The tempo of discussion on organized pump track events has been consistently stepping-up over the past couple months. It certainly helps that the Red Bull series was sanctioned by UCI, and the very-first Pump Track World Champions were bestowed with their very-own rainbow jerseys (BMXers Tommy Zula and Payton Ridenour, we’re proud to say).
In recent days, the USA Pump Track Championships (USAPTC) was announced–a six-event series that covers the US map pretty well. The key players are the Walton Family Foundation, Hyper Bicycles, Strider Bikes and Velosolutions–the Swiss-based builder of pump tracks.
Here is a press release posted to the “pumptrackchampionships.com” website:
USA Pump Track Championships, The Road to Oz Trails
Brought to you by the Walton Family Foundation, Hyper Bicycles and Strider Bikes.
Who
This event is open to the public! Spectators are free and racers will pay a $15 entry fee to take timed runs in the jam format separated by each Category. They can pre-register online (COMING SOON) or day of the event. There will be a limited amount of entries in order to maintain the days schedule. Vendors who support the bicycle industry plus food and drink will be available at each stop.
Classes
Category 1 – 7-10 years
Category 2 – 11-12 years
Category 3 – 13-14 years
Category 4 – 15-16 years
Category 5 – 17+ Open (Premier Class which competes in RBPTWC)
Category 6 – Master 35+
Each Class will also be scored separately by Men and Women Competitors. Riders will have the choice of riding 20” – 29” wheeled bicycles in each Category.
Your race age is your age that determines your Category is your age as of December 31, 2020.
What
The USA Pumptrack Championships is an all age category grass roots pump track race focused on national talent. It gives riders of any style of bike a chance to race on a Velosolutions built pump track and see how they stack up amongst their friends with a professional timing system.
Each stop of the series will award its own victors and trophy to the top three in each Category. Even though this series travels across the United States each round will be its own event. Points will not be accumulated throughout the year. In order to compete at the final round a rider must have competed in at least one qualifying event in 2020.
Each stop will have on site registration but it is recommended that everyone pre-register at pumptrackchampionships.comto make sure they have a spot reserved in the event. For kids under age 7, there will be a free open-track session for 12” and 14” balance bikes at each stop to start off the day. Each Category will run a short practice then go into a jam formatted run order that will allow riders the chance to take more than one run in order to achieve their fastest time. The top 5 riders in each Category will then go to their own SUPER FINAL round where each rider will get one last run to take the ultimate bragging rights and trophy for the Category at that round.
Race Format – Jam Session
An active transponder timing system is used to run this format.
Timed run session
The track is open for a fixed pre-determined session time (length of session is based on average lap time, track layout and number of riders).
Start order for first run (in session) determined by plate number.
Riders can do as many laps as they want during the session as long as they are in order of their plate number.
The fastest lap of each rider counts.
After the open session, the fastest 5 riders advance to the SUPER FINAL. Final results for the top five will be decided off a one lap timed run of the top 5 fastest riders in that Category. Top three finishers will receive a trophy.
The winner of the Category 5 – 17+ Open Class at every round will get an expenses paid trip (Hotel and flight for 1) “The Road to OZ Trails” for the final in Springdale, AR and they will have an entry reserved in the final round. The winner will have the ultimate bragging rights of being the best of the best in the USA Pumptrack Championships!
The final round at Springdale, AR will be a two-day event. The first day will host a stand-alone qualifying race day with all six Categories. Day two will host the overall National Championship round for the Category 5 17+ Open class. The winner from the first five events will get an automatic place in the finals and compete for the title and the Championship ring. Additional riders will be selected from the Springdale stand-alone day so that the final consists of a total of 20 riders. Each rider will have two chances to set their fastest time for the overall Championship.
When/Where
Temecula, CA – Reagan Sports Park – May 17, 2020
Las Vegas, NV – Floyd Lamb Park- May 23, 2020
Gastonia, NC – George Poston Park – May 30, 2020
Tallahassee, FL – Tom Brown Park – June 6, 2020
Oklahoma City, OK – Riversport OKC – June 27, 2020
Springdale, AR – Runway Bike Park – August 22, 2020
Follow @USAPTC on Instagram for all the details and updates.
Paying it forward
In addition to bringing great competition and an encouragement to get out and ride through the USAPTC event, the USAPTC is also committed to positively impacting the local community through funding an All Kids Bike program for a public school in each of the six stops along the series. This program makes learning to ride a bike part of kindergarten PE class and insures that every boy and girl learns the milestone, lifelong skill of riding a bicycle.
News is definitely “in” for the finals plus one event, at least. It will be fun to cover, and we know we’ll see lots of BMX friends in the mix, plus meet some new ones.
Stick with us as the series details continue to develop.
—Mike
*Big thanks to Dale Holmes for helping out with this story.
