Australians to line up for 2024 Pump Track World Championships

Four Australian riders, including three debutants, are set to do battle for rainbows at the Velosolutions Pump Track World Championships in  South Africa this weekend.  

While 2024 AusCycling Pump Track national champion Ryan Gilchrist returns for this third crack at the world title, AJ Donald, Joshua Jolly and Cassie Voysey will make their debuts representing Australia at the Pump Track World Championships in Durban on November 9.  

Gilchrist will be looking to cap off an impressive year where he was crowned King of Crankworx and claimed his first overall World Cup E-Enduro title.

The New South Welshman has already shown he has what it takes to mix it with the best, having finished 5^th at the world titles in Austria last year, and 10^th in Chile in 2022.

All eyes will be on the 22-year-old to see if he can continue the trajectory to a podium finish in 2024.   

While set to make his pump track world championships debut in Durban, Joshua Jolly knows what it takes to be the best in the world, winning this year’s junior BMX Racing World Championship.  

 The Victorian is also coming in hot from having clinched the U23  and superclass national titles at the GWM BMX Racing National Championships in Perth last month.  

And the 18-year-old will be looking to add another rainbow jersey to his collection. 

“The lead-in to this event has been exciting. I have not been able to ride a pump track since the qualifier for worlds (in New Zealand in August) but I don’t think I needed to; just the usual BMX training and time on my bike was good prep for this event,” Jolly said. 

“It’s a tight and very technical track, but that’s where the best riders will shine.”

Rounding out the Aussie contingent in the men’s field is fellow BMX racer AJ Donald.  

Donald, 17, secured his spot in Durban after winning the qualifier at Dugong, NSW in August, edging out Jye Furner, Oli Moran, and Gilchrist who crashed after popping a tyre., .  

In the women’s competition, Cassie Voysey has been honing her pump track skills after also taking out the qualifier at Dugong.  

The NSW rider won her ticket to the world championships after a thrilling battle with Connor Mielke, with Ivy Hanlon and Laura Renshaw finishing in third and fourth respectively.  

“I’m feeling really good coming into this race. It’s an absolute dream come true to be here in South Africa racing World Champs,” she said.  

“The prep has been really good. Three sessions in the gym and at least 2-3 pump track sessions a week. My main focus at training has been purely based on building up strength and learning to manual quick and stay low jumping. 

 “I’m here to put down a solid result, but as well as experience the country. I’m already loving it here and enjoying learning about their culture.” 

 Find out more about the 2024 Velosolutions Pump Track World Championships here.

Main image - Josh Jolly. Picture: Velosolutions