Name: Saya Sakakibara

Age: 12

Date: Saturday 7th January & Sunday 8th January

Venue: Nerang BMX Track

Race: Nerang Nationals

Class: 13 Boys

Result: 7th

Weather: Great weather for once! It has been raining the last few years at Nerang Nationals so it was great to see great weather

Course condition: Really good condition. The corners were asphalted so it was extra fast.

Redline, Skins, Blackman Bicycles, Time, Champion System, Michram Industries, Blue Fit, Peabody

 

We arrived at the Gold Coast a little before the race so we can go to beaches, the theme parks and to relax a bit before the big half-week of racing. This year some of our friends from Japan came to Nerang: Sae is 13 years old and raced 13 Boys, Daichi is 14 years old and raced the UCI event and the open race and Kohei who is 17 years old and also raced the UCI event and the open race too.

 

 

I nearly missed my race on the first moto, because when I got up there, I was supposed to be on the gate but they held it for me. It felt very weird to get up there and race straight away. Anyway, I had lane five and I had an OK start. But Mitch Hoad got in front of me. My first jump wasn’t very good but I still didn’t lose my place. Second straight, I went pretty good because I didn’t case my manuals and I didn’t lose my speed. I really caught up to Mitch on the third straight but I couldn’t get that 1st place. I came second.

 

On my second moto, I had lane two and I had a pretty good start. I came out in third. The second straight was going great until when I went to manual; I unclipped and lost lots of places. I got back on the pedal but I went too high on the second corner so I got pushed back to sixth. On the third straight, I caught up but then again I got pushed up the corner and I couldn’t catch up. I came sixth.

 

My third moto was good. I had lane eight. I had a really slow start and I was about seventh on the first straight. But on the first corner, I railed it and got to about fourth. I got lots of speed by manualing that double and I got in the inside on the second corner. I got up to second. I got away on the third straight so it was really good. I got second.

 

 

It started off pretty well on my fourth moto, I came out in second but on the second straight, Kyle Jaehne came up the side of me and got in front. I was coming third. My third straight wasn’t very good but I still kept my place. I came third.

 

On my fifth moto, I came fourth.

 

On my last moto, I had lane three. I had an OK start but I came out in fourth. I caught up on the second straight but my third straight wasn’t very good. I pumped through and got fourth.

I got through to the semi finals.

 

Semi finals: I really wanted to get through to the finals this year. I chose lane one. I had a pretty good start and was in front until the first jump. The first jump was really lippy on the inside so I got a little bit behind. When I got out of the first corner, I looked to see if I was in the top four. And I was! But I knew that there is no relaxing time yet. Fourth was not a very safe place to be. I heard a noise next to me on the second straight. We were side by side but on the second corner, I was on the inside so I was still in. My third straight was alright but I saw Luke Bourke right beside me and on the inside! ‘Oh no’ I thought but I got a little in front. We were touching bars as we went around the last corner. Then CRASH! Luke crashed and I unclipped both feet. But I was still in the running for finals. I had no time to clip back in again so I finished with both feet unclipped. I came fourth and made the final.

 

Here it came....the final. I had seventh pick and had lane seven. I had a pretty good start but I was behind after the first jump. I was in seventh already. I caught up on the first corner but it wasn’t enough. I got a little bit closer on the second straight so I was getting ready for the next straight. I was pumping through on the inside and I was catching up! But I got squeezed and I lost some speed. Down the last straight we went. It was all over I couldn’t do any more. I came seventh.

This year was great. Nice weather and great racing. It was really fun with the Japanese guys over here and I wonder who is coming next year. Good bye Nerang see you next year!