THE DIRTJANUARY 2015

national seriesANTHONY DEAN

NATIONAL SIGN ON DAY

THE DIRT

bmxaustralia.com.au

Cover: Anthony Dean leading the pack at Round 2 of the BMX Australia National Series in Nerang, QLD (photo: Just BMX Photography)

IN THIS ISSUEROUNDS 1 & 2 WRAP UP

NSOD

RIDER INSIGHT: ANTHONY DEAN

#BMXANS WINNER

ROUNDS 3 & 4 PREVIEW

Do you have a great BMX story that needs to be told? Maybe it’s about a hero, or long serving individual around the club?

It could be an inspiring story or a tale of exceptional achievement.

Whatever it is we love hearing from our BMX family, and more than that we like to share your stories with everyone else.

If you think someone’s story deserves to be heard get in touch with us at news@bmx.com.au and it could feature in future editions of ‘The Dirt’ so get writing!!

we want your stories

we want your stories

The BMX Australia National series got off to a flying start at the Nerang BMX club recently as over 300 riders hit the track over two absorbing rounds, and featured Elite riders from the United States, Japan and New Zealand.

The foreign riders were joined by a who’s who of Australian BMX that included appearances from current World number one’s Caroline Buchanan and Sam Willoughby, the high flying Anthony Dean, Gold Coast based Olympic contenders Bodi Turner and Melinda McLeod and a host of young local riders for the two-day event hosted by the Nerang BMX club.

Despite three days of torrential rain in the lead up to the event that left three feet deep puddles in some places, a call to arms from President Rob Duffy ensured that racing went ahead in fantastic fashion.

“30 to 40 people responded to my Facebook message and showed up to help get the track ready,” Duffy said.

“The support from the entire BMX community was incredible, and helped ensure that everything ran very smoothly.

“Thankfully we had also covered the track in a watered down glue substance in the weeks prior, which ultimately helped to repel 60% of the water and bind the track together, as well as keep the dust down during racing.

“We had perfect weather from that point on and everyone thoroughly enjoyed what was extremely competitive racing from start to finish.”

So whilst plenty of hard work went into ensuring the event was a success, Duffy acknowledges the financial benefit for the club and maintenance of the track in hosting the event.“We will definitely aim to host again next year,” Duffy said,

“Between the canteen and nominations it’s around a $20,000 injection into the club.

“The club as a whole is very receptive and ensures we keep improving the track to make sure it’s up to standard.”

From a racing standpoint, the event it provided a great platform for riders to start the New Year off with a bang, which led to emphatic racing across the two rounds.

In round one Dean (@Adean144) employed an energy saving tactic throughout in what was a long, hot and humid day to storm to victory in the men’s final ahead of fellow Rio Olympic hopefuls Bodi Turner (@boditurner) and Josh Callan.

While in the Elite women’s event, World number one Buchanan was too good for Western Australian surprise packet Kirsten Dellar and American Olympic finalist Brooke Crain (@brookecrain32).

national series NERANG WRAP UP

In the women’s junior category it was a New Zealand double with Zoe Fleming besting compatriot Tahlia Hansen and Nerang local Tyler-Lea Thorley, whilst the corresponding men’s junior race was taken out by Brandon Te Hiko from Jye Hombsch and Hayden Fletcher.

Te Hiko in particular was in sizzling form all day, leading from the front and dominating every race.

Round two picked up right where round one had left off with enthralling racing the order of the day.

Reigning World Champion Willoughby entered the line up after flying in from America, however he and Dean were upset by unheralded New Zealander Trent Jones who got the better of his more fancied rivals.

A second place finish for Dean ensured he remains at the head of the field after the series’ opening two rounds.

In the Elite women an impressive Buchanan made it two wins from two starts, commencing the year in impeccable fashion.

Joining Buchanan as riders claiming second successive round wins were New Zealander Jessie Smith (14 girl’s), Japan’s Yuichi Masuda (14 boy’s), Townsville’s Shelby Green (15 girl’s) and NSW-based Japanese citizen Saya Sakakibara (16 girl’s).

The men’s junior final featured another upset with South Australian Shane Rosa upsetting Victorian Te Hiko in what was Te Hiko’s first race loss of the weekend, with another Victorian, Wade Turner, third.

In the women’s junior race, New Zealand Tahlia Hansen reversed her round one result on fellow Kiwi Zoe Fleming, with Nerang local Tyler-Lea Thorley third.

Attention now turns to rounds three and four in Shepparton to be held on February 7-8, 2015.

national series NERANG WRAP UP

After the raging success of the opening two rounds of the BMX Australia National Series in Nerang on the Gold Coast at the start of the year, attention now turns to rounds three and four of the series in Shepparton, Victoria on February 7 and 8.

The Shepparton BMX club proved to be a very popular host to the 2014 Subaru BMX National Championships, which also doubled as the final round of last year’s National Series, and is expected to attract plenty of top riders again across all age groups.

Confirmed starters include 2014 National Series Elite champions Bodi Turner and Caroline Buchanan, along with round two men’s Elite winner Trent Jones from New Zealand. American star Barry Nobles has also indicated he plans to enter the event; pending recovery from the arm injury he suffered whilst competing in Nerang.

Joining the headliners will also be an impressive number of entries, with over 200 riders confirmed for each of the rounds.

Preparation for the event is right on schedule with President Ash Robertson highlighting the important role hosting national events had had in the improvement of the Shepparton BMX club and its facilities.

“We have just ordered the top dress, so everything is on track at the moment, and we’ll be more than ready come February,” Robertson said.

“It really is a great boost for the club hosting such a big event like the National Series.

“The club has really come forward over the past couple of years on the back of hosting national events like the Subaru BMX National Championships and the final round of the National Series last year.

“The local government now understands the benefit that it provides the community and they are fully on board with helping support our events and improve our facilities.

“Hopefully we can now secure federal funding on the back of these events to help make continued improvements to our facilities.”

In what was a fantastic addition to the series, and the sport, both rounds will once again be live streamed at www.epicentre.tv, allowing the BMX Australia family the chance to watch all the action no matter where they are.

In Shepparton, the live stream will commence at 12pm on Saturday February 7 and 10am on Sunday February 8.

preview: rnd 3 & 4 - shepparton

preview: rnd 3 & 4 - shepparton

national sign on dayThe BMX Australia National Sign On Day 2015 will once again provide clubs the opportunity to boost their membership numbers and welcome even more riders and their families into the BMX Australia family.

As previously communicated, BMX Australia will be running a diverse marketing campaign designed to generate exposure for the three NSOD weekends in February, and in turn seek to encourage our target market to attend at their local club.

In addition, BMX Australia’s media team is poised to assist participating clubs in helping to obtain local media to assist in promoting the event. An email will be sent out to the Sign On Day organiser at each participating club over the next week inquiring as to any existing media efforts, or if any assistance is required.

Clubs are highly encouraged to respond to these emails, because ultimately communication between clubs and BMX Australia will improve your clubs chances of running a successful National Sign On Day.

Clubs are strongly encouraged to do as much as they can within the community, including generating awareness of the event amongst local schools, as that is where our target market resides. The NSOD message can be communicated via leaflets, or school newsletters.

Clubs and members are also encouraged to generate plenty of word of mouth exposure as possible, with members members actively communicating the NSOD message to friends, neighbours associates.

The sign on days will be held over three weekends in February including:7th or 8th February 201514th or 15th February 201521st or 22nd February 2015April-May 2015 (NT only)

Who have you invited to your National Sign On Day?

new year'S resolutions

national sign on day

new year'S resolutions

“To motivate more young BMXers to get involved in the sport and get their goals!!”Dirk Winter

“To enjoy the moments that 2015 brings.. the good, the bad and the ugly!” Melinda McLeod

“Time management and not overcommitting” Caroline Buchanan

“Loosen up”Kai Sakakibara

rider insight:ANTHONY DEANHe’s ranked the fourth best BMX rider on the planet and has forged a dream career in the sport he loves through endless hard work and an unwavering self-belief. His story is one of a guy whose journey has taken him from Wynn Vale in Adelaide to the dizzying heights of America.

We are of course talking about the hugely talented Anthony Dean.

The Dirt recently caught up with the humble South Australian to get an idea of where he’s come from and the direction he’s now headed.

Dean, 23, started out his BMX career just as thousands of children around Australia do, as an intrigued six-year-old kid who loved to ride. The Cross Keys BMX club nurtured his passion and set him on a journey to perhaps one day becoming the best in the world.

Hard work and dedication ensured impressive domestic success, however it wasn’t until the biggest show in the sport came to town that Dean had a taste of the big time.

He was just a bright eyed 18-year-old when he first raced the World Championships in Adelaide in 2009, competing as a junior he won the bronze, and with it an unquenchable thirst to compete and succeed on the global stage.

“The World Championships in Adelaide really kick started my career and gave me a vision that I could make something out of it (racing),” Dean said.

“It helped me to form a goal of moving to America to race against the best.

“It’s a goal that you always believe you can achieve, but you only think it can happen when you actually achieve it.”

His goal would not come to fruition for a further three years, with much of 2010 and 2011 spent getting ready for the Elite ranks by travelling to World Cups, and preparing for what is a significant step up in class.

A fourth place in the Elite men’s event at the 2012 World Championships helped to reinforce a belief that he was on the right path, and led to selection as the reserve athlete for the London Olympics in 2012. “It was a big eye opener for me personally going to London and experiencing the atmosphere, the track and the village,” Dean said.

“The Olympics is like nothing else.

“Ultimately it was a great step in the right direction moving forward to Rio.”

Inspired and determined, 2013 proved to be the crunch year for Dean, who after winning every round of the BMX Australia National series, used the prize and sponsorship money to fulfill his dream and make the big move to United States.

Temporarily set back with a broken wrist that saw him miss the World Championships, Dean burst onto the American scene by winning a Pro Spectacular money race, before heading to Korea two weeks later and taking out another money race. Dean made a cool $12k in prize money in two short weeks and made a name for himself in the process.

Impressive results in the last eight races of the American season ensured increased attention, and brought with it a dream sponsorship via a place on the Chase/DHR Racing team run by five time World Champion Dale Holmes.

With one goal complete Dean turned his attention to another that currently remains unfulfilled, to become the best in the world.

In order to do so he will first have to go through childhood friend and reigning WorldCchampion Sam Willoughby, who just so happens to live five minutes down the road in Chula Vista, and is someone Dean admits he draws inspiration from.

“We grew up and raced together, I used to go to his house and practice, and we’d go to each other’s birthday parties,” Dean said.

“I look up to him and thrive on his success, and that makes me want to succeed.”

And succeed he has, with 2014 a breakout year for Dean that included second in the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup series, 21 Pro/ Elite Main events throughout the world, a USA podium, and what looked to be a World Championships podium until he was taken out on the penultimate bend. This success has seen his ranking soar to fourth in the world, and landed him another two-year contract with Chase/DHR Racing.

“It’s been the best year I have ever had in my career,” Dean said.

“There are lots of positives moving forward.”

Not content with last year’s achievement, Dean has ensured that he started the new year right where he left off, winning round one of the BMX Australia National Series in Nerang after some clever tactics to pace himself throughout what were two brutally hot days.

“It was a good way to start the year, I have come every year to race,” he said.

“The four weeks between the USA Grand Nationals and Nerang is the only break I have all year, so I felt fresh coming in.

“That’s four round ones in a row now to start off the year, it was a goal of mine to set up the year with a win.”

Ultimately Dean’s journey started like any other, from humble beginnings, and has left him on the cusp of achieving his dream to become the world’s best. His story is an inspiring one and teaches our young athletes valuable lessons in what it takes to succeed. Stay dedicated, stay hungry and above all, stay humble.

rider insight:ANTHONY DEAN

Photo: Just BMX Photography

#BMXANSWINNERWe recently selected our favourite three photos from the National series in Nerang that were uploaded using the #BMXANS and let the BMXA community decide which photo they liked best.

A fantastic photo of Shelby Green from the Townsville BMX Club, with young Lachlan Kerrisk was the winner, and Shelby will now receive free entry into round three of the National series in Shepparton.

An excited Shelby was quick to thank BMXA, and gave some background on the winning photo.

“Thanks so much to BMXA for choosing my photograph, and for the opportunity to have my round 3 nomination refunded,” she said.

“The photograph was taken by Kristy Kerrisk from Townsville BMX Club who was on holidays with her family on the Gold Coast, and they came to Nerang to cheer me on.

“The toddler in the photo is their youngest son Lachlan, he is a real cutie!”

Congratulations also to our two runners up Declan Jaehne and Aislynn Weber, and thankyou for sharing your BMXA National series experiences.

A reminder that 10 photos will also go into the running at the end of the National series to win the ‘GreenNGold’ ticket - providing the winner with free entry to every round of the 2016 National series.

So remember to keep sharing your experiences using the #BMXANS throughout the National Series for your chance to win.

ENTRIES NOW OPEN FOR ROUNDS 3-8

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BMX Australia Limitede: info@bmxaustralia.com.aup: (02) 9008 1300f: (02) 8338 1500a: PO Box 6402, Alexandria, NSW 2015