2021 HutSix NT BMX Territory Championships - Recap

11 Oct 2021 | 02:20 PMBy: Gary Shaw

Photo Credit - STS Photography

The 2021 HutSix NT BMX Territory Championships took place at Red Centre BMX in Alice Springs last weekend and the latest edition of the Territory’s biggest cycling competition was one that will live long in the memory of all who attended.

The two-day event attracted almost 300 entries from riders from Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Adelaide and Brisbane, all of whom were in town to compete with local Alice Springs riders for the coveted title of “1NT” in their class.

The Championships were taking place in the Red Centre for the first time since the club laid their new track in 2019 and it couldn’t look any more inviting for the travelling riders. The Red Centre BMX Club is located in the picturesque surroundings of Blatherskite park and the track matches the natural colour which has given the region it’s nickname. The Club made a phenomenal effort to have the facility looking spectacular and it set the stage for a fantastic weekend of racing.

Over 1000 people descended on the track for the opening ceremony on Friday evening. Coaches, Officials and Volunteers from every NT Club were recognised during the traditional awards presentation before local singer Jordane Jeremiah performed a stunning rendition of the national anthem to conclude the formalities. Next up was the “March Past” in which members from 8 clubs including Big Rivers (NT), Jingili (NT) , Satellite City (NT), Nhulunbuy (NT), Red Centre (NT), Pine Rivers (QLD), Cross Keys (SA), Gawler (SA) and Happy Valley (SA) paraded their club colours around the track.

It was Mini Wheelers, Sprockets and Cruisers up first on night one and the cooler Alice temperatures were a much-welcomed change for the 125 riders who’d travelled 1500km’s from the more humid temperatures of the Top End.

The 15 -16 Cruiser class was the fastest class of the night with Red Centre local Daniel Brooks Jr winning all his motos to finish ahead of Nhulunbuy’s Matthew Winter ,and Jingili’s Angus Roberts in second and third respectively.

In the 11-12 Cruiser Class, Jingili rider Leonardo Prandi won all of his motos become 1NT, finishing ahead of Queenslander Austin Lean in second, and local rider Caleb Barry in third.

With the 1000 strong crowd fully warmed up, all attention turned to Saturday’s racing for all Challenge classes. There was excitement surrounding the Jr Superclass and Superclass races with plates, cash and jerseys on the line and they did not disappoint.

Local Red Centre rider Daniel Brooks Jr followed up on his Cruiser success from the night before by winning all his motos to win his second 1NT plate of the weekend in the Jr Superclass. Nhulunbuy’s Matthew Winter finished in second ahead of Red Centre’s Kit Williams in third.

In the Women’s Superclass NT Team Coach Nicky Thomson had to be at her best to fend off stiff competition from Happy Valley’s Teagan Fox who’d made the trip north from SA. Thomson secured first place on the night ahead of Fox in second and Satellite City’s Stacey Johns in third.

The weekends racing ended with the Men’s Superclass. The field had been nip and tuck all night with SA brothers Kyle and Jayden Fox going into the final as first and second seeds in a gate in which half of the finalists had all won motos on the night.

As the gate dropped riders jostled for position and disaster struck early as Jayden Fox, holder of the nights fastest lap time, tangled with local favourite Antonio Bellotti resulting in a three man pile up with Satellite City’s Kayden Heikkinen.

Kyle Fox and fellow SA Rider Luke Weiss duked it out over the remaining three straights and it was Fox who held on to win by the slimmest of margins ahead of Weiss in second and local hero Chris Smith in third.

For full results from the weekend see Our Sqorz.

AusCycling would like to thank HutSix for their incredible support of BMX in 2021.

AusCycling NT Volunteers of the Year 2021

Coaches:

Steph Molloy

Aiden Ellison De-Castro

Ashley Johns

Suzanne Sinclair

Officials:

Laura Henley

Thea Dunkley

Jacqui Dobson