Ratoath bikers place in the BMX Racing World Championships finals

Hannah McNamara

For the first time Ireland has seen two riders make it to the finals in the 2023 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Glasgow.

Evan Bartley from Kilmessan placed 3rd in the Boys 12 age category out of 110 riders from across Europe and now holds a World 3 Title. Reuben Byrne from Louth finished 6th in the Boys 14 age group out of 98 riders meaning he now holds a World 6 Title.

Both of the young riders are from Ratoath BMX club.

Evan has been racing since the age of 4 and in 2019 he was the first kid representing Ireland to ever place in the World Championships.

Reuben began racing at the age of 7 and he is the first Irish person to ever hold a World 6 Title as well as a European No.4 Title which he won in July.

The consistent training with Coach Jackson and dedication to the sport has led to the boys' success.

They have both made the nation extremely proud.

To keep updated with their racing journey follow their Instagrams @thebullet187_w3 and @reubenbyrnew6.

The competition involved a single lap 400m course built to test top speeds, track skills and racing smarts of the world's best BMX bikers.

The competitors have to complete and place in six races before reaching the Finals, meaning they race around this single lap course seven times in the day.

48 other Irish racers also travelled to Glasgow and competed in the Championships.

Ratoath BMX club is the first club in Ireland formed since BMX racing stopped in the late 1980’s.

Opening in late 2011 and with a membership of over 600 members in 2012, it became the largest Cycling Club in Ireland and was voted second best cycling club by a Cycling Ireland poll in 2012.