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Johannesburg - An eventful BMX World Championships held in Pietetmaritzburg came to an end on Sunday.
South Africans Sharlene McGilvray and Teagan O'Keefe came away with victories in the women's 45 and over and the junior girls categrories respectively.
The biggest drama of the day was reserved for the elite junior boys cruiser final. With Colombian ace David Oquendo Zabala well in front, and on track for a world title, the tightly bunched chasing pack came out of the first turning berm and produced the biggest crash of the championship.
It took down all seven chasers, four of them Brazilians, and sent bikes and riders flying across the track. Fortunately no riders were seriously injured.
O'Keefe's emphatic victory came against the backdrop of massive pressure on her to perform.
The pink haired master rider McGillvray converted the pressure of the massive hometown expectations into a staggering charge through her main final that saw her shrug off her world-number-two ranking to beat Jennifer Strachan of New Zealand and Liesbeth van Jagt of The Netherlands, to the elation of the local crowd.
"It was great to win in my hometown, but the pressure was not easy to handle," she said afterwards.
"I took the decision on the start ramp not to touch my brakes," she added.
That brave gamble paid handsome dividends as she secured a critical holeshot that set up her victory.
Dutch cruiser title contender Joyce Seesing was taken to hospital with a broken collar bone, suffered during her warm-up before the first elite motos, one of two broken collarbones on the day.
Local hospitals have been busy throughout the four days dealing with injuries suffered during the practice sessions and the motos, including one clean leg fracture, and a Japanese competitor who broke both ankles when he misjudged his landing while attempting the difficult jump over the second berm.
At the closing of the event, the international cycling federation was quick to label the event "the best ever" BMX World Champs.
"We often say that after a world champs, but this time we can say it honestly and truthfully," said the UCI head of gravity disciplines Johan Lindstrom.
"It has been fantastic for BMX, and we are all on a high," he added. "All of the riders have had a great time in Pietermaritzburg. I must admit that many of them had their doubts, but it has been brilliant."
The competition closed with the formal presentation of the UCI flag to representatives of the city of Stockholm, where the 2001 world champs will be hosted.
