Hamilton BMX riders return from Copenhagen championships
Two young girls from Hamilton’s Aberdeen School are back at their desks this week – fresh from the World BMX Championship in Copenhagen.
There is nothing like home for Kaly Harcourt and Baylee Lutterull who recently returned from competing in the World BMX Championship in Copenhagen.
The girls and trainer Paul (Baylee’s dad) enjoyed their time away but, Paul says, for all of them the experience was not the same as competing at home.
“There were just so many people and we had hardly any time to practise on the track.”
Training six days a week, two hours a day in all weathers paid off for the girls with Kaly coming third and Baylee placing 15th.
Baylee’s dad Paul also competed in the event and came second in his event.
Kaly said she was nervous when it came to getting up on the podium but she knew she had her best friend Baylee out in the crowds.
“When Kaly was on the podium and they announced her name you could hear these three New Zealanders screaming and cheering,” Baylee laughs.
The girls said that the racing was very different and more aggressive on the track than what they were used to in New Zealand.
[pullquote]When Kaly was on the podium and they announced her name you could hear these three New Zealanders screaming and cheering.[/pullquote]
“The track was faster, the commentators were speaking so quickly, and nobody spoke English,” Kaly says.
Baylee felt she was a little disappointed with her efforts and cannot wait to do better next time.
“I’m really disappointed in myself because I know I could have tried harder.”
More than 2200 riders and 18,000 fans turned up for the competition
The girls are training hard now for the North Island Championships at the end of October and the world championship meeting in Birmingham next year.
