A quartet of riders from the Abbotsford BMX Club are set to represent Canada in South Carolina later this month.
Locals Jason Adams, Zac Frier, Billy Ratcliff and Belynda Davidson are all heading to the UCI BMX World Championships.
The world championships are the biggest event of the year in the BMX, with the top competitors from around the globe battling it out in a number of different age groups. Canada sends a total of 16 athletes in each age group, and those who qualify must either finish in the top two at a provincial race or in the top eight at a national race.
Adams, Frier, Ratcliff and Davidson all finished in the top two in their respective divisions after strong showings at the BC Championships in Abbotsford last summer.
“We’re all so excited and it’s really great for our club,” said Libby Ratcliff of Abbotsford BMX. “We always want to get more people on bikes and news like this should help encourage that.”
Adams will compete in the men’s 30 to 34 class, Frier will ride in the men’s 17 to 24 division, Ratcliff competes in the 14 boys class and Davidson rides in the women’s cruiser 40 and over class.
Over 3,000 riders are expected at the event, which is in North America for the first time since 2007. The championships rotates to different locations and often different continents every year.
The Abbotsford foursome arrives at the event on July 21, with a Team Canada meeting scheduled for July 22. Two days of practices follow, with the racing running from July 25 to 29.
For more on the event, visit rockhillscbmx.com.
Locally, the Abbotsford BMX Club continues to run outside at its track near the Ag-Rec Building until September. Indoor riding then runs from November to February.
Ratcliff said the club runs open practices for anyone interested on Mondays, and host races on Wednesdays. Beginners are welcome to try out, and the club has loaner bikes and equipment for newbies.
For more information on the club, visit abbotsfordbmx.ca.