BMXers riding high

Feel the buzz! Ottawa boosted by new track

By Tim Baines, Ottawa Sun

There's a lot of excitement buzzing around the Ottawa BMX Association. First, Bicycle Motocross is the newest Olympic sport, to be introduced in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics.

Then there's the matter of BMXtreme, the new track at 2040 Ogilvie Rd., behind the wave pool. And there's the big competition this weekend -- the provincial BMX series race, with about 100 racers competing.

"Our track is designed by riders and built by riders," said Jay Dafoe, the track director. "It's sure a lot better than what was there before."

BMX racing is a full-out sprint on a hard-packed dirt track, anywhere from 300-400 metres long, with jumps and turns. Competitors, both boys and girls, are as young as four. Anyone is welcome to show up and give it a try. Dafoe says BMX is a viable alternative for youngsters.

"Sometimes, a kid just isn't into team sports," he said. "Maybe the kid is quieter, maybe not into competing. "This is more of an individual thing. And it's never the same twice. In baseball, you run around the bases ... in football, you throw the ball and run. With this, it's always different."

Check out www.ottawabmx.com for more info.