One of my friends posted this up on the BMX forum. I think that it is pretty cool. The music is provided by Giorgio Moroder. But the best thing about it? A laid-back BMX race from back in the day when BMX made more sense. As you can see, all the riders are wearing proper head-gear like full-face helmets and such. They fall down but they get up. No serious injuries here. BMX racing is NOT for kids but for all ages. Let us see if we can get something like this organised.
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Saturday, 5 September 2009
A letter from The Straits Times
We have always had a love / hate relationship with our local newspaper The Straits Times. Sometimes, they have articles on BMX that are spot on and many times, totally off. So you cannot blame them because many of them do not understand BMX at all. Just the other day, I got this email from The Straits Times. Here it is in its entirety, with my replies in bold
I'm a writer from The Straits Times, Life, and am doing a feature on extreme sports in lieu of the recent opening of the Xtreme Skate Park at East Coast. I'm interested in getting some feedback from the local BMX community, particularly BMX stunt riding. I understand that BMX has many disciplines. Perhaps you would also be able to touch a bit on those and we can better educate the public.
Sure can. BMX started way back in the early 70s. Get yourself a copy of Joe Kid On A Stingray and check out the history of BMX. You are right. BMX has many disciplines but BMX started off as moto-cross racing on bicycles, hence the term BMX or Bicycle Moto-Cross, the X being cross. Kids wanted to race like their motorcycle idols and thus the sport was formed. In the 80s, some kids started doing tricks on their BMX bikes, partly because the bikes could handle more abuse than some other bikes then. BMX Freestyle was born. Today BMX freestyle has split into factions of BMX Flatland, BMX Park, BMX Vert and BMX Dirt Jump.
If it's not too much trouble, I would be most grateful if you could take some time to answer my queries below:
I will try.
Some background on your site: What does it offer and how did it come about?
It offers unbiased views on BMX and it was the very first BMX website in Singapore. It came about because I ride a BMX bike and I wanted Singapore BMX to have an online presence
When was it started?
In the year 2000
When it comes to BMX stunt riding, how prevalent it is in Singapore compared to other disciplines of the BMX family?
BMX racing was huge back then but because of the relative lack of racing facilities, kids today look at the freestyle aspect more.
Is there any indication that it is gaining popularity? (eg. 10% increase in forum members, etc. from 2007-2008 talking about BMX stunt riding, etc.)
It is about the same but now more than ever, people join the site to exchange views about new-school BMXand old-school BMX. We get a close to about 200 views a day from all over the world.
For BMX on the whole, what are the other disciplines, and which one is the most popular here?
That is an arbitrary question. Cannot answer that one. Pretty much all are quite popular.
Is there any indication on BMX on the whole, gaining popularity here? (eg. How many subscribers/ members since inception compared to currently, etc.)
It would get more popular if the media know the difference between the disciplines and there was more support for BMX racing. Some people still view it as a kid's sport but these people are just misinformed. We try to correct them via the website but it needs to reach a wider audience and that is how you press guys can help.
Could I also get a comment on what do you think the the opening of facilities like the Xtreme Skate Park implies for the BMX stunt scene in Singapore?
I think that it is a great step forward but more needs to be done. But I have been to that park and it is excellent.
And that was it. But it is good because at least The Straits Times are showing some interest. Now it is up to the masses to digest all of this. Remember, it is BMX racing that is in the Youth Olympic Games
Sure can. BMX started way back in the early 70s. Get yourself a copy of Joe Kid On A Stingray and check out the history of BMX. You are right. BMX has many disciplines but BMX started off as moto-cross racing on bicycles, hence the term BMX or Bicycle Moto-Cross, the X being cross. Kids wanted to race like their motorcycle idols and thus the sport was formed. In the 80s, some kids started doing tricks on their BMX bikes, partly because the bikes could handle more abuse than some other bikes then. BMX Freestyle was born. Today BMX freestyle has split into factions of BMX Flatland, BMX Park, BMX Vert and BMX Dirt Jump.
If it's not too much trouble, I would be most grateful if you could take some time to answer my queries below:
I will try.
Some background on your site: What does it offer and how did it come about?
It offers unbiased views on BMX and it was the very first BMX website in Singapore. It came about because I ride a BMX bike and I wanted Singapore BMX to have an online presence
When was it started?
In the year 2000
When it comes to BMX stunt riding, how prevalent it is in Singapore compared to other disciplines of the BMX family?
BMX racing was huge back then but because of the relative lack of racing facilities, kids today look at the freestyle aspect more.
Is there any indication that it is gaining popularity? (eg. 10% increase in forum members, etc. from 2007-2008 talking about BMX stunt riding, etc.)
It is about the same but now more than ever, people join the site to exchange views about new-school BMXand old-school BMX. We get a close to about 200 views a day from all over the world.
For BMX on the whole, what are the other disciplines, and which one is the most popular here?
That is an arbitrary question. Cannot answer that one. Pretty much all are quite popular.
Is there any indication on BMX on the whole, gaining popularity here? (eg. How many subscribers/ members since inception compared to currently, etc.)
It would get more popular if the media know the difference between the disciplines and there was more support for BMX racing. Some people still view it as a kid's sport but these people are just misinformed. We try to correct them via the website but it needs to reach a wider audience and that is how you press guys can help.
Could I also get a comment on what do you think the the opening of facilities like the Xtreme Skate Park implies for the BMX stunt scene in Singapore?
I think that it is a great step forward but more needs to be done. But I have been to that park and it is excellent.
And that was it. But it is good because at least The Straits Times are showing some interest. Now it is up to the masses to digest all of this. Remember, it is BMX racing that is in the Youth Olympic Games
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Time for a mindset change, yes, BMX-wise too!
I saw this in The Straits Times today and I agree with every word of the writer because I have _personally_ seen something like this happening to the cycling sport in Singapore. We were not a core sport and the Singapore Sports Council were more prepared to throw their money into sports that they were sure of getting medals. They just were not interested in cyclists. And whatever little money was given to the cyclists federation to build up the sport, can you believe for a time, as Vice-President of BMX in SACA, they only wanted to concentrate on road biking and mountainbiking, leaving BMX in the dust? Believe me, it happens here.
This is the link to the story and the story is printed in its entirety below, courtesy of The Straits Times
ALMOST every year, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) trots out the same reasons for not selecting teams or athletes in multi-sport games like the South-east Asia (SEA) Games because these athletes do not meet the qualifying time or attain a certain position ('Raising the bar', last Saturday).
The insistence on sending only teams with a chance to win is unhealthy and unsportsmanlike. If every nation stressed similar importance on winning, there would be no competitions to speak of.
If a future result is based purely on a past performance or qualifying mark - the perennial reasons SNOC trots out for selection or rejection - the selectors might as well recommend those benchmarks and past results be used to award medals with no competition required.
SNOC has the final say as to which sport can take part in multi-sport games because it funds the travel and living expenses of the Singapore contingent.
If Singapore wants to encourage sports and participation, any sport that is included in the Games menu should be allowed to participate. The national sports associations could pay their expenses and claim reimbursements based on their medals won. Such an arrangement would not burden SNOC with costs and allow more Singaporean athletes to gain exposure, especially at the SEA Games which are held close to home.
SNOC must also address three other issues:
First, why should a young Singaporean be disadvantaged because he has not chosen an Olympic sport? Because of such over-emphasis by major sports excellence bodies like SNOC, more than half the other sports played in Singapore must take a back seat. Why should a promising athlete whose sport is not on the Olympic programme not be given the same opportunities or funding as one who chooses an Olympic sport?
Second, why does Singapore focus on sports in which Asians, with their smaller build, are at a disadvantage? Singapore should be humble and focus on sports which fit the Singaporean or Asian physique.
Third, why do we not brand ourselves in niche sports where we can excel? Producing individual world champions is already a major challenge, let alone putting a football team together.
Ignatius Leong
This is the link to the story and the story is printed in its entirety below, courtesy of The Straits Times
ALMOST every year, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) trots out the same reasons for not selecting teams or athletes in multi-sport games like the South-east Asia (SEA) Games because these athletes do not meet the qualifying time or attain a certain position ('Raising the bar', last Saturday).
The insistence on sending only teams with a chance to win is unhealthy and unsportsmanlike. If every nation stressed similar importance on winning, there would be no competitions to speak of.
If a future result is based purely on a past performance or qualifying mark - the perennial reasons SNOC trots out for selection or rejection - the selectors might as well recommend those benchmarks and past results be used to award medals with no competition required.
SNOC has the final say as to which sport can take part in multi-sport games because it funds the travel and living expenses of the Singapore contingent.
If Singapore wants to encourage sports and participation, any sport that is included in the Games menu should be allowed to participate. The national sports associations could pay their expenses and claim reimbursements based on their medals won. Such an arrangement would not burden SNOC with costs and allow more Singaporean athletes to gain exposure, especially at the SEA Games which are held close to home.
SNOC must also address three other issues:
First, why should a young Singaporean be disadvantaged because he has not chosen an Olympic sport? Because of such over-emphasis by major sports excellence bodies like SNOC, more than half the other sports played in Singapore must take a back seat. Why should a promising athlete whose sport is not on the Olympic programme not be given the same opportunities or funding as one who chooses an Olympic sport?
Second, why does Singapore focus on sports in which Asians, with their smaller build, are at a disadvantage? Singapore should be humble and focus on sports which fit the Singaporean or Asian physique.
Third, why do we not brand ourselves in niche sports where we can excel? Producing individual world champions is already a major challenge, let alone putting a football team together.
Ignatius Leong
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