In July of 2008 I was invited to the Canadian Olympic BMX trials in Chula Vista. The plan was to have a week of training on the Beijing replica track in Chula Vista and then have a race off between Jim Brown and Scott Erwood for our one male spot at the Beijing Olympic games. Having never been to a SX World Cup at the time, this was the fist time I saw the 8-meter ramp. It was huge! The first time I climbed the ramp and stood on top I knew what needed to be done. We had to have one and the dream was made. The trials event went on and Scott represented Canada in Beijing. I went home and began plans to build a Supercross hill in Canada.
The early plans for the SX track varied greatly before we decided on our final plan. As it stood at the time the hill in Chula was one of 2 permanent hills in the World; with the UCI having two temporary hills. I talked with the same people who built the hill in Chula and put together a budget for the project. Originally the plan called for a completely new track. Sometime in late 2008 the Abbotsford club talked to me about facility improvements and how great it was to watch the Olympics on TV. As the conversation went on it was clear the club was interested and it was a possibility. I looked into building a new track under the power lines beside the existing track. We just needed to figure out how to come up with $400K to build it. Shortly after, plans for the Copenhagen SX track came out to have the amateur hill which was located next to the SX hill come together down the first straight. It was now clear what to do; all we need to do is add another first straight to the existing track. This also cut our budget down to $200K.
Finding the money proved to be a huge challenge. We created a plan to raise the money to build the hill and started digging, building sponsorship packages and knocking on doors. We slowly raised a small amount of money. However, a long the way we received a lot of sponsor products as value in kind donations, which greatly reduced the funding need to complete the project. We even acquired a local builder for the hill. After a year of fundraising we were still a long way away from our goal. In the spring of 2011 B2ten along with CSC – Pacific approached us with the funding needed to complete the project.
In April of 2011 we broke ground and over the next two months built the first SX hill in Canada (7th in world at the time). In less then ideal weather conditions, we were able to get the hill and the additions to the first straight complete.
In the fall of 2011 we were offered and accepted a World Cup SX event for 2012. As part of this event the track was updated to current UCI levels for SX and World Championship events. We now have a track to race and train on that is at the same level as any SX track in the World for our juniors and Elite and the amateur side is at the same level as the challenge class side for World Championships.
2012 became a big year for BMX in BC; we were to host BMX nationals 2 weeks prior to our Country’s first BMX World Cup Supercross. Before nationals there was a lot of talk in Canada about how hard the track was. I was able to witness first hand as athletes learned from the track, it is big and challenging and all the riders that attend Nationals were able to rise to the challenge. I’m sure every rider that attended Nationals this season left a better rider.
Following the Canada Cup on Sunday we ran a dash-for-cash off the SX hill. 6 Junior and Elite athletes signed up. 4 female athletes signed up and 9 Junior devo males (14-16) signed up to race off the SX hill. Watching the female and jr devo athletes race off the SX hill was the moment I realized that the dream I had 4 years earlier had come true.
It took just over 4 years and a lot of energy and support from the Abbotsford BMX club, Cycling BC and many more for my dream to come true.
The dream: build the ramp to develop the next generation.
The gravy
The gravy will be the World Cup this weekend and again next year. Having the World’s best athletes travel here and to have our athletes compete and develop is just amazing. I can only hope some young BMX athletes come out and watch the races this weekend and it drives them to be the next Tory Nyhaug.
Inspire a generation
Adam Muys
Cycling BC BMX director / Provincial coach