Taking place between July 23-27, 2014, the location of the BMX World Championships, the Ahoy Rotterdam, a convention centre and arena located in one of the largest port cities in the world, is looking to a record 2.841 participants across the Challenge and Junior / Elite categories. Although the main focus will be brought to the Elite racing including reigning World Champions Caroline Buchanan (AUS) and Liam Phillips (GBR), this world-class BMX event will also reunite the "biggest" legends of the sport.
The idea of a major international reunion was born during discussions between the event organizers and Gerrit Does, organizer of the World Championships in the Netherlands in 1983. Mr Does called on his extensive contacts worldwide to bring the idea to fruition.“We wanted to create an extra feature for the public during these Worlds and of course give these athletes the platform they deserve,” explains organizer Eric Kersten.
One of more than 40 former World Champions who will be present at the reunion in Rotterdam is Perry Kramer, one of the first ever USA Pros and World Champion from Indianapolis 1979.
“The BMX community is strong and we really try to stay connected,” says Kramer. “I see a lot (of former BMX competitors) at BMX reunions, but to try to get together racers who have earned a distinctive title such as World Champion has not been attempted before. When I won the Pro World Championships back in 1979, all 8 riders in the main event were Californian,” he adds.
Perry Kramer (second from the left)
The former Champion has a hard time naming some of his greatest BMX memories, although winning his first big national race in the 1976 Winter Nationals would have to be one of them… as is travelling to the Netherlands to race in 1980. “But more of my best memories come from the off-the-track fun we had while touring the USA back in the late 70s and early 80s,” Kramer recalls.
Ahoy's WC track
The unofficial meeting place for the former World Champions during the event will be at the nearby BMX Museum. At the BMX Museum, you find moreover (restored) BMX bikes, BMX parts or BMX wear and magazines from different years. You can also watch a BMX movie about how BMX started and grew ever since until what it became now at a BMX Cinema. Apart from that, various workshops and side events are going to keep visitors occupied in between the racing. So come on and discover the BMX World in Ahoy Rotterdam!
Check the main organizer's webpage for full schedule. All images are courtesy of WKBMX and UCI supercross.
Source: http://www.wkbmx.nl
