Sep. 5—An elite, adrenaline-pumping BMX racing competition is coming to Waynesville, and locals will have a front row seat to the action.
Cyclists up and down the East Coast will descend on the recently opened Raccoon Creek Bike Park on Saturday, Sept. 12, for a shot at advancing to the world championships. The top riders from the qualifier race in Waynesville will punch their ticket directly to the Velosolutions Pump Track World Championship in China.
“It’s going to be Haywood County on an international stage,” said Don Ramsey, the local coordinator of the race for Haywood County. “We’re hoping to attract folks from up and down the Eastern Seaboard, not just locally or even regionally. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into it, and we think it’s going to be a good event.”
The qualifier will highlight the brand new pump track that opened up in August. The timing was no accident. Landing a big event like this will help get the word out about the new bike park — and in turn earn a spot on the BMX map.
“These qualifiers really amplify the notice that goes out to the biking community. We hope that this event will really get it out there that we have this great facility and it’s open for use, and we’d like to like to host them,” said Ramsey, who works in the county’s finance department when he’s not biking.
No-pedal biking
The event itself is unlike the cycling most folks are used to seeing. Instead of riders pedaling as hard as they can to outrace their opponents, riders use the momentum of their bodies going over berms and hills in the track.
In fact, there’s no pedaling at all.
“It’s a version of BMX, and it’s a momentum sport,” Ramsey said. “Because you don’t pedal, you start off at the top, and then it’s your body pumping movement that gets you through the course. That’s kind of part of the the design of the sport. It’s an exciting sport. It’s fun to watch.”
Come and watch
And fans will have a chance to catch the excitement up close and personal.
Bleachers will be set up around the track with some standing room sections, providing sight lines right along the action.
“It’s a unique experience because you get to be right on the track,” Ramsey said. “I don’t know of another cycling event that where you’re just right up against it. It’s really an in-your-face kind of sporting event, and so we hope that will increase the excitement of it.”
As of earlier this week, the number of sign-ups were in the 30s for the Waynesville qualifier.
The qualifier is set to run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., but it could run longer than that. It’s really until the races are over. The event in Joplin, Missouri, had around 70 riders and ran until it got dark.
“We don’t have lighting capacity down there,” Ramsey said. “But we do have EM that are going to bring some light towers in case we go super late.”
The event will serve as the fourth qualifier in the United States, but the first on the east coast, with the others taking place in Missouri, Colorado and California.
The top riders will earn qualification spots in the 2026 Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Championships, which will take place on Oct. 17 in Beijing, China.
Check out the park
You don’t have to be an elite rider to give the Raccoon Creek Bike Park a try. Any set of two wheels will do. In addition the pump track, there’s a playground, walking track, picnic shelter and restrooms.
It is located at 115 Rowdy Road, Waynesville. Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (As days shorten, the park will close at dusk.)
