Funding wheels turn for BMX champs

The Government is wheeling out up to $350,000 in funding to help host the BMX World Championships in Auckland in 2013.

Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee said the Government would contribute up to $350,000 from the Major Events Development Fund towards the world champs.

The world ruling body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), told BikeNZ overnight that the joint bid with BMX New Zealand, Auckland City Council and the Government had been successful.

The event will be staged at Auckland's Vector Arena in mid-July, where a purpose-built track will be constructed using between 5000-6000 cubic metres of dirt.

The championship is expected to attract 4500 competitors, officials and supporters to the country for one of the world's fastest growing sports that made its Olympic debut in Beijing.

The funding would support delivery and hosting of the event.

"With 4500 international participants, officials, supporters and spectators staying for two or three weeks, the world championships is expected to generate approximately $13 million in foreign exchange earnings during New Zealand's off peak tourism season," Mr Brownlee said.

New Zealand BMX and cycling athletes are performing well internationally, with New Zealanders holding a number of world titles.

"The championships attract the world's best BMX riders. Hosting the event in New Zealand gives BMX athletes an opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd and many New Zealanders will have a chance to attend and experience a world class BMX competition.

"While the event will be held indoors, local video footage of New Zealand will be included in international television broadcasts that will showcase our country to the world," Mr Brownlee said.

The Government would work with Bike New Zealand and Auckland City Council.

BMX double world champion Sarah Walker this morning said she was thrilled with the news.

"To have the world championships in my own country will be amazing because although BMX has slowly made its way into the Kiwi public eye, it will bring so much more attention to the sport," Walker said from California today where she is preparing to defend her world title.

"Hopefully it will create more excitement about our sport. Being able to show off the sport that I love and compete at the highest level in front of my friends and family that haven't had the chance to watch an international BMX event will be such a buzz."

BikeNZ high performance director Mark Elliott said the world champs were an incredible boost for cycling.

"With the junior world track championships here in 2012, this event for BMX will continue to escalate the growth of our sport and greatly benefit the future champions we will see leading on the world stage through to the Rio Olympics in 2016," Elliott said.

"We have a strong group of 15 to 17 year old BMX riders who are pushing their way into our high performance programme. The timing of this world championship will see a number of these athletes pushing to showcase their potential on home soil."

- NZPA