Ten BMX bike riders from Hollister helped Team California take
fourth overall at the President’s Cup in Ohio
Well, it’s probably not in the water.
“The water is not good here,” joked Will Grahn.
And they certainly were not capitalizing on a low turnout at the California state championships, where some 300 to 500 BMX bike riders compete through six qualifying stages just to reach the year-end Golden State Championship Race.
So how, exactly, did 10 riders from Hollister earn a trip to Columbus, Ohio over the holiday break, and help Team California take fourth place overall out of more than 35 teams and 1,500 other riders?
While only 32 BMX bikers from California were Ohio-bound for the national President’s Cup event, and 10 called Hollister home, well, it doesn’t take much of a math wizard to see a rather high concentration of talent in the area.
When asked of the secret surrounding Hollister’s BMX talent, which certainly represented their state and town well in Ohio, CJ Bunch responded, without missing a beat.
“Just ride,” Bunch said. “Just ride every single day.”
Added Ricky Castro, “That’s all I do.”
Simple, really.
Bunch and Castro were only two of the 10 who competed at the President’s Cup just two days after the Christmas holiday. The event took place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, and pitted each state in attendance against one another for national BMX supremacy.
Although the Golden State finished fourth, it was quite an improvement from last year, when California sent 14 riders and took 15th overall.
This year, led by an influx of local talent – with 19 of the 32 California riders calling the track in Prunedale home – California found their place behind third-place Illinois, second-place Florida and first-place Michigan, which competed with approximately 200 riders.
While California was not able to equal Michigan’s high turnout, few were able to match that of Hollister’s.
“We’ve got some talent here,” said Bunch, who also hopped into the broadcast booth to do play-by-play of the action in Columbus.
Talent helps, of course. But the level of talent in a relatively small area can only improve those involved.
“It was a lot of fun to go with a bunch of people you know,” Bunch said. “You’re close to them … We ride together pretty much every day.”
Added Melissa Castro, “It’s easy to have people [practice] with you that are your friends.”
And practice doesn’t seem to be in short order. The BMX bike riders earn points through six Golden State qualifiers before entering the state final, where the top 15 in each category place.
From there, the ten-some was off to Ohio to compete at the President’s Cup, where the competition was widdled down until there were only eight riders left in each race category.
While those who qualified to the top eight earn silver trophies, points are also awarded to individuals based on finish and the number of competitors.
The top 10 riders, based on points, are then put on their State Team sheet, where numbers are compiled and certain states earn bragging rights.
Michigan took home the President’s Cup this year, but California, which went from 15th to fourth in one year, is making noise.
Due to travel, 32 Californians went to the President’s Cup in Ohio, but then again, only 32 Californians went to the President’s Cup in Ohio.
“We need more kids from California,” said Ryan Agan.
“We need some more girls, too,” said Melissa Castro, who was one of six girls from the state in attendance.
One of the riders, Michael Jarrett, offered the most logical idea to cut travel costs.
Despite the sport housing plenty of competition on the East Coast, Jarrett’s idea may swing the pendulum in California’s favor.
“It should be in Prunedale,” he said.
