Local man wins Pump Track World Championship title
New Carlisle’s Tommy Zula wants more people to get out and ride a bike.
New Carlisle’s Tommy Zula has been riding bikes since he was 6 years old.
All that riding has paid off with Zula, 27, taking home first place in the Pump Track World Championship held in Bern, Switzerland in late October.
There were 26 qualifying events held in 22 countries to narrow down the field of 60 elite athletes representing 23 different countries in the physically demanding and technically challenging course.
The 60 riders were whittled down to 32 and then to 16, to eight, to four and then to two to find the fastest men’s pump track rider in the world.
“Winning was a dream come true, I knew I went in more prepared for it than I have ever been for anything. Years of riding and training all came down to 30 seconds to make it happen. Before the race, I woke up that morning so nervous and excited. During the race there were a few guys beating me, but I wasn’t going onehundred-percent in the early rounds so I knew when it got down to the quarter final and semi-final I had some gas left in the tank to step up,” said Zula. “After I realized I won it all, it hit me so hard … It means everything to me to win and bring the gold medal home to
Ohio, and on a mountain bike was the icing on the cake.”
The sport has taken Zula to every state in the U.S. and it’s also helped him see the world with events in Argentina, the Netherlands, England, Spain and more. He was in Morocco for the sport when being interviewed for this story.
The pump tracks that Zula competes on, and now holds a world title for, are a circuit of rollers, corners and jumps that are designed for the rider to pump on to gain momentum, as opposed to pedaling. It’s a sport that Zula says is growing rapidly with talk of it being added for the 2028 Olympics.
“Pump tracks have been around for a very long time, but Velosolutions took it to a whole new level when they started building them with asphalt, making it free for the public to go and enjoy them in cities all around the world,” said Zula. “My favorite place to ride locally … it’s tough to pick one. I really like to mix it up between the BMX track in Kettering, overlook trails in Dayton and Premier Health bike park in Lebanon. … If you’re interested in learning about the sport, the bike park in Lebanon is a perfect place to start. They have a beginner pump track for all ages and a medium-level pump track that suits all riders and skill levels. With winter coming up, Mike’s Bike Park in Dayton is a perfect place as well, and they have rental bikes on site.”
Zula’s longtime bike sponsor started in Dayton with DK Bicycles, which signed him on more than 10 years ago.
“Bill Danishek grew up racing and he saw something in me that no one else did and I wouldn’t be here today without his support. He acquired Airborne Bicycles a few years ago and we have been working so hard to bring top-of-the-line bikes for an affordable price and I believe we have accomplished just that,” said Zula, who won the World Championship on an Airborne Skyhawk bike. “To win a world title on an Airborne really shows the passion and drive behind the brand. You can buy the exact bike I won on worldwide, and if you live in Ohio, stop in and pick one up in Springboro at the headquarters and say ‘Hi’ to me. I actually work there Monday through Wednesday as a sales rep for the bike shops and we test and develop everything in house.”
Zula is looking forward to what 2020 brings for him professionally, but also hopes his win may help spur on changes locally, especially when it comes to the community seeing how important and powerful a bicycle can be, from everyday transportation to staying in better physical and mental shape.
“I believe my win can have a huge effect in the Miami Valley. Everywhere I go across the United States, they have so many more opportunities to ride and learn about bike riding, and in Ohio it’s a very low-key sport. Being a professional bike rider isn’t common, but if you dream big and work hard anything is possible and I hope I can inspire the next kid to chase their dreams of being a pro bike rider,” said Zula.
“I hope the Dayton and Miami Valley sees how much of an impact having a place for these kids to go and practice and get them off the streets and focus there energy on something positive can be … Bike riding is whatever you want it to be, I encourage more people to get out and ride a bike. You don’t have to win a world championship title to get this feeling just cruising down the street with the breeze in your face — to me that’s what it’s all about,” he added. “Thank you so much to everyone that has ever believed and supported in me. I hope I can inspire people to chase their dreams because I believe anything is possible.”