Preview: ARA Australian Cycling Team load up for Copenhagen 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships

The ARA Australian Cycling Team are locked and loaded for Championship weekend at the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A team of 18 will represent Australia in the elite, under-23 and junior categories this Saturday and Sunday.

Olympic champion Saya Sakakibara and fellow Olympians Izaac Kennedy and Lauren Reynolds return for another BMX Racing Worlds campaign, each targeting a maiden elite world title and rainbow jersey. 

Joining Kennedy in the elite men’s squad is Jack Davis and elite national champion Oliver Moran. 

Kennedy fell victim to a practice crash last year in Rock Hill before racing began and said with a laugh that his number one goal for this week is to make it onto the gate.

"I haven't even raced Worlds since 2022 due to injuries," Kennedy said.

"I feel good, and in a way, it was a good start to the World Cup season. A bit of a mistake in Papendal, but I was going to be (holding World Cup results of) a two, three and probably a one.

"The form is good, I've been building into this year pretty well. I had a few weeks off after that crash in Papendal with a sore tailbone but it hasn't impacted my prep too much and I'm ready to go for the rainbows."

Kennedy added that he feels the Copenhagen track will suit his strengths.

"I raced in Copenhagen when I was in the Challenge for 11 Boys but it's a bit different there now," he said.

"Track does look good and I'd say it suits my style in a way, a bit wide open down the first straight and it doesn't look too technical but just looks like a good race track where you can open up and go as fast as you can."

Joining Sakakibara and Reynolds in the elite women’s squad is a trio of rising stars.

Reigning junior women’s world champion Teya Rufus, 19, elite national champion Sienna Pal, 19, and U23 national champion Bella May, 19, all could have chased a world title in the U23 women’s category but will instead race amongst the elite women, as they have already done impressively throughout the year.

Hot off his first UCI BMX Racing World Cup U23 win in Papendal, Josh Jolly steps back into ARA Australian Cycling Team colours this weekend. The Ballarat talent knows what it takes to win a rainbow jersey after taking out the junior men’s world championship last year.

Jesse Asmus, who scored two podiums at the Sarrians UCI BMX Racing World Cups, Jordan Callum and Joel Marsh, the U23 Oceania champion and newly-crowned AusCycling BMX Racing National Series Superclass champion, complete the U23 contingent.

Preston Murray, Bailey Seckold and Charli Guy will all be on the gate for their second tilt at junior glory after competing as first-years in Rock Hill. 

Seckold and Guy both raced UCI BMX Racing World Cups in the U23 category this season in Europe, as did junior Oceania champion AJ Donald, who will be racing for the first time as a member of the ARA Australian Cycling Team this weekend.

Imogen Healy and Cameron Gatt, the youngest member of the team for Copenhagen, will also join Donald in making their ARA Australian Cycling Team debuts.

ARA Australian Cycling Team

Elite Men  

• Jack Davis (Tamworth City BMX Club/NSW) 
• Oliver Moran (Manning Valley BMX Club/NSW) 
• Izaac Kennedy (Nerang BMX Club/QLD) 

Elite Women  

• Bella May (Casey BMX Club/VIC) 
• Sienna Pal (Terrigal BMX Club/NSW) 
• Lauren Reynolds (Bunbury BMX Club/WA) 
• Teya Rufus (Maryborough BMX Club/QLD) 
• Saya Sakakibara (Southlake Illawarra BMX Club/NSW) 

U23 Men 

• Jesse Asmus (Nerang BMX Club/QLD) 
• Jordan Callum (Hills BMX Club/WA) 
• Josh Jolly (Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club/VIC) 
• Joel Marsh (Happy Valley BMX Club/SA) 

Junior Men 

• AJ Donald (Hawkesbury Hornets BMX Club/NSW) 
• Cameron Gatt (Geelong BMX Club/VIC) 
• Preston Murray (The Cove BMX Club/SA) 
• Bailey Seckold (Ashmore BMX Club/QLD) 

Junior Women 

• Charli Guy (Ashmore BMX Club/QLD) 
• Imogen Healy (Tea Tree Gully BMX Club/SA)

How to watch

Racing will be broadcast on Stan Sport for Australian viewers.

Schedule

All times listed in local Central European Summer Time (GMT +2) first, Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) second and Australian Western Standard time third (AWST).

Saturday, August 2

• First round: 14:25 / 22:45 / 20:45
• Last chance: 15:45 / 23:45 / 21:45
• 1/8 finals: 17:40 / 01:40 (+1) / 23:40

Sunday, August 3

• Quarterfinals: 12:00 / 20:00 / 18:00
• Semifinals: 12:50 / 20:50 / 18:50
• Finals: 13:20 / 21:20 / 19:20

Results

Start lists, live timing and results can be found on Tissot Timing.

Feature picture: Navada Photography