Free Pro Gate Clinics Friday in Rockford
June 23, 2014 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
After a pair of very successful clinics at the Grands last year, Pro Gate is back on the schedule with two free gate clinics at this week’s Midwest Nationals in Rockford.
Pro Gate has lined up some awesome instructors for the sessions, all of whom get props for the work they do with up & coming riders on an on-going basis.
It just so happens that Rockford is Pro Gate’s home town, so they will be around all weekend with the UCI Gate trailer, so you can sharpen up your gate at Friday’s clinic, then keep it dialed til the EZ-ups come down.
So, before motos are posted on Saturday, get in on one of these two free clinics.
Friday, June 27 – Morning Session
10:00AM – 11:00AM
Instructors:
Olijuwon Davis – Factory Doublecross
Tyler Whitfield – Factory Ssquared-Answer
Justin Richmond – Factor Ssquared-Answer
Friday, June 27 – Afternoon Session
12:30PM – 1:30PM
Instructors:
Donny Robinson – Factory SE Bikes / Pedals 2 Medals
Lauren Reynolds – Factory Ssquared
John Paul Pfeiffer – Factory Hyper
Both clinics will definitely fill up, so enter your info below and join the fun.
**You must pre-sign in order to participate. Use the link below**
Free Pro Gate 2014 Midwest Nationals Gate Clinic
Devo Campers Tell Us About Chula Trip
June 9, 2014 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
The 2014 USA Cycling BMX Development Program held their second camp of the year last week at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.
A total of 15 riders made it out to the camp, some for the first time, and others making a return to the stage.
Chase BMX and Tioga are series sponsors, and Pete D arrived on the scene with boxes of goodie bags for the campers, each of which included a set of Tioga PowerBlock & PowerBand S-Spec tires, Insight number plate, Limited Edition USA Patriot ODI Grips, Kicker Headphones, Shimano products, and more.
We wanted to find out how the camp went, and ask a few questions that only an insider could answer, so we hit up four of the folks who were there–two attending for the first time, and two who were returning.
On the panel: Bubba Gonzales (Hyper Bikes), Kelsey Van Ogle (Phoenix/Box), Justin Richmond (Ssquared/Answer) and Colin Whittington (Crupi/Rhythm). Here’s what they said:
Bubba Gonzales: This was my second camp. My first time going out to Chula Vista I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect on what we were going to do, but I was excited to ride the SX Tracks.
Colin Whittington: This was my first camp, and mostly what was going through my mind was excitement. There were a lot of nerves at the same time but I couldn’t wait ’til I got out on that track!
Kelsey Van Ogle: This was my third Devo Camp. When flying out to Chula for my first Devo camp I was really nervous and didn’t really know what to expect. I knew it was going to be different than what I’m used to. The track was going to be way different and the experience itself was going to be one I would never forget.
Justin Richmond: This was my first-ever camp, I’ve been invited out before, but was not able to due to school. On my way down, I knew it was going to be a difficult transition from the national scene to riding an SX track. I was nervous, but thought I was ready.
Bubba Gonzales: My first impression on our first day on the Beijing Replica SX track was “Wow, this is a lot bigger and scarier when you are riding it then it is just watching people ride it.”
Colin Whittington: My first impression was “wow this is a whole new level of BMX” and a little thought came through my mind like “I made it”.
Kelsey Van Ogle: The first day of camp I just thought to myself and said “wow this place is official”. I knew it was going to be the beginning of something great and that if keep following down this path it will lead me to the Olympics.
Justin Richmond: Day one of the camp, well I thought it was a short period of time to ride the track. Only having 3hrs from 9-12pm I was expecting more. Most of the day we have free too.
Bubba Gonzales: My first lap on the SX track I just jumped through the women’s side, and I remember thinking to myself that the “women’s” side was pretty big and steep.
Colin Whittington: My first lap was a little intimidating with the way bigger jumps and more peaked out lips almost like riding a wall, but I immediately fell in love, because there was no other feeling like it in the world.
Kelsey Van Ogle: My first lap I was just trying to get used to the different style of track. The jumps are a lot deeper and require a lot of skills which is perfect for me because I love to jump!
Justin Richmond: My first lap, I was warming up on the women’s side and thought it was super fun, It was more like a national track type style jumps rather than the bigger men’s side. I enjoyed the first straight, but I only hit the step up in second straight since my fear of the berm jump kicked in. I attempted the rhythm, but crashed over it.
Tell us about the things you guys did, apart from the riding, that made this a special experience?
Bubba Gonzales: Besides riding the SX track, we would go to the gym and they would show us the type of workouts all the pros do and explain to us why these workouts were good for us. They taught us how to do those workouts so that we can go home and work on them ourselves. We did sprints one day and then they also talked to us about nutrition, sponsorship, and what the coaches there look for in an athlete.
This camp, we went on a “field trip” to Oakley HQ. That was a really cool experience. I was able to ride the pump track with Ryan Pettigrew, Jordan Miranda, Ageless Jonas, James Herrera, Shealen Reno, Dani George, Justin Posey and Felicia Stancil. Everybody else got to take a tour inside and I think they watched a couple films about Oakley and learned a little bit about Oakley’s history. Thanks to Steve Blick for letting us come out!
Colin Whittington: The things off the track made it extra special, like meeting new people and learning how to train and treat ourselves like elites. We got the chance to take a tour of the Oakley factory, and learn the history that Oakley has in our sport, that was really cool! The off track experience was almost as amazing and fun as on the track.
Kelsey Van Ogle: Apart from the track we do gym, sprints, and lots of recovery. Down there they really teach you what it’s like to train like an Olympic athlete and the knowledge required to be the best you can be.
Justin Richmond: Honestly, it wasn’t as special as I thought. We had meetings here and there, most of the day was free time, where we hung out at the AT&T center where we could play basketball, tennis, ping pong, pool, etc. Or we just rode around, and stayed in the room.
Bubba Gonzales: On the last day of riding, there was a lot of things I new that I didn’t know on our first day. I learned that you have to carve the turns low in order to keep your momentum. I talked with some of the pros my first camp and I remember them saying that you kind of have to stay tucked while in the air in order to keep your speed.
Colin Whittington: One big thing I learned on the final lap was to relax. I was riding tense and stressed in the beginning, but the great coaches out there really wanted us to relax and the more relaxed I was the better I rode.
Kelsey Van Ogle: It’s easier to hit the girls’ third straight on the left side haha.
Justin Richmond: It felt the same to me, from the first to the last lap of camp. I knew what it would take, I just never overcame my fear, and I learned a lot about me while I was there.
When taken as a whole (the riding, the coaching, the experiences), what were your thoughts about this camp as you were traveling home?
Bubba Gonzales: I thought that the camp was really good. We had Arielle Martin and “Ageless” Jonas Harmon coaching us and encouraging us to try things, and there were also a couple pros that rode with us one of the days. They gave us pointers on and off the track.
Colin Whittington: My thoughts traveling home were “wow, this was the best week of my life and I can’t wait to be back.”
Kelsey Van Ogle: Mainly when traveling home I’m thinking about how I rode that week. I think about all the things I did well and the things that I could have done better. I want to keep making improvements so that way I can keep moving on throughout the program.
Justin Richmond: I learned more about myself riding, rather than learned stuff from the camp itself. We didn’t ride very often, mainly had free time the whole day other than some occasions.
Bubba Gonzales: For me, I thought it was definitely a cool experience to go down and stay there for the week riding the SX tracks and going to the gym. I’ve been wanting to ride the SX tracks for a while so it was really cool to do that.
Colin Whittington: What an amazing time I had learning and training like an elite, meeting new people and ultimately becoming a better rider. I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world. I definitely can’t wait to be back there!
Kelsey Van Ogle: All in all the experience at the training center is one you will never forget. I’m so thankful for the opportunities that I’ve gotten to go down there and train and hopefully I will be training with the elites soon!
Justin Richmond: I would definitely go again, so I can prove to myself I am capable of doing everything there and show the coaches out there how much I will work to better myself in the sport.
Thanks to Bubba, Colin, Kelsey and Justin for sharing their experience with us. We look forward to checking in with them, and some new campers next time.
Top Photo: (Back Row) Justin Posey, Jordan Miranda, (Middle Row) Bubba Gonzales, BJ Ensley, Dougie Butcher, Justin Richmond, Collin Whittington, Trevor Meegan, Michael Boyle, Jason Boyle, Chrystofer Davis (Bottom Row) Arielle Martin-Verhaaran, Kelsey Van Ogle, Veronica Laughton, Shayla Blackmore, Devyn Willey, Jonas Harmon.
Not pictured: Kit Bjerk, and Cole Acord
USA Cycling BMX Development Program Website
Devo Program points (USABMX Website)
2012 USA BMX Grand National Photo Galleries
November 28, 2012 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
What a week it’s been! Starting out last Wednesday, leaving for the drive down to Tulsa for the 2012 USA BMX Grand National, the action (and the work) was non-stop until about four hours ago. If we weren’t talking tasty BMX scoop with an industry insider, we were shooting photos on the track, if not shooting, we were at the hotel processing photos, or sleeping…only to wake up five hours later and do it all again, and again, and again. Then ring, ring, ring, it’s Monday morning, time to go home–hurry up, you have 10 minutes to pack it all up…housekeeping wants to get in there.
We blew the ref’s whistle at that point (right into the phone), and Priceline saved the day with an “extend your stay” reservation–for the same agreeable $46 rate. That gave us another 24 to catch up on photos, and begin to feel human again.
In all, we punched the shutter button over 2000 times on the weekend, then spent 36 hours refining, tweaking and tagging that set down to about 700 “choice cuts,” which we have posted on PhotosArePosted.com for your viewing and free downloading pleasure (links below).
With all that jawin’ and photographin and tweakin, there wasn’t a whole lot of time for the writin. So, we’re getting our re-cap into shape, and will have it posted tomorrow. But before the site got too much of a “life after people” look and feel to it, we wanted to bring you the photo galleries as a beefy appetizer, leading up to the main course.
We hope you enjoy the photos as much as we did shooting them (and more than we did editing them :))
Team Managers: We have tagged all major teams by brand name. Download this handy PDF for instructions on searching for your team’s images.
Above: Justin Richmond of Answer Ssquared was the favorite to take home the national Number One Amateur cup after points leader Austin Loebe did not make the main. Justin had a solid lead in the main, but his hopes were dashed with an unfortunate crash in the last turn. That paved the way for Intense BMX star, Rusty Nesvig to clinch it.
Answer Ssquared On Top Of National Points By One
November 21, 2012 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
The 2012 USA BMX Factory Team title is currently a one-point ballgame. Rockford’s own Answer/Ssquared/TLD leads it by the slimmest margin possible. In the political realm, they might call it a “statistical tie.” Only, this weekend, the margin for error is nonexistent.
It’s been close for the latter part of the season, with Answer Rennen putting in strong performances, and Factory Intense in the familiar place they have been so many years before–leading it all.
The Disney Cup proved to be a breakout weekend for Jim Buchanan, Shawn Whitfield and the team. Leading up to the weekend, the threat of rain was ever-present. Thursday’s practice was rained out as Hurricane Sandy steamed up the East edge of Florida, a couple hundred miles away.
The team is missing one of its top stars right now, as National #1 Girls Cruiser champ, Jamie Windholz is out with a broken collar bone (get well soon, champ).
But the girls were well represented on the sheet with Kaitlyn Deters (Nick’s sister) putting in a solid day in 12G, battling some deep talent to grab a second to Crupi’s Anna Johnson. News is going to be watching Kaitlyn closely in the future. We heard she just started racing earlier this summer, and to already be up-top of the results is pretty amazing. Speaking of Dynamite Nick, he was in full effect, with wins in 13C and 13x on day one.
Justin Richmond went into Disney leading the overall national amateur title chase, with Austin Loebe and Justin Posey close behind. He raced three classes on Friday, and ended up with wins in 14 Cruiser and 14x. The Juice is also riding Jr. Devo now, and logged a second to Collin Hudson on day one.
Come to think of it, these guys had full supremacy in the teen cruiser classes, from 13 on up to 17-20, as Ryan Zinzow, Big B Brandon Ceslok and Tyler Whitfield all spiked the ball in the proverbial end zone.
The stacked-to-the-rafters expert classes had some tough customers, but the team pulled out wins in 13x, 14x in the person of Deters and Richmond (25 rider points for the Juice to tack on to his National title chase…but Austin Loebe’s Friday win in 19-27x would give him 37). Zinzow had some trouble in the 15x main, but managed a fourth.
The 16x main faired a little better, with Big B running second (behind Doc Johnson). Even with a couple of off-podium expert finishes, the team still managed a third place in the team sheet battle, with a 214. Answer Rennen moved their game piece a few squares on the board, topping the day’s sheet with a 219. And Redman Rockstar was second.
A few final Friday notes: Tyshawn Carr was out with an injury for a big chunk of the season this year, but is getting his groove back on track, and moving up the results with every time on the moto sheets. Friday saw the Pibull log a pair of threes (12 Cruiser and 12x)
The storm clouds held off for the most part on Friday–only a few sprinkles–and things for Answer/Ssquared TLD were shaping up perfectly for Day Two.
Day two had a lot of the same slicing and dicing in the cards for the team, with solid wins in 13, 14, 15 Cruiser. Super Cooper Sheldon brought home a second in 10 C and Tyshawn was third in 12C. Kaitlyn stayed on the 11-12G podium, with a second.
The age class battles were just as they had been on Friday, and the team’s results were kind of a 52-pickup, deck-tossed-in-the-air situation. Deters and Richmond topped 13 and 14x, respectively. Ryan Z crashed out in the 15x main and limped in for a seventh. Big B stated consistent with a second on day two. Tyshawn and T-Whit both had trubs in class, with a seventh and an eighth.
We were stoked to see Big B on the Jr. Men Podium, with a third. Consistency in racing is great, especially if you’re up top…but it doesn’t make for the most exciting story copy. The Day three Cruiser conflict in 13-14-15 Cruiser went to Deters, Richmond and Zinzow once again, putting the cinch on three Cruiser Disney Cups coming back to the Land O Lincoln. Some Girls class clashing dropped Kaitlyn down to fourth on day three with a fresh pair up top.
Toward the end of the main event running order, we would see the Deters and the Juice put the punctuation on a perfect weekend, as 13 and 14x wins were inked for all eternity. Two more Disney Cups. And the next main to drop was 16x, where a day three rally brought the win of the day, and the Disney Cup win home for Big B. Whitfield was back in the groove, with a second in 17-18x.
The Team took the Factory Team Disney Cup by a slim margin, and wowza! some amazing work put in by this crew.
Going into the Grands, each of the top contending teams has taken a long look at the 2012 season, where they were strong, where they needed improvement and, no doubt adjusted fire where necessary. A month between races gave the team captains a good chance to motivate their top guys into training up (more than usual) for the run for the cup.
Last year, Crupi emerged late in the Sunday main events to win the Factory Team title. With all the other adrenaline packed around the Amateur title chases, it looks like it is going to be another squeaker between Answer Ssquared, Answer Rennen and Factory Intense. One place could make the difference, so tell those guys to sprint PAST the finish line…no getting nipped at the line for the win!
Troy Lee Designs
Team Co-Sponsors: J&R Bicycles, bmxnews.org, Sun Ringlé, Stealth Products, Crit Plate, SRAM, Stile Industries, Maxxis, XBalm
*Links above have been placed by BMX News to highlight companies who are also BMX News advertisers
Photo Gallery: 2011 Young Guns Shootout
December 11, 2011 by bmxnews.org Editors · Comments Off
Our fourth trip to the Young Guns Shootout at Steel Wheels BMX had a lot of the earmarks of the first trip. Lots of 13 and under race action, an abundance of familiar faces and a house full of fans, families and photogs.
Rider count this year was 125, sorted into five classes: 7-Under Boys, 8-10 Boys, 11-13 Boys, 10-Under Girls and 11-13 Girls
Justin Richmond has been the most consistent and successful rider in the history of the Young Guns series, having never lost a lap in the four years of racing the event. He closed out his Young Guns career with absolute dominance in the 11-13 class, and was joined on the podium by two of his Snap Factory Teammates, Nick Deters and Tyshawn Carr. Nick just joined the Snap squad after the Grands, and is looking good in the new threads. The Snap guys have some new things afoot for 2012, showing some early signs via the corral of Ssquared frames in their pit, replacing the Redman rides. More to come on that.
In the 11-13 Girls Class, Rennen-Intense Michigander, Elida Beeman was up front in all the rounds and put the punctuation on a good season.
DK’s Ohio Express, Spencer Cole, brought the fight to the 8-10 boys class in a big way, winning the main by a beefy margin. Coletrain was rockin the new DK Magnesium frame, which we know lots of people are anxious to get their hands on in the new season.
We don’t have the official results yet, and will update this post when we do, but before we head back to Steel Wheels for today’s Future Pro Challenge, we wanted to get the photo gallery up for y’all.
Logo-free photo downloads and prints are available for purchase on the site. Free downloads for your facebook profile or website must keep the bmxnews logo in tact. Purchases directly support our efforts to be at the races.
