America's best BMX racers faced international competition on their own track and brought home the ... bronze.
Chula Vista hosted the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup this weekend, the first time the event had been held on U.S. soil. The scene was the Olympic Training Center where a state-of-the-art track has been constructed offering American BMX racers the chance to live and train at the same site.
More than 150 of the world’s top male and female athletes competed. Olympic gold medalist Maris Strombergs and Olympic silver medalist Laetitia Le Corguille of France bested the field.
Austrailian Sam Willoughby earned the silver for the men. Columbia's Mariana Pajon earned silver for the women.
Third place went to the Americans Connor Fields of Henderson, Nev. and Arielle Martin of Pleasant Grove, Utah.
Overall, the Americans fared well on their home turf claiming seven of 16 semi-final spots and four of eight spots in the finals, as well as a pair of medals.
Olympic silver medalist Mike Day of Santa Clarita rode strong but was hampered by a bad start out of the final gate. He placed 5th. World champion Donny Robinson of Napa was eliminated in the semi-final round.
