Bicycle Motocross (BMX Freestyle)

With winter passing and spring close to blossoming, we are getting our last few runs on the slopes in before the sun takes over as we switch gears from winter action sports such as snowboarding and freeski to focus on wake, surf, skate, and BMX.

Like most sports, BMX requires motivation, determination, courage and attention to detail. BMX riders are incredible to watch on TV and live. They manage to ride down/up an insanely high ramp, throw their bodies in the air with their bike, flip them and their bike, and hope the pull of gravity is not stronger that day as they have just seconds to turn right side up and land on their two wheels.

Every time I watch a rider compete, I wish I could go out, hop on my bike, and do those same tricks. Unfortunately for me, to be a BMX rider, you must be incredibly fit, daring, skillful and talented, and have the right protective gear and equipment. And Lord knows I am missing of few of those requirements and have the hospital visits to prove it.

Nevertheless, the question is, in competition, how do you determine the winner? Unlike most other sports, there is no finish line to tell you who came in first or who scored the most goals. Instead, BMX riders are awarded points based on the tricks they throw out on the course. The problem with this is that judging and the amount of points awarded is a matter of personal opinion. While there are some criteria, such as technical difficulty, style and execution, air, fluidity, consistency, combination and variety of tricks/maneuvers, and use of the course, the extent to which these create a consistent standard of judging is limited.

As this sport gains popularity, and as more amateur riders emerge, this topic is beginning to draw intense attention/controversy, putting pressure on those running events to set criteria and find ways to make it even more fair without setting prerequisites and judging criteria that limits the progression of the sport.