Rotorua only NZ venue to host 2023 Oceania Championships

BMX racing will see riders like Sarah Walker (pictured) racing for the championship. Photo / AP

Rotorua has been awarded the hosting rights for the 2023 Oceania Championships for BMX riding.

Rotorua is the only New Zealand location to host any of the competitions that make up the Oceania Cycling Confederation event.

The confederation announced this evening that Brisbane and Toowoomba, Australia, will host the 2023 Oceania Championships in track, road, mountain bike and BMX Freestyle between March 19 and April 2.

Rotorua will host BMX racing on April 16.

Track, road, BMX Freestyle, and mountain bike cross country will be held in Brisbane. Toowoomba will host the mountain bike downhill championships.

Oceania Cycling Confederation president Tony Mitchell said: “The UCI and Oceania Cycling Confederation are delighted to welcome the Oceania Championships back to Brisbane and Queensland in 2023.”

“The inaugural combined Oceania Championships this year were a huge success, with our regions leading athletes in action across three weeks of exciting competition.

“The Oceania Cycling Confederation extends its thanks to the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland and AusCycling for again hosting the Championships.”

The 2023 Oceania BMX Championships will be held in Rotorua, New Zealand, in April as part of the shared hosting agreement between Australia and New Zealand.

The Oceania Cycling Confederation (OCC) is recognised by the Union Cycliste International (UCI) as the regional governing body for the sport of cycling for the continent of Oceania and is one of five Continental Confederations. Membership of the OCC is made up of eight Full Members – Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, New Zealand, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and three Associate Members – New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands and Tahiti.