The Nanaimo BMX Association got the chance to host Harbour City Nationals at their brand-new track.
The BMX Canada National series event was held at Marie Davidson BMX Park this past Friday through Sunday, July 4-6, with an estimated 500-600 riders.
Craig Hashimoto, association president, said people were raving about the new track.
"We've heard from riders that have ridden all across B.C. and Canada, and they're telling us we definitely have one of the best facilities around … paired with the Steve Smith Bike Park, we have one of the best biking facilities in North America," said Hashimoto. "There are just a lot of people are just blown away at the quality of riding facilities we have here in Nanaimo."
Dosty Hedges, an official with BMX Canada who hails from Arizona, told the News Bulletin the track is "absolutely beautiful." Marie Davidson park "beats out" all the tracks in his state, he said.
"It's got a surface that's almost like a concrete, so it's really fast, it's smooth,” Hedges said. "The corners are my favourite. I love cornering, and because they're so smooth and paved with asphalt, you can make some pretty good moves in those corners and pass some riders … It gives me that feeling like I'm back on my motorcycle."
Riders from across North America descended on the Harbour City to race at the event.
"The riders are competing for national ranking points, and not only for Canadian riders; U.S. riders can also get points towards their national scores," he said. "So this is really the biggest level of riding within BMX Canada."
The refurbished BMX park, consisting of 4,000 square metres of new track surface, re-opened to riders in late 2024 and a grand opening was held this past spring.
