Back-To-Back BMX Action at Sleeman BMX Track

05 Apr 2022 | 10:19 AMBy: Xavier Cordier

Sleeman BMX Track will host two days of back-to-back BMX action with riders from around the country and across the Tasman descending on Brisbane for the 2022 Oceania BMX Racing Championships as well as the 2022 AusCycling BMX National Round 3 – Brisbane.

The last Oceania Championships took place in Te Awamutu, New Zealand with Kai and Saya Sakakibara taking out the Elite Men’s and Women’s titles. Friday’s championships is the first in over three years, so it presents the perfect opportunity for new riders to make their mark on the continental stage on the track that will host the UCI World Championships in 2026.

Saturday will see the third national round of the year take place as riders from every state look to grab all-important National Cup points. Both Superclass Men’s and Women’s leaders, Matt Tidswell (The Cove BMX Club) and Bella May (Frankston BMX Club) will be eyeing valuable points to extend their lead at the top of the pack.

Both Superclass fields will have an international flavour with one of Japan’s top riders, Asuma Nakai, competing in the men’s field while in the women’s field, a third of the field will be representing New Zealand including 2020 Tokyo Olympian Rebecca Petch.

Over 30 riders will contest the Junior Superclass Men’s, a stacked field that features 15-boys national champion Josh Jolly (Ballarat/Sebastopol Cycling Club). Jolly, in his first year of Junior Superclass, has had a flawless start to the year, taking out the opening two national rounds and the opening three Victorian state series rounds.

Mia Webster (Park Orchards BMX Club) has started the year in a similar fashion in the Junior Superclass Women’s: three from three in the Victorian state series and two from two in the national rounds. Charlotte Guy (Ashmore BMX Club) finished second in both national rounds and will be vying to turn the tables and edge out Webster come Saturday.

The first Mighty 11s events in three years will also take place this weekend. The Mighty 11s Test Team is a Trans-Tasman cultural exchange that sees teams of 11-year-old riders from Australia and New Zealand competing for the Toshiba Cup (boys) and Troy Fisher Cup (girls). In addition, the Mighty 11s Memorial Class will be held to determine the winning individual rider in the age category. The eight riders selected for Australia’s Mighty 11s Test Team are:;