Olympians Leila Walker and Rico Bearman will be looking to extend their records at the BMX national championships at Te Awamutu at the weekend.
After being sidelined by injury last summer, Walker will be looking to add to her title from 2024.
The 20-year-old claimed the Oceania elite title in New Plymouth last month, in an impressive display by the Cambridge rider.
Europe-based professional Bearman will be hoping to build on his excellent 2025 season, where he became the first New Zealander to win a UCI world cup title since Marc Willers in 2011.
All Kiwi riders are building towards the UCI BMX racing world championships in Brisbane in three months, where the course has been upgraded as part of long-term preparations for hosting the 2032 Olympic Games.
Bearman is unlikely to have things entirely his own way though, with a tough test against Cambridge rider Bennett Greenough — an Oceania winner last year — who is expected to lead the charge alongside his brother, Jack, who will be a leading hope in the under-23 division.
In the women’s event, Walker is the favourite, with the challenge likely to be led by Rotorua international Megan Williams.
But injury is likely to sideline the efforts of the third of the outstanding Greenough brigade, the junior world champion Lily.
There are nearly 800 entries for the championships attracting riders from 5 to over 70 years for the three days of racing.
Races got under way yesterday with the official trial racing for New Zealand selection for the annual mighty 11s transtasman test, the first leg of which will take place in Australia in the coming months. — Allied Media
