Alice Temple was from Notting Hill, London, just around the corner from the famous Alpine Action. In the 1970s, she was into skateboarding, then roller skating, before discovering BMX at the start of the 1980s.
Alice would hang out with her BMX friends at Westway, just a short ride from her home, and took part in some of the early, iconic races there in 1980 and 1981. She also spent time riding with Craig Campbell and Chris Young, and it was Chris’s dad, Dave, who first suggested at a Westway race that Alice should try racing nationally. Dave even took her to a few races during those early days.
It was immediately noticeable that Alice rode differently from any other girl at the time. Not only was she fast, but she also had remarkable bike skills and could jump. Alice blazed a trail with her unique riding style, inspiring other girls to follow — a true pioneer in every sense. Who could forget the BMX Action Bike shot of Alice riding a GT Cruiser, an image that still circulates regularly on social media today?
Her early sponsors were Robinson via Alan’s BMX, and she later joined MRD near the end of her brief BMX career. Alice was the UKBMX National Number 1 in both 1982 and 1983, and she reached the final at the 1984 European Championships in Birmingham. She also competed at the famous Jag World Championships in the United States.
Alice raced only a small number of events in 1983, missing a National in July to see David Bowie at Milton Keynes — but who could blame her? Despite this, she earned enough points to become the UKBMX National Number 1 Senior Girl for the second consecutive year.
After BMX, Alice explored modelling, made music, and later became an accomplished artist, adding to an already impressive list of achievements.
Words by Scott Dick
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