Four local BMX riders headed to Port Coquitlam last Saturday to compete in the UCI BMX Provincial Championships.
Not only was this a provincial final race, but it was also a qualifier for the 2020 world championships in Texas next May.
Senior rider Macklin Johnson finished on the podium, earning a bronze in the 14-year-old division.
Oliver Cornbill raced in the seven-year-old division, and in his three races, finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. This was good enough for a second place finish overall.
Brother Austin raced in the 12-year-old group, and also finished with a solid second place performance.
The top finish of the weekend went to 13-year-old Dane “the Hurricane” Kerluck. Kerluck had three exciting races that had multiple crashes. The experienced young rider managed to avoid any major collisions and finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd for the day, which was good enough for first overall. Kerluck earned the title of provincial champion and qualified for the world championships next year.
All four Campbell River riders represent Coal Hills BMX, which is their local track in Cumberland. Four other Coal Hills riders attended this World qualifier and finished with outstanding results. Danny and Tara Bursey earned gold, while Mack Nault and John Milburn took home the silver.
The BMX season is in full swing and will continue all summer and into October. Practices are every Monday evening, and there are weekly races on Saturdays (will switch to weekdays in the summer). Coal Hills is an open track that is available to the public and is always welcoming to new riders. Contact coalhillsbmx1@gmail.com for more information.