This One Goes to Elevn

The shipping containers are arriving at BMX Racing Group HQ this month like floats in the Rose Parade–one more awesome than the next. Only the eye candy on board these “floats” is on the inside.

Hitting store shelves in the States this month are the Elevn Stems–Nine sizes in five colors to put a serious clamp on the comp, and the Elevn Chainrings (4-Bolt, 36t-45t in Polished, Black or White).

Today’s “bulletin” is just a Be On the Lookout, and a cue to call your local dialin’ in center, to start talkin to them about the newest and coolest from BMX Racing Group.

Elevn Stem Specs
1” 35mm 38mm 40mm 45mm (MSRP: $6495)
1 1/8th 45mm 50mm 53mm 57mm 60mm (MSRP: $69.95)

Colors: White, Black, Polish, Red, & Blue

Also on final approach are the long-awaited Chase frames. Connor Fields has been rockin the house on one of these since his return to the gate. Soon, you’ll be able to get one in the build stand with your plate on it.

Keep an eye on BMXNEWS.COM for first impressions on Elevn and Chase products from BMX Racing Group.

Podcast: Pro Summit

Via BMX News sister site, BMX Action Online We are pleased to present the first in a series of BMX Action Online “Then and Now” Features. Each month, we will take a feature from the BMX Action Magazine library and re-do it with modern-day stars.

In this, the first installment, we take a feature from the April 1982 issue, entitled “Top Pros Speak Out.”

We brought together three riders and two team managers to address many of the same questions asked in the original article. This will provide a unique opportunity to see contrasts and similarities between these two generations of BMX stars – three decades apart. Since there was no such thing as an Elite Womens class in 1982, we thought it would be fitting to bring a top Female Elite into the mix, and are joined by Alise Post.

Participants:

Connor Fields – Chase BMX/BMX Racing Group
Sam Willoughby – Factory Redline
Alise Post – Factory Redline
Dale Holmes – Team Manager – Free Agent/Rockstar
“Big Daddy” Eric Rupe – Team Manager – GT Bicycles Factory Team

It just so happens that Big Daddy was also one of the seven participants in the 1982 article, and his long-view perspective on present day issues really adds to the discussion.

This month’s feature is a two-part Podcast. Future installments of the series may take the form of Podcasts, or videos…web-based photo content or PDF downloads–it will vary from month to month.

And if you’re interested in seeing that the original article had to say:

Download the original story as a PDF

Part One

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Part Two

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Come on over to VintageBMX.com, where the discussion is underway.

Connor Fields Wins Pan-Am Games

In what could easily be a dress rehearsal for Team USA’s 2012 Olympic effort, four athletes headed to Guadalajara, Mexico for the 16th Pan American games. Representing the United States were Connor Fields and Nic Long for the men, and Arielle Martin and Amanda Carr for the Women. All four advanced to Friday’s main event.

Media coverage was spotty, and no pool photos were readily available of the BMX event, but we do have the bare results.

Connor Fields took the gold medal, with Nic in second. Andres Jiminez of Columbia was third.

In Elite Women Mariana Pajon of Colombia (and current UCI world champ) took the gold medal, with Arielle Martin of Team USA in for the Silver. Maria Gabriela Diaz of Argentina claimed the bronze. American Amanda Carr was eighth, and Dominique Daniels, riding for Puerto Rico, was also in the main event and took fifth.

Updated: October 22, 8:AM, CDT
Click here for video of the two Main Events.

RESULTS – Pan American Games

Elite Women
1. Mariana Pajon (COL)
2. Arielle Martin (USA)
3. Maria Gabriela Diaz (ARG)
4. Mariana Diaz (ARG)
5. Dominique Daniels (PUR)
6. Naiara Silva (BRA)
7. Andrea Zuluaga (COL)
8. Amanda Carr (USA)

Elite Men
1. Connor Fields (USA)
2. Nic Long (USA)
3. Andres Jiminez (COL)
4. Fausto Endara (ECU)
5. Renato Rezende (BRA)
6. Ramiro Marino (ARG)
7. Carlos Oquendo (COL)
8. Jim Brown (CAN)

Links
More on the Pan American Games (wikipedia)

Above Photo Courtesy of Mike King, USA Cycling

Podcast: Connor Fields on Chula and Comeback

Connor Fields wowed the crowd in Chula Vista with blistering times in the Time Trial, and then consistent frontrunning on Saturday. By the time the last gate of the day fell, Con-Man was alongside Maris Strombergs and Nic Long for the lead. He made a pass-move at precisely the right time, and came out of the first turn as, essentially the winner of the race.

But the lead-up to that moment was six months (seemed like way longer) of day-to-day uncertainty on whether or not he would ever ride a bike again, much less win a world cup main event. In part two of our three-episode Podcast Wrapup of the Chula Vista Supercross, Connor gives News the behind-the-scenes on his recovery from knee surgery earlier in the year, and where he’s at mentally as the Olympic year gets closer and close on the horizon.

Listen Now

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Tomorrow, we’ll wrap up our series with Elite Women winner, Arielle Martin.

Click here if you missed yesterday’s interview with Supercross rookie, Felicia Stancil

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This episode sponsored by BMXEDITS.COM

Above photo by Cole Proctor for BMXNOW.COM

USA Takes Four Podium Spots in Chula Vista

Story and Photos by Mike Carruth

Read that headline again…four of six podium spots to Team USA in Chula Vista. The other two were Mariana Pajon with the bronze in Elite Women, and Raymon van der Biezen of the Netherlands. Sorry to have delivered the punchline in the first 35 words.

Now, look at the date on which I am publishing this story–a full four days after the event–an eternity in this business of go-go-go instant-everything content.

It just took a day or two to sink in, is all. Now, Team USA is hardly an also-ran on the SX scene, but this level of success is something we have not yet enjoyed. And I am not too proud to admit I wanted to savor the flavor, before I got to writing about it.

I signed off my Friday Time Trial story by saying “More History to be Made Saturday Afternoon,” and that is pretty much what happened.

The Pro-Gate atop the Swatch start ramp at the US Olympic Training Center dropped a total of 46 times on Saturday, October 1. Each time would be either a triumph for one or a defeat for another, in 172 different flavors and a dozen or more languages. With stakes so high, it’s tough to do it justice with the written word. But, I’ll try.

A War Ready to Jump Off

To help in that, I’ll rewind the tape to Friday morning. It’s about 9AM, and I’m already at the OTC, down by the Director’s Office, which is kind of the hub of the whole BMX program there. I am a bit early to pick up my media credential for the race, and sitting on the ground, kind of taking it all in.

Every familiar face tied to the Team USA Olympic BMX effort is in view– from Jeff Glynn to Jerry Bradford, Brian Fell to Kenth Fallen, James Herrera and, of course, the Director himself, Mike King. There are also a half-dozen or so support staff that I do not recognize, but these are likely the unsung backstage heroes that help the aforementioned keep the program marching ever- forward.

Athletes have their tunes, and their seat posts cranked to maximum height as they loop around the soccer fields, down “the Olympic Path” on warmup routines. Some are doing plyo jumps on the soccer field. To the left is Brooke Crain…to the right, Arielle Martin…darting in and out of the athlete’s mechanic space we see Corben Sharrah, Tommy Zula, Josh Meyers, Amanda Carr, Felicia Stancil, David Herman, Nic Long, Barry Nobles and a host of other Americans getting ready to do what they train every day to do.

The mood is one that I have never experienced in BMX before. There’s a palpable energy in the air, but it is all VERY, VERY subdued–gunfighter serious, really.

I imagine it to be the kind of mood that might be present in a room where SEALs are readying their gear, painting eachother’s faces, just before launching on a midnight incursion behind enemy lines. There is a strong component of “let’s get it on!” and at the same time, one of “this is a very fragile situation.” Adrenaline has raised all senses to their peak, and laser-like focus is the only thing that keeps things in balance. Don’t look down.

As an onlooker, you picked up instantly, with no words being spoken, that this was not a time for idle chatter, or casual discourse. Levity was a million miles away from this place. “Good morning” greetings are exchanged politely, but with a quick grin and a nod, then on to wherever the job demands next.

THIS is the BMX Supercross that the fans don’t see, and it is the place where champions are built, bit by bit–with the precision and deliberation of a master building a house of cards or a ship inside a bottle. Fragile, yet in the most artful manner that dedication and passion for ones work can deliver.

All of the riders and USA Cycling crew deserve the credit and the glory for their efforts on behalf of the 312,358,340 of us, commonly known as The United States of America.

That’s how the Racing weekend started…and we covered how it closed out that day: Two USA jerseys on the Superfinal victory step: Brooke Crain and Connor Fields.

With the stage set for Saturday, it was time to hit up the ABA US Open Nationals “upstairs” at Future BMX. A healthy 199 motos on the menu for Day One, as an appetizer to the “Big Track” action that would start at 2:30PM.

14:30 – Race Time

The SX race would be run in daylight this year, saving a boatload of cash to bring in crane-mounted lights, and also removing some of the element of chance for the riders as the evening dew set in on the starting ramp–a big deal the past two years.

Four racks of Elite women and eight of Elite Men were the result of Friday Time Trials qualifying, where 32 and 64 riders, respectively, advanced to “the big show.”

Racing got underway on time, after a moving rendition of the Star Spangled Banner was sung by US Paralympian, Lex Gillette (whom we have written about and interviewed here on BMX News in the past). Lex delivered the opener from the top-step of the awards podium, wearing the silver medal he won at the 2008 Beijing Games.

For those joining the program, already in progress, the three qualifying rounds are not called “motos” in Supercross parlance, but Quarterfinals for the women, and Eighthfinals for the men, run three times, just like…well…motos.

Team USA jumped out to an early show of dominance, as Brooke Crain and Amanda Carr took 1-2 in the first rack of the day. Amanda would win round two, and Brooke round three. Junior Elite champ Melinda McLeod of Australia was a consistent 3-3-3 in the qualifying rounds, and the ever-so-cute, ever-so-fast, Teagan O’Keefe from “SuthAfriga” made the move to the semis with Brooke and Amanda.

The crowd was stoked to see the next gate, cheering on first-time-SXer, Felicia Stancil of Team USA as she took the fight to long-time globetrotters Sara Walker of new Zealand and Magalie Pottier of France. There is no doubt that Felicia is going to be a big name on the Supercross circuit in coming years, and she led all three laps at one point or another. It was awesome to see the new talent right up on the old pros. Sarah suffered a big thump to the California clay, over the first set, in the very last practice gate of the day. She was down for a while, but obviously not too shaken, because she came to the gate ready to rock, come race time. Magalie ended up with two aces in rounds one and two, to Sarah’s double-deuces. Sarah took round three, and Felicia got in for the two-spot, with Magalie in the three.

Speaking of New-ish talent, Dani George of Team Supercross was looking very strong in Chula. She was double-F-FFast down the hill–the whole first straight, really, and led the W1 of Mariana Pajon first round to the second turn, where experience stepped in, and she hugged a tight inside line to pass Dani and take the round one win. Mariana came back to claim round two, but Dani took round three, with some challenge by Amanda Geving. Pajon got gummed up over the first set when Lauren Reynolds crashed next to her, giving the World Champ (and eventual Elite Woman Rider of the year) a fifth that trip. Geving and Nederlander, Laura Smulders would join Dani and Mariana in the Semis.

In the fourth rack, Arielle Martin was nestled up next to Aussie pal, Caroline Buchanan, who took the first round win. After that, it was all Airborne in the final two laps, with Caroline in the deuce. The rest of the field jumbled up a bit from round to round, but France’s Manon Valentino and Jana Horakova of the Czech Republic had their tickets punched to the semis.

Men, Men, Men, Men…Men, Men, Men, Men

Among the men, it was cool to see youngins Justin Posey, Austin Hiatt, and Jordan Miranda in the gate, having made it from the 140-rider Time Trial field into the “special-sixty-four.” And while none cracked the top six in their respective groups, they were in with the heaviest of the heavies, and that puts some rock-solid seasoning in the books for future outings. I’m feelin’ pretty confident we’ll be seeing all three names in a coming-soon-Semi, and beyond.

All eight racks had the same rider acing all three laps. First was Time Trial Superfinal winner, Connor Fields rockin the fresh new Team USA/Chase BMX jersey. Any hotter, and the Con-Man would have needed a full-discharge blast from the nearest fire extinguisher as part of his cool down routine.

Next was Aussie Brian Kirkham, then The Machine, Maris Strombergs. Fellow Latvian Edzus Treimanis was tops in rack five x3, and Redline Great-Northerner, Tory Nyhaug and household-name RL teammate Sam Willoughby were next with across-the-board wins. The final two groups were dominated by Elite Mens World Champ, Joris Daudet of France, and San Diego’s own Nic Long for Team USA.

Below the top-tire-at-the-stripe level, the men had some solid standouts, who could definitely be in the mix, come main time. Americans David Herman, Tyler Brown and Barry Nobles were all looking very strong on the day, Barry fighting back from a first-round superman over the triple into the first turn to get his SE double threes in the next two rounds to move on.

Dutchies Jelle van Gorkom, Raymon van der Biezen and Twan van Gendt were always right there to put the orange crush on any mistake by the comp, however small.

Deep into the third round, all hearts and minds were on the first straight as Donny Robinson, who Hypered-out to a half-a-wheel lead on the pack over the first set, came tumbling down just after the landing. Donny has had a bad stretch of injuries the past year or so, and the crowd held its collective breath, waiting for dR to get up. He did, thankfully. And while he had low enough points to qualify for the quarters. he sat it out. The good news is that we saw him tooling around later in the day, so all hopes are that he’s his happy and healthy self come ABA Grands time.

The Elite Men Semis would be the ones to watch, and re-watch, and re-watch on bmx-videos.com–specifically, the second one. More on that in a few.

WOW! And that was just the qualifying rounds.

Into the quarters for the men, David Herman had the holeshot in the first rack and led the pack to the middle of the third straight. That was when Connor Fields kicked in and sopped-up any lead the Hermanator had on him. Meanwhile, about 10 bikes back from David, Twan van Gendt and Carlos Oquendo of Colombia were cinching up their qualifying spots to the Semis.

Second rack had some pulse-quickening action, as Mike Day found himself in sixth, exiting turn one. Obviously, the Chula Vista track is as familiar to him as an well-worn pair of Nikes, and he made up some serious ground on the second straight, passing Robert de Wilde and Tyler Brown as they came into the berm jump. Strombergs had a solid lead with Tremanis and Frenchman Sylvain Andre in the two-three. Afro Bob, the elder statesman of SX, came close on the last straight, but Mikey closed fast and got the final transfer spot.

Next rack, Willoughby had it well in hand, but the battle would be for the balance. In the first turn, it was three-abreast for the two-spot between Josh Meyers, Tory Nyhaug and Barry Nobles. Down the second straight, Tory opened up a bit of a lead on Barry and Josh, with Sam still way-out-front. Weston Pope was in fifth as they hit the berm jump. Barry had serious momentum, and rocketed past Tory and Josh in turn two and it was three-wide down the third straight with Meyers, Nyhaug and Jelle van Gorkom going for the remaining two spots to the semi.

In the final rack pack, Kurt Pickard had an early lead down the first straight, but Nic Long, on the inside and at the top of his game all day, closed the gap with every pedal and backside. By the triple entering the first turn, Nic was in the lead, and Pickard was fading fast with Joris Daudet and Raymon van der Biezen breathing down his neck. Daudet stayed low into turn one, and came out in second, with Raymon right there, and Khalen Young moving up to replace Pickard for the four spot. And that’s how it finished.

Some say Semm-eyes and some say semm-ees.

Four gate drops would decide the Chula Vista “savvy sixteen,” and it was the gals gettin’ about it first.

The whole pack came off the ramp clean, but by the midpoint on the first straight, only four would be on two wheels (well, any wheels, really). Sarah Walker was down first, and out clean, but in the middle lanes, Felicia Stancil did a stiff-legged rotation thingy, reminiscent of Maris at the ABA Grands last year (which took him out for six months with a broken wrist). Slightly ahead of her, Amanda Carr, Aneta Hladakova and Magalie Pottier all crashed to the ground, and it was tough to know how that chain of events got started. Felicia, for her part, was thankfully back on her feet, and snorting with anger/disappointment and probably a sliver of gratitude for coming out of it in one piece. Hladakova and Pottier picked themselves up and finished out the lap. But Amanda Carr was still down…and it took a few minutes for the ace medical team to make sure she could move off the track with the help of her coaches, rather than a backboard…but she did. The pain of no main probably was as sharp as that of any body part.

The second semi roared down the ramp, with Arielle Martin on the chosen-outside. Dani George was snapping out of the inside lane, and seemed to get a little out of shape over the first set, costing her some valuable sliver-seconds. Caroline Buchanan and Arielle would battle for the lead as the pack edged toward turn one, but AMV15 had it in the bag as they passed the triple. Amanda Geving was in third and Dani was on the bubble. Mariana Pajon was in fifth at this point, but diving for one of her trademark inside swoops…which paid off big time, as she exited the turn in third, but gave Geving back the tre and settled back into the bubble spot…which is how it closed out at the stripe.

On the guy side, the first group was a nail-biter for Connor Fields fans. David Herman had command well in hand as the pack raced to turn one. The freeze-frame at that stage had it as Herman, Strombergs, Treimanis and a neck and neck dual between Fields and Sylvain Andre. Mike Day was back in fifth. Day dove for the mega inside in turn one, and came out in a three-abreast battle for second with Maris and Treimanis, with Connor joining them for a four-wide frenzy for the two-spot. By the berm jump, David was still long-gone in the lead, and the Con-Man creeped into second…so the final two transfer spots were going in hot and heavy between Maris, Day and Treimanis. HOLY COW!, as Chicago Cubs announcer Harry Caray was famous for saying! Day went high in turn two and did not emerge, so it was Herman, Fields, Strombergs and Treimanis racing down the third straight. Connor overtook David about midway down and the finish was locked at that point…Fields, Herman, Strombergs and Treimanis as half of the Chula Vista Elite Men Main Event.

The second semi had nuclear power on the pedals, as Sam Willoughby, Joris Daudet, Nic Long, Khalen Young, Raymon van der Biezen, Barry Nobles and Josh Meyers and Jelle van Gorkom all were on high alert for one of four spots to the main. At this level, every semi is really a main, and it can be any man’s race, but for a trim here and an extra pedal there. The pack came down clean, and on the backside of the first set, it was Raymon van der Biezen with a spoke nipple lead on Nic Long on the inside and KY on the outside. By the time all riders had gotten onto the backside of the first-turn-triple, it was Long, van der Biezen, van Gorkom, Young, Nobles, with Meyers on the waaay outside, looking for some daylight to do a dive-in, possibly. Willoughby and Daudet were camping out on the back 40 of the pack in seventh and eighth at this point. Out of turn one, van Gorkom carved the inside in a major way, and came out even with Nic, ultimately overtaking him down the second straight. At the tail end of the second straight, it was Jelle-don’t-call-me-jelly, Nic, vd Biezen and KY. Sam got a massive backside off the double heading into the berm jump, and moved from sixth to fourth by the time the pack came out of turn two. Down the third straight they came, as van Gorkom/Long (take your pick), Young and Willoughby. Daudet had moved through the pack as well, passing Barry midway down…and was in striking position of a main event slot as the last turn came into view. Joris was even with Sam, and on the inside, as Jelle took the pack into the third turn. Nic, KY and Sam were in chase, and Joris saw some daylight on the inside, which he took every bit of, and then some. That was when he, Khalen and Sam all went down, and Barry and Raymon steered clear to make it in.

Definitely some stompin and snortin on the parts of Aussies Willoughby and Young vis a vis Daudet. “Heat of the moment” stuff, according to KY in a post on Vintage, following the race.

I don’t hold grudges, or think what he did was dirty.

Things get heated in the middle of the battle.

I apologized for what I said, we shook hands and that was that.

Go Time – The Main Events

After a few more songs from On-Site musical guest, Faduca, 16 riders were climbing the mountain for two main events.

Ladies first, as is the custom. Today, it would be a full house; Americans full of Aussies, and of course Kiwi Sarah Walker, Colombian Mariana Pajon and the lovely and talented Teagan O’Keeffe (whose boyfriend, World Champ Joris Daudet, would be watching from the fenceline today, as previously noted). From the inside, the placement went Buchanan, Walker, Crain, O’Keeffe, McLeod, Pajon, Geving and Martin. Arielle chose the outside, because in the middle and inside, there can be all kinds of traffic, bar-bangin, people casing and other drama. The gate dropped, and it was on like Donkey Kong. At the frontside peak of the first jump, it was a packed group with, perhaps, Walker showing potential for a lead–WAY too early to tell, because 40 feet later, on the backside, it was Arielle’s front triangle that was leading the way. Into the first turn, AMV15 was firmly in command of this mission, with Caroline and Sarah stalking. That was the point when Brooke carved up the inside and put the mega-swoop on the Southern Hemisphere duo.

That was also the point at which you could see how much Brooke’s training is paying off in a major way. A year ago, it is doubtful she could have out-horsepowered Sarah Walker out of that first turn. Today, that was exactly how it went. Arielle and Brooke, on rails, down the second straight, and past the BMXNEWS.COM camera position (POP!- great shot!, below) Pajon was a bike and a half behind the Americans. That could have just as easily been the finish line, because the race stayed that way to the stripe.

Team USA had its first UCI BMX Supercross World Cup win for the Women in a long time, in the person of Arielle Martin. Sweetening the experience further, we grabbed the silver too, with Brooke Crain. The World Champ, Mariana Pajon, joined Team USA on the podium for her native Colombia. Pandemonium at the finish line, as media jockey for position, back of the packers still crossing the line, and the world spinning for the winner.

With the interviews and craziness at the finish line cooked off, it was time for the Men’s main event. Today’s gate was missing some heavy hitters, with Willers out of the race in practice with a jacked-up shoulder, and Willoughby and Daudet still cooling off from their tussle in turn three of the Semi…but still, this rack was stacked to the rafters. From the inside, we had Connor Fields, Jelle van Gorkom, David Herman, Nic Long, Edzus Treimanis, Raymon van der Biezen, Maris Strombergs and Barry Nobles. Half the spots occupied by Americans–another rarity.

The Bottom-of-the-hill holeshot belonged to Maris Strombergs, but Nic Long was milliseconds from the lead, as the pack hit the first jump. It was more or less a tie for third at that point, between Nobles and Fields. Over the second set in the first straight, it was neck and neck between Nic and Maris, and Connor was gaining ground, about up to Nic’s bottom bracket, and on the inside. In case you missed it in the last sentence, “and on the inside” is pivotal positioning for Connor’s day.

In a freeze frame we shot just as the race was entering turn one, we see Nic leading it, with Connor setting up an inside move that would write the day’s story. Farther back, in fourth and fifth, Dutch riders van Gorkom and van der Biezen are preparing to enter the turn as well. Herman is in sixth about eight bikes back from Nic’s leading edge. As we could see from a mile away, Connor made his swoop into the lead at that very moment–and not a moment too soon. Just then, van Gorkom’s front wheel broke loose as he was carving hard to get under Nic and Maris, who went wider.

As Redman put it later, Jelle took Nic and Maris down like a 7/10 split in a bowling frame (unintentionally, though it was). Connor said he heard a lot of crunching and crashing behind him, but steamed on, for all it was worth. He was clear of the carnage, and had the still-upright vd Biezen and Herman, seemingly stunned, riding after him. It wasn’t much of a race after that, with Connor crossing the line five seconds before Raymon and 10 seconds ahead of David. Our camera position was perfectly-placed in the first turn, and we captured both the pack all on two wheels entering the apex of the turn, and Connor streaking ahead, just as Nic and Maris were about to hit Jelle’s bike (above). Maris came over the backside of the turn, and took a minute or two to shake off what just happened, but he seemed OK physically.

And that, my friends, is the story of how Team USA captured four podium spots on home turf, in the final SX event of calendar 2011.

According to the UCI schedule posted on their site, the first SX of calendar 2012 will be back in Chula Vista (possibly on a new track??) March 30 and 31. If that sticks, it’s an odd placement, because the same schedule also has a UCI Class 4 race happening in Desoto, TX during the ABA Supernationals the same day.

Heading out of the venue, it was right around the time that the first round would have been over the year prior. The San Diego sun was setting over the Pacific, and the place was mostly cleared out. Three kids, who couldn’t have been older than six, were racing around on scooters, each swooping the other and making an “aaaarrrrroooom!” kind of sound as they did it. As the bigger kid kicked his machine into motion, he shouted “I’m Connor Fields…. aaaarrrrroooom!” and swooped under his buddies–just as Connor, himself had done to HIS buddies, about an hour earlier. A new Elite hero was created today.

Check out the Photo Gallery from the Chula Vista Supercross

Connor the Conqueror

By Mike Carruth

For the third time in as many years, the brightest stars in the BMX universe are making tracks to San Diego to ply their trade on the US Olympic Training Center track in Chula Vista. A total of 150 men and 33 women were scheduled to start in Friday’s time trial qualifying.

In the end, 10 riders did not start, including megawatt US stars Joey Bradford and Bubba Harris. Corben Sharrah was signed up, and Jerry Mania had a photo of what looked like him taking a practice lap…could it be?

The most notable DNS of the day was Marc Willers, who went down hard over/after the first set during Practice on Thursday, and seemed to injure his shoulder. We have not had the chance to chat with Marc, so unknown exactly the extent of his situation, except to say he’s out this weekend, and the hopes of an SX title are now all-but-dashed. Tough break for 777–and for all us fans who were hoping to see a repeat of the Chula Vista 2010 main, combined with the London 2011 main.

Among the ladies, 33 started and 32 qualified–the odd (wo)man out being Taylor Wolcott, who spun into the ground on the second set in the first straight. That was tough for us to see, because earlier in the day, we saw her warming up in the parking lot, looking strong and all was well. The next time we saw her was after the time trial runs, and before the Superfinal, strapped into right-side sling. She seems OK, and ready to head to the local MRI spa next week.

This is the first SX outing for many of the new 1995 birthyear bar-bangers, who just got their wings to hit the big ramp as of August 1. We were served an appetizer of some of this talent at the NBL Grands, where Maliek Byndloss, Tyler Whitfield and Felicia Stancil joined the Junior Elite ranks for the first time. Well, in the big leagues of BMX Supercross, there is no Junior class, so all in with the big dawgs.

Felicia was first to go–literally–the first Time Trial rider on the track for Friday. This, because she is low man on the totem pole, with no UCI ranking or points–seeing as though she’s new and all. With her 38.167 lap time the first time out on a SX track (in competition), she sat in the hotseat for 21 more gate drops, until Melinda McLeod of Australia unseated her with a 38.141. Felicia ultimately ended up 10th, with a ticket to the Superfinal for her trouble. Sarah Walker turned the fastest time of the first round, with a 36.802.

Back to Byndloss and Whitfield, they started 18th and 24th, respectively–after name brand stars like Denzel Stein and Jeff Upshaw. Neither n00b got to the big show this first time out, but at 79th and 86th, Maliek and Tyler still finished solidly in the middle–and that is a “way to go” moment, no lie.

When a nuclear power plant goes online, they run it through a series of less-than-full-power tests before they bring it up to full steam. In watching Connor Fields on Friday, you could clearly see that the less-than-full-power trials were well in the past, and it was “full-throttle-till-morning” time. Starting 103rd out of the 140 starters, the Con-Man warmed the hotseat til they turned out the lights, with a first-run lap of 34.073. That, of course, earned him the final gate drop of the day in the Superfinal. It was definitely a proud moment for Team USA, as the first run finished up, revealing that of the 16 Superfinal spots for the men, American would be occupying seven of them. Similarly, USA would have five in the Elite Women’s Superfinal. But, even with numbers like that, there were more proud moments to come.

The sun was getting low in the sky, and just getting into “Golden Hour” territory, when the Superfinals kicked off.

Sorry to get all zen on you here, but watching a perfectly-executed time trial lap rises almost to the level of performance art–the ups are where the ups shold be, the downs are where they should be, and the pedals are placed perfectly, with not to many to rile up the rhythm, or too few to FUBAR your finishing time.

Brooke Crain started sixth in the 16-chick Superfinal. Her run really was a thing of beauty, and at 36.364, she bested Sarah Walker’s first run top time by a half a second (which is a healthy margin in this business). Team USA owned half of the Superfinal props.

The day closed out with serious wattage from 16 of the fastest human beans in the whole burrito (minus one for Willers, who surely would have been among them). Some great laps put down, by the likes of Kyle Bennett, Nic Long and Sam Willoughby. Raymon van der Biezen was up 14th, and turned a lap (34.409) that looked like it would be very tough to beat. Next up was Tory Nyhaug, who bested vd Biezen’s killer lap by a third of a second. But the conquering lap was all Connor’s. He wouldn’t get to sit in the hotseat, because he was the most-super-finalist in the Superfinal. If you saw a basketballer surgically-place 12 three-pointers in “nothin’ but net” fashion, that’s about how Fields executed his run. Words can’t do it justice…heck, video can barely scratch the surface. You had to live it to feel the energy in the place. Winning time was 33.886, which we’re told is a new Chula Vista course record.

More history to be made, Saturday afternoon!

Connor Fields to Make SLC Return

Last time we saw Connor Fields, he was riding a Free Agent. Then, on January 5, BMX News carried an article saying “Connor IS a Free Agent.” A couple weeks later, on January 21, we reported he inked a deal with BMX Racing group to rep their product line, and ride their new “Chase BMX” frame.

Since then, Connor has been kind of like a nuclear sub under the polar ice cap…ever-present, but not in sight. In fact, we have never even seen him suited up in his “Chase” race kit until the above photo surfaced on Facebook yesterday.

That will all change next week, as he makes his return to the track at the ABA Great Salt Lake Nationals in Salt Lake City, UT. Connor says he will be racing A-Pro on Saturday and will “see how it goes.” That seems to leave the door open for a possible upgrade to Elite on Sunday, if his A Pro ride goes well (as we expect it will).

BMX News will get with Connor at next week’s race to give you a peek at his Chase BMX whip, as well as some tasty news on the next few months Connor has coming his way.

Lightning Round of BMX News

No, those are not the starting gate tones you’re hearing…they’re off-in-the-distance Wedding Bells for ESPN BMX Racing beat reporter Pat Nugent and his fiance Casey Multan. The weekend before last, Pat popped the question while the two were on a stroll through the Bronx Zoo. At the appropriate time and place–in front of Tiger Mountain, a silent shoutout to their “fine orange tiger” at home. Casey was floored, and say “yes” (natch!). The big day is likely to occur in the fall of 2012.

BMX News obtained the above spy photos of the actual moment the proposal took place, via a New York-based paparazzi with ties to the BMX scene.

No official word on where they’re registered, but we’d have to assume Bloomingales, Bed, Bath and Beyond, B&H Photo and Dan’s Comp. Congrats to the Happy Couple!

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Connor Fields tweeted that he “Cleaned (his) room, did laundry, emails, booked a few flights…” Could this mean we’ll see the Con-Man in the gate at a National or SX race near you. Anxious to see that Chase BMX ride out in the lead for the first time.

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After a seven-year pause on her Pro Card, Michelle Cairns is back among the Elites. She made her return to the stage at the recent ABA Music City Nationals in Nashville. Michelle says “at the age of 35, racing elite women BMX is pretty darn cool. I plan to put in the work to be competitive and see where it takes me.” She also added: “Rusty Dial has also had a big part of my return to the pro class. I had a lot of positive feedback in Nashville and that helps keep me going. My famliy and friends here in Florida are behind me 100 percent and most of all I believe in myself again for the first time in along time.”

Way to go, Michelle, we’ll be keepin an eye out for you in the viewfinder.

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Speaking of Rusty, You gotta check out this video clip he posted on You Tube last week. Offering a tongue-in-cheek response to some of the guys on Vintage calling him and Tony Hoffman “Jesus Freaks.” Good stuff!

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Work continues in earnest this week to finish the Greater Madison BMX Track in Wisconsin. Early photos of the in-progress build show some amazing potential, and News is ready to rock, Batman style, the second the NewsPhone rings with opening day details. Check out the photos

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Speaking of BMX Tracks we love and the people who love them, the “from-flat-ground” rebuild of Imagination Glen BMX in Portage, IN is also coming to completeness. ABA track maestro Billy Allen was on-scene to pilot the Cats, and Dexter “Dragon Wheels” Pritchard has been keeping us locals in the loop about how it’s going. And, like most things that are oh-so-Newsworthy, the IG rebuild has its own Vintage thread–so get on over there for the latest. Watch for the ABA Hoosier Nationals and Supercamp coming to the newly-reawesomed track!

Elites Speak Out on SX Tracks

Photo by DJBMX, via Facebook.

Last weekend, the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup race in Papendal, Netherlands made some headlines in the BMX community. But they weren’t all trumpeting the great work Marc Willers and Sarah Walker put in disposing of the competition.

The track, itself, became the story of the week, as riders, coaches, industry luminaries and at-home spectators alike all chimed in with their opinion of how the most extreme SX track on record sorted out the ranks.

On the same day as the Papendal race, another Kiwi, Jed Mildon, was making some headlines of his own–performing the first-ever triple backflip on a BMX bike. Mildon’s trick ultimately grabbed an eye-popping 6.5 million YouTube views in one week.

In a world where extreme feats can command eyeball counts of that scale, it’s logical, if not obvious, that the pressure to march the crowd appeal (read: extreme nature) of BMX Supercross ever-forward is high on the minds of Johan Lindstrom and Tom Ritz, the two lead architects of modern-day BMX Supercross.

In a 10-page critique of the race, Garret Does, the inventor of the UCI World Cup series, offered some chilling statistics on the Elite Men class in Papendal:

• In total there were 133 entries in that class (from all over the world!).
• After watching and/or taking part in the Thursday Practice, 40 riders decided NOT to race. “Too dangerous a track,” they said.
• With those 40 pull-outs, 93 riders were left to compete on Friday.
• During the time trials, NINE riders were DNF, and did not have a chance to qualify. The main reason for the DNFs were that they weren’t able to jump onto the 90-degree-vertical step up (Box-jump), or they crashed too hard and were treated by the medics present.
• Out of the 84 riders left, 64 qualified for the Saturday rounds.

Connor Fields, who did not make it to the Papendal event, offered commentary, via Facebook, which brought a lengthy and lively chorus of A-List stars chiming in on the subject (taking positions on both sides of the issue).

Though no official announcement has been made by UCI, the talk on the fenceline is that the Papendal track is very close, if not identical, to the track design currently being built in London for next year’s Olympic Games. A “test event” will also be held on that very track and is, in fact, the next stop on the 2011 UCI Supercross tour this August.

BMX News feels this is an important topic, and one where you should hear, in the riders’ own words, how they feel about the progression of SX track features. So, we set out to ask a selection of Elite riders their views on a handful of questions. We bring you their answers unedited, and in full (thus, apologies if it’s longer than most articles).

In all, we sent our questionnaire to 24 riders. Ten responded, and you will see their answers below. Of the other 14, only one replied to say that he preferred to stay out of it. We will not speculate as to the reason of the remaining 13, but we respect their decision, just the same.

Responding Riders (listed here, and in the responses, alphabetically):

Kelvin Batey
Luis Brethauer
Jim Brown
Tyler Brown
Connor Fields
Ramiro Marino
Tory Nyhaug
Corben Sharrah
Marc Willers
Sam Willoughby

The Questions:

1). What do you like/love about BMX Supercross?

2). Do you feel it is important for the next SX track to be more challenging than the last?

3). Do you feel that tracks should constantly introduce new types of obstacles to challenge riders’ abilities?

4). Striking a balance between making a track “challenging” and creating a course that may be prove dangerous to riders is obviously a delicate dance. What, about a track, could “cross the line” between challenging and dangerous?

5). Do you have any thoughts on how future tracks can avoid the kinds of issues the Elite community has voiced after Papendal?

6). Have you ever traveled to an SX race and considered not racing (or actually pulled out of competition) as a result of a track being “dangerous” in your eyes? If yes to either, please add details.

7). Please list any other thoughts or opinions you have on this topic which we have not covered above.

RIDER RESPONSES
Note: Where a rider did not respond to a question, their name is left off.

1). What do you like/love about BMX Supercross?

Kelvin Batey (IRL): BMX Supercross is a spectacle, not only for people within BMX Racing but also for people who know nothing about the sport. The speeds and bigger jumps have pushed riders’ abilities to the next level and the way that its being promoted now is more in line with the high profile sports.

Luis Brethauer (GER): The speed, the big jumps and the adrenaline rush.

Jim Brown (CAN): I like the rush of the hill. There is nothing like sprinting down that hill with seven other riders elbow to elbow. I also like that the SX format is a showcase of the pros.

Tyler Brown (USA): I think SX is great! It is great for our sport and something that is so much fun to do. Our sport needs the “limelight,” it needs the spectators, it needs something to showcase the world’s best riders, and what we can do on a race track on our BMX bikes! SX is a great stage and I have seen it bring thousands out to watch…there is nothing better then racing a fast track in front of thousands of fans!

Connor Fields (USA): I enjoy the intensity and the fact that we’re not riding the same track as the 5-year olds.  I love the speed and the competition.  It is the pinnacle of BMX racing.

Ramiro Marino (ARG): I love the speed that you can earn on the track. For the first two years, i thought it wasn’t good for any reason. Now, I would say that SX is far away from regular BMX. 

Tory Nyhaug (CAN): I love the speed at the bottom of the ramp, and the competition from every country in the world. It is so exciting already, the tracks don’t need to get any more dangerous!

Corben Sharrah (USA): The speeds of the tracks. It’s a great adrenaline rush to go down that huge hill as fast as you can and whip through a trip in 35 seconds.

Marc Willers (NZL): I am a fan of the speed and the fast-paced racing. I love the big hill. Period. I feel racing is far more exciting at higher speeds as long as we can all stay in touch with each other.

Sam Willoughby (AUS): I enjoy the bigger track, bigger turns, bigger jumps and higher speeds

2). Do you feel it is important for the next SX track to be more challenging than the last?

Kelvin Batey (IRL): Not at all. It’s not always about how challenging a track is, but how it rides– both in time trials and (group) racing. If it was the case that each new track built had to be more challenging than the last then how far does the progression actually go? There is a limit and I think for the sake of safety and how good racing looks– this was reached a year or so ago. I have never seen so many races so strung out at the finish line as was seen in Papendal with the lead rider crossing the line, 2nd place half way down the last straight and then other riders still on the 3rd straight after a big scramble for bikes half way around the track after a crash somewhere. One of the best SX races ever was at Chula last year where five riders were practically going over the line together in the main and there is a vast difference in both tracks.

Luis Brethauer (GER): Papendal was already a huge step to the next level, so I don’t think the next track should be even more challenging.

Jim Brown (CAN): I do think the Tracks need to progress and be more challenging as everyone in the sport is getting better. I think the Papendal track has gone too far, putting in the box jump and the hip jumps just took an exciting sport and made it boring to watch.

Tyler Brown (USA): I feel there is a time and a place for everything, and the limits do need to be pushed. That is how SX racing came about in the first place. If it wasn’t for trying something new and pushing the limits BMX wouldn’t be where it is today.

Connor Fields (USA): There are different things they can do the make tracks challenging without making them dangerous.  Making different kinds of jumps, like they did with the first jump in SA, and the step up step down in Madrid.  Those make it more challenging, yet keep it BMX, and keep it fun.

Ramiro Marino (ARG): I wasn’t there, but I heard many bad things about the (Papendal) track. I also watched the races on Freecaster, and i can say that I have never seen that many crashes. First, the track was longer than ever, so I saw crashes in the last straight as never before. Then, I saw guys casing the box and get flat tires, then transfer crashes. Do they think we are robots or what? Did you guys see how windy it was? Bad!!!!

Tory Nyhaug (CAN): No it’s not. Look at Copenhagen, the track has been the same for a few years now and the racing there is always exciting! Everyone can do the track and actually race properly on it. There is no need to change it or make tracks twice as difficult. We all want to put on a good show but we want to stay healthy too.

Corben Sharrah (USA): I don’t feel it has to be more challenging in any way. Just a different layout and some obstacles switched around would be perfect.

Marc Willers (NZL): Not at all. When we all arrived in Beijing 07 for the SX race we all thought that track was huge! It was big, but it was also simple and straight-forward. The races seen on that track and Chula Vista, are some of the best races in history. They allow flat-out, clean racing.

Sam Willoughby (AUS): I don’t think they have to feel that they need to make them crazier and crazier every time we race. Because pretty soon we are going to lose the idea of “Racing.” I think they just need to make a variety of tracks. Some technical, Some more open. Have tracks on the circuit that suit all styles of riders to make it a level playing field. I think making crazy tracks just makes it a lottery rather than a championship.

3). Do you feel that tracks should constantly introduce new types of obstacles to challenge riders’ abilities?

Kelvin Batey (IRL): I think its great to see new kinds of jumps introduced, as long as they keep the speed element of the sport. The box jump section of the track in Papendal looked slow and boring and there didn’t seem much point to it as racing became single file. In comparison, at that stage of the track in Beijing/Chula Vista (halfway), you see riders going for moves and giving it everything they have at max speed and that’s what makes BMX racing the sport it is.

Luis Brethauer (GER): it is cool that there are new obstacles introduced to the sport from time to time like the box jump in Madrid, or things like berm jumps and those new crossovers to push the sport forward. But, if some obstacles don’t really work in racing they just should leave them out again. Also, you don’t need to have a brand new obstacle on EVERY supercross track.

Jim Brown (CAN): I do think that we can bring in some new jumps for the SX tracks. We could start with some different jumps that are made out of dirt, triple on the second straight, step-up, step-down on the first straight. Instead of doing a box jump made out of a container or paved hip jumps. At some point the UCI has to think about the riders’ safety.

Tyler Brown (USA): This is kind of an add on to my answer above. I think we need to push and challenge ourselves and try new things, however I think there is a time and a place for that. I think the last place we should be testing new ideas and track designs is at a World Cup event, where all of the riders paid a lot of money to get to and worked our butts off to be the best we can be.

Nowadays, there are so many training centers and SX tracks all over the world. How about taking advantage of that and testing some of the new jumps at those places? There are five SX races on the calendar. Let’s build the box jump in Papendal, the new hip jump at Chula Vista, some jump-on, jump-off thing in Australia, I think you are getting my point. Use the local riders that have plenty of talent and time to get a jump dialed-in.

They are then able to give input to GSX, say this works, this doesn’t, and what can make it better. So us riders show up to a World Cup event with the kinks already smoothed out and we know we are riding something that will work right and we can race on.

Connor Fields (USA): Some, but not constantly.  What they have been doing for the last few years has worked and been totally fine.  This last race, they went too far and it caused a lot of riders to get hurt, and that’s always the worry with “progression.” 

Ramiro Marino (ARG): naaah!!! it wasn’t good for fans, because everyone was running on the track with bikes in their hands!!!!! We just need a regular SX track like Beijing. Three turns, four straights and that’s it! See who has more power and can handle the track. This way, the BMX fans would be watching how fast we can go!!! 

Tory Nyhaug (CAN): Yes and No. BMX is already an exciting sport so what’s the need to create a box jump or hip jump? IT slows down racing, this is RACING not FREESTYLE. Stick to big jumps that we can go fast and race on. That being said, It’s cool the UCI is trying new stuff but don’t go over the top like the last track in Papendal.

Corben Sharrah (USA): You always look forward to riding a new track, and seeing what’s on the track…but we all know the abilities of the Elite riders out there. We could ride any track they throw at us, but the big thing is can we race that track with seven other of the world’s fastest in the gate? Last weekend in Papendal, we saw how UN-race-worthy the track was. So, there is a point where you can say you can only do so much to a track to have it “raceable” and entertaining with all eight guys battling instead of two getting out front and the other six rolling the jumps.

Marc Willers (NZL): Again, no. It needs to be a race…being BMX RACING and all. We want to race, that is why we all chose this discipline. Elbow to elbow racing is what we love, not slipping in behind the guy in front, just to get through an s-bend and then hoping he won’t blow up.

Sam Willoughby (AUS): I think some different rhythm sections would be a lot cooler then things like box jumps. Rhythms where its faster to triple something, instead of everything being one-lined and “two, two, two.” There needs to be gaps that are really big, but daylight faster.

4). Striking a balance between making a track “challenging” and creating a course that may be prove dangerous to riders is obviously a delicate dance. What, about a track, could “cross the line” between challenging and dangerous?

Kelvin Batey (IRL): Without a doubt, I think the line was crossed in Papaendal, as there was a statistic released saying that more than half the riders that actually raced crashed at some point in the racing. Crashing over these big jumps at such high speeds can’t have a good outcome every time. The length of the track may also have been an issue in Papendal, with it being so long it will be so fatiguing for riders that they begin to make mistakes and when going through a rhythm section with gaps of 25-30 feet, this did cause some guys to mess up.

Luis Brethauer (GER): Actually, with the weather conditions in Papendal, this track already “crossed the line” of being dangerous. On the third straight, after 27 seconds at full speed, in this size and with the wind from the side is more than challenging.

Jim Brown (CAN): It definitely is a fine line between challenging and dangerous, crossing the line would be putting jumps that are too big with paved landings and obstacles you either make it or you have to get off your bike and hop on top and over them. This is BMX racing not Cyclocross!

Tyler Brown (USA): I think last weekend was the perfect example of that. You had many of the world’s best riders, including local riders (to Papendal), crashing, and crashing very hard!! If something like my idea above was used, we would have still challenging jumps but stuff that worked better because it was tried and tested. Ultimately, anything that is to tight, to big/small, or steep can be to dangerous for a race.

Connor Fields (USA): Here’s a thought: The track builder and UCI officials should think to themselves “if I had a kid, would i want him/her racing on this track?”  I think the first-straight berm jump is a horrible idea, people are still too close and jumbled up, and one mistake on that jump and you’re hurt. Plus, it causes a couple guys to have to roll it and makes the racing boring. 

Ramiro Marino (ARG): I think the maximum would be South Africa, with a transfer in the middle of the track, or Madrid (2010), with that box jump, which was normal…but not more than that. We get more and more tired with each weird (obstacle) on the track.

Tory Nyhaug (CAN): The track needs to make it possible for eight people to race on consistently. Almost every lap in Papendal, half the guys crashed. That is the balance, it has to be fit for eight guys to have a good, clean race.

Corben Sharrah (USA): There isn’t too much of a fine line, but there are some things that work on a track, and some things that don’t. I think it’s all in the way the tracks are built, not necessarily what the jumps are but how they’re shaped, how the turns are bowled, how wide the track is. Things being built too narrow, and hips and things not having the right angle on them could really make that difference between challenging and dangerous.

Sam Willoughby (AUS): I think build jumps steep and short is, to be honest, stupid. It slows the racing down and its dangerous. We have that big hill for a reason. To create speed. So why put small jumps, with steep backsides, that you have to brake for and lose all that speed.

5). Do you have any thoughts on how future tracks can avoid the kinds of issues the Elite community has voiced after Papendal?

Kelvin Batey (IRL): I saw a quote from another rider a few days ago saying to just give the riders some 180 turns and real BMX jumps and it’s good to go, and I agree with that. The South Africa Worlds track, Chula, Beijing all had flowing tracks with real BMX jumps on them which were both good for spectators and riders to ride. I think tracks should keep to the core element of what BMX Racing is with the twist of the Supercross in them. I don’t think the sport needs to be reinvented that dramatically.

Luis Brethauer (GER): The first and second straights in Papendal are awesome! The crazy turning stuff should be wider or different somehow, that there are several lines in racing for overtaking. On the box jump in Papendal, you lost all your speed so it would be cool to make it curved on top to keep that speed. The third straight should be a little smaller and with different lines…maybe go back to some manual doubles so that you can still go through the straight fast if you have some trouble before the straight.

Jim Brown (CAN): I think there needs to be a rider rep in place with the UCI or GSX, who has some say on how the tracks are built– someone who will speak up for the riders.

Tyler Brown (USA): Again something above would be great, but also how about using the riders to help build a track? I mean, “hello,” we ride for a living, and we have all built trails. We can figure out what works and what doesn’t. Take Papendal. I think all of us leading up to the event were worried if it would even work and if it was raceable and I think most of us were right!

I’m a friend of Tom (Ritz), and have been for years. The last thing I am trying to do is bash the dude. All I am saying is: why not have input from people who actually ride the tracks and have to race them? In my opinion, I think that is a no-brainer!

Connor Fields (USA): Stick to what’s working, don’t keep trying to push it, because were pushing it with our necks on the line and I’m worried its gonna take someone getting really badly injured for the UCI to do anything, and no one wants that. 

Ramiro Marino (ARG): Well, we are doing it now by this article, but I hope the guys who should hear us listen. It all depends on us to make a change!!!! I mean the Elite riders.

Tory Nyhaug (CAN): Stick to BMX. Make big jumps that we can attack at a fast speed and jump cleanly. Make the track technical, but possible to race on. We shouldn’t have to worry about the TRACK, we should have to worry about racing.

Corben Sharrah (USA): Most of Papendal was weather conditions. It would just be safer for all the riders if there could of been a different time we practiced/raced so the wind and weather factors weren’t so bad.

Marc Willers (NZL): I feel they need to keep it in line with how it has been working over the last six years. There is no need for box-jumps or wall rides as it is clearly a major interruption in racing.

I’m on the fence whether the track itself was too crazy, or just a result of many factors. In my opinion, the hips/s-bend, has to go. I can’t vent my disgust for its waste of space in writing!

As stated earlier, the Beijing track was a shock to all of us when we first
saw it. A year later, it was “just another track.” Maybe Papendal will go
down the same road, for riding, not racing. Though I feel that a decision
needs to be made on whether they want a good flat-out, hard-charging race for
30 seconds, over a challenging track, vs the Tour-de-France
they made us ride in Papendal… It can’t be both.

The length of the track is over UCI regulation, and I can tell you now that this played an equal role, along with the wind, for killing everyone. The sport’s top pros from around the world should not be crashing out of a race because they just physically run out of steam.

Sam Willoughby (AUS): Build tracks to be raced at high speed. And think flow first! Make the tracks “flowy…” they will still be challenging.

6). Have you ever traveled to an SX race and considered not racing (or actually pulled out of competition) as a result of a track being “dangerous” in your eyes? If yes to either, please add details.

Kelvin Batey (IRL): I’ve never gone to a race and thought of pulling out, but have read about a few riders saying that about Papendal.

Luis Brethauer (GER): No, I never have. I usually love the big tracks and the risk. In Papendal, I made a mistake on third straight and crashed in TT. I was really pissed, but when I saw the riders struggle on race day with the wind and everything, somehow I was a little glad I didn’t have to race that day.

Jim Brown (CAN): I have never considered not competing at a SX race because of the track. The wind has sketched me out a few times, but I have not skipped out on a race. I was not in Papendal but I may have considered not racing that one.

Tyler Brown (USA): Have I been scared at times? Yes. At the same time that is part of the thrill of SX is beating those fears. I think the only time I was super-nervous was the SLC Dew Tour when it was raining and so windy. That was a bit scary!

Connor Fields (USA): Never, but if i was in Papendal, I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t scared out of my mind.  I was nervous for the guys just watching.  It looked like crash-up derby out there. 

Ramiro Marino (ARG): Well, I always travel long to race. But Denmark 2008 was one time I didn’t race. It was too windy and the track was wet. Then, in China at the 2007 Olympic test event, they had to change the track like three times by the weekend.

Tory Nyhaug (CAN): No I haven’t. Papendal was right on that edge though.

Corben Sharrah (USA): No, I have not pulled out of a race or found a track to dangerous. But there are some times I wouldn’t want to ride because the weather has been bad with wind or rain which makes the track dangerous at the time.

Marc Willers (NZL): Right before the third moto in Papendal, I had those very thoughts. Had one of the four people I asked, given me a straight up answer, and the one I was kinda hoping to hear, I would have quit on the spot. The conditions we were riding in were ridiculous. Sporting events get postponed all the time, for many reasons, but not us, we just have to deal with it. (Sarcasm intended).

Sam Willoughby (AUS): No none of them have ever been that bad yet.

7). Please list any other thoughts or opinions you have on this topic which we have not covered above.

Luis Brethauer (GER): Some good riders didn’t, or barely, made it through the timetrial in Papendal, because they made small mistakes in their only lap. Someone asked me why we don’t have something like the last chance qualifier in motocross, so that might be an idea.

Jim Brown (CAN): I hope that GSX and the UCI will take a second look at how the Olympic track is going to be built. Take out the box jump and the hip jumps and make it a race track not a skate park.

Tyler Brown (USA): Here is the way I look at it: It is up to us, the BMX pros, to take it and push it in the direction we want it to go. Just like other sports have, our athletes need to run it, not some dudes who don’t ride. There is a lot in our sport that needs to get better, and don’t even get me started, because that would turn into a longer story (haha)! I hope you like my ideas and thanks for giving us a voice!

Connor Fields (USA): Like I said above, the UCI needs to think “would I want my kid racing this track>”  BMX Racing is awesome, and could be one of the most exciting sports to watch– if they keep the tracks wide-open for good racing, and not too crazy so that the world’s best don’t get injured.   

Ramiro Marino (ARG): All i can say is: PAPENDAL JUST CROSSES THE LINE OF DANGEROUS.

Corben Sharrah (USA): Just that I hope we get better conditions for the races and tracks that are actually raceable not just rideable!

Marc Willers (NZL): (excerpt from Marc’s Papendal Race Report). The track had everything an Olympic medal should be decided on: a MASSIVE first straight, BIG second straight, pro doubles, which went into a questionable hip/S-bend/into-box-jump/into-weird-drop-off. Then there was a grueling dig for speed to get down the extremely technical third straight rhythm section and then onto the deep last straight. Not to forget the track is 75 meters longer than the 35 years of BMX rules have allowed them to be.

Needless to say, it was a burn. (obviously certain things listed above need
to be attended to)

If the sheer size of the track wasn’t daunting enough, Mother Nature
decided to do her best to kill off any skeptics, and that she did. The wind
was horrific all week and every time we started a lap it would be blowing a
different way. With the elevation changes of the track, one minute it was
dead calm when you were down below the face of a jump, and then the second
you took off, you could be blown in any direction. I firmly believe we need
specific conditions, in which it is deemed unsafe to ride, not just realize
it once we’re in a pile, on the dirt.

Racing was crazy. I’ll be the first to admit I was scared and after the
second round of motos I was having doubts and thinking of pulling the plug. I
managed to clear my head and put together a solid third lap with a win. The
quarterfinal went smoothly, and I got another win. By now, my body was really
starting to feel the hurt. I hadn’t managed to put a clean lap together yet.

Leading into the first turn in the Semi, Holland’s Jelle Van Gorkom took a
sharp inside line, and pulled off a nice move to take over the lead. With
such a tight line, though, he struggled for speed over the first pro double
and came up short. I went to the right in case it got nasty, but USA’s
Corben Sharrah poked his wheel up the inside over the second jump. I saw him
coming and with the S-bend heading his direction, it was about to get tight.
I had a slight lead as we jumped and, sadly, he fell victim to the poorly-
designed hip jump and went over the back of me. If it weren’t for that part
of the track, it would have been a much better race. When good side-by-side
racing ends up like that and ruins the day for one of the best riders in the
world, then something ain’t right.

Editor’s Conclusion:

I am not offering any editorial analysis of the above…the riders said it best.

I will close by saying that, in my two-and-a-half-year tenure as editor of BMX News, this is the story I am most proud to have posted.

I love the fact that the Elites of the sport are getting involved shaping in their destiny, and that they articulated their views on this very important subject so well.

A big thanks to Connor Fields, for inspiring this article, and helping with the riders’ cooperation.

Thank you for reading! Now, come on over to Vintage and give us your views.

—Mike Carruth

Podcast: Fields Talks About New Sponsor

BMX News reported on January 5 that Connor Fields and Free Agent were to part ways in 2011. That touched off two weeks of wild speculation of what Connor would be wearing at the first race of the ABA season last weekend in Reno. When he did not show up for the race, that fueled the rumors and prognosticators even more. The Internet had him riding for everyone from Factory Mom & Dad to the Queen of England (literally). But there was a slim majority who either had the right CIA contacts, made a great guess, or were within earshot of someone with close insider knowledge.

On Jan 14 (which, we now know from the interview, was three days after he signed the deal), this Vintage Post from “Lumpy” had it right.

Give the Podcast a listen, the come on over to Vintage where the discussion is already well underway.

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