World's best to line up at 2020 AusCycling BMX Freestyle National Championships

Brisbane’s Beenleigh’s BMX Club will host three of Australia’s and the world’s leading riders when the 2020 AusCycling BMX Freestyle National Championships is held on Saturday December 12.

BMX Freestyle sees riders perform a series of tricks during a ‘1-minute run’ across a ramp-filled course, where tricks are judged based on difficulty, originality, style and execution.

The 2020 UCI BMX Freestyle Nationals has secured reigning world champion Brandon Loupos, 2017 world champion Logan Martin, and women's world number six Natalya Diehm.

Diehm and Martin will enter the Nationals as defending champions after taking the 2019 crowns last December in Brisbane.

When the 2020 international season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the trio based themselves in Australia to prepare for the Tokyo Olympic Games at the newly built BMX Freestyle Indoor Training Facility on the Gold Coast.

For Brisbane’s own Diehm, it is a chance not just to compete in 2020, but amp up ahead of what is expected to be a busy 2021.

"My goal is to complete a full minute run with at least 10 tricks without feeling too fatigued. As being the only female (that I know of) competing, I want to be able to push myself as best I can while riding with the pro males,” said Diehm.

Diehm has enjoyed a rapid rise in the sport, firstly winning the 2019 Vans BMX Pro Cup which featured events in the USA, Australia, Germany and Mexico before finishing sixth during her Australian Team debut at the 2019 Urban World Championships. In 2019, she also added an Oceania and National title to her resume.

“I’m super excited that we’re able to have at least one contest in 2020. Definitely going to use this as practice coming into a big year for 2021.”

Sydney's reigning world champion Brandon Loupos will don the rainbow jersey during the championships.

Before COVID-19 cut the season short, he won the highest prize purse in BMX Freestyle at the Japan event early 2020.

“I’m feeling good coming into this weekend, I’ve been riding, training and mentally prepared to go after this National Championship. I’ve had a finger injury which has put me out of riding the past week and a bit and I’m waiting to see how it’s feeling and hopefully let me ride to my full potential this weekend. “

“I’m really looking forward to competing after the last event was in February due to Covid, keen to get after it with my friends and have a battle for 1st!”

The 2020 AusCycling BMX Freestyle National Championships is open entry for riders of any age or skill level with national titles and rankings to be awarded for male and females in: Junior U12, U15; Amateur 15 & Over, Master 30 + and Pro/Elite categories

Event will start from 8:30am – is subject to may change, please check the website for the full schedule the day before.

AusCycling thanks Logan City Council for their support of the Championships

Event Snapshot

2020 AusCycling BMX Freestyle National Championships
Saturday 12 December

Doug Larsen Park – Beenleigh BMX Club 41 Logan St, Beenleigh QLD 4207 https://goo.gl/maps/AauwLSPUKTnUaMmA7
Entries (open until 11/12) https://entryboss.cc/races/5959