With the UCI’s master track builder Tom Ritzenthaler and his assistant due to arrive on sight shortly, organisers are working all through the night to ensure that all the necessary materials are ready and waiting for this craftsman and his team. “We’re about halfway through the process of moving four and a half thousand cumecs of sand from the Royal Showgrounds to the new venue at Alexandra Park. The trucks operate at night so as to minimise the impact on traffic and the effect of the dust,” said Max Cluer of the Local Organising Committee. “We’re averaging around one thousand six hundred cumecs a night and if all goes according to plan by Monday we’ll hopefully just have the finishing touches to add,” he added.
“We aren’t having to move and manage as much sand as the last year’s World Champs because with this being an event only for the best elite riders from around the world we only require the one starting straight and hence the track will be nine metres wide rather than last year’s ten to twelve metres.”
Once the Supercross is completed the track builders will reshape the course into a less challenging layout better suited to local emerging and intermediate talent.
The UCI BMX World Championships attracted massive crowds to the Royal Showgrounds last year, and organisers are planning on solid support from the local fans at the smaller venue on the banks of the Dusi river.
The Supercross circuit features the cream of the world's senior riders and accumulates critical Olympic qualifying points.
The UCI BMX Supercross World Cup season opener in Pietermaritzburg gets takes place at Alexandra Park on 8 and 9 April. More information can be found at bmxworldcupsa.co.za
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.