After launching the competition earlier this year in Saraburi on January 6, over 300 cyclists made their way to Pattaya last weekend for Round 2 of the Fisherman’s Friend BMX Thailand Championship 2013.
The event took place at the Pattaya PRC Tower Boat Circuit on Sukhumvit Road on a newly constructed track that is considered to be one of the best laid out BMX competition venues in the kingdom.
Taking a curve at high speed – all part of BMX racing.
The sport of BMX racing has witnessed a positive resurgence in this country since it featured in the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and has now been adopted by the Thai Cycling Association (TCA), which considers it a viable method of attracting young people to the sport of cycling. The event in Pattaya was broadcast live nationwide through the Thai PBS network.
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, along with dignitaries from the TCA, were among the crowd of many spectators to watch the action live last Sunday, March 10, as the highly skilled young (and not so young) bikers battled it out on the state of the art mixed-terrain track.
Cyclists leap over the undulations during one of the male category races.
The competition was divided into various age and gender groups with one of the highlights coming in the male general category where three cyclists from the Thai national team, Narong Klingsurhai, Jakraphet Witchna and Punyapol Sornkla, were competing against each other.
From the starting gun, Klinsurhai took an early lead, with Witchana following close behind, but turning into the final curve Klinsurhai sustained a puncture in his front tire that caused him to fall within sight of the finish line, allowing Witchana to pass him and go on to claim first place honors.
Lt. Gen. Phadungsak Klansanoh, vice president of Thai Cyclist Association under the royal patronage, presents medals to winning cyclists in the U 14 female category.
There was an equally exciting race in the women’s open category as Thai national team cyclist Nisha Prasertsri, a winner in the first round, was pipped on the line by Duangkamol Thongmeematalord after leading for most of the race.
The next competition, Round 3 of the Fisherman’s Friend BMX Thailand Championship 2013, will be held in Surin in north-eastern Thailand, followed by round 4 in Pathum Thani and ending with the finale back at Saraburi. The cyclists with the highest point tally over the 5 rounds will be awarded the HRH Princess Sirindhorn Cup.
Senior and junior riders give encouragement to one another.
