Entries for the BMX Australia National Series have surpassed 570 entrants for the opening rounds that will be held in the City of Gold Coast on Friday January 3 and Saturday January 4, 2014.

The Nerang BMX Club will play host to the opening rounds in what signals the start of the Australian domestic BMX season and has become a regular stop in the nationwide series. And while the National Series event has attracted riders from right across Australia, it has also enticed a number of international riders to compete.

Riders from New Zealand, Great Britain, Japan and the United States will go head to head with Aussie riders with one of the best match ups promising to be in the Elite Men’s field. World number 8, Barry Nobles from Sun City in California will come up against Australia’s Josh Callan who finished two places in front of Nobles at the World Championships. Callan, the current World #6 won the first round in 2013 at Nerang and finished second in Round 2 behind overall series winner Anthony Dean – though the last 6 months haven’t been favourable for Dean who broke his wrist in training for the World Championships in July and then suffered a knee injury in late October.

In the Elite Women’s class, Australia’s dual World Champion, Caroline Buchanan returns to the BMX track and her first race domestically since riding at the National Championships in May. In between was whirlwind of travel and events across multiple disciplines and continents which not only netted her the BMX World Championship but also multiple awards including the prestigious Sir Hubert Opperman Medal for Australia’s Best Cyclist.

Fellow BMX Australia High Performance team mate Melinda McLeod will only contest one of the two rounds in Nerang as she comes back from injury which plagued her 2013 campaign while Lauren Reynolds will miss both rounds as she focuses on her recovery from a knee reconstruction from an injury she sustained in the US back in October.

Barry Knight, BMX Australia President, said the opening round at Nerang is always a great event.

“The City of Gold Coast is such a great destination for our sport,” Knight said. “Families like to plan a holiday around our event so not only do they compete at one of our premier race events but they get to relax with so much to do on the coast.

“We’ve been able to attract some great riders to race in January. Not only will athletes from our High Performance team will be competing, but a number of international entrants will come to Australia to compete as well.

“I’m particularly looking forward to seeing BMX World Champion Caroline Buchanan in action on home soil. We have such a wealth of talent in the sport and the 2014 National Series is looking to be a great series.”

On Friday January 3, members of the BMX Australia High Performance team will hold an autograph session between 1.45pm and 2.15pm where the athletes will meet the fans giving them the opportunity to have a photo or grab an autograph on the BMX Australia High Performance Team poster.

Adding to the atmosphere of the opening round of the National Series will be the Red Bull event vehicle – a mobile DJ booth that will be playing music and keeping everyone moving.