Skip to main content

Nominations 2008

The 2008 nominations for the European BMX Hall of Fame by the UNIVERSITY of BMX.

NEW: In 2008 BMX became an official Olympic sport. From now on every 4 years, possible Olympic Champions in 20” inch, men and women, coming from Europe, will be nominated and inducted into the European BMX Hall of Fame under category AA.

Starting from 2008 on:

Since at UCI World Championships, the Elite men and women cruiser classes have become Championship classes too, also the Europeans winning titles in these classes will be nominated. These classes are registered under category A1, same as the 20“ classes. The same goes for European riders winning European Cruiser titles in Elite men and women classes.

D.5 European BMX Hall of Fame nominations 2008

Category AA:

The first ever nominees from the 2008 Olympic Championships in BMX in Beijing, China from Europe:

  • Elite men: Maris Strombergs (Latvia)
  • Elite women: Anne Caroline Chausson (France)

Category A1:

The nominees from the 2008 World Championships are the following Champions coming from Europe:

  • Elite men: Maris Strombergs (Latvia)
  • Elite women: Shanaze Read (England)
  • Elite men cruiser: Thomas Hamon (France)
  • Elite women cruiser: Magalie Pottier (France)
* this year 2008, all World Champions were from Europe!

Category A2:

2008 Supercross World Cup Series overall winners:

  • NO nomination(s) at this moment

Category A3:

The nominees from the 2008 European Championships are the following Champions:

  • Elite men: Maris Strombergs (Latvia)
  • Elite women: Laëtitia Le Corguille (France)
  • Elite men cruiser: Thomas Hamon (France)
  • Elite women cruiser: Cyrielle Convert (France)

Category A4:

Pioneer rider(s) nominated.

  • NO nomination(s) at this time

Category B1:

Pioneer (non racers) nomination(s):

  • 1st:  Special recognition for an American event, the JAG BMX World Championships of 1980, promoted by Mr. Renny Roker and sanctioned by the NBA and NBL.

    Motivation: The JAG BMX World Championships of 1979 in Indianapolis – USA was the first event were foreign riders competed and officials from about 4 countries from outside USA came in contact with each other. During this event the idea was brought up from different sides, to maybe start an international governing body. The JAG BMX World Championships of 1980 became thé event were officials of at that time 7 foreign countries and the USA officials got together in a meeting during the December 26 – 29th period and unanimously decided to start and develop a world wide international sanctioning body for BMX, called the I.BMX.F. or International BMX Federation. Besides George E. Esser (NBA) and Ernie Elaxander (NBA), also Renny Roker (promoter JAG BMX), Gerrit Does (Holland), René Nicolas (France), Tadashi Inoue (Japan) and  Alfredo Matheus (Venezuela) were the first initiative takers. Gerrit Does however, was the driving force and motivator behind this initiatif. Speaking 4 different languages came in handy as well. Additional info: Even in 1980 a BMX event like this JAG BMX Worlds had over 2900 entries.

    The next year (1981) officials of National BMX organizations gathered in Pompano Beach at the NBL office under the inspiring leadership of George E. Esser, to officially start the I.BMX.F. (founded and officially registered on April 3rd 1981). Read more on this subject in the “History of BMX” section of the University of BMX website.

    So, during 2 years the JAG BMX Worlds event have been instrumental getting these officials together and in a way supported them forming the I.BMX.F., later integrated into the UCI with the result that in 2008, BMX will be an Olympic sport for the first time in its short history. JAG BMX gave international BMX a platform and facilitated, among others meeting rooms and such.

    It is for that reason, the JAG BMX World Championships of 1980 with his promoter Mr. Renny Roker are nominated in the category PIONEERS (Non racers), Special recognition.

  • 2nd:  Special recognition: Mr. Eddy Postuma – Holland, UCI head referee.

    Nominee mr. Eddy Posthuma originaly comes from the motor sport. In the late 1960’s together with others, fromed the FTBM in Holland, a federation promoting motor sports.  More specific Eddy came from motorcycle speedway / grass-track racing. Eddy did win the Dutch National Championship in 1974. Eddy got involved in BMX when the local motorcycle club was in financial problems. BMX was booming and the motorcycleclub decided to built a BMX track on the infield. This is how Eddy and his family got involved in BMX.

    Around 1980 Eddy became track official at the Gorredeijk BMX track in the north of Holland. Soon he became an all-round BMX official operating at regional and national BMX events. His first international
    appearance as track-manager was at the International Indoor BMX event in Leeuwarden in 1985 and in the same year Eddy acted as official at the E.C.C. (European Challenge Cup) in Slagharen – Holland.
    In 1988 Eddy Posthuma was head-official at the European Championship in Slagharen and from that year on Eddy was the head-official / track-manager at all the E.C.C. events in Slagharen, was acting as
    Track-manager at all European Championships and World-Championships up and till Louisville – USA in 2001.  The only time Eddy has been un-active due to illness was in 1998.

    Besides the European and World-Championships Eddy has been acting as track-manager at several qualifier rounds European Championships, the IFMA- Cologne Germany event, the International Indoor events in Tours and Bercy. Furthermore he has been active in Japan, Ecuador. A special series of events for Eddy were the Mentos Trophy races, run by Albert Knill – Switzerland (in which Eddy was active 8 times.  Due to “back” problems Eddy had to give up the job he likes so much in 2002.

    It is for this impressive national and international career at European but also World level, that Eddy Posthuma is nominated in the category PIONEERS (non racers), special recognition.

Category B2:

Organizers/promoters of European Top events:

  • The organization of the 2008 European BMX Campionship, Weiterstadt - Germany.

    The 2008 European BMX Championships held in Weiterstadt – Germany on May 2nd up and till May 4th have been nominated in this section including their top-officials and driving forces behind this fantastic event, Mrs. Christiane Höpping and her son Andreas Höpping, an old skool top international BMX racer. The organization in Weiterstadt is still know by specially old skool BMX’ers for their precious European Championship event in 1986, organized by ..... mr. Dr.Höpping (husband and father of...).  The achievement to organize this years 2008 European Championship at the very high level of organization and
    new track lay-out as well as overall infra-structure is therefore so special, because Germany did not have any important internal championship event since the Europeans held in 1998 at Schwedt an der Oder in former East-Germany.

    So, 22 years after their first ever international event in Weiterstadt, the Höpping family got this fantastic event off the ground very well after 2 years of hard work. With an up to date track design and slick organization the surprised everybody participating as well as organizers elsewhere and the UCI. With over 1800 entries from over 24 countries, they did a great job. Specially Andreas Höpping deserves an extra compliment for his faith in the sport, his hard work towards this event, for his “grundlichkeit”, his discipline and capacity to motivate others of his organizing group.

    It’s therefore that the University of BMX nominates the event “the 2008 European BMX Championships Weiterstadt-Germany” including its leading officials Christiane and Andreas Höpping, in them also honoring all volunteers that did help them, make this event come true.

Category C:

European National Teams or Manufacturer Teams winning a team World title;

  • NO nomination(s), no European team did win a team World title.

Note #1: UCI decided to give up from 2007 on, the World title Manufacturer Team Competition at World Championships.
Note #2: UCI decided in 2008 Not to have Elite Cruiser class (men and women) titles in the World and European (Continental) Championship from 2010 on.

 

Update Waalre, November 2008

Induction: all nominees mentioned above, have been inducted in November 2008.