Name: Saya Sakakibara

Date: Thursday 19th April 2012

Venue: Mt Gambier BMX Track

Race: Dynamites Last Round

Class: 13 Girls

Result: 2nd

Weather: Great weather not too hot

Course condition: It was so smooth and very fast

Sponsors: Redline, Blackman Bicycles, Time Pedals, Champion System, Michram Industries, Bluefit Gym, Peabody

 

This year was the last year of Dynamites for me and next year I would be moving up to the Champbikx series which I think would be very exciting. It was a very early start this morning but I was ready for today.

 

I had a time trial and it wasn’t very good. I had a pretty bad start and I jumped the first jump. I cased and my bum touched my back wheel so I lost a lot of speed. On the second straight, I manualed the step up good and jumped the next double. It was good because I didn’t case it. I was getting a bit kicked on the third straight as I tried to keep my speed through it. Then around the last turn, I knew it still not over and I really wanted a good time and make up for that case I did on the first jump. I pedalled to the finish line. I came third in the time trial.

 

On the first race, I felt a bit more confident and less nervous because I did that time trial. I had second pick and chose lane two. I had a good start and I was in front down the start hill. I jumped first jump and my back wheel got a bit sideways and I cased. But I was still in front. On the first corner Katie Van Zanden did a high-low on me and we were side by side on the second straight. I jumped the second double but we were still neck and neck. By the end of the second corner, she was in front but I had the inside then I got in front again. I kept my place and came first.

 

The second moto I had first lane choice. I chose lane two. I had a really bad start and I nearly smashed into Katie. And I lost some speed so I couldn’t clear the first jump. On the second straight, I didn’t jump the second double but instead, I manualed it. It wasn’t fast and Katie caught up to me on the inside! On the second corner I had no choice but to go for the high-low. It worked! I caught up to her but she had the inside lane for the last corner so she got in front of me. I came second.

 

My last moto wasn’t that bad. I came out of lane one. I nearly cleared the first jump. But on that sharp roller, I went a bit sideways. Luckily there was no one beside me so I didn’t crash into anyone. Katie did that high-low again on me. On the second straight, I tried the manual again. It was better but it wasn’t as fast as jumping it. Katie did the exactly the same thing on me and I did the exact same thing on her (Katie gets in front of me but I went under her to get in first place). I was on the outside but I wasn’t going to let her go that easy because this race was the decider of the lane choices for the final. I blocked her from the outside and I finally got in front. I pedalled to the end and I got first.

 

In the final I had first pick and I chose lane one. I had a really good start but Sara Jones got in front of me. I cased the first jump and I lost some speed. I was in second around the first corner. Katie was next to me most of the way down second straight and even when I jumped that second double. But I was really determined to get that first place so I went got the good pedals and I got in a comfortable second. On the third straight I was side by side with Katie. Then around the last corner, I ducked under Sara and we were fighting for the first place. It was a transponder finish and I got second.

It was really good racing and it was a good warm up race for tomorrow. The big one, National Championships.