BLUE Lake BMX Club will be well represented in this weekend’s South Australian State Championships at Kadina.
Hosted by the Copper Coast BMX Club, 22 Blue Lake riders will make the 6.5 hour long drive north to test themselves against the best in the state.
Practice was Friday, with the sprockets, cruisers and retro classes racing tomorrow and the challenge (aged events) and superclass categories to run on Sunday.
The superclass is the A Grade of the event and riders race for money.
Blue Lake does not have a rider in the men’s division, but Mercedes Scott will contest the women’s superclass.
She will also race in the 15 girls category and the youngster will push pedals with riders far older and experienced than her in the superclass.
Blue Lake brought home 10 state plates in last year’s championships at Happy Valley in Adelaide.
Of those riders, eight are returning to the SA Titles this year to try and back up their 2017 performances.
Blue Lake BMX Club coach Sallyanne Morgan said all the riders competing this weekend have been to state championships previously, but some have not raced at the Copper Coast venue.
“I do not think there are any new riders who have not done it before,” she said.
“They have all been there and done it before.
“But this is a different track.
“Some of them probably have not even ridden on it before.
“They do have a round of our state series there, but because it is at Kadina some people do not go up.”
Today’s practice will be critical for riders to attune themselves to the track, which differs greatly to the local circuit.
“It is different to here as it has a smaller start hill and stuff like that,” Morgan said.
“There’s no hotmix berms, it’s all dirt, so that is different as well.”
With 22 Blue Lake members making the trip, Morgan said it is good to see a strong representation.
“This is the biggest group going for a while to state titles,” she said.
“And there are wide range of ages going over there as well.”
Stephen Jones came home with the number one plate last year for the 25-34 year old men and will be eager to impress again.
However, he has stepped up to a tougher division and will contest the masters men class this time around.
Morgan said she expects the girls to come home with some plates as they have in the past, while the boys and men should also fare well.
“We have a few plates from last year so hopefully we can come home with a few more,” she said.
Blue Lake riders and classes for State Titles: Mercedes Scott (15 girls, superclass women); Stephen Jones (masters men); Peter Jelleff (masters open, 40-49 men, 40-44 men cruiser); Jackson Jones (6 sprockets); Jaiden Pickin (10 boys, 8-10 cruiser); Jasmine Morgan (10 girls); Brad Jennings (11 boys); Cedar Scott (11 girls, 11/12 cruiser); Riley Morgan (12 boys); Trae Wilke (12 boys); Caiden Garrett (13 boys); Raine Scott (13 girls, 13/14 cruiser); Jye Smith (13 boys); Levi Jelleff (14 boys); Kane Jelleff (16 boys); Cody Jelleff (17-24 men); Tyler Jelleff (9 boys); Alistair Scott (40-44 men crusier); Sheridan Picken (8 girls, 8-10 cruiser); Lilly Jones (8 girls); Vespa Scott (8 girls); Jacques Aslin (9 boys).
