BMX Australia press release
Sam Willoughby has capped a hugely successful year in the United States by winning the USA BMX Grands over the weekend and making it back-to-back victories in successive years. Willoughby had an unassailable lead in the Overall Series but had to come back from a fourth place in the first of three races in the finals. He won the next two races finishing ahead of American’s Nic Long and Connor Fields who finished second and third respectively.

It was a long weekend of racing in Tulsa, Oklahoma with riders having to wait in excess of 4 hours between races such was the attendance at the event dubbed the single biggest BMX event in the World. Willoughby had wrapped up the Race of Champions event the day previously and was one of the undisputed favourites going into the weekend.

Already this year Sam held the record for the most consecutive wins in the USA BMX Series where he strung together 13 wins in a row. This new record was established 15 years after the last record was set in 1998 when Johns Purse set it at 8 consecutive wins.

What a weekend what a year I am speechless so thankful!

— Sam Willoughby (@SW91)

Willoughby led a charge of 9 Australian riders in the US with BMX Australia’s Caroline Buchanan recently crowned Oppy Medal Winner was due to compete as well. Buchanan was struck down with illness and making matters worse succumbed to food poisoning forcing her to pull out of racing.

Sick all week then got food poising to top it all off 🙁 So disappointed I had to pull out of @ABABMX Grands today

— Caroline Buchanan (@CBuchanan68)