Lauren Winter, Abigail Miller among riders to watch at NT BMX Titles
The BMX NT Titles are fast approaching with more than 200 riders set to ride into Nhulunbuy. Check out the best up-and-coming riders lighting up the women’s divisions.
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The 2023 Hutsix BMX Racing Territory Championships are fast approaching with about 200 riders set to hit the track over the course of the competition.
Being held in Nhulunbuy the championships will bring riders of all ages from across the Territory together for what promises to be a blockbuster meet from September 25.
And among them will be several of the best up-and-coming young women’s riders, with many having already gone interstate and abroad to show off their talent in the sport.
NT cycling operation coordinator Dieter Mittermayer said BMX was making real headway towards being more inclusive and as a result was gaining more interest among young girls.
“Australia has come a very long way in promoting female sport’s participation and getting behind female teams/athletes from various sporting codes,” he said.
“But there is still a lot of room for growth, which is really exciting.
“The Territory has some hidden gems of females, these are the next generation of role models to bring through the younger generation of girls to want to participate in the sport of cycling.”
Read about these up and coming stars below.
Lauren Winter
Age: 16
Experience: Started at nine
Picking up the sport seven years ago, Lauren is now at the top of her game.
Competing weekly at her local club in Nhulunbuy, she regularly travels around the country competing in many events.
Lauren’s greatest achievement to date is winning the 15-16 years Girls Cruiser Class at the Auscycling Australian BMX Championships in 2022, a class she is currently Australian champion in.
Having already represented the country at an international level during the World BMX Championships in France last year, she is aiming to be selected in the Aussie side next year at the World Championships in Rock Hill, USA.
But her ultimate dream is to represent Australia in BMX at the Olympics.
Penny Ralph
Age: 12
Experience: Started at seven
Beginning her career in 2018, Penny has come a long way since her days racing on a MiniXL.
The junior rider has competed in the NT Champs for the past five years against fellow rider and mate Kendra, and is looking for her first win this weekend.
While she loves to race BMX, the young gun doesn’t mind switching it up every now and then, hopping on her MTB and racing through Pine Forest.
With a fiercely driven mindset and looking to improve each race, recording as many PB’s as possible, Penny still considers the friends she’s made through riding to be her greatest accomplishment.
Kendra Seiboth
Age: 12
Experience: Started at six
Receiving her first bike in 2017 - an orange Hotwheels bike from Kmart for Christmas - Kendra was not happy it came with training wheels.
Not one to wait around wondering, Kendra and her sister took off the training wheels in the middle of the night while her family slept.
The next morning Kendra could be heard proudly yelling, “Look, I can ride with no training-wheels” much to the amazement of her family.
She has been on some form of bike ever since.
Already with the backing of three sponsors, the Jingili BMX Club racer has her sights set on the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, whether that be in BMX or on the track.
Competing in the 12 girls, Kendra loves racing with and against her mate Penny Ralph.
Abigail Miller
Age: 10
Experience: Started at five
Abigail fell in love with BMX at the age of five telling her parents at the time she would one day represent Australia in the sport.
It was a dream she achieved at the BMX World Championships in Glasgow earlier this year when she raced in both the Cruiser and Challenge Class, placing 28th and 42nd respectively.
Abigail’s dedication to the sport is second to none in the junior divisions as she trains up to six days a week with the hope of qualifying to represent her country again in 2024.
With a limited, but growing, female junior base in the NT she often finds herself racing with the boys, which helps with her pack riding.
Her future goals include wanting to get an Australia Plate, potentially a World Plate, and continuing to represent Australia as a BMX rider.
Isabella Miller
Age: 8
Experience: Started at three
The younger Miller has just returned from the BMX World Championships in Glasgow where she placed 12th, and got the chance to experience the sport at the top level.
She got into the sport after watching her older brother and sister already taking part, and while there aren’t a lot of girls in her age group, she is a constant fighting it out for first places and PBs.
Her cycling goals are to get an Australia plate at the upcoming BMX Aussie Internationals in Shepparton, while she aspires to one day represent the country as an elite rider.
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