BMX-Old School

BMX racing is a type of off-road bicycle racing. The format of BMX was derived from motocross racing. BMX bicycle races are sprint races on purpose-built off-road single-lap race tracks. more...

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The track usually consists of a starting gate for up to eight racers, a groomed, serpentine, dirt race course made of various jumps, and a finish line. The course is banked and has flat corners. The sport of BMX racing is facilitated by a number of regional and international sanctioning bodies. They provide rules for governing the conduct of the races, specify age-group and skill-level classifications among the racers, and maintain some kind of points-accumulation system over the racing season. The sport is largely participant-driven, with the average age of approximately 9 or 10 years. Professional ranks exist for both men and women, where the average age is 18 to 21.

A BMX \"Class\" bike is a strong, quick-handling, lightweight derivative of the standard 20-inch-wheel, single-speed youth bicycle. Variations include a larger 24-inch-wheel \"cruiser\" class. Cruisers are made for adults who can't fit the 20-inch-wheel bikes, but some kids have mastered the cruiser.

While BMX racing is an individual sport, teams are often formed from racers in different classifications for camaraderie and often for business exposure of a sponsoring organization or company. BMX racing rewards strength, quickness, and bike handling. Many successful BMX racers have gone on to leverage their skills in other forms of bicycle and motorcycle competitions.

BMX racing will become a medal sport at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing under the UCI sanctioning body. Sanctioning bodies in the United States are the American Bicycle Association (ABA) and the National Bicycle League (NBL). The NBL is certified under the UCI (International Cycling Union), which is recognized by the Olympic Committee.

Sanctioning bodies

A sanctioning body is the private (in the United States and most Western Nations) governing establishment of a sport or branch of a sport. There could be several sanctioning bodies in the same sport or only one. They make and enforce the rules. They decide the qualifications of the participants, including the players, owners, and operators of facilities. They also make rules for the liability of the participants, medical insurance, awards and pensions. In legal terms, they are an intermediary between the participants and governments. They set safety requirements. They also mete out discipline and punishments, like suspensions, banishments or monetary fines. But they also make rules for awards like bonuses, winnings, and prizes like cars and other vehicles.

In the Bicycle Motocross context, sanctioning bodies decide clothing requirements, the need for helmets, the age and sex requirements for various divisions and classes such as Novice, Intermediate, Expert, and Pro. The labels of the classifications may differ from organization to organization and over time.

Read more at Wikipedia.org