BMX Challenge: Australia completes a successful campaign with another six W plates

Australia has wrapped up a successful campaign at the BMX Challenge in Glasgow with another six ‘W’ plates on the final day of competition.

While none of the Aussie riders secured the coveted W1 plate on Wednesday, Nicole Thompson featured in the Women’s Masters final, the only category at the BMX Challenge where rainbow jerseys are awarded for the winner.

It has been a successful week for Thomson, after she also collected a W6 plate on the second day of competition in the Cruiser Women 30-39 category.

Australia had 42 riders on track for the final day of BMX Challenge across the 20” 15, 16, 17-24, 25+ and Masters categories.

Women 25+ plate winners, Gemma-Lee Thomas (Castle Hill BMX) and Ashleigh Gunn (Townsville BMX). ​​

Australia amassed 27 ‘W’ plates over the four days in Glasgow. The tally far exceeds Australia’s efforts at the previous two BMX Challenges, with our riders collecting 15 ‘W’ plates in 2022 and 19 at the previous event in 2019.

One third of Australia’s W plates in Glasgow were podium finishes, with three Australians having a week to remember, taking home a W1 plate.

Australian riders can also be proud of the way they represented themselves during the week, with many displays of good sportsmanship on-track and courteous conduct around the team area.

Attention now turns to the BMX Championship. Australia has 11 riders competing in the event, which begins with the preliminary rounds on Saturday.

2023 BMX Challenge W1 Plate winners:

Girls 12
Amelie Reid (Mandurah BMX)

Boys 11
Jayden Bradbrook (Cross Keys BMX)

Cruiser Boys 15-16
Cameron Gatt (Geelong BMX)

See where the Australian riders placed in their finals on Wednesday below.

Men 35+
Jamie Truran (Wyndham Warriors BMX) – 7th

Girls 16
Charlotte Guy (Ashmore BMX) – 4th

Women 25+
Ashleigh Gunn (Townsville BMX) – 3rd
Gemma-Lee Thomas (Castle Hill BMX) – 5th

Men 30-34
Neil Brunjes (Cooloola BMX) – 6th

Women Masters 30+
Nicole Thomson (Big Rivers BMX) – 7th

For more coverage of the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the UCI Cycling World Championships, visit our Glasgow 2023 Hub. To subscribe to daily updates, click here.

Photos: AusCycling