BMX riders chase national honours at Auckland over Easter

Some of the best BMX age group riders will group in Auckland this weekend to decide honours in the First Windows & Doors BMXNZ National Championships event.

The event has attracted 650 competitors from under-five years to Masters at the East City BMX Club at St Johns in Auckland.

The focus will be on the Challenge class (age group) riders and a number of talented young riders from the Schick BMX National Performance Hub, with the elite titles decided earlier in the year as the UCI World Cup season in Europe clashes with the national championships.

The competition will provide a good hit out for the Schick BMX Hub riders before an open camp in Christchurch next week. Some of these riders will be looking to secure spots in the New Zealand team for the BMX World Championships in Belgium 23-27 July.

The other focus will be the trial racing on Friday, with over 30 riders competing for selection in the New Zealand team to contest the annual Mighty 11s International in Australia in late May.

Cycling New Zealand Performance Hub national sponsor, Subway, will be onsite all weekend supporting the riders and offering free tasty menu samples and giveaways for anyone who heads down to the Subway Sub Hub zone on Saturday 20 April.

Subway Mission Bay franchise owner Purvang Jariwala encourages riders and spectators alike to head down to the Sub Hub zone for free samples of Subway’s fresh menu to keep them fuelled for racing or to cheer on the riders.

“We’ll be proudly supporting the BMX Performance Hub team, and cheering on our next-generation of world-class riders, including Cailen and Jessie,” Jariwala said.

“Every young rider with a passion for BMX, or any other form of cycling, should have access to the training and support they need to succeed. This is the essence of the Subway Performance Hub Programme developed by Cycling New Zealand and supported by Subway.

“Local competitions like this are key to ensuring our BMX Hub athletes are ready to compete on the world stage. We’re proud of our BMX Performance Hub team and are looking forward to seeing them take on the competition this weekend.”

Riders will contest qualifying motos through to a grand final in each class, with racing starting from 11.30am on Friday and Saturday. There is a further Superclass competition for elite riders on Sunday.

First Windows & Doors are the naming sponsor for this event and will also have a number of activities running during the weekend including t-shirt giveaways and a hand painted mural which all competitors are encouraged to sign to celebrate the event.

The event is free for spectators to view and will include high octane BMX racing at the East City BMX Club in Merton Road Reserve, Auckland.

Live streaming links for FIRST Windows & Doors BMXNZ National Championships 2019:

https://bmxlive.nz

Youtube: East City YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp9uRCoRc0_xOHtqCdsWI-A

Photo: Cambridge rider Lily Greenough, in action on her way to a third placing in the 11 years class at last year’s World Championships, will be a favourite for honours at the FIRST Windows & Doors BMXNZ National Championships in Auckland this weekend. (Credit: Nico van Dartel)