Caroline Buchanan will line up for her first of two World Championships tomorrow (Australian time). The 16 year old Canberra BMX rider will compete with the junior elite women in Victoria, Canada. Buchanan will then have just 40 days before competing for Australia at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Fort William, Scotland. Buchanan will race in the Four Cross or Mountain Cross event after winning the elite National Championships in Canberra earlier this year.
Buchanan has already shown good form after placing fourth alongside top elite BMX women at the ABA Las Vegas race just two weeks ago.
Even with two World Championships, Buchanan says the pressure is not too much. “It doesn’t all come down to one. It sort of makes it less stressful,” she said.
Buchanan will spend time after the BMX Worlds training for Mountain Bike World Championships in Whistler, Canada. In August she will compete in a NORBA Four Cross race in Aspen, Colorado.
At this stage Buchanan does not need to choose between the two sports. She has raced BMX since she was 8 years old and in recent years started riding mountain cross. This season she also competed in downhill racing and won the National Series.
“I still love BMX but I like the newness of it (four cross). I love downhill racing .too, they all help each other,” she explained.
“The downhill has helped my bike handling skills but I’m more suited to four cross.”
The elite BMX riders competing in this year’s World Championships are under a lot of pressure to make the finals. With the sport's inclusion in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, this World Championships is seen as the start of their selection process. Buchanan however is just 10 months shy of being eligible to compete in Beijing but she has her sights set on the London Olympics in 2012.
Photos of Caroline Buchanan with both bikes (search: bmx caroline buchanan)
Sharon Payne
Media Manager
BMX Australia & Mountain Bike Australia
Buchanan has already shown good form after placing fourth alongside top elite BMX women at the ABA Las Vegas race just two weeks ago.
Even with two World Championships, Buchanan says the pressure is not too much. “It doesn’t all come down to one. It sort of makes it less stressful,” she said.
Buchanan will spend time after the BMX Worlds training for Mountain Bike World Championships in Whistler, Canada. In August she will compete in a NORBA Four Cross race in Aspen, Colorado.
At this stage Buchanan does not need to choose between the two sports. She has raced BMX since she was 8 years old and in recent years started riding mountain cross. This season she also competed in downhill racing and won the National Series.
“I still love BMX but I like the newness of it (four cross). I love downhill racing .too, they all help each other,” she explained.
“The downhill has helped my bike handling skills but I’m more suited to four cross.”
The elite BMX riders competing in this year’s World Championships are under a lot of pressure to make the finals. With the sport's inclusion in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, this World Championships is seen as the start of their selection process. Buchanan however is just 10 months shy of being eligible to compete in Beijing but she has her sights set on the London Olympics in 2012.
Photos of Caroline Buchanan with both bikes (search: bmx caroline buchanan)
Sharon Payne
Media Manager
BMX Australia & Mountain Bike Australia