Rotorua's best compete in nationals

ON TOP: Rebecca Petch won the women's elite title at the BMX National Championships in Christchurch yesterday. PHOTO/COLIN THORSEN

Rotorua's best BMX riders will be in action this weekend at the BMX National Championships in Christchurch.

It is the first time the nationals have been Christchurch since the earthquake in 2011.

A group of 42 riders from the Rotorua BMX Club has travelled down for the nationals, which started yesterday and runs until tomorrow.

Kawerau Olympian Sarah Walker, who is a life member of the Rotorua BMX Club, was planning on making her long-awaited comeback from injury at the nationals, but had to miss racing yesterday because of a niggling knee injury.

About 1000 riders aged from 4 to over 70 have entered the championships.

Rotorua BMX Club president Melanie Short said they had plenty of good riders on display.

"We have got some quite good contenders for top-3 placings," she said.

"And we have some riders who will end up in the top eight for their divisions."

She said Lachlan Stevens-McNab and Jenna Hastings, who are two of the most promising riders at the club, were both trialling for the Mighty 11s test team yesterday, which was a New Zealand team for 11-year-olds.

She said it was an important age as that age group was given a lot of coaching and attention. Both riders made the team and Jenna was also named as captain of the New Zealand Mighty 11s girls team.

The elite racing yesterday saw Matt Cameron (New Plymouth) win the men's elite division and Rebecca Petch (Te Awamutu) win the women's elite division.

National titles for 11 and under classes will be decided today, and titles for 12 and over will be contested tomorrow.