SA gears for BMX World Champs
13 April 2010
Pietermaritzburg in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province is gearing up to host the UCI BMX World Championships just three weeks after the conclusion of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
The four-day competition, from 29 July to 1 August, will see the best BMX riders from around the world converging on the city to compete on a state-of-the-art track that will be built in the main arena at the showgrounds, surrounded by ringside spectator seating.
With around 1 500 riders anticipated, as well as another 5 000 supporters, family and crew, the event will provide a significant economic injection for the KwaZulu-Natal economy.
Ideal timing
"The timing, just a few weeks after the end of the World Cup, is ideal," said event organiser Alec Lenferna.
"The transport and infrastructure that is being upgraded for the World Cup, including the new King Shaka airport, will all benefit the UCI BMX World Championships and make for a world class experience for every person visiting the province for this event."
More importantly, Lenferna stressed that the marketing value of the event will provide long term, tangible benefits for the city, province and country as a whole.
'South Africa's time to shine'
"This is South Africa's time to shine, and the fact that we will be hosting the biggest event on the global BMX calendar a few days after the world has witnessed the Fifa World Cup in South Africa is hugely significant.
"Pietermaritzburg might not be hosting a match in the Fifa World Cup, but hosting the UCI BMX World Champs gives the city a perfect opportunity to capitalise on the fact that South Africa is the 'flavour of the month' internationally, and position the city as a premier sporting and tourist destination," he reckoned.
Pietermaritzburg already has a reputation as a top international cycling competition destination, having successfully hosted the 2008 Intakatech Worlds View Challenge road race, and the Nissan UCI MTB World Cup and UCI BMX Supercross World Cup last year.
Raising the bar
"We have already earned our stripes as organisers of cycling events to the highest international standards," explained Lenferna. "Our challenge in 2010 is to take that to the next level, and deliver this world championship with the hospitality that KwaZulu-Natal is famous for."
He confirmed that many of the entrants had been enquiring about tourist opportunities in the region and were planning to extend their stay around the world champs to visit game parks and local tourist attractions.
Competitors will start arriving in the city from Sunday, 25 July, ahead of the registration opening on Monday, 26 July.
Tuesday and Wednesday will be dedicated to practice on the competition arena track at the Royal Showgrounds, with the first heats getting under way on Thursday, building up to the finals on Sunday, 1 August.
SAinfo reporter
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