- 2024 BMX Racing National Championships taking place in Balcatta this week
- More than 2,000 riders, officials and spectators expected to attend from out-of-state
- Event expected to boost local hospitality businesses and tourism operators
- Supported by the Western Australian Government
The 2024 GWM BMX Racing National Championships are on this week in Perth, attracting over 2,000 riders, officials and spectators for the sport's final event of the year in Australia.
Running until Sunday 13 October at Westside BMX Club in Balcatta, the event will include 76 championship event categories featuring over 1,600 riders aged two to 76.
Fresh off the back of the Paris Olympics, where Saya Sakakibara won Australia's first ever gold medal in BMX racing, the 2024 BMX Racing National Championships give riders the chance to win the right to wear the green-and-gold national champion jersey in 2025.
The event was last held in WA in 2018 in the South West region, also attracting over 2,000 out-of-state visitors and providing a boost through visitor spend to the local economy.
Mass participation events like the 2024 BMX Racing National Championships are a key part of the WA Government's tourism strategy, injecting more than $37 million into the WA economy in 2023-24.
Western Australia continues to strengthen its reputation as the cycling capital of Australia, with the Championships the latest in a long list of national and international cycling events heading west.
In September last year, Dwellingup hosted the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon Masters World Championships, while the Australian Road Cycling National Championships will take place in Perth in January 2025 the first time the event will leave Ballarat, Victoria in over two decades.
Additionally, Collie will host the AusCycling Mountain Bike Enduro National and Oceania Championships later this month, the Tour of Margaret River cycling event will return in November, and Nannup will host the UCI Gravel World Championships in 2026.
Find out more about the 2024 BMX Racing National Championships at https://auscycling.org.au/events/2024-gwm-bmx-racing-national-championships
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
"Western Australia continues to prove itself as a world-class host of national and international sporting events, with the 2024 BMX Racing National Championships yet another feather in our cap as we become the fastest-growing event destination in the South East Asia region.
"Mass participation events like these deliver a great return for our State, and these championships will fuel a positive flow-on effect for local tourism and hospitality businesses with the increase in visitor numbers driving a boost in spend.
"Of course, we also hope those who have travelled for this event make the most of their visit, and get out and explore what our beautiful city has to offer."
As stated by Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:
"We're very excited to be welcoming the GWM BMX Racing National Championships back to WA for the first time in six years.
"We know that BMX is a very popular sport and pastime for Western Australians, so we're expecting this to be a really fantastic week for our local sporting community and the people who have made the trip over."
Comments attributed to Balcatta MLA David Michael:
"It's so great to have another sporting event of this calibre hosted here in our northern suburbs of Perth and I know Westside BMX Club has been a hive of activity and excitement as they've prepared to host this year's championships.
"Events like these are so important in creating vibrancy and atmosphere and bringing the community together, so I certainly encourage all our local Balcatta residents to get along and support this fantastic event this week."
