New Zealand Riders Shape Up for UCI BMX World Championships
New Zealand riders face a challenging track for this weekend’s UJCI World BMX championships in South Africa.
Sarah Walker will defend her duel world titles in both elite and cruiser classes at Pietermaritzberg where they have built a massive double track at the local showgrounds.
Beijing Olympic track builder Tom Ritzenthaler is now employed by the UCI as a BMX track builder with the American designing a dual track in South Africa with elites riding a more challenging, Supercross track which is 385m side by side with the normal BMX track for the Challenge classes.
There’s a 47-strong New Zealand team in Pietermaritzberg at the event which has attracted 1100 competitors from 38 nations.
There are seven kiwis competing in the elite classes led by Walker who is joined by Taranaki’s Victoria Hill having her first start at a world championship at this level.
Beijing Olympian Mark Willers leads the elite men’s team with fellow Cambridge rider Kurt James with Nick Fox (Gisborne), Trent Woodcock (Pukekohe) and Daniel Franks (Christchurch) riding in the junior elite division.
The Challenge classes are first on the track with two days of practice starting tomorrow (local time) while the elites get their first practice on Thursday afternoon following the first half of the age group classes world championships for riders 13 years and under.
Elites get a further practice following Friday’s world titles for 14 years and over. The Elite Juniors ride in qualifying time trials in the late afternoon.
The elite men and women qualifying is on Saturday morning ahead of the world championships in the afternoon involving qualifying motos, three elimination rounds and main finals.
The New Zealand team is:
Elite, Women: Sarah Walker (Rotorua), Victoria Hill (New Plymouth).
Elite Men: Marc Willers (Cambridge), Kurt James (Cambridge)
Elite Junior: Nic Fox (Gisborne), Trent Woodcock (Sunset Coast), Daniel Franks (North Avon),
Challenge Class, Female:
9 years: Mikayla Bearman (North Harbour), Jessie Smith (Gisborne)
11 years: Chelsea Hearle (New Plymouth)
12 years: Zoe Fleming (Papakura), Lewis Smith (Gisborne)
13 years: Abigail Fox (Gisborne), Tahlia Hansen (Rangiora), Taylor Smith (Gisborne)
14 years: Hannah Sarten (New Plymouth)
15 years: Shannon Alexander (Christchurch City), Shannon Slegh (Hamilton), Monique Smith (Gisborne)
16 years: Holly Woodcock (Sunset Coast), Nicole Wright (Papakura)
17 and over: Nicole Sarten (New Plymouth)
Male:
5-6 years: Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Rotorua)
7 years: Rico Bearman (North Harbour)
8 years: Joshua Hearle (New Plymouth), Blake Ross (Papakura)
10 years: Liam Goodwin (Kaiapoi)
11 years: Jayden Fleming (Papakura)
14 years: Ryan Berney (North Harbour), Carl Goodwin (Kaiapoi), Donald Ross (Whangarei)
15 years: Ryan Lewis (Te Awamutu), Cody Hobbs (Te Awamutu)
16 years: Scott Slegh (Hamilton), Trent Jones (Whangarei).
30 years and over: David Mohi (Rotorua)
Cruiser (20”) only, Female:
30-34 years: Kerryn Rawson (Tauranga)
35-39: Maree McGarva (Tauranga)
40-45 years: Cheryl Reece (Tauranga)
45 and over: Sandra Bromwich (Cambridge), Jennifer Strachan (Rotorua)
Male, 35-39 years: Mark McGarva (Tauranga)
45 and over: Brian Ellis (North Harbour), David Fox (Gisborne), Dennis Howlett (Tauranga), Kevin Lindsay (Cambridge), Ash Rawson (Tauranga)
Elite support staff: Ken Cools (Coach), Ryan Hollows (Mechanic), Leah Pearsall (Physiotherapist), John Cowell (Strength Coach / Sports Scientist), Hughie Castle (Manager), Sue Walker (Assistant Manager).