Bexhill Burners send 12-strong squad to British Championships

They range from an 11 year-old member to an adult.

The 36 year-old began racing with the club as a boy of eight and is now the father of a Burners' rider.

The Burners have just obtained grant aid to complete the refurbishment of the Sidley track.

The absence of a home track on which to practice and race makes this weekend's achievement all the greater.

Five regions '“ North, Central, West, South and South West '“ will be battling out this weekend's championship.

The Burners' dozen will be among 160 representing South region.

Each competitor has been picked to represent their region in the national finals on the basis of aggregate scores from best five out of eight qualifying rounds.

Symbolically, the championship coincides with the Olympic BMX event.

The annual British Championship event has some 700 riders competing for the title of No. 1.

The Burners' Pete Lavender, 16, who finished sixth last year is hoping to improve his ranking. He is currently ranked first in the 17+ age group.

The Burners' Sam Richardson is second in the 16 year-olds class.

In the 15year-old group is Adam Beale, ranked third and Robert Mewett ranked eighth, while George Higley, ranked second, and Duncan Mewett, sixth, represent the 13 year-olds.

Kyle Barden is the only rider from Bexhill in the 12year-olds and he is currently ranked third. Darren Uttley, who rides in the 19-plus category is currently ranked fifth.

Three novices who only started racing this year have also qualified. They are Grant Saunders, 16, Sophie Oliver and Lauren Richardson 11-14 year-old girls.

And just to show that BMX racing is for all ages, Mark Barden, 35, who is an original Bexhill Burners member from the 80's has also qualified in his group of 30 - 39 cruiser category.

BMX racing appears for the first time in the Olympic Games this year and is fast becoming a popular sport.

Bexhill Burners' club secretary Bev Beale says: "We are extremely proud of all of our qualified riders and wish them all the luck for this weekend.

"With the newly-formed club and refurbished track in Sidley we are hoping to at least double our number for the Brits for next year.

"We have some excellent potential riders in Bexhill and the club will give them all the backing they need.

"Anyone interested in joining the club can contact me at [email protected] , we are also looking for volunteers to maintain the track on a regular basis, if any one can spare a couple of hours a week we would be very grateful."