WHAT'S HOT ON BMX MANIA!

New! - UCI SX PAPENDAL, THE NETHERLANDS

2013 race REPORTS - UCI SX PAPENDAL, THE NETHERLANDS - USABMX NASHVILLE / USA CYCLING NATIONAL AM CHAMPIONSHIPS - USA Cycling Elite National Championships - UCI BMX SX MANCHESTER, U.K. - USABMX Gator Nationals - USABMX Louisville Indoor - USABMX SILVER DOLLAR

2012 race REPORTS - USABMX grand nationals - USABMX DISNEY CUP - Korea International Invitational - UCI SX Canada - USABMX LOUISVILLE - 2012 OLYMPICS - USABMX Rockford - USABMX South Park - UCI BMX world Championships ..... Featured - 2008 Olympics - 2012 OLYMPICS

FEATURES - ARCHIVED NEWS - Past Races 2007 - 2013 - INTERVIEWS - THANX PAGE - PRODUCT REVIEWS - CAROLINE BUCHANAN RACE REPORTS - PAST PHOTOS OF THE DAY

©2013 BMXMANIA.COM

Tioga BMX rider Mariana Pajon and the Argentina SX race from TiogaBMX on Vimeo.

Nobles & willers Get the J&R Hookup!

Olympian Marc Willers and Elite rider Barry Nobles join the J&R BMX Superstore team of amazing racers under a co-sponsorship deal signed recently.

"We are thrilled to have such great athletes partnering up with us", says J&R Bicycles marketing manager Bert Morrison.

Look for both riders to be flexing their J&R muscle at the USABMX Midwest National this weekend in Rockford, Illinois.

FMR Racing Launches New Frame!

(Click above to check out the FMR X-1)

There's a new company around, called FMR BMX and they are stoked about their new frame, called the X-1.

The prototype X-1 has a 21.75 top tube with chainstay length of 14-14.75. headtube angle 74.5 degrees and a seat tube of 71 degrees and works with a 27.2 seat post.

The XXL frame weighs in at 4 lbs 4 oz The frame takes a old school design and modernizes it. The rear dropouts are in between the seat tube and the chainstay to make it a stiff, and it also has a gusset by the bottom bracket on the top and bottom of the chain stays to keep it stiff in the bottom bracket.

The frame is made of 4130 OX platinum chromoly tubing. They are planning on doing a few different sizes and pricing will be available soon.

These frames are 100% hand made in the USA and in the Midwest by Standard Bykes.  They are taking pre orders on the bike and it will be a 8 week wait to get your frame, but worth the wait.

According to, FMR Owner, Adam Berkley, "This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I'm very happy to be partnering with Rick at Standard Bykes to make this dream a reality. If anyone is interested in the frames or would like more information they can email me at fmrbmx@hotmail.com or call 217-685-1031."

WHATTTTTT?  This Friday begins what many BMX addicts might consider one of, if not, THE BEST race of the 2013 BMX Racing Season ... The UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Papendal, Netherlands. This track ..... This location ..... This race ..... This lineup of talent makes this one of the BEST races of the 2013 BMX Racing Season. See it all, LIVE, on www.bmxlive.tv!

The BMX Racing Group (BRG) is proud to announce the support of the UCI World Cycling Center (WCC) BMX division in Aigle, Switzerland. BRG will become a new frame and components partner for the BMX Racing program.

Riders attending the WCC are able to use some of the best products in BMX offered from BRG, including Chase BMX Frames, Elevn Racing Components, Insight Soft goods, and Excess Wheels.

"We here at BRG are excited to partner up with the UCI WCC. Thomas Allier has further developed an already great program that UCI has had in place and taken it to the next level. Riders at the WCC are now able to use BRG products on their efforts to help in their further development in the sport of BMX racing. We look forward to being a part of such a great program for many years to come!" stated by Pete Dylewski, Strategic Partner at BMX.

The World Cycling Center Coach, BMX Legend Thomas Allier, has assembled a group of 16 young athletes, that train on the UCI's Supercross track, built on site at the UCI and World Cycling Center office property, and have access to some of the best training and equipment to help accelerate the talent each of the riders possesses. The main objective of the WCC is to detect and train the most promising athletes so that they reach international level.

"With Chase BMX Frames, Elevn Racing Components, Insight, and Excess Wheels I have the feeling, we offer to our riders at the WCC the best bikes and parts on the market. We really like the design and quality and I hope it's the start of a long term relationship" noted Thomas Allier of the World Cycling Centre (WCC), which houses the headquarters of the International Cycling Union, is a high-level coaching and training centre. It is noted for its modern facilities and is located in an ideal environment for cycling. Designed for riders, coaches and cycling managers, the WCC has been given the label « Olympic Training Centre » by the IOC.

About the UCI WCC - The main mission of the International Cycling Union (UCI) is to promote cycling on the five continents, in all disciplines (road, track, mountain bike, BMX, para-cycling, cyclo-cross, trials and indoor cycling) and on all levels. The development of Elite competition is the central objective of all the development actions led by the UCI WCC. For elite cycling to continue to encourage cycling amateurs, practicing or non-practicing, and to inspire the young, it is vital that all groups that make up our sport function correctly. The elite come from the grass-roots level; champions cannot develop their potential without competent coaches; to exist, athletes must be able to depend on solid structures.

About BRG - The BMX Racing Group was created to bring to the BMX market Hi-End BMX racing parts that are needed in the pursuit to win. BRG brings together some of the finest people the BMX Industry has to offer to create such items. The 2 main partners in the Group are: Christophe Leveque, one of the most historic BMX riders to have ever graced a BMX Bike and one of the BMX Industries most experienced and successful marketing professional, Pete Dylewski.

We stand behind our products 100% and are here to listen to you, the riders on what you’d like to see for us to produce to help you get the winning edge.

BRG is proud to offer products that have been designed by a past BMX World & National Champion Christophe Leveque meet to his high standards and are proudly offered to BMXers world wide!

For More info on any of the BRG Brands, please visit bmxracinggroup.com ... Twitter: @BMXRacingGroup ... FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BMXRG

EXTREME TEAM BATTLES IN CANADA!

Recently, Extreme Team sent a small contingent north of the border for the USABMX Frasier Valley Nats to get in some track time, score some NAG & Team points, and rep their Extreme BMX Products frames for the crowd!

The team rolled into town and knocked out the Friday practice sessions without a hitch. When Saturday came, it was time for business. Cameron Wood started things off for Extreme Team by winning 11 Cruiser, (which he repeated on day 2) and took down a 2^nd in 11 Expert, followed by a 3^rd on Sunday! One gate drop after Cameron’s cruiser win was the 12 Cruiser class where Hunter Brown boasted a pair of 2^nd’s for the weekend! Hunter backed up his cruiser results with a 7^th and 5^th in the always stacked 12 Expert as well!

Hayden Brown must have been watching his younger brother, Hunter, from his staging lane because he was more than fired up for his main events throughout the weekend, taking a solid 4^th in the combined 15-16 Cruiser main on day one, which he backed up by a stellar performance on Sunday, where he took 1^st  in 15 Cruiser and a 15 Expert 3^rd , which was one of the largest classes over the weekend! Huge thanks to these guys for making the team and the frames look amazing over the weekend!

(P.S.-during the same weekend, Jeremy Smith was a mere 3,000 miles away at the USABMX Tarheel Nats, where he took a dirt nap in 17-18x on day 1, followed by a 1^st place finish on Day 2)

Extreme team thanks all of their sponsors: Fly Racing (www.flyracing.com) Rockwell Time (www.rockwelltime.com) Tangent (www.tangentproducts.com) No Weak Links Clothing Co. (www.noweaklinks.com) Extreme Fire Protection (www.extremefireprotectioninc.com) Performance Bike Parts (www.performancebike.com) Ben's Bikes (www.bensbikestucson.com) ODI (www.odigrips.com)

Editor's Note - Sunday at the USABMX Music City National, the entire Elite Men's / AA Pro class boycotted the Quarter Finals of Sunday's race due to a "miscommunication" between the pro's expectations of what the Saturday Pro Payout was and what USABMX had budgeted for a combination USABMX Pro Series Race and it also being a UCI Points race on Saturday. Check out the facts and figures below. I guess it's kind of like that old Led Zeppelin song........'Communication Breakdown'.

Evidently, there's another item on the line that may need to be addressed. IF Sam Willoughby would have won on Sunday, he would have expanded his new USABMX Record for consecutive AA Pro wins. Did Sam give up his record with his participation in the walkout? What will the outcome be?

We'll see at the Midwest National in Rockford, Illinois in two weeks! WAIT! Will the pros run at Rockford? Pro Union? BMX Madness! We'll be there, keep it tuned to BMX Mania and find out what's happening!

Official USABMX News Release - USA BMX is a world-class organization who holds itself to the highest standard in BMX racing; from enforcing the rules of racing to membership services. With that said, I want to apologize to every BMX race fan who had to witness the pro walk-off this past weekend.

This entire episode was a miscommunication on our behalf.  When the announcement was made at the beginning of the year about the increased pro payout, it was, unfortunately, not explained correctly. The guaranteed increased year-end payout and the increased per-race payout was based on the UCI purses being lower at UCI events. With the significant expenses involved with running a UCI event, the mandatory minimum payout is what made the UCI events work within the entire pro budget. Unfortunately, these races were erroneously included on the increased pro pay announcement, which is what led to the protest.

There was never any intention to deceive the riders, it was a simply a case of miscommunication. Obviously, we value our Elite riders and, as such, USA BMX will do as we have for 35 years and do what we say we will do. We stated in a press release that all Pro series events would receive the much higher USA BMX purse, and we plan to honor that. Checks will immediately be sent to those Pro riders to make up the difference. The Elite riders were told on the back of the hill that this issue would be resolved as soon as we got back to the office, and they were given one of my senior staff member’s cell phone number in case they had any questions. It is unfortunate that there was not enough trust from the pros that USA BMX would resolve this issue, and I am disappointed that the Elite riders chose to walk off. Many of them are riders I watched grow up racing BMX, while others were simply caught up in something they didn’t understand.

Based on the facts, this is the decision that would have been reached regardless of the pros decision to walk-off. Again, I apologize to all of the race fans who didn’t get to watch their favorite Elite riders race Sunday in Nashville. Fortunately, the A Pro, Vet Pro, Women Junior and Men Junior classes all put on exciting main events for attendees and live stream web viewers. In the future, I will make sure that all aspects of pro racing expenses are more closely scrutinized and publicized to avoid any confusion.

Bernard A. Anderson President & CEO USA BMX / The American Bicycle Association

Greg Hill, the Head Guy over at GHP BMX gives one of the best clinic / camps in the sport of BMX.

Now, you can have the combined knowledge of decades of BMX Excellence for an entire weekend of training at the Greg Hill Home Camp.

Greg can hook you up with the complete deal......A whole weekend with one of the best trainers in BMX right at the GHP Ranch in beautiful Southern California!!!!

An in house pump track, Pro Gate gate starts, sprints, lodging, good food, Greg's got it ALL goin' on!

Check out all the details, HERE

Check out this video of Kurt Pickard preparing before heading over to America for 6 weeks to get some USABMX race action in before returning to his home base in late July for the UCI BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in Auckland, New Zealand.

If you're at a U.S. national in the next few weeks, check out Kurt, he's got the goods and always on the lookout to make new friends in BMX!

Check it out, Sports Fans! AC is giving away her UCI SX Manchester number plate! That's a nice piece of BMX memorabilia for your collection!

Like the idea? Check out "Amanda Carr's Quest", you gotz to watch the video to win the number plate! Hurry, Time's Gettin' Short!

AT IT AGAIN! Another Alienation build on a 2013 Kink Hamlin Pro Bike. Last year Chris Ortega won the set up and this year this sexy beast can be yours. Check the photo for specs.

So how do you win? We want to see the most beat up ride with the best rims. Worst shit box on the BEST rims takes the bike.

Submit your photos to our FaceBook page to enter and encourage your friends to like your ride! CONTEST ENDS JUNE 21ST SO GET ON IT AND GOOD LUCK!

For your chance to be spotted, simply film your signature move and upload your video by July 5th to redbullphenom.com and skate legend Steve Caballero and BMX icon Mike Escamilla could pick you to compete in an amateur contest at X Games Los Angeles.

What are you waiting for? Pick up a camera, capture your craziest move and upload it to our website. This is your chance to be discovered! To enter, upload it to YouTube under the title ‘Red Bull Phenom’ and register on our site, www.redbullphenom.com.

More Information: The competition is open until July 5th to non-pros between the ages of 15 and 19. Six BMX and four skate finalists will be chosen based on their video entries. Two additional skate finalists will come from the comp circuit — one from Volcom Wild in the Parks AM Series and another from the Element Make it Count Series.

Photo / Red Bull Content Pool

London Olympic silver medal BMX rider Sarah Walker will proudly carry a brand synonymous with New Zealand cycling at July’s UCI BMX World Championships in Auckland with news that Avanti is once again set to make its mark in the world of BMX.

Sheppard Cycles is the New Zealand Company that engineers and distributes the Avanti brand of bikes throughout New Zealand and Australia and has in recent years supported World Champion pursuit rider Alison Shanks and the Pure Black Racing Team and in 2013 the Huon Salmon Genesys Pro Cycling Team.

Now the brand is set to feature once again in the world of BMX bikes with the race bikes carrying the iconic New Zealand Avanti brand from August 2013, with Walker, Tahlia Hansen, Kurt James, Max Macready and Richard McLachlan amongst the first to enjoy the best in Kiwi engineering.

Walker rode the 2014 Avanti branded prototype for the first time today and will take the bike with her to the USA as she prepares for the July 24 - 28 UCI World Championships at Vector Arena (www.bmxworldsnz.com)

“I have been a professional athlete racing BMX for a number of years and I absolutely love what I do,” said Walker. “The preparation, training and of course the execution of race plans is critical.  However, I have also learned that another key to a top performance is surrounding myself with top quality equipment and people who have as much passion and commitment to succeed as I do. 

“I have been involved with the Avanti family for a number of years now and they have been an integral part of my success.  The team believe in what I do and are always looking for ways to continue to adapt and improve my frame technology and equipment.  I am excited to be able to represent all that Avanti stands for and showcase this when I am training and racing.   

“It is a fantastic feeling when competing on the international stage as a New Zealander and knowing that I have the backing of a strong, NZ brand like Avanti.  These guys have over 25 years in the bike industry with their first bikes being BMX so these guys truly know what they are doing.  This knowledge and commitment is totally reflected in the bike I ride and just adds to my confidence.

“I am really excited about taking Avanti all the way to Rio 2016.  Like me, Avanti believe in the success of New Zealanders and that if we work together you can be the absolute best in the World.”

John Oldale leads the BMX design team at Avanti and spoke of the work that has gone into the development of the new frameset.

“The Avanti Team issue frameset was developed in conjunction with our team riders,” said Oldale, Avanti BMX Bicycle Product Manager.

“The initial design brief was to come up with something that was light, fast and stiff giving the rider the ultimate advantage out of the gate and down the first straight. In order to do this we needed to develop a back end that was incredibly stiff yet had no weight penalty. We chose to use custom shaped tubes made out of Kinesis K7 alloy which offers a strength-to-weight ratio and produces a very strong but lightweight frame.

“The frame also features a BB30 PF bottom bracket which is a technology borrowed from road bikes allowing for a larger crank axle and bearings. The rear hub is custom made for Avanti and uses a 15mm axle which is 5mm larger than a standard BMX race axle, once again making the overall package stiff. The hub has 120 points of engagement – meaning that there is little to no slip on the chain for immediate pick-up out of the gate. To finish the frame off we have used “double pass” welds to help reduce stress and increase fatigue life.”

The move to reengage the Avanti brand in BMX racing sees the company go full circle from the very first bike produced by the company to once again proudly providing world class framesets to the best riders in the world.

“Sheppard’s are excited to re-introduce the Avanti brand back in the BMX race scene – the grass roots of where the company began over 30 years ago,” said Bob Boniface, Sheppard Cycles Managing Director.  

“It completes the circle of high performance athletes we support under the Avanti brand with the likes of Alison Shanks and Cameron Brown and supports our drive to grow and support top level competitive cycling in NZ.  

“We are looking forward to the range being released in August and are excited to be part of the sponsorship group helping bring the UCI World Champs to Auckland this coming July with Sarah, Max, Tahlia and Kurt all to race on the new Avanti frame.”

For more info ..... www.avantibikes.com/nz

Every two years, the most talented athletes from around the world prepare to follow their dreams and take their place in history at the Olympic Games. The only documentary about the London 2012 Olympic Games supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIRST: The Story of the London 2012 Olympic Games follows 12 first-time Olympic athletes on their journey from their homes in different corners of the globe to meet their fate in London.

Presented by NCM Fathom Events, New Moon and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), this exclusive one-night event in select cinemas nationwide on Thursday, May 30 at 7:30 PM (local time) features the uplifting stories of 12 young warriors.

The event includes exclusive personal interviews with America’s swimming sweetheart Missy Franklin, gymnastics hero John Orozco, boxing legend Queen Underwood and Australian BMX daredevil Caroline Buchanan as they discuss how the London 2012 Olympic Games changed their lives forever.

USA theater release of "First" Official 2012 London Olympics Film (30th May) - More info: Tickets, locations etc:  www.fathomevents.com/#!first/more-info/theaterlocations

Amanda Carr To Host Weekly VLog-Starts With Argentina!

Amanda Carr has wrapped up her 7th vLog! She's posting new videos on YouTube every Tuesday highlighting her week. Subscribe and follow her each week as she pursues an Olympic Birth in 2016 for Thailand!

www.AmandaCarrBMX.com ..... facebook.com/AmandaCarrBMX

youtube.com/AmandaCarrBMX ..... twitter.com/AmandaCarrBMX

@AmandaCarrBMX ..... www.youtube.com

J&R Team Scores Big In Bakersfield!

The J&R team posted some good scores over the weekend with 212 points on Saturday and 219 points on Sunday to win both days at the U.S. Nationals in Bakersfield, California in team competition.  It was a full team turn-out except for Geoffrey Banser from Florida. 

Highlights of the weekend include Lauren Whisler doubling in 17-20 girls, Shayne Lewis doubling in 12x, and Michael Weatherford doubling in 28-35x.  Ryan Pettigrew made his return from collar bone surgery (plate & screws) and finished strong with a 1^st and 2^nd place in 15x despite a bad crash in Saturday’s first round action. 

You can check out Ryan’s race and interview in the link below (Video #1).  Our newest rider Joshua Veron, shown in picture below, doubled in 10 cruiser and took two 4^th place finishes in 10x.  Zack Van Kammen had some bad luck with a hard crash in Saturday’s 17-18x main (Video #2 below). 

Jack  Bakken got a 3^rd and 4^th in 8 cruiser and a 5^th in Saturday’s 8x main.  Levi Pope made 3 out of 4 mains in 14x and 13-14 open.  Stella Sunseri took a 4^th and 7^th place in 7 girls and Leinani Peralta took a 2^nd and 3^rd in 11 girls.  Kamren Larsen finished with a 3^rd place in Saturday’s 13x main, and a couple of mains in 13-14 open.  Kevin Shankel, A Pro, had some good laps, but just fell shy of making the main both days.

Next team race will be Salt Lake City, June 8^th & 9^th.  Zack Van Kammen will be competing at the Elite Championships in Chula Vista later this month.

 VIDEO? Check it here ..... https://vimeo.com/65665945 ..... https://vimeo.com/65581552

GERMAN BMX LEGEND KERSTIN MEYER SIGNS WITH SUPERCROSS

Kerstin Meyer, formerly Fritscher, with 4 world titles, 3 European titles, one World-Cup Overall Win and altogether 25 German Champion Titles the most successful German BMX-rider, changes to Supercross bicycles effective immediately.

Kerstin, who was – for more than 17 years – well known on a Redline and was known as “Ms. Redline”, returns to the brand she was riding until 1995.

With her, the complete German Redline-Team of the year 2012 changes to Supercross.

Including: German Champion and National ranking N°2 Boys 15/16 Philip Mühlner, Fabian Otto Elite N° 1 und national series winner 2012, as well as Samuel Kern and Tim Schmidt.

The team will run under the Supercross colors and the name "Factory Team Germany".

WHAT?????? Unreal is the only word to use to describe this smokin' hot video from the radsters at UCI BMX Supercross and their Argentina gig!

The race in Santiago Del Estero was one of the BEST yet and if you want to get a "Rider's Eye" view of the track, click on this piece of BMXcellence and you'll have a tiny bit of an idea what it feels like to ride at full speed, elbow to elbow with a couple of the BEST riders in the world, Team USA's, Barry Nobles and Dutch Army Moto Madman, Twan Van Gendt!

Check it out......Pedal To The Metal BMX Race Action!

More from UCI BMX Supercross? = www.facebook.com/UCIBMXSupercross