Luke Brooke-Smith, who placed first in the 7 Boys division at the BMX National Championships, has his sights set on the 2015 World Championships in Belgium. Photo / John Stone
Luke Brooke-Smith, who placed first in the 7 Boys division at the BMX National Championships, has his sights set on the 2015 World Championships in Belgium. Photo / John Stone
Rising Northland BMX star Luke Brooke-Smith only knows one speed. Fast.
The 6-year-old has been riding only for about one year, but he has already asserted his dominance with a first place in the 7 Boys division at the recent 2015 BMX National Championships in Christchurch.
Brooke-Smith's fellow Whangarei rider, Tyla Dinsdale, finished second in the same division to join his mate on the podium.
"[Nationals] were quite good," Brooke-Smith says.
"I quite liked the track. It was exciting [but] a little scary."
Several Whangarei BMX Club riders had success at the New Zealand Nationals. Luke Brooke-Smith, left, Tyla Dinsdale, Nicole Eady, Lance Dinsdale and Anthony Gysberts.
Heading into the 7 Boys final, he says, "I had butterflies and was excited. I just concentrated on the race really."
Though he is relatively new to BMX racing, Brooke-Smith has quickly learned the ins and outs of the sport.
He and Dinsdale say they have benefited a great deal from the input of senior club members, particularly last year's 17-24 Girls New Zealand number one, Nicole Eady.
"I just like to help out the younger riders. I find the best trainer is someone who rides," she says. "Leading by example, they all look up to us. I just do it for the love."
Whangarei BMX Club's treasurer, Paula Romer, says "these two, Luke and Tyla, they're competitively racing against 10-year-olds.
"Because they're training and they've got parents who know what they're doing, they love it. For them to race their own age is ridiculous. They're just that quick."
Further to Brooke-Smith's success at national level, his sights are now firmly set on fundraising to travel to the 2015 UCI BMX World Championships in Belgium (July 21-25).
"We're raising money through bake sales, quiz nights and our give-a-little page," says Brook-Smith's father, Phil.
In addition to Brooke-Smith's attempt to travel to the world champs, local riders Jack and Noah Barton-Smith, and their father, Ian, will be looking to compete at the event as well.
-To help Luke Brooke-Smith achieve his goal of getting to July's world championships in Belgium, visit http://givealittle.co.nz/cause/luke2015
