BMX national competition in Reno

This weekend Olympic hopefuls competed in the same national competition as five-year old-girls and men over 50.

The American Bicycle Association's Silver Dollar National BMX (bicycle motocross) races held this weekend at the Reno-Livestock Events Center attracted 1,561 competitors from all over the world on Saturday.

Clayton John, American Bicycle Association president said the free event gave everyone the chance to meet the “top pros in the world.”

Bubba Harris, the three-time winner of the National AA-Pro title, pedaled over the same dirt track of bumps, jumps created from 4,500 yards of soil that created the challenging terrain. He’s at the top of the list for athletes expected to compete in 2008 Olympic Games. This will be the first time the sport has been included.

Another hallmark of BMX’s growing popularity is that Harris recently signed a sponsorship deal with Visa and Nike. He said he expects the Olympics to bring more sponsors to the sport and hopes to see it gain primetime TV billing.

“BMX is one of those sports that’s kind of like a step-child to the other sports,” Harris said. “People outside of the BMX world don’t know what BMX is, and once they come they get hooked right away.”

He said BMX is one of the few sports an entire family can participate in, which adds to the sport’s increasing popularity.

“It’s really a sport that once you start doing it the whole family starts doing it, and it’s fun for everybody - from dad, to junior, to little sister,” Harris said.
All it takes to join in an American Bicycle Association competition is a bike with twenty-inch wheels, a helmet, a long-sleeve shirt, pants and a $45 membership fee.

Robbie Stanford, 43, and his 12- and 8-year-old sons drove from Merced Calif. to compete in this weekend’s races. He said it’s good for the whole family to compete and stay in shape. He races locally against kids that are 20 years younger than he is and enjoys it.

“I’m able to keep up with them, so I keep them pretty honest,” Stanford said. “They have a lot of respect for this old man.”

Keith Coben, of Elk Grove, Calif. brought his 6-year-old son Jack to compete in the race. The Coben family arrived with their team, Factory Team 2 Racing.

“The way kids get good at bicycle motocross is at the grassroots level and that’s at the local racetrack,” Coben said. “Once or twice a week they’re out there racing with their friends. It’s very informal. Nothing like this.”

The Silver Dollar National BMX races were held in rapid succession with nearly a mechanized efficiency.

Cyclists lined up like cattle herded into a fenced stall. Then with a clang, a gate dropped and cyclists pedaled forward over well-groomed dirt mounds and banked curves. As the pack neared the finish line, the gate drops again sending another group of racers in to the course.

The next national BMX competition is scheduled at the Reno Livestock and Events Center from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2.

Photo by David B. Parker/RGJ