Daunting new track to challenge New Zealand BMX riders

A six-strong New Zealand BMX team will tomorrow get their first taste of the daunting new-styled track in The Netherlands ahead of the weekend’s second round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup.

The track at Papendal in Arnhem is the blueprint for next year’s Olympic track in London. It is longer, with bigger jumps and includes new challenging features including a berm jump for the men over the women’s track, angled jumps and a box jump.

UCI track builder Tom Ritzenthaler has produced the new track which is longer than other permanent Supercross track in Chula Vista in California. It is 35m longer for men and 50m for women than the US track which is the first permanent Supercross facility.

The 2009 world champion Sarah Walker will be looking to advance her Olympic aspirations after placing third in the opening round in South Africa. The competition looks stronger this weekend with the South African winner Manon Valentino (FRA) back, leading Australian Caroline Buchanan, 2009 world junior champion Mariana Pajon (COL) and the return to BMX action for England’s world champion Shanaze Reade.

Cambridge’s Marc Willers, currently based in California, will be looking for a return to top form after dominating the US scene this year. He crashed out in the final in South Africa, finishing eighth in the final.

The winner of the South African round, American Corben Sharrah will lead the US contingent that includes the return of former multi world champion Mike Day who has been out of the sport for 18 months after a back operation.

BikeNZ will be looking for further development from the burgeoning high performance group. Tauranga’s Kurt Pickard, who won the national championship this month, made a successful return to international competition, making the semifinals in South Africa.

Cambridge rider Kurt James and leading junior Trent Woodcock also qualified out of the new time trial system for the second day elimination rounds. The pair have been based at Murrieta with Willers over the last two months.

The first practice is tomorrow, with an 85 minute session, ahead of a second practice on Friday morning (local time) with the time trial qualification and Superfinal qualifying in the afternoon. The elimination rounds are on Saturday with the grand finals schedule for late in the afternoon.