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East Auckland’s mighty Mountain Raiders are rated the best BMX club in the land.
At the recent BMX national championships held in Invercargill, the Mountain Raiders rode away with the coveted Larry Gardener Trophy as BMX Club of the Year for having the best performances over the whole competition season.
The Lloyd Elsmore Park-based club also won and retained the Pocock Trophy for the best moto points at the national champs.
As well as the team honours, Mountain Raiders riders claimed seven NZ1 titles.
Selina Pfister and Addison Harrowfield each collected two, winning the 20-inch and cruiser titles in their age groups respectively, while Georjia Pou-Edwards, Evelyn Zhu, and Darcy McCusker picked up others.
There were also six second-place getters and six third places.
Mountain Raiders sent to Southland a large contingent of 56 competitors, who raced against 500 others from clubs across the country, as well supporting parents and club officials.
The BMX national champs were held on the weekend of March 22-23, with four heats raced on the Saturday and a further two on the Sunday then semi-finals and finals.
“The race meet was held at the fairly new track in Elizabeth Park,” says club spokesperson Kimberley Hunter.
“Even though it was a longer and more challenging track than they were used to, the Raiders race team fought brilliantly through the showers of Saturday and fine but cold conditions on Sunday.
“The Mountain Raiders club is certainly on the rise with membership getting stronger with numbers growing and a new gate system coming soon, which is on its way from Europe.”
The Mountain Raiders will also be hosting the second-biggest BMX race meeting in New Zealand in October called Norths.
BMX competitors from around the country will be lining up, plus the best four boys and girls aged 11 from Australia and New Zealand riding in a Trans-Tasman battle.
Before that contest happens, the New Zealand Might 11s are heading over to Australia and will be captained by the Mountain Raiders’ Jai Matene.
“The Norths meeting is a huge commitment by the club and its committee, but we’re looking forward to it and hope it will be as good if not better than the last one six years ago,” says Hunter.
The Mountain Raiders host the final BMX meet of the season this Saturday, April 12, with racing starting at 3pm.
The club invites everyone who is keen to see what BMX is about, and there will also be food trucks at the event that will run into the evening.
