USA BMX Freestyle Launches 2020 BMX Park Am Series with 12 Regional Qualifiers and 1 National Championship

Jul 17, 2020

Written by Bart de Jong

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USA BMX - the largest BMX racing organization in North America - announced today the debut of the USA BMX Freestyle Amateur Series that will launch a virtual, BMX amateur series, to host a live national championship in December. Today through October 3, 2020, amateur riders from 12 regions will be invited to submit a 45-second video through USA BMX Freestyle Instagram using any indoor or outdoor park of their preference for their run. Classes for male and female riders will include: 10 and under Sport Class, 11-14 Sport Class, 15 and over Sport Class, Masters (40+ Amateur), Expert (Open). Pending the regression of the ongoing pandemic, and based on regional qualifiers virtually, the top three riders in all classes from each region would advance to the National Championships either virtually or a live competition, to be held in December, depending on several factors.

"After spending six months visiting with a broad spectrum of influencers in BMX and brainstorming with focus groups, it became apparent that creating a platform for the development of freestyle amateurs is mission-critical," said USA BMX Freestyle president, Shane Fernandez. "During these discussions, it was inspiring to witness the overarching and authentic passion for empowering the future stars of BMX Freestyle. This program will be the foundation upon which we build a blueprint for riders to gain access to the necessary tools to elevate both their skills and to broaden their mindset. The long-term vision aligns opportunity and mentorship for our riders and reaches far beyond just the creation of events."

There is no cost to enter the Regional Championships bracket only a USA BMX Freestyle membership is required. Nationally renowned judges will review video submissions, and the intent would be to host a live event for the National Championships December 11-13, 2020.

Video submission rules are as follows:

-Riders and video team shall abide by the rules, regulations, and guidelines of local authorities having jurisdiction over COVID-19 compliance protocols
-Riders must wear a helmet
-Riders are allowed to select any indoor or outdoor park of their preference
-Video submissions shall be uncut and not exceed 45 seconds

The 2021 series will kick off immediately after the new year. A bracket will be added in Spring to include a State Championship bracket. The vision of USA BMX Freestyle for the series is to continue to be a hybrid format incorporating access and opportunity for all riders using virtual judging up through the State Championship bracket. The long-term goal is to eventually have both the Regional and National Championship be live events to expose the riders to the pressure and dynamics of the live competitive arena.

To foster opportunity through the creative arts and to promote the dynamics of teamwork, the USA BMX Foundation will divide an award of $4500 between the top three most innovative videos submitted. All videos submitted during both the Regional and National competition brackets are eligible for review. A separate judging panel will review the top 10 videos selected by USA BMX Freestyle to identify the 2020 winning video production teams. The innovative video submission is an independent contest and does not impact a rider's advancement in the Freestyle competition or the judging criteria associated with their run.

For updated information on the series and details on video submissions, follow USA BMX Freestyle on Instagram and Facebook.

About USA BMX Foundation
Created in 2005, The USA BMX Foundation is a division of USA BMX that focuses on the fundraising efforts, specifically the Race for Life and the Bob Warnicke Scholarship programs. As these programs are well established, the Foundation's core focus is to create membership growth through educational programming. The Foundation has had tremendous success over the last two years, especially with the creation of the USA BMX STEAM program - one of which BMX is the only Olympic sport with a fully integrated STEAM program, which is now deployed in more than 300 schools.