Walker, Willers to lead BikeNZ BMX Supercross team

Apr 01, 2011

Written by Bart de Jong

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Oceania Continental champions Sarah Walker and Marc Willers head an eight-strong team that leaves for South Africa at the weekend for the opening round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup. The first round will be held in Pietermaritzburg which also staged last year’s World Championships. It is the first of five rounds that includes the test event at London ahead of next year’s Olympics.

Walker, the only female in the team, is looking to continue from

her strong 2010 form including victory in the penultimate round of the Supercross last year in France. The Cambridge-based rider dominated the Oceania event near Pukekohe recently in her first major competition following a five-month break with injury.

Willers has been one of the form riders in the world this year, winning both the Oceania and North American continental contests and currently leads the US ABA national series from his base in Murrieta, near San Diego. He is joined in the elite ranks by the much improved Kurt James (Cambridge), who impressed at the Oceania event, and Tauranga’s Kurt Pickard, the 2010 National Champion, who is making a return to the sport and turned heads with his form at the Continental Championships.

There are also four elite junior men competing in South Africa comprising Trent Woodcock (Pukekohe), Nick Fox (Gisborne), Daniel Franks (Christchurch) and Trent Jones (Whangarei).

The team is: Sarah Walker (Cambridge), Marc Willers (Cambridge), Kurt James (Cambridge), Kurt Pickard (Tauranga), Trent Woodcock (Pukekohe) Nick Fox (Gisborne), Daniel Franks (Christchurch), Trent Jones (Wangarei). Coach: Ken Cools. Asst coach/mechanic: Ryan Hollows

The UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Pietermaritzburg takes place at Alexandra Park on 8 and 9 April.
More information can be found at bmxworldcupsa.co.za Pics by Clinton Tudor