A 36-strong Australian contingent has crossed the Tasman looking to test the best of the New Zealand BMX riders in the 2025 UCI Oceania BMX Racing Championships in New Plymouth this weekend.
In the elite and under-23 competition, the Australians will out-number the hosts in the important BMX Racing international event that provides invaluable UCI ranking points.
Two highly experienced riders lead the Kiwi men’s charge in North Harbour’s Michael Bias and Cambridge rider Dan Franks.
The pair are in traditionally unchartered territory for elite BMXers having turned 30 years, but both are focussed on claiming an Oceania elite title to their palmares. But in recent years age is becoming less of a factor, with both current Elite World Champions approaching their mid-thirties.
Bias has found arguably his best career form in the last two years including the overall title in the French Cup series where he competes in recent years, and he was edged in a photo finish for the Oceania elite honours in 2023. He has been a world championship quarterfinalist and a world cup finalist in Brisbane last year.
Franks, originally from Christchurch, was one of the leading New Zealand riders highlighted when he made the world championship semifinals indoors in Auckland 12 years ago, and was a former Oceania junior category winner. He returned to the sport for the UCI BMX Racing World Cups in Rotorua and has remained enjoying his “second” career in the sport.
The young kiwi charge will come from two Cambridge riders in n Rico D’Anvers, third in the national championships last year, and Bennett Greenough, coming up from the under-23 ranks where he placed second globally for 2024 and the national champion.
There are a bunch of Australians led by Max Cairns and Jesse Asmus, both Oceania podium placegetters in the last two years and Oliver Moran, winner of the 2024 Under 23 World Cup Series.
Paris Olympic Games representative, Leila Walker will present a strong challenge for the elite women’s honours, with the Cambridge rider a finalist at the world championships last year and national champion.
The elite men will race over three motos and a final.
Strong opposition will come from Rotorua rival Megan Willians, second in the nationals last year and third in this event in Brisbane in 2024.
Australian challenges will be led by teenager Sienna Pal, last year’s Oceania winner, and compatriot Teya Refus, the junior world champion.
The elite women will compete over three races, with honours decided on combined points.
Cambridge rider Jack Greenough, who was outstanding at the Rotorua World Cup last year winning round 1 and achieved a fourth place at the Under 23 World Championships last year, will be expected to be a contender in the under-23 men, along with Cantabrians Jesse Green and Jack Keown, who was third in the national championships.
They face a massive battle with 16 Australians, including last years’ Junior World Champion, Josh Jolly, competing in this class, to be decided over three qualifying motos, semifinals and final.
Cambridge rider Finn Cogan , the national junior champion, leads the kiwi hopes in the junior men along with runner-up Nick Cowie from Southland with another significant challenge from Australian riders. The junior men will battle over three motos, semifinals and a final.
The Under-23 and Junior women are combined with New Zealand comprising Te Awamutu’s Brook Penny, the national champion and third in this event last year, Hamilton’s Amber Robson, third in the nationals, and Lily Greenough from Cambridge, second in the world championship juniors.
They will compete over two qualifying motos and a final.
There is practice on Saturday with racing from 11am on Sunday.
Coverage: Live coverage on BMXNZ You Tube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA7KuaXKPBo