The 2023 AusCycling BMX Racing National Championships have wrapped up after a frenetic week on the track at Shepparton BMX track and organisers are satisfied with the product they delivered.
The action concluded on Saturday afternoon with many of the festival’s feature attractions, with Para BMX, Cruiser, Vet Pro, Junior Superclass and Superclass disciplines completing affairs.
Once the proverbial dust had settled on another successful week of twists and turns on the track, though, organisers had the chance to reflect on the work that made the event possible.
Having hosted BMX nationals in 2010, 2014 and 2019, nothing compares to the labour required in the past 12 months following the devastating impact of flooding on the facilities.
For that reason, those who put the 2023 event together will look back upon it with a special significance.
“Obviously, the riders had no track to train on for most of the last 12 months,” Shepparton BMX secretary Kaz Kelly said.
“We had 20 riders entered and we ended up with eight Australian plates (finalists), which is so pleasing.
“It was a huge reward for our small membership base, less than 50 here, who put everything into getting the track back to Australian standard.“
Now that the worst is long behind the club and another successful nationals meet brings such promise, Kelly envisions opportunities on a broader scale for the Shepparton track.
“To have such great feedback from members and clubs around the country made us really excited,” Kelly said.
“Now that we’re back up and running, we can open it up to representative and national teams that want to train here.
“We hope we can get more local members of the community on board now as well to grow.”