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The Man Who Brought BMX to Britain — Malcolm Jarvis
How did BMX start for you? We had diversified from housing into import-export, and we sold some goods to Nigeria and nearly lost our money. So we thought, “Right, we’ll import instead.” A passing businessman said to me, “If you’re doing bicycles, import-export, you should look at BMX in America. It’s half the whole market…
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Interview – Martin Jose
By Julian Allen When and where did you start racing? I started at Eastway Cycle Circuit in Stratford, which is now the Olympic Park. That would have been around 1980 or 1981. By 1982, I was doing regional races. Who was at Eastway when you started, and how did you get involved? Eastway was the…
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Sue Nequest (Bunneys Bikes)
Bunneys Bikes & Bunneys BMX Track (later Nottingham Outlaws), Nottingham We caught up with Sue and John Nequest at Bunneys Bikes to talk about the early days of BMX in Nottingham, how Bunneys BMX Track came to life, and the formation of NBMXA. How did you first get involved in BMX? It actually started through…
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Melanie Wallhead (formerly Woods, then Gilmour)
What year did you start racing?I started racing in 1980. Which teams did you ride for?I rode for Torker. What was it like riding for Torker?Riding for Torker and being part of the Torker and Robinson family was an incredible experience, I was so proud. I remember one race where I was in second place…
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Interview – Dave Morris
Teams you rode for? Curtis, Ammaco, Shadow Racing and Hot Wheels. What year did you start racing? Quite late to the party, so it was early 1983. Do you remember your very first race? How did it go? Bournemouth 83. A load of us went on a coach from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, cramming all the bikes…
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Filmer (UKBMX & NBMXA) Michael Watkins.
You might be familiar with the name Watkins. Michael Watkins was the father of mid 80s British, European, and World Champion Mark “Whoppa” Watkins, who rode for Halfords, MRD, and later Thruster. Michael is one of those unsung heroes of British BMX who spent countless hours at the races, often standing in the middle of…
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Interview – Lee Curry
Team ACE is widely recognized as the first official BMX team in the UK, assembled by Richard Barrington, who also helped organize the country’s first BMX event alongside Don Smith in 1980 at Brockwell Park, London. Early Team ACE riders included the likes of Andy Ruffell, Pete Middleton, Nicky Matthews, Steve Gratton, Cav Strutt, and…
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Interview – Derek Curry
Team ACE is widely recognized as the first official BMX team in the UK, assembled by Richard Barrington. Early Team ACE riders included the likes of Andy Ruffell, Pete Middleton, Nicky Matthews, Steve Gratton, Cav Strutt, and Craig Schofield—many of whom went on to become the first generation of BMX superstars in the UK. In…
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Interview – Dave Thomas
When did you start BMX racing, and what was your first race? I started racing in 1980, and my first ever race was at Redditch. I finished 5th in the final in the 17 plus category, and that was enough to give me the BMX bug. What was your local track? Originally my local track…
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Interview – Ali Diegutis
How did you discover BMX? I was watching a program on TV called Run-around, saw it, and was hooked. That’s all I went on about. First bike? Second-hand Moto One. The first brand new was a Raleigh Ultra Burner, silver and blue. First race? My first race was at Bath on the Moto One. The…
