UAE’s BMX and MTB riders to compete on an equal platform at Red Bull Pump Track 2019

David Cooper - Writer 10:51 09/09/2019
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  • Coming to the UAE: 2019 Red Bull Pump Track

    Following its global debut last year, the Red Bull Pump Track World Championship is heading to the UAE.

    Scheduled to take place on 20 September 2019 at Fujairah Adventures, the event, in partnership with Velosolutions, will become the first-ever event in the region where BMX and MTB riders can compete on an equal platform.

    The competition is part of a global series, with qualifiers confirmed for more than 20 events in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.

    For those not-so-familiar with pump tracks, they combine rolling jumps with banked turns, with riders using track features to gain momentum and complete the course as fast as possible. How a rider controls their bike is key as momentum can be generated by up and down body movements, rather than pedalling or pushing.

    In the competition, each qualifier begins with timed runs from which the top 32 competitors will move on to the knockout heats. The competition, which is open to both men and women, will take place in either a head-to-head battle or a time trial format, depending on final form of the track.

    Finally, the top four men and women from each round will advance to the World Championship finals.

    Making a special appearance in Fujairah this year is Kuwaiti BMX rider and Red Bull athlete, Mansour Al Safran – one of the top sportsmen in his field in the region. He’ll be taking part and showcasing his skills at the event, not to mention he will no doubt on hand to support competitors on the day.

    2018 marked the inaugural year of one of Red Bull’s latest sporting events, with more than 2,000 participants from over 25 countries entering to race at qualifier events taking place across 21 countries. Many competitors even had the opportunity to battle it out against Olympic BMX racers, MTB World Champions, National Champions, as well as some of the leading talent in the freestyle community.

    A total of 67 participants qualified for the World Final – held in October 2018 at the Velosolutions Pump Track at the Jones Center in Arkansas in the United States. And it was a double win for Switzerland, with Christa von Niederhäusern and David Graf claiming victory, and becoming the competitions very first winners.

    “The Red Bull Pump Track World Championship has advanced the sport of pump track racing to a whole new level,” said Claudio Caluori, CEO at Velosolutions at the time. “It was impressive to see how hard professionals and amateurs battled it out on Velosolutions Pump Tracks around the world.”

    Riders must be 16 years of age on the date of the competition in order to compete, and those under 18 must obtain their legal guardian’s permission. Registration must be made through the official event website.

    In terms of equipment, participants are free to choose their preferred bike; however, it must come with a minimum wheel size of 20 inches, and must not be fitted with an engine.

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