Update September 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 2008 nominees,
In category AA: Olympic year 2008, Olympics in Beijing-China, here the first ever Olympic Champions in BMX
2008 Olympic Champion in Elite men class: Maris Strombergs (Latvia)
2008 Olympic Champion in Elite women class: Anne Caroline Chausson (France)
In category A1:
The nominees from the 2008 World Championships are the following Champions coming from Europe:
* this year 2008, all WC are from Europe !
In category A2:
2008 Supercross World Cup winner(s): NO nomination(s) at this moment
In category A3:
The nominees from the 2008 European Championships are the following Champions:
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 may be 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 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. Additional info: Even in 1980 BMX event like this had over 2900 entries.
The next year 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.
Nominee mr. Eddy Posthuma originally 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 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 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 winning a World Team title;
No nomination in at this time
* Note: UCI decided to give up from 2007 on, the World title Manufacturer Team Competition at World Championships.