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Merel Smulders New World Champion

August 4, 2011 BMX Racer Merel Smulders Merel Smulders on 1 and Karo Vertessen on 3

Merel Smulders, member of the Team MeyBo/Bensink BMX Gates, is the new word champion in the category girls 13 year. In Copenhagen, she rode a nice final and could profit from a fight for the first place to pass on to the head of the race. In the same category Karo Vertessen took the bronze medal. “I saw good efforts from all our riders”, teammanager Berty Klerkx says, “and in fact they deserve better.”

In the elite men category Arturs Matisons rode a convincing Time Trial. He ended 16th and could go to the Superfinal, where het took the 11th time. On Saturday he made a 2-7-6 in the motos, which wasn’t good enough to go to the quarter final. “Matisons showed really to be back after his injury,” Berty Klerckx says.

Rihards Veide ended on the 33th spot in the Time Trial and qualified for the main race, but with a 5-2-7 he also couldn’t pass het 1/8th final. Toon Jacobs took the 95th time in the TT, so he couldn’t start in the main program. Same story for Kristers Taims, who became 80th in the TT. Kristaps Veksa (junior men) is recently back from injury and just missed the main race. He ended 65th in the TT; only 64 can participate.

In the junior woman category Laura Smulders made a fast lap in the TT and took the 3rd place. She became 7th in de Superfinal, due to a deflating front tire. Also on Saturday we saw a good Laura, with a 2-1-2 in the motos. The final ended fatally. She hit the back wheel form the girl before and crashed, so she became 8.

Mike Klerkx (boys 15) took a 2-3-2 in the motos, but had to leave after a difficult 1/8th final, the same for Mats (boys 10) and Joran De Proost (boys 14). Nick De Proost (cruiser 17-24) was eliminated after a 5-5-5 in his moto.

“Most of our riders didn’t take the opportunities,” looks back Berty Klerkx.”They made little mistakes or were short of speed. This is fatal at this level. Everything must be good here.”

Next stop is the Supercross World Cup in London on 19 and 20 of August.

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