The Kaitangata Black Gold BMX Club’s track has undergone its most substantial upgrade in 18 years, transforming it into a faster, more challenging course to keep up with modern standards.
Black Gold’s male and female athletes of all ages plan to thrash their new track for the remaining weeks of New Zealand’s BMX season in preparation for national competition, before looking to overseas
opportunities.
Work on the track involved reshaping sections to include pump features, manuals and more aerial elements essential to develop riders’ skills.
The upgrades required major resources, including about 50 loads of donated rock valued at about $10,000.
Volunteers dedicated evenings and a working bee to compact and tidy the site, resulting in a smoother, quicker layout that has drawn praise for its quality.
"It turned out even better than we hoped and we have far better capacity to host bigger events now," club president Kirsty Nicol said.
"We want to bring more people here to compete - and see what else the district has to offer."
She said it could not have happened without the "incredible" dedication and generosity of businesses, individuals and associations around the region.
Cromwell-based elite rider Nick Cowie designed the new track and was on hand last week to coach Clutha’s youngsters.
"Riding’s been an obsession of mine since I was little and I always dreamed of designing and building a real track. It was such a cool opportunity," he said.
Ranked third in New Zealand’s under-19 category last year and third at the South Island championships in the men’s elite class, Cowie has travelled extensively for competition.
Eleven-year-old Ardie Kahukura and his family echoed the effort required, travelling from rural Clinton for club nights.
Ardie made a major contribution to New Zealand’s victory in the Mighty Elevens last year, where he and four North Island boys teamed up to defeat their Australian rivals in Auckland and Australia.
"In Australia, their tracks are kind of sand and glue, real smooth... It could be our dirt tracks are harder to ride, so we have an edge when we ride on theirs."
