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Kristaps Veksa is originally from Latvia. Yep, the same country as Maris Strombergs is from.
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He recently competed in the pump track world championships in Durban, South Africa. Ryan Gilchrist took home the rainbow jersey.
Veksa began racing around five years old in 1999 in Saldus, Latvia. He had a BMX track right behind the apartment building he lived in. So, of course he was at the track all the time. He finished sixth in his first race. Since then he's won the Latvian national championship multiple times.
He turned elite right after finishing school. It was a time when there was no U23 class so he jumped right into the deep end of racing with the big boys. He says it was a difficult time getting adjusted to the increased competition. Veksa says his break through moment came when he made the main of a euro cup in Latvia with Strombergs and Edzus Treimanis. He ended up fourth in that race.
Veksa says he decided to stop racing for a multitude of reasons. So, he decided to move to Germany. He never stopped riding but simply didn't race. Veksa began training kids on how to race. He got the bug to compete again but this time it was on a pump track. Hitting the pump track eventually led him back to a BMX track. This time he passed on racing in the elite category and went straight to the challenge class. The culmination of his hard work was winning worlds in 2023 in the 25-29 challenge class.
At the moment Veksa is working in a bike shop in Germany, riding for Radio frames, and he just proposed to his girlfriend.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Justin Travis is the director of business development for USA BMX. He's got 17 years of experience in recreational programming of action sports. Sports like BMX racing, skateboarding to skydiving.
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I've been looking forward to speaking with Justin about some of the upcoming tracks to built and where and exactly how BMX is doing across the country compared to other sports.
This interview is one of several discussions Justin and I plan to have about the sport we all love. I got lucky because he's so busy and travels quite a bit to get him when I did before Grands.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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According to the Cycling Museum of Minnesota, BMX became popular in the Land of 10,000 lakes in the 70's, with the first race in the state believed to have taken place at Rydjor Bike shop in Austin, Minnesota in 1974.
In the mid 80's is when I started racing in Minnesota. I grew up in a time where I raced on tracks from Eden Prairie, Albert Lea to Richfield, where the famous Taft Park track was and is now gone. Hell I even raced indoors at the Armory in Downtown Minneapolis during the winter.
In all that time I don't remember a state series. To me points were all about district points.
Presently Minnesota has a thriving Minnesota BMX scene and state series. The state has 10 tracks where every track gets a qualifier. The series begins In July and ends late August. The finals is held at the ever famous "Rum River BMX' in Isanti, Minnesota.
I recently sat down with Sam Falkowski and Tim Dobosenski who are on the committee that organize the series. It's the second year of the committee and they have big plans for the series. -
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So, I've decided to start a series that will hopefully cover the country. I'm interested in how the state series for each state in the union is doing. Now what I mean is how have they been running, how many races they have, how many racers participate, how well is the series doing, what are some of the challenges they face and what does the future look for their particular state series.
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Since I live in Florida it would only be right to start right here. Thanks to Drew Motley, Tom Johnson and Domingos Lammoglia I was able to contact head official Bill Robins.
Here's what I will tell you, Bill took me to school on how the series runs, how the tracks work together, ridership and the partnership between the Florida state series and USA BMX.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Stefany Hernandez is a national treasure in her home country of Venezuela. BMX is in her blood and from day one it was all about tapping into her greatness. Her brothers started racing first. She says her mom would take her to the track while still in the womb. Stefany got third in her first race and it lit a fire in her belly to succeed.
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She would eventually travel the world to France and Switzerland to live, train, and work. She credits French coach Thomas Allier for taking her to the next level of competition. The world stage.
Stefany would eventually win a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, become world champion, and hit World Cup podiums.
In 2021 she called it quits on her career and moved back to Venezuela. Currently she is working on multiple ventures to help BMX in her country, the youth of her area, and helping out in the family business.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Michael Bias has had an up and down 2024 season of racing elite BMX. He's had injuries, he wasn't picked to represent New Zealand for the Paris Olympics but he did win the overall in the Coupe De France as a rider and he contributed to his team, "Bmx Besancon" winning the overall title in the Coupe De France for the first time.
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In this interview we talk about his mind set for the season, World Cups, the Worlds and what's left for him to race this season. I'll tell you, he 's racing an indoor in the South of France soon and then Grands. Yep, I said Grands.
Michael is one of my favorites to speak with because he's honest, sincere, and an overall cool ass dude.
When the season ends he's heading home to New Zealand for much needed break.
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Quillan Isidore is one of the fastest elites in the world. Coming into the Olympics in Paris it looked like he was going to be an alternate for the GB team heading to Paris. For a moment it looked like he was going until a return call from Kye Whyte put paid to those dreams. Q was the second alternate after Ross Cullen. It meant he wasn't traveling to the Olympics nor did he get any swag.
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The let down forced him to do a reset. He's unsure he'll continue to receive funding from British Cycling. So, he's turned his eye to coaching to make up the difference to continue racing at a high level if things don't go his way. Quillan is even looking to bring his coaching skills to the United States for a stint.
At 28 years old Quillan says he still has a lot left in the tank. He says he's clearly looking to make the Olympic team for the Los Angeles Olympics and to be honest I think he can.
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Ethan Popovich is a stud. The Valparaiso, Indiana native began racing twelve years ago. He's ridden for teams like Mudslinger, DK Factory and currently Haro. He's a two time Junior National Champ, and he finished top ten at worlds in Rock Hill, South Carolina this year.
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Popovich is known as a very skilled rider. He's coached Olympic Gold Medalist Connor Fields. He recently began hitting the world stage at World Cups. He's been racing nationals like crazy this season. Popovich is looking to win the national amateur title this year. Grands is a big objective at the end of the season.
Ethan says Tyler Whitfield and Olijuwon Davis are major influences on him as a person and racer.
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This topic in this episode was brought to me by Tony Stillinger, the owner of the "Extreme" team out of Florida. He's looking to increase the pro purses at races by creating a product line of goods and contributing money to the purses. Stillinger would eventually like a six race series strictly based on the money he generates from the product line.
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To give context on what it's like to be a pro we reached out to Dale Holmes, a former pro who raced during the hey day of big checks in the 90's, Cam Bramer, a current young pro who is doing what he can to make a living in the sport he loves and former pro and all things BMX guru Alan Foster.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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26 year old Philip Schaub is seeing a dream come true. He's made the German Olympic team for BMX. He got the call roughly two weeks after the European Championships in Verona, Italy. He was sitting at the table in his apartment when he got the call.
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The qualification process to make the Olympic team started in 2022. Schaub said it was a two part process. He said a rider had to earn points racing the World Cups and World Championships. The second part he said was really up to the coach of the national team.
Schaub was nervous about making the team because of a severe injury. He had a disc prolapse in 2023. The injury was so bad that he eventually needed to have surgery. That surgery put him on the coach and it left him only ten weeks to get in shape and score some points at the World Cup in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
He did something right because Schaub will be in Paris when the racing begins August 1st at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines BMX Stadium.
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When this episode drops we'll be 18 days out from the Olympics and 24 days out from racing at the games. In this episode I look at all the countries who have riders heading to Paris, who are the riders and what chance they have of making it to the mains.
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I've even added my own predictions as to who will win gold, silver and bronze in the men's and women's races.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Adam Welter races in the 41-45 expert class. The Minnesota native has been throwing a leg over a race bike for 36 years.
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I met Welter when the family and I moved back to Minnesota in 2012. We eventually were on the same team, "Venom." The team would eventually become the #1 Bike shop team. I remember Welter as always having a smile on his face and happy to always give a kind word or a bit of advice for your racing. Whenever he was in the gate he was and is always in for the win.
Nowadays Welter is riding for BlackWidow BMX. The team is one of the most competitive in the country. He's scaled back the number of nationals he races since he got married and a baby but he's still as lethal as ever.
Welter started racing when he was 7 years-old. His first race was at the indoor track Elkhorn BMX in Wisconsin. He won his first race and the rest is history.
This interview took place during the Land O' Lakes Nationals.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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Georges Kreuzkamp is German and Canadian. He's a man I believe I was meant to meet. I have a podcast, he has a well known Facebook page for older racers, I race BMX, He races BMX. He and I have a number of mutual friends even though we live in two different countries.
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Kreuzkamp lives in White Rock, British Columbia. He rides for Factory Hydrogen and throws his leg over a Hydrogen OS20 and a cruiser. At the moment he's running NAG #1 in class and cruiser and he's also National #5.
Check this out, Georges younger brother is former NFL quarterback David Garrard of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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David Archibald is a winner and loves to win. His racing career started in San Diego, California. Within a short time his family moved to the state of Washington and he's been there ever since.
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Archibald told he never would have thought that at the ripe old age he'd still be racing at 55. He's literally been racing for roughly 45 years. Within that time he's ridden for teams like Kuwahara, Crupi, Phoenix Factory Racing to Truth BMX.
Like I said he's a winner and the proof is in the pudding, he's been NAG #1, ROC #1, Redline Cup #1, District 3! and National #2. Archibald even had stints as an A-Pro and Vet Pro.
Archibald describes himself as relentless, mentally tough with endurance.
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G.B.'s Ross Cullen is expecting the announcement this week of who is going to represent the elite team at the Olympics in Paris. The odds on favorite is Kye White.
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Cullen is playing the long game and has his sights on the 2028 games in Los Angeles and the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, Australia if Paris doesn't go his way.
At 23 years old Ross Cullen is a champion. He's already been a European Champion, twice World Champion, World #8 and a British Champion. You would think most people would call that a great career but not him. He's hungry.
When we spoke the other day he'd been home a few days after a long block of racing. I'm talking the Tulsa World Cup, World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina, the Music City National in Nashville to the European Championships in Verona, Italy. We talked about his season, travels, moving back to his parents house from Manchester, and what's next for the season if he doesn't make the Olympic team.
I like this dude, he's good people and with all the folks I've interviewed on this podcast I wish Ross Cullen nothing but success.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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It's been a minute since I sat down with Austin McKan to talk about racing but this time things were a bit different. Austin has gone deep into coaching young riders. He even left Powerlite to start his own team.
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When I caught up with McKan he had just gotten back from the World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Things didn't go his way as a rider but as a coach he is over the moon the way his riders performed.
In this interview Austin is very thoughtful in his words when it comes to his riders. We touched on his coaching philosophy and we also talked about who we think will place top three at the Olympics for elite men and women.
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Here you go, as Todd Parry and I promised this is his World Championships recap. We go through his training before hand, his travel and arrival in Rock Hill, South Carolina to the race itself.
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Todd says he's happy with his race even though things didn't turn out like he wanted. The man is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to racing, preparation and overall life.
As always I'm happy to sit down and talk to Todd.
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At 24 years old Christa Von Niederhausern has accomplished a lot in her life. She's a three time pump track world champion. Christa won her rainbow jersey's in 2018 in Arkansas, 2022 in Chile and 2023 in Austria.
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Christa originally started racing BMX right after her brother got the bug. The talented rider started doing Swiss Cups, Euro Rounds to World Cups and then decided she needed a change.
She went to a pump track event and was hooked from there. Since then she's ridden over a hundred pump tracks. Some of her favorite tracks include Lisbon, Portugal to Zizers and Grimentz in Switzerland where she's from.
At the moment she's got her hands full considering she's a full time athlete and she's in medical school to become a doctor. Christa told me don't worry she'll be ready for worlds later this year.
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If you don't know Johnny Goth you should. He's a cool ass dude. I met Goth when the family and I moved back to Minnesota. If you've hit a number of BMX scenes around the country you know some folks can be a bit standoffish until they feel you out. That wasn't Johnny Goth with me when I first met him. Every time he saw me he would speak, that went a long way with me considering I hand't raced BMX at home in years.
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Goth is a smooth rider who can jump anything on a track. I had heard he'd taken a break from racing but was still coaching. I like to keep my ear to the ground and hear what's going on in Minnesota's racing scene. Goth is back racing after going to school and starting a new career. He's racing 26-35 expert and he's doing quite well.
I hope you enjoy this interview and if you seen Johnny Goth at a track walk up and say hi I'm sure he'll speak to you.
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Eddie Moore is one determined man. Originally from Axminster in the U.K. He's now living as a fully funded athlete in Manchester on the G.B. Olympic program.
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His 2024 racing season started out really well with a 2nd in the first round of the national series and then a big win in round two. Moore wasn't chosen to travel to Tulsa for the last World Cups or the World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina but he says he's making the best of his situation by training and staying focused on his goals.
Moore hasn't had the easiest journey to get on the Olympic program. Injuries and a lack of funding set him back. By keeping his head in the game he did enough in 2022 and 2023 to get the call up.
Some highlights for Moore include 2022/2023 national series champion and 3rd at the European Championships in 2022.
Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
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