In Pictures: BMX Test Event @ The Olympic Park

By London_Duncan Last edited 152 months ago
In Pictures: BMX Test Event @ The Olympic Park
After more than three hours of waiting, and the taster of the time trials the previous day, London finally got its first ever look at the thrillls of world class, wheel to wheel BMX racing.
After more than three hours of waiting, and the taster of the time trials the previous day, London finally got its first ever look at the thrillls of world class, wheel to wheel BMX racing.
By mid-afternoon racing had looked very doubtful as spectators huddled in semi-cover to escape the relentless rain
By mid-afternoon racing had looked very doubtful as spectators huddled in semi-cover to escape the relentless rain
Very sensibly the organisers opened up the covered 360 degree balcony of the nearby Velodrome to allow spectators to shelter more comfortably.
Very sensibly the organisers opened up the covered 360 degree balcony of the nearby Velodrome to allow spectators to shelter more comfortably.
When racing finally began it soon became clear that the exceptionally tough Olympic course would take quite a toll of even the world's most skillful riders
When racing finally began it soon became clear that the exceptionally tough Olympic course would take quite a toll of even the world's most skillful riders
We spotted Olympic heptathlete Denise Lewis amongst the huddled masses at the Velodrome and here is Oscar winning director Danny Boyle chatting in between races
We spotted Olympic heptathlete Denise Lewis amongst the huddled masses at the Velodrome and here is Oscar winning director Danny Boyle chatting in between races
The teatime sunshine lent a dramatic backdrop to proceedings, but it meant riders had to contend with unexpectedly fierce glare on many sections of their frantic 45 second laps
The teatime sunshine lent a dramatic backdrop to proceedings, but it meant riders had to contend with unexpectedly fierce glare on many sections of their frantic 45 second laps
The men provided the more spectacular acrobatiics, but the womens' event was more fervently supported because of the UK's former world champion Shanaze Reade, here leading her semi-final into the first jump
The men provided the more spectacular acrobatiics, but the womens' event was more fervently supported because of the UK's former world champion Shanaze Reade, here leading her semi-final into the first jump
Still ahead here near the end, Shanaze then eased up to qualify for the final comfortably, allowing the world no 1, Sarah Walker of New Zealand, to take the semi-final victory
Still ahead here near the end, Shanaze then eased up to qualify for the final comfortably, allowing the world no 1, Sarah Walker of New Zealand, to take the semi-final victory
In the final, however, there was no letting up and Shanaze led from start to finish to storm to the title roared on by nearly 3,000 delighted spectators
In the final, however, there was no letting up and Shanaze led from start to finish to storm to the title roared on by nearly 3,000 delighted spectators
Unusually for modern sport, it was great to see even the top competitors mingling with the spectators. This is world champion Mariana Pajon of Colombia, who sadly had a bad fall later in the final. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Unusually for modern sport, it was great to see even the top competitors mingling with the spectators. This is world champion Mariana Pajon of Colombia, who sadly had a bad fall later in the final. We wish her a speedy recovery.
The men's final brought a fitting conclusion to the day with more dramatic action. New Zealand's Marc Willers, leading the riders through this jump, held on for victory
The men's final brought a fitting conclusion to the day with more dramatic action. New Zealand's Marc Willers, leading the riders through this jump, held on for victory

As well as taking in the Olympic basketball test event last weekend, Londonist was also at its dirt track cycling equivalent just yards away on the Olympic Park: the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup.

Just as final warmups were taking place on Saturday, rain set in about 1:30pm and remained steady for two hours. It began to look like the event might have to be postponed, but the sun came out just in time and, after heroic efforts by the ground staff, a curtailed competition finally got underway at 5:15pm, about fifteen minutes after it was supposed to have finished. Here's some pictures to give you the flavour of the day's events.

Last Updated 24 August 2011

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