BMX World Championships Media Release

 No: bmx1028

27 July 2010

BMX racers revel on training ahead of UCI BMX World Champs
Pietermaritzburg  - As the world celebrated two years to the start of the 2012 Olympic Games, eager BMX racers dreaming of Olympic glory in years to come got their first chance to train on the cutting edge course built for the UCI BMX World Championship that start at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.

“It’s hectic!” enthused junior SA team rider Devon John from Johannesburg. “It’s long and hard and technically tough, especially on the first and second straight.”

“The rhythm section is hard as well,” said team mate Joshua Bryant. “The start hill is the best I have ever seen, but by the time you get to the first jump it really shoots you up!”

John and Bryant were part of a massive contingent of South African challenger class riders that grabbed their opportunity to train on the 385 metre long duel track that will decide the world titles over four afternoons of intense BMX action.

Watched by a sizeable crowd of fellow riders, BMX enthusiasts and curious onlookers keen to watch the riders testing the jumps, bumps and berms on the course, which has been universally praised for its technical demands and ability to offer a fair contest.

While the challenger classes trained on the track for the first time, many of the elite superstars arrived in the city ahead of their world title deciders on the weekend.

Amongst them, Olympic Games star Sfiso Nhlapo took time out to meet fans at a signing session at the Midlands Mall, while others like Australian star Sam Willoughby and the Latvian Olympic champ Maris Strombergs slipped quietly into town and settled into the team village.

The UCI BMX World Championships takes place at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg from 29 July to 1 August. More information can be found at www.bmxworldchampspmb.co.za

ENDS
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South African junior team rider Alexandre Golcalves getting to grips with the demands of the course built for the UCI BMX World Champs that start in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.

Dave Macleod/
Gameplan Media

South African junior team rider Carlos Grantham getting to grips with the demands of the course built for the UCI BMX World Champs that start in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday.

Dave Macleod/
Gameplan Media

Thriving on the opportunity to train on the UCI BMX world championship track are South African junior team riders (from left) Kesar Naicker, Connor Terblanche and Amber Muller.

Dave Macleod/
Gameplan Media

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