• 1983 Halfords’ NEC, Indoor Open BMX Championships

    One of the most iconic events during the 80s in the UK has to be the 1983 Halfords’ Indoor Open BMX Championships held at the NEC in Birmingham. With entries from the majority of the top riders in both UKBMX and NBMXA it was one of the few events that was not for National points yet all the big names lined up on the gate. Bob Haro was flown in from the US, there was TV, the main-stream media was present, which was another huge step forward for the sport in the UK at the time. Channel 4 had a weekly TV bike program at the time called, “On Your…

  • John Greaves & Cliff Welley

    1982 National Nottingham 9 year olds age group. #3 Ben Swift (Torker) #20 John Greaves (Mongoose) and #6 Cliff Welley (Kuwahara) around the first turn. John Greaves went onto become National Champion the same year while Cliff Welley became number 1 the following year in 83 with John also winning the NBMXA British Championships at Derby in 83. Cliff retired at the end of the 84 season with John calling it quits in 85. Picture taken from BMX Action Bike Magazine Aug 82.

  • 1985 NBMXA British Championships

    Up next, the 1985 NBMXA British Championships at Derby Greyhound Stadium. Politics came into full effect here as UKBMX decided to run a National at Exeter the same weekend meaning you had to choose if you raced both federations. The only positive was the Pros were able to race Exeter Sunday and blasted up the motorway to Derby Sunday night and raced the British Championships Monday which was a Bank Holiday. Still, Derby had 1200 riders despite the clash and even though a lot of the Factory big names were in Exeter it opened the door once again like the 84 British Championships for new names to shine. One of these guys…

  • Cav Strutt

    If you read and studied the UK magazines back in the early 80s, you will remember so many great rider’s names and iconic shots with guys like; Cav Strutt, Mike Chilvers and Mad Malc Stapleton. So many of these riders really didn’t stick around in the sport to maybe show there true potential. Cav Strutt ( pictured here ) always stood out in the mags, he was part of the Team Ace with Andy Ruffell, Pete Middleton and Nikki Matthews who we all know went on to winning ways and Factory stardom but Cav was gone from the sport maybe before his career really could have taken off.

  • ( Inside Track ) Three Sisters Wigan

    Alan’s Challenge! Report: Nigel Higginson Source: BMX Weekly – Vol. 2, No. 24 pg. 22 Approximate print date (1982) “It’s going to be perfect,” said Alan Woods when questioned on his new track at the Three Sisters site near Wigan. But then if there’s one thing Alan loves it’s a challenge. However, with Alan being the youngest business man in the sport with the flourishing company of Alan’s BMX, in 1981 16-plus No.1 Plate holder, and founder of the U.K. Robinson and Torker Teams, one gets the impression he’s quite used to challenges. So when did he have the idea of building a Track, and opening it with an International,…

  • Extra BMX Action

    Back in the late 80s and early 90s, BMX was going through a tough period industry wise with Magazines and sponsors disappearing as the sport took a drop. Much like in the U.S., the U.K. race scene was still solid without the corporate money it had seen in the early 80s and with many of the media outlets disappearing. Zines and Newsletters started appearing more regularly at the races to ensure everyone got their BMX news fix with coverage put together from the Riders/Clubs and Die-hards themselves. UK BMX / EBA started their own, Zines/Magazine, that came out at National events. It changed its name and look over the years…

  • 1986 Champion of Champions (Tamworth)

    Superclass Tom Lynch, Darrin Stock, Tony Fleming Supercruiser Darrin Stock, Lee Alexander, David Morris Supergirls Karen Murphy, Nicola Dodwell, Melanie Vauvelle   7s Chris Hyde, 8s David Maw, 9s Ben Beasley, 10s Gary Bowman, 11s Nick Lacey, 12s David McPherson, 13s Paul Jones, 14s Anthony Howells, 15s Dean Iddiols, 16s Tim Print, 17 + Marcus Rich 35+ Cruiser Pete Dymott, 25-34 Cruiser Frank Tennant, 18-24 Cruiser Andy Pallemaerts, 16-17 Cruiser Colin Chivers, 14-15 Cruiser Dean Iddiols, 13 & Under Cruiser Anthony Revell Girls Claire Hutchins, Lisa Wright, Lea Pendleton, Amy Wojcik, Amy Dunn. 

  • 1985 Champion of Champions (Perry Park Birmingham)

    Pro Geth Shooter  Superclass Steve Bigland 17+ Charlie Reynolds, 16s John Izzard, 15s Dave Morris, 14s Wayne Llewellyn, 13s Neal Wood, 12s Paul Jones, 11s Jamie Staff, 10s Dylan Clayton, 9s Gary Bowman, 8s Matt Boyle, 7s Gary O’Brien, 6s Dennis Watson, 5s Johnathan Clark Cruiser 13 & Under Russ Cook, Cruiser 14/15 Darren Wood, Cruiser 16/17 Charlie Reynolds, Cruiser 18/24 Errol McClean, Cruiser 25/39 Pete Dymott, Cruiser 40+ John Johns Girls 16+ Joanne Nokes, Girls 14/15 Karen Murphy, Girls 12/13 Lisa Wrights, Girls 10/11 Anna Morris, Girls 8/9 Natalie Long, 7 & Under Girls Lyndsey Gilmer

  • Geoff Wiles / Steve Gratton / Wayne Llewellyn

    There are definitely a few key pioneers of the sport of BMX in the UK in this shot. Geoff Wiles on the mic who helped launch BMX in Britain along with Malcom & Sue Jarvis and Alan Rushton. Geoff also did some commentating on television as the sport of BMX took off. Next to Geoff, Steve Gratton, who was was ranked number 2 in the UK back in 1982 in the 16+ class behind Robinson’s, Alan Woods. Steve was also a well known Skateboarder and behind Steve in the pic is multi National and European Champion, Wayne Llewellyn who was picked up by Mongoose and went big time in racing…