The 2025 Australian Freestyle BMX National Championships were on the Gold Coast at the training facility known as the 'Outbox'.
I got to head back to the Nationals (way less of a mouthful!) to commentate yet again. My third time commentating the event and my first time doing it in the Gold Coast - the previous times were at Rampfest skatepark in Melbourne.
This was my first time actually seeing the Outbox course in person and I was pretty blown away to be honest.
These FISE style competition parks are HUGE.
Everything is way taller and bigger in real life, which really gave me a better perspective on the type of riding we generally only see online.
I had a little ride on the Sunday to further add to the experience and get an understanding for how gnarly some of the stuff riders were doing out there; it was somewhere that I would definitely be stoked to ride again.
One thing I did wish is that I was wearing some Backbone gloves; despite moving to QLD in July 2024, I still can't get used to the humid heat and I felt like I was going to slide off the grips at any second - so it's no wonder you see all the riders on course in a set of BMX gloves.
As for the actual competition; I have so much respect for the riders out there in all age categories.
It was so impressive to see the younger riders killing it on those big ramp setups; and the girls categories have progressed out of sight too!
From the first Nationals I commentated a few years ago, the female categories have leveled up not just in tricks, but in skill too, incredibly quickly.
Even though don't work for Auscycling (event facilitators), my intention is to help grow this event so that the Nationals becomes a BMX comp that everyone comes to. Every BMX rider would be hyped on riding this park, there's no reason why this shouldn't feel like a BMX Games event of the late 2000s... Bigger crowd, more engagement and more fun.
That's why I involve myself in the Nationals, to try to bring more stoke into the event and get everyone hyped.
I will leave you to watch the Live Stream that we did to recap on all the actual riding highlights. There are also some cool interviews throughout that add some extra stoke for the event.
Shout outs to:
Pete Macklellar from the Blue Groove BMX for being my co-commentator.
Cam Pianta for helping with sponsorship for the live stream through Nine Muses Tattoo
Brad Simons from Drover Projects for sponsoring the live stream.
Fellow BMXer Shane Darwin from the Seen Production Company for coming through with the skills to live stream.
All the riders I met and are repping Backbone; you get me stoked! Thanks for the support.
See you at the next one.
- Tyson
Brandon Loupos reminded everyone he can win anything at any moment; his run got him the gold medal, and for good reason - insanity, back to back. Photos: Tyson
Xavier Gilbee qualified in first in elite men and unfortunately fell on a flip-bar-to-whip in finals and it put him out of medal contention. He's okay though and will be back as one of the next gen contenders on the world stage.
Josh Khoury AKA JK Coaching and Pete Mackellar from Blue Groove, keeping the stoke up for all the riders they coach that were riding over the weekend.
Keegan Pryor is another one of the next gen elites that are coming through. Rides with power and height, with crazy tricks. His first run got him third place, he tried to up the ante with a 1080 over the box in his second run but came unstuck... I would've loved to see what happened next.
Will Spedding was in Canberra for the ACT/NSW State Champs and absolutely killed it. His Freestyle BMX Nationals finals was a high level show, but a few little crashes/bobbles kept him off the podium.
Chris James absolutely DESTROYED in the finals. It was so cool to see him put together a full run. It was like watching a video part filled with hammers. Just edged out of the top spot; Chris had more to give in run two but slipped a foot on his first trick - a huge 360 whip transfer, which would have been the biggest trick of the competition for sure.
