Jamie Staff will go down in British Cycling history as one of the few riders who won World Championships in multiple cycling disciplines. Jamie, from Ashford in Kent, burst onto the UK BMX national scene in 1984 when BMX was booming. He was quickly picked up to ride for the prestigious Raleigh Factory Team alongside notable established British and national champions such as Craig Schofield, Martin Jose, and Brad Smith. In the following years, Jamie battled with the likes of Danny Stabielli, Lee Pickstone, and Joe Eastwood—just to name a few—during his amateur years. They all shared not just national titles but also became European champions, with Jamie winning it…

Val Hyde is another unsung hero of BMX, whose tireless behind the scenes efforts have made an immense contribution to the sport. Her impressive resume includes physically helping to build some of UKBMX Region 9’s premier tracks, such as Hillingdon, Slough, High Wycombe, and Hounslow—all pivotal landmarks in UK BMX history. Val dedicated countless hours to the UKBMX offices, often collaborating with individuals like Bridget Hayes and Carole Gosling. She became the go-to person for resolving challenges, whether registering riders after deadlines, managing names and numbers, or handling a variety of administrative tasks. Val also played a key role in organizing the iconic Hillingdon coach trips to Slagharen, Holland, and…

Few names are as well-known in British BMX as Carlo Griggs. Starting BMX in 1983, Carlo made an immediate impact on amateur competitions and was quickly picked up to ride for Prolite before soon joining Skyway. Carlo became a household name in 1986 when he wowed BMX Beat audiences with his high airs and variations. That same year, he won the Under-14 UKBFA British Freestyle Championship and became the first rider to unveil turndown air at a UK competition. Carlo could do it all—winning vert, flat, and overall titles in a series of contests throughout the mid-1980s. He reached a professional level in flatland while also being the country’s best…

Adele Croxon, hailing from the North West, was one of the mid-80s riders who quickly rose to prominence in the UK after discovering BMX and entering the race scene. Before long, Adele was winning National and British Championship titles, riding for teams such as Boss, the powerhouse Titan Team, Cyclecraft, and later Giant/Mosh. Adele competed in both European and World Championships, achieving 2nd place at the European Championships twice and securing 4th place at the 1986 Slough Worlds. She followed this success with another Worlds final appearance in Orlando, Florida, in 1987. She made history in the prestigious ABA Grand Nationals in Oklahoma and the Race of Champions, becoming the…

If you read the early issues of Official BMX, BMX News, or later BMX Weekly, or if you were there at the start of BMX in the UK, you might know that Don Smith was one of the key figures and pioneers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Before BMX, Don was a multi-time European Motorcycle Trials Championship Series winner, a trials, speedway and motocross racer, and a design and development consultant for motorcycle factories worldwide. Alongside ACE’s Richard Barrington and with support from Malcolm Jarvis at Ammaco, Don helped organize the first official BMX race in the UK at Brockwell Park in London in 1979, which was won by Pete Middleton.…

Starting out in the early ’80s, Jess Dyrenforth became a staple name in the mid-to-late-’80s BMX scene. Known for some of the era’s biggest airs in the ROM performance bowl, Jess quickly became a regular feature in BMX Action Bike and RAD magazines. After numerous early sponsorships, Jess was eventually picked up by the dream GT team, touring with Eddie Fiola and becoming the first UK rider to be sponsored directly by GT. As one of the early riders to shun conventional contests, Jess was part of a movement that sought to evolve BMX beyond sports halls and rigidly organized competitions. In 1988, Jess moved to California, where he rode in the 2 Hip King…

There are definitely a few key pioneers who helped launch BMX in the UK, and one of the most prominent figures is Geoff Wiles. Coming from the road and track cycling world, Geoff is a former Professional National Champion and a multiple medalist at both the Masters National Championships and the World Championships. Geoff, alongside figures like Sue and Malcolm Jarvis, Alan Rushton, Don Smith, and David Duffield—just to name a few—was instrumental in organizing and promoting the sport. His contributions include coordinating some of the most well known early BMX events, both national and international, at Redditch. These efforts followed a trip to the US, where Geoff researched BMX…

Alice Temple was from Notting Hill, London, just around the corner from the famous Alpine Action. In the ’70s, she was into skateboarding, then roller skating, and eventually discovered BMX at the start of the ’80s. Alice would hang out with her BMX friends down at Westway, just a short ride from her house, and took part in some of the early, iconic races there in 1980 and 1981. She also spent time with Craig Campbell and Chris Young, and it was Chris’s dad, Dave, who first suggested to Alice at a Westway race that she should try racing nationally. Dave even took her to a few races back then.…

Mike Pardon began racing in the early ’80s, quickly making a name for himself in the emerging sport. Signed by Alan Woods for Torker, he became the UK’s number two racer behind Andy Ruffell before shifting his focus to freestyle. Mike adapted his skills rapidly, mastering early BMX flatland and quarterpipe, and rose quickly through the freestyle ranks. He won the first ever BMX Beat competition and began appearing on television, bringing BMX freestyle to a wide audience. As one half of the famous BMX Weekly Trick Team, Mike became one of the most documented and well known riders of the early ’80s. He went on to ride for Raleigh…