What is BMX Freestyle Cycling?
In BMX Freestyle, riders perform routines consisting of sequences of tricks carried out on flat ground, in the streets, on dirt jumps, a halfpipe and/or on constructed ramps. In competition, riders are judged on the quality of their performance.
By whom, where and when was BMX Freestyle Cycling invented?
Bicycle Motocross (BMX) Freestyle quickly developed as a separate discipline from BMX Racing following its start in the 1960s in California.
From 1980 until 1987, BMX Freestyle increased in popularity. The discipline’s founding governing body was first called the Amateur Skate Park Association (ASPA) in 1982, and then a couple years after, it changed to the American Freestyle Association (AFA). Eventually, the discipline became governed by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
What are the rules of BMX Freestyle Cycling?
BMX Freestyle consists of different disciplines, including: Park, Vert, Flat, Street and Dirt. Only Park competitions are held at the Olympic Games.
In BMX Park competitions, named for the park designed for BMX riders, athletes execute a sequence of tricks on different obstacles, like spines, walls and box jumps. This is the Olympic discipline of BMX Freestyle.
In Vert, the abbreviation of vertical, riders perform tricks on a tall U-shaped ramp. The sides of the ramp are vertical at the top, and the best riders jump up to 4.5m higher than the ramp.
In Flat, riders perform a series of tricks exclusively on flat ground, often balancing or spinning on one wheel.
As its name indicates, this takes place on the street. Riders use urban obstacles to carry out their tricks. The principle of street is to explore, searching for new terrain that can be ridden.
In Dirt, riders perform tricks on mounds of earth that are shaped to catch air. With several metres separating the take off and landing, the jumps are extremely spectacular. In Dirt competitions, riders are judged on the successful execution of several tricks during the jumps, coupled with their degree of difficulty.
BMX Freestyle Cycling and the Olympics
Mixed BMX Freestyle Park made an appearance at the Summer Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018, where competitors from Argentina and Germany took the gold in the team mixed youth event. While BMX Racing has been on the Olympic programme since Beijing 2008, in June 2017, the International Olympic Committee announced that BMX Freestyle would be added as an Olympic event for men and women at Tokyo 2020.
At Tokyo 2020, 18 BMX Freestyle cycling competitors competed in the Park discipline.
Best BMX Freestyle riders to watch
Among the world's best are Daniel Dhers (Venezuela), Logan Martin (Australia), Nikita Ducarroz (Switzerland), Hannah Roberts (USA), and Charlotte Worthington (Great Britain). Martin and Worthington were the champions at Tokyo 2020.
