The perfect weekend: Sienna Pal sweeps BMX Racing National Series double-header at Lake Macquarie

Sienna Pal (Terrigal BMX Club) has erased her disappointment from the opening rounds in Shepparton with a dominant weekend in Lake Macquarie, winning rounds three and four of the 2025 AusCycling BMX Racing National Series without dropping a lap.

The elite women's national champion was fast from the get-go on Saturday and carried her speed all the way through to Sunday, but the manner in which she won both Superclass Women finals was the most impressive part of her weekend.

Series leader Teya Rufus (Maryborough BMX Club) led both of the respective round finals out of the gate and Pal hunted her down on Saturday night through the second straight before making the pass on the outside of the current junior women's world champion by cutting across inside line on the second corner.

On Sunday, Rufus looked to have reversed the result from Round 3, only for Pal to overtake her right before the finish line.

Pal said after not performing to her standards in Shepparton that she narrowed in on locking down her mental approach.

"A few weeks ago I actually wrote down the goal of winning both days without dropping a lap over the whole weekend, so I am glad to see I’m on path," she said.

"I feel I rode the best I could with what I had. I let go of the expectation of how I was going to make it happen and just focussed on my process.

"I felt controlled anger this weekend in Lake Mac, wanting to show what I’m capable of. I felt relaxed coming into the weekend as I already know the track living only an hour away. I wanted my laps to be as consistent as possible and do the same thing with or without pressure."

Locking in the mental side and reaping the rewards could not have come at a better time for Pal, with the first four rounds of the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Cup season on the program next month at Sarrians, France and Papendal, Netherlands.

"Knowing the World Cups are close and that I’m hitting all my targets in training, I made sure I wouldn’t use the outcome of Lake Mac to dictate where I am at. But having such a successful weekend it has given me a confidence boost and excitement for what’s ahead," Pal said.

Bella Schramm (Ashmore BMX Club) rounded out the podium in Round 3, while Round 2 winner Charli Guy (Ashmore BMX Club) finished third in Round 4.

Rufus remains 22 points to the good in the battle for the Superclass Women National Series title ahead of the closing rounds at Cross Keys BMX in Adelaide on the July 5–6 weekend.

Feature picture: Mitch Ramm