06.20.11 - TORY NYHAUG, JIM BROWN TO REPRESENT CANADA AT UCI BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN DENMARK

Canada’s top BMX riders excited to ride for Canada at Worlds

(Ottawa, ON – June 20, 2011) Tory Nyhaug of Coquitlam, BC and reigning Canadian BMX Champion Jim Brown of Airdrie, Alberta will be representing Canada at the 2011 UCI BMX World Championships to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark from July 27-31, 2011.

Currently ranked sixth in the UCI Supercross rankings, Nyhaug stepped on the podium earlier this year in time trials at the opening UCI Supercross event of the season in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. In the second event in Papendal, Netherlands, Nyhaug went on to finish fourth in the Supercross race, his career top placing in the Elite category.

“The worlds have been my main focus all year. There is a lot of excitement leading up to it. I've been doing everything I can to prepare, so when I get there I'm just going to let it rock,” said Tory Nyhaug.

At the 2010 UCI World Championships, Nyhaug was hospitalized with a ruptured spleen during a training session. After spending four months in a bed, Nyhaug was determined to make it back on the track and win a medal for Canada on the UCI Supercross tour. Earlier this summer, Nyhaug won the UCI Class 4 Canadian BMX Open in Abbotsford, BC.

Jim Brown, the defending Canadian BMX Champion, finished seventh at the 2007 UCI World Championships in Victoria, BC as a junior. Since racing in the Elite category, Brown showed continued progress on the UCI Supercross tour, improving in the world standing season after season.

“I am really excited to be representing Canada on the world stage once again. I have been working hard preparing and feel ready to go and to do my country proud,” added Brown.

The team has been training on the brand new Supercross start ramp built in Abbotsford, BC, and athletes and coaches alike are already seeing an impact on the athlete’s performances.

“With the completion of our SX hill we have had some extra time on the hill to get ready for the event and are athletes are looking better than ever,” said Adam Muys, head coach of the Canadian BMX Team. “Our performance objectives at this event are to have a couple of athletes in the finals.”

“Coming out of good results at the Canadian Open in Abbotsford and the last World Cup in Papendal, Canadian BMX Head Coach Adam Muys will be heading a quality team representing Canada in the “Championship Class” at these upcoming world championships in Denmark. With our new SX start ramp in Abbotsford, there is no doubt in my mind that we will continue pumping out quality riders in the coming months!” said Jacques Landry, director of High Performance for the Canadian Cycling Association.

In the junior category, Sabrina Millman will race in against the top women in the world, while Connor McCormack will ride for Canada in the men’s.

For more information on the 2011 UCI BMX World Championships, please visit : http://www.bmxcopenhagen.com/.