It has been a long road for roughly 30 Cochrane riders who head to the Canadian BMX Championships tomorrow (August 26) in Calgary.

Brad Christensen, President of the Cochrane BMX Club, anticipates anywhere between 550 to 600 riders could be competing for hardware. "You're getting later in the season so everyone's upping their game. We've got BC riders here, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan...they're all joining us. We've got the best riders from every province out so it's definitely time to step up your game and ride to your full potential."

Christensen, says the number of riders that qualified for Nationals from the Cochrane Club is up slightly this year. For many, it is a first time experience. "We've got a lot of kids this year riding in their first Nationals so it is a great experience for them if they make it to the top eight to get that 'N' plate or however far they make it. The experience they gain from this type of racing is invaluable."

Of course, Christensen will be on the sidelines cheering the club's riders on. "I am wishing all the riders real good luck. There's a lot of races and you have to ride them perfect over the day and anything can happen."

We will have results from Nationals early next week.