Inspired by the Michigan victors of last weekend’s national BMX competition, dozens of local riders hit the tracks at a USA BMX Open House in Waterford Township on Saturday.
From seasoned children returning to the course to novice adults, riders said they were excited to be at Waterford Oaks BMX Park just one week after their fellow riders flexed their skills to out-of-state competitors.
“It feels great, because I know that I want to be in their spot, and I want to get there someday and I know I will,” Raelynn Erlinger, a 12-year-old rider, told The News.
Erlinger, of White Lake Township, cinched second- and third-place victories at the national competition one week prior, she said.
She returned to the tracks Saturday and cinched three first-place wins in the 13 Novice category.
“It was actually really fun,” Erlinger said of her recent wins. “Not as fun as I expected it to be for the first national, but I really enjoyed it.”
Part of what makes Michigan’s BMX scene special is its strong culture of good sportsmanship, said Walt and Jeane Smith, a Waterford Township couple who also competed Saturday.
The Smiths began biking after their 11-year-old daughter showed an interest in the sport, they said. Walt and Jeane Smith are now regulars at Waterford Oaks BMX Park, though by now they’re used to their quick daughter leaving them in the dust, they said.
“It just progressed from there,” said Walt, 50. “Now we all each have two bikes.”
Walt Smith brought home his own first-place win on Saturday after competing in the 17-20 Cruiser class. Jeane Smith, 47, pedaled into third place in the 41-45 Novice category.
Regardless of age and skill level, local BMX riders have a unique way of welcoming newcomers to the sport into the fold, Jeane Smith said. That camaraderie is part of what motivated her most after watching last Saturday’s nationals competitions, she said.
“It’s exciting to see,” she said. “The people that you’ve worked with, these are the people that may have taught you what you needed. Our daughter, she’s gotten a lot of people that were running the pro circuit last weekend at nationals.”
For Ruben Vazquez, 41, his sons and the sporting community are what keeps him coming back to the tracks, he said.
The Troy biker proudly watched his 9-year-old son, Marcelo, win first place in his own category at the national competition one week prior, he said. His other son, 3-year-old Roman, also won third place one of the national races, he said.
Still riding that high, Vazquez brought Marcelo and Roman back to the park on Saturday for another fun day on the tracks, he said.
“They love bikes and they love racing,” he said. “Training, practicing, coming to the local races, I think that’s just the reward for them.”
Marcelo Vazquez, who sailed into another first place win in the 9 Novice category on Saturday, told The News what he loves most about biking is the rush of air around him as he’s holding onto his spot in a race.
Saturday was Marcelo’s sixth race of the season, but certainly not his last, he said.
“When someone’s in the back, you’re just pushing with all your might,” he said. “They want to pass, and I just try to go faster. That’s why it’s fun.”
Even from the sidelines, 16-year-old biker Temprance Goldfarb said she could still feel the crowd’s energy buzzing around the tracks.
Goldfarb, of White Lake, is recovering from a knee injury but hopes to make it back onto the tracks in full force soon, she said after clearing fourth place in a race for the 14 Intermediate category Saturday.
Goldfarb said she appreciates the sport because there is always something new about BMX riding. The never-ending cycle of practicing and racing, coupled with strong community support, has kept her going as she recovers from a torn ACL, she said.
“It’s kind of freeing,” she said of BMX riding. “It’s a way to get away from life, I guess. Like, I can take my mind off everything and focus on my riding.”
Tim Weiss, a 53-year-old rider MCing Saturday’s open house, said he also loved the sport for always teaching him something new.
Weiss, of Clarkston, biked his first race in 1997, he said. He bought every magazine and read everything he could find out about BMX riding as the sport rose to popularity during his 20s, he said.
Waterford Oaks BMX is a 50-year-old park and the second oldest BMX track in the world, USA BMX officials said in a July 1 press release.
“I raced at Waterford Oaks BMX about 20 years ago as a young kid and have fond memories of this area. This is a really unique track that is a lot of fun, and I think it’s going to make for a weekend of good racing,” three-time BMX Team USA Olympian Connor Fields said in the release.
Nearly 30 years later from his first race, Weiss said he’s proud to still be part of the local BMX riding scene.
Source link : https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2024/07/13/michigan-riders-flex-skills-at-usa-bmx-open-house-saturday/74383385007/
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Publish date : 2024-07-13 19:43:22
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