ Sophie, who is currently ranked seventh in New Zealand in her age group, said.
‘‘It’s good, I’m just glad I won’t have to travel.’’
Sophie, who has been riding since she was four, said she’ll be aiming for a top five finish.
‘‘It will be good to show these guys what New Plymouth is like.’’