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VARGA AND TRANG WIN CANADIAN BMX FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (Oct. 28, 2023) – The first Canadian BMX Freestyle Champions after a three-season hiatus were determined in Markham, ON, on Oct. 27, 2023.

With world-class riders on the start list, the title of Canadian Champion was up for grabs in the elite men’s category. After qualifying in first place, Mike Varga of Ontario finally snuck to the top of the podium. He was joined on the podium by Quebecers Maxime Chalifour and Jeffrey Whaley, taking silver and bronze respectively.

“I love to ride at Joyride150,” said Varga. “Having this event here means a lot to us and we haven’t had Canadian Championships in a while, so having this here and doing it for the local community is pretty good. I enjoyed just riding my bike, having fun, everyone is coming out of this event safe and we’re eager to get BMX on the map!”

Scoring to win on the women’s field was Beatrice Trang from Ontario. With this win, she hopes to inspire younger generations of females to hop on their bike and try BMX Freestyle.

“I think this is something we need in Canada,” added Trang. “I’m really looking forward to seeing this grow and hopefully for women’s BMX to grow. It’s only up from here!”

The full list of results from the Canadian BMX Freestyle Championships can be found here. Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Cyclo-cross Championships, which will be held on Nov. 25 in Saanich, BC. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.

JOYRIDE150 WELCOMES CANADIAN BMX FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (Oct. 23, 2023) – Markham, ON, is about to welcome athletes from all over Canada to Joyride150 for the 2023 Canadian BMX Freestyle Championships on Oct. 27.

“We are thrilled to see the return of our Canadian BMX Freestyle Championships this year,” said Jolène Dupuis, Cycling Canada Events and Officials Manager. “From working with Joyride150, we know their top priority is setting the stage for our Canadian BMX freestyle athletes to shine while they set their sights on the maple leaf jersey and valuable UCI points here at home.”

Well known on the international scene, Jeffrey Whaley (Elite Men), Maxime Chalifour (Elite Men), Mike Varga (Elite Men) and Beatrice Trang (Elite Women) will be on hand to battle it out for the maple leaf jersey in their respective categories.

The full technical guide and important event information can be found on the Events Page of the Cycling Canada website.

SIX NATIONAL TITLES CLINCHED AT 2023 CANADIAN BMX RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Drummondville, QC (July 1, 2023) – Nearly 700 athletes celebrated Canada Day by contesting the Canadian BMX Racing Championships on July 1, 2023, in Drummondville, QC.

In the Elite category, Ryan Tougas (ODI, Fly Racing, Chase BMX) stayed cool and collected to win all of his races, reclaiming the men’s Championship title that he held in 2021. His counterpart Molly Simpson (Daylight Cycles) led a combined field of play including U23 and Junior athletes on her way to collect a third consecutive women’s Championship and eighth national title overall.

“I’ve been travelling around the world so racing on home soil, I appreciate it so much,” said Simpson, who currently sits sixth in the UCI BMX Women Elite Ranking. “The atmosphere is electric, racing this race is one of my favorites. [The Canadian BMX community] all support each other so much. We’re just here to ride bikes and have fun, and everybody’s happy for everybody no matter the results. It’s definitely motivating.”

The U23 Men category was a fierce battleground for 2022 Junior Champion Max Ganakovsky (Maximal Advantage, Meybo, WLM Design) and Thomas Jodoin (Équipe du Québec), who traded first- and second-place finishes across three motos before Jodoin ultimately secured the win.

“It’s my first-ever national title so it just feels incredible,” commented Jodoin. “I didn’t really expect much going into this weekend and it all worked out. It was really nice to race in front of the home crowd. It was awesome just being at the gate and when they said my name, everybody started cheering.”

Mathilde Brisebois (Équipe du Québec) topped the U23 Women category, building on her bronze finish as a Junior in 2022.

Keira Murphy (Cycling BC) came away with her second consecutive title in the Junior Women category, while Carson Kowaski (Rift/Tangent Canada) became a first-time champion for the Junior Men. He reflected, “When I got to the finish line, it was pretty emotional. A wave of relief hit me, that I actually got a good lap done so it was a really good feeling. I felt like I had a horrible semi, I almost didn’t make it. In the main, I just got myself completely in the zone as much as I could, told myself what I had to do and executed what I could.”

In addition to the Championship classes, medals were awarded in Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as 5 years old. The full list of results can be found here.

Next up on the Canadian Championships calendar is the Canadian Downhill MTB Championships from July 15-16 in Fernie, BC. The full calendar of national events can be found on the Cycling Canada website.

DOUBLE WEEKEND OF CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS COMING TO QUEBEC

Ottawa, ON (June 28, 2023) – The Canadian BMX Racing Championships and the Canadian Road Championships for Masters are coming to the province of Quebec on June 29-July 3, where athletes from all over the country will put it all on the line to become Canadian Champions.  

“We have ourselves another exciting weekend of Championship events with BMX racing and Masters road cycling taking over in Quebec,” said Jolène Dupuis, Cycling Canada’s Events and Officials Manager. “Switching gears from the Elite/JR/Para Road Championships, we’re thrilled to see both events bring together large communities that share the same passion of cycling regardless of their discipline. We are thankful for our local organizers for welcoming us and the athletes for what will no doubt be a great weekend in cycling!” 

In Drummondville, over 550 BMX riders will compete for the maple leaf jersey in the Junior (17-18), U23 (19-22) and Elite (23+) categories, with medals also awarded in challenge classes for participants as young as five years old. 

Molly Simpson will look to secure an eighth national title, fresh off top-five finishes at the first four 2023 UCI BMX Racing World Cup stages. With the recent retirement of reigning Elite Men Champion, Olympian James Palmer, Ryan Tougas will be looking to reclaim the title he held in 2021. Defending Champions will also be challenged by new divisions, with Max Ganakovsky moving from the Junior Men to U23 category and Curtis Krey moving from the U23 Men to the Elite. 

On Sunday, riders will also have the opportunity to compete in the first round of the BMX Canada Cup Series 

That same weekend, Masters athletes will race for the maple leaf jersey on the roads of St-Georges-de-Beauce in conjunction with the Quebec Provincial Championships. More than 300 riders will take on the 18.6km loop of the time trial on Thursday, followed by road races ranging from 71.1-118.5km in length on Friday and Saturday, ending the weekend on Sunday with a 50min-long criterium.  

The field is stacked with defending champions: all but six of 23 winners from last year’s event will be returning to protect their titles. Several athletes are also looking to collect multi-discipline accolades in 2023, including Uli Mayer and Jeremie Fontanaud, who are coming off wins from January’s Canadian Track Championships. Anna Tykoliz will also be looking to add to her ever-growing record after her second consecutive Canadian ESports Championship (Women 65+) this past February. 

The full technical guide and important event information on the Canadian BMX Racing Championships and the Canadian Road Championships (Masters) can be found on the Events page of the Cycling Canada website.  

PALMER AND SIMPSON CROWNED CANADIAN BMX CHAMPIONS

Calgary, Alberta (August 29, 2022) – Over 700 riders from all over the country came out for the Canadian BMX Championships in Calgary, Alberta for the second year in a row on August 27th. Championship titles and maple left jerseys were awarded in the women’s and men’s categories for Junior (17-18), U23 (19-22) and Elite (23+) riders, with medals awarded to Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as five years old.

Races started out strong rounds, before heavy rain and thunderstorms got in the way, causing an afternoon-long delay before the rain returned, cancelling the rest of races for the day. Race organizers then made the decision to crown Champions based on the amount of the points collected during the day, with Olympian, James Palmer becoming the men’s Elite Canadian Champion.

“It an awesome day getting back in the gate in front of the Canadian crowd today,” said James Palmer after his win. “After having to sit out last year’s National Championships with an injury, I was eager to line up and battle for the Canadian sleeve again. I was able lay down two smooth laps before we got hit with some unfortunate rainy weather that ultimately ended our day and gave me the National Championship win based off winning the first two rounds of racing.”

In the elite field, both World Championships bronze medallist, Molly Simpson, and teammate Teigen Pascual battled it out on the track. Ultimately, it was Simpson who walked away with the title. With the addition of the U23 category this year, Curtis Crey and Megan Winger both won the first U23 BMX Canadian Champion title. Junior rider Max Ganakovsky would go on the claim the title for a second year in a row, while Keira Murphy got her hands on her first title in the women’s category.

“Making a call to cancel racing is never easy to do, but I’m thankful the officials had safety as the first priority because it would have been dangerous for us the race in those later conditions,” continued James Palmer. “A special shout-out to the track crew and volunteers for doing all they could to dry the track out and get us back out there.”

After the day of racing there were a total of six National Champions going home with their maple leaf jersey.

Results
Junior Women: 1- Keira Murphy 2- Abygale Reeve 3- Mathilde Brisebois
Junior Men: 1- Max Ganakovsky 2- Carson Kowaski 3- Dylan Tremel
U23 Women: 1- Megan Winger
U23 Men: 1- Curtis Krey 2- Edouard Brisebois 3- Thomas Jodoin
Elite Men: 1- James Palmer 2- Alex Tougas 3- Riley Lavorato
Elite Women: 1- Molly Simpson 2- Teigen Pascual

For full results, please click here.

BMX CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE HELD IN CALGARY THIS WEEKEND

Calgary, Alberta (August 24, 2022) – The Canadian BMX Championships will be returning to Calgary, AB on August 27-28 for an exciting weekend of competition. After a successful edition in 2021, the competition will kick off on Saturday with over 500 riders of all ages and categories.

The first day of racing will see riders competing for the maple leaf jersey in the Junior (17-18) and Elite (23+) categories, with the addition of the new U23 category for both women and men and medals awarded in the Challenge classes for age group racing from as young as 5 years old.

Several high-profile athletes will be taking part in the racing, including UCI BMX World Championships U23 women’s bronze medallist, Molly Simpson, her teammate Teigen Pascual who was fifth at this year’s World Championships as well as current Elite Canada Cup leader, Riley Meyer-Clement.

“We’re excited to welcome the 2022 Canadian BMX Championships for the second year in a row,” said event organizer and President of the Calgary BMX Association, Jonas Tremel. “After last year’s success and great turn out, we can’t wait to see what the athletes can do in all the categories.”

On Sunday, riders will compete in the ninth and final round of the BMX Canada Cup national series. Full event details can be found here.

MOLLY SIMPSON WINS SOLE BRONZE AT BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Nantes, France (July 31, 2021) – On the final day of racing at BMX World Championships in Nantes, France, U23 rider, Molly Simpson, won her first World Championship medal to take home bronze in the category, just behind the leader Malene Sorensen from Denmark by 0.81 seconds.

“It was good, the weather was good and was able to stick with my process and race plan,” said Simpson. “I had a ton of fun out there, so it was really a great day.”

Simpson’s World Championship medal comes off the heels of a fantastic World Cup season where she won three medals ­– one of each colour­ – showing her depth as an athlete and strong competition as a rider. Not far behind her in the final was Teigen Pascual who was looking for her second consecutive World Championship podium after taking the silver in 2021 in the women’s Junior category. Pascual came up just shy and only 0.856 seconds behind Simpson to take fifth spot.

It was a rocky start for the BMX team with athletes battling illness earlier in the week. The team of 10 riders were able to persevere and race at the Championship with Max Ganakovsky being the top men’s finisher in the U23 category advancing to the 1/8 but failing to move to the quarter finals. Riley Lavorato, Edouard Brisebois Curtis Krey, Carson Kowaski, Dylan Tremel, Aby Reeve and Keira Murphy all unfortunately did not advance past the first round in their respective categories.

“I’m really happy to see Molly on the podium,” said Adam Muys, National Team Coach. “It was also awesome to have Teigen Pascual in the final after a little bit of a shaky start to our team with a couple of our athletes test positive [for COVID-19]. The Junior boys raced hard but didn’t advance, but the development there just continues and keep progressing forward.”

Full results from the World Championships can be found here. Athletes will now get ready for the 2022 Canadian BMX Championships and Canada Cup in Calgary, Alberta on August 27-28.

12 RIDERS TO REPRESENT CANADA AT UCI BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Ottawa, ON (July 18, 2022) – Cycling Canada has named a team of twelve Junior, U23 and Elite athletes to represent Canada at the upcoming UCI BMX World Championships, which will be held in Nantes, France from July 26-31.

After a successful 2021 Championship that saw Teigen Pascual claim silver in the Junior women’s race, Canadian athletes are looking forward to showcasing their skills again this year. Highlighting the team will be Olympian James Palmer, U23 World Cup gold medallist Molly Simpson, 2021 Elite National Champion Ryan Tougas, as well as 2021 Junior Canadian Champions Teigen Pascual and Max Ganakovsky.

“As the veteran on a team full of young guns, I’m thrilled to be selected for the World Championships,” said Palmer. “This year has been an uphill battle getting back to the level I expect out of myself, but race by race we’ve been able to make strides forward and things are trending in the right direction which has me really excited for the opportunity to compete in France at the end of the month. With the new inclusion of the U23 class, I’m looking forward to watching and supporting our young superstars compete for the coveted rainbow stripes.”

Challenge classes will be competing from July 26-29, while the Junior, U23 and Elite categories will be competing in the qualification and 1/8 rounds on Saturday, July 30, with the finals scheduled for the Sunday. Full results will be available here.

Team Canada

Junior Women
Keira Murphy – Nanaimo, BC
Abygale Reeve – Airdrie, AB

Junior Men
Max Ganakovsky – Calgary, AB
Carson Kowaski – Innisfail, AB
Dylan Tremel – Calgary, AB

U23 Women
Teigen Pascual – Squamish, BC
Molly Simpson – Red Deer, AB

U23 Men
Edouard Brisebois – Saint-Marcelline-de-Kildare, QC
Curtis Krey – Etobicoke, ON
Ryan Tougas – Pitt Meadows, BC

Elite Men
Riley Lavorato – Lethbridge, AB
James Palmer – North Vancouver, BC

Coach – Adam Muys
Coach – Daina Tuchscherer
Medical – Jenn Turner

CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM SETS BIG TARGETS FOR THE 2022 BMX SEASON

Ottawa, ON (May 19, 2022) – Following a successful 2021 BMX Racing season that saw Drew Mechielsen qualify for the final at the Olympic Games, Molly Simpson win her first Elite World Cup medal and Teigen Pascual finish second at the UCI BMX World Championships, the National Team is setting bigger and bolder objectives for the coming year.

For the first time ever, athletes will be able to compete in the new UCI Under-23 category which will be pivotal for the development of Canada’s young National Team. Both Simpson and Pascual will be strong contenders on the women’s side, while Elite Canadian champion Ryan Tougas and former Junior national champion Curtis Krey will be on the athlete watch list in the men’s competitions. Tokyo 2020 Olympian James Palmer will also be representing the maple leaf in the Elite field, where he is targeting his best results yet.

“We’ve had lots of great training at the track in Abbotsford over the winter,” said National Team Coach Adam Muys. “We have a great group of athletes who are highly motivated and improving every day and we’re excited to have integrated seven new Junior and U23 athletes into our daily training environment. Our biggest goal this year is for our National Team athletes to be competitive at the World Cup level and to win medals, while also giving our development athletes invaluable international racing experience.”

The season will encompass a total of eight World Cups, with each country hosting between two and four rounds. Racing kicks off in Glasgow, Great Britain, in late May before moving on to Papendal, The Netherlands, and concluding in Bogota, Colombia in the fall. The team will also be competing at the UCI BMX World Championships in Nantes, France, in July, as well as various domestic competitions throughout the summer. The full calendar of events can be found here.

MOLLY SIMPSON WINS FIRST BMX WORLD CUP MEDAL IN TURKEY

Sakarya, Turkey (October 23, 2021) – In her first year competing as an Elite athlete, Molly Simpson from Red Deer, Alberta, rode her way to a bronze medal at BMX World Cup # 5 in Sakarya, Turkey. This marked her first international race since the BMX World Championships in late August.

“It felt pretty good,” said Simpson. “It was my first World Cup final, and I hit it with a third position so I’m pretty stoked about it. I just took it one race at a time and just kept it smooth and it went well. It’s just so awesome. I think I’m going to have a piece of cake at home to celebrate once we’re back at the hotel.”

Her teammate and Junior World Championship medallist, Teigen Pascual, just missed out on the final as the two battled it out in the semi-final. Racing continues for Team Canada on October 24, 30 and 31. Full results can be found here.