Veterans Cup 2015: A new era begins!

On 12-Sep-2015, the BMX old-schoolers met for the 21st Veterans Cup in Weiterstadt as usual. This year, some important things were different, but the most important point remained the same: As always, the Veterans Cup took place in the centre of Germany on the Waldemar Benz BMX track. And it will remain so in the future. But more on that later.

What was going on at the event this year? As always, there were lots of nice people there, many old acquaintances, loyal souls who are always there and new ones who have never been before. There were also very nice bikes, vintage clothing, photos, magazines and more. TSV Braunshardt has once again slightly reorganised the course this year, adding a double on the step at the end of the first straight and adding more hills to the rhythm section on the third straight. Everything was a little more difficult, but still passable for every veteran. The advertising poster was designed in 80s colours and came across as "garish". And the marshals had a sense of humour and the right slogan on their backs ...

And this year there was a technical innovation: for the first time in the history of Weiterstadt, the bikes were fitted with transponders. A small chip at the end of the front fork can be electronically recorded so that each bike can be registered at the start and finish. This made it possible not only to measure the time of each individual run, but above all to digitally record the finish.

The starting field was again quite large, we had a total of 34 riders, 12 in the veteran class (2 preliminary groups with 6 riders each) and 22 in the oldie class (4 preliminary groups with 2x6 and 2x5 riders).

Race lists and race impressions

10 participants were at the start for the first time this year, 3 veterans have already taken part 13 times (Dirk W.a.e.h.l.e.r, Uwe B.u.r.d.a.c.k and Robert H.o.c.h) and one oldie even 14 times (Olaf K.l.e.i.n). This means that 262 different participants with a total of 620 starts took to the track in 21 Veterans' Cups; the average across all events was 29.5 riders! The fact that there were 34 starters and 10 new entries this year shows that the Veterans Cup continues to attract a lot of old-schoolers. Not to mention the large number of spectators, fellow riders and former riders who come to exhibit their bikes or cheer on their former BMX friends as they watch the races. Thank you very much for this great response, it makes it so much fun to be there!

Race pictures final veteran class

Race pictures final oldie class

This time I was very pleased that Uwe R.a.b.e, the legend from Leverkusen, found his way to the Veterans Cup for the first time in its 21-year history. He arrived on a Diamond Back Turbo, hadn't been on a BMX track at race speed for 30 years and still managed to finish 8th in the final of the veteran class! Super performance! I hope Uwe will be back at the start next year.

I would like to mention a few other veterans by name: Thomas G.r.e.i.s, for example, who once again provided us with delicious confectionery in 2015, as he does every year; this time with Veterans Cup muffins for the finalists. Uwe B.u.r.d.a.c.k was also generous again and once again donated the trophies for both classes for the 21st Veterans' Cup. A big thank you to Uwe and Domstadt Pokale for supporting this donation. Dieter S.c.h.w.a.d.o.w.s.k.i is of course also to be thanked for inspecting the stainless steel bikes in the paddock and providing the beauty contest with prizes. Dieter is a very loyal companion of the Veterans' Cup, indispensable and a BMX maniac from the very beginning with heart, soul and a lot of expertise.

I would like to emphasise one BMX veteran in particular at this point: Wolfgang F.r.i.t.s.c.h.e.r. Unfortunately, Wolfgang recently passed away in his well-deserved retirement. We held a minute's silence for him at this year's award ceremony. Wolfgang ran the Rabbit BMX Shop Bremen for many years. He was known and loved far beyond Germany's borders and was an integral part of German BMX sport for decades. He was a veteran of the German BMX sport and a loyal and long-standing supporter of the Veterans' Cup since 1996. The BMX family has sadly lost a loyal friend in him. Thank you Wolfgang for everything you have done for us and the German BMX sport! We will not forget you!

At the following award ceremony, we first honoured the race classes and then presented the prizes for the beauty contest. There was a lot to admire at the beauty contest this year. There was more precious metal in CrMo on display than ever before: 66 steel knives were on show in the paddock! This made the selection for the individual prizes particularly difficult this year. Dieter had therefore decided to divide up the various categories differently than usual and award the prizes accordingly. The following old-schoolers were honoured with medals, trophies and non-cash prizes:

Award ceremony veteran class 1. Steffen S.a.e.n.g.e.r, 2. Marc A.n.t.o.n.y, 3. Stefan A.d.e.l.h.a.r.d.t, 4. Stephan W.e.i.s, 5. Christian K.e.e.s, 6. Michael S.c.h.m.i.t.z, 7. Mirko H.e.i.d.e.n, 8. Uwe R.a.b.e

Oldie class award ceremony 1st Nino N.a.g.e.l, 2nd Juergen W.a.g.n.e.r, 3rd Stephan P.r.a.n.t.l, 4th Olaf K.l.e.i.n, 5. Mark B.a.l.t.r.u.s.c.h, 6. Hamdi A.b.b.a.s, 7. Thomas K.o.l.l.e.r, 8. Jordi M.i.r.a.n.d.a

King-of-Oldschool award ceremony 1st Elmar H.e.n.r.i.c.h (Hutch Hollywood), 2nd Thomas G.r.e.i.s (Skyway T/A), 3rd Stephan P.r.a.n.t.l (GHP)

Award ceremony beauty contest AA Pro class 1st Mark S.c.h.o.e.l.z.l (Redline PL Carrera, 1983), 2nd Lothar K.a.s.p.r.z.y.k (Hutch Pro Racer, 1984), 3rd Elmar H.e.n.r.i.c.h (Hutch Hollywood, 1984)

Award ceremony Beauty-Contest A Pro-Class 1. Lothar K.a.s.p.r.z.y.k (Patterson 200, 1984), 2. Mark S.c.h.o.e.l.z.l (Schauff Anaconda, 1985), 3. Stephan P.r.a.n.t.l (Torker, 1982)

Siegerehrung Beauty-Contest Pro-Klasse 1. Gino B.a.r.i (Skyway T/A, 1983), 2. Jürgen W.a.g.n.e.r (SE Quadangle, 1984), 3. Markus G.r.ü.n.e.w.a.l.d (PK Ripper, 1983)

Siegerehrung Beauty-Contest Roots of BMX 1. Joerg S.e.e (Centurion, 1980), 2. Frank K.o.l.b.e (BMX Enduro, 1977), 3. Carlos A.y.a.l.a (Schauff Crossmaster, 1979)

Beauty contest - Best of Show: 1st Ulli B.e.c.k (Skyway T/A, 1983)

Last but not least, I would like to say a special thank you to my club TSV Braunshardt. From this year 2015, I have placed the organisation of the Veterans' Cup in the hands of my BMX club. After 20 years, it's time for someone else to take over responsibility for the world's oldest BMX reunion event. Fortunately, in Tino S.e.i.d.e.l I have found a BMX enthusiast who is just as interested in running this oldie event as I am. Tino started out as a veteran, is now a successful licensed rider and has been the club chairman of TSV Braunshardt/BMX since 2015. He and his club assistants did an excellent job of organising and running the 21st Veterans' Cup. The BMX club will continue to manage the fortunes of the oldest old school BMX event in the future. I am delighted to have found a very good successor team in these people, who will continue to organise the Veterans' Cup with just as much passion and loyalty in the coming years. The concept will not change significantly, the Veterans' Cup will once again take place in Weiterstadt in 2016 as a permanent institution and serve as an attractive meeting place for all old-school BMXers. I would be delighted if we could meet again next year in Weiterstadt for the 22nd time! Start planning your next bike restoration, go to the gym over the winter and come back to Hesse with plenty of vigour for the 2016 Veterans' Cup. A new era has begun, but the essentials remain the same: BMX-Veteranencup in Weiterstadt - Home of Oldschool BMX Germany!

Ralf M.a.u.r.i.t.z.

P.S.: The photos in this report were taken by Ralf M.a.u.r.i.t.z.

Results

21. Veteranencup (2015, Weiterstadt)

Veteranenklasse 1. Steffen S.a.e.n.g.e.r 2. Marc A.n.t.o.n.y 3. Stefan A.d.e.l.h.a.r.d.t 4. Stephan W.e.i.s 5. Christian K.e.e.s 6. Michael S.c.h.m.i.t.z 7. Mirko H.e.i.d.e.n 8. Uwe R.a.b.e
Oldieklasse 1. Nino N.a.g.e.l 2. Juergen W.a.g.n.e.r 3. Stephan P.r.a.n.t.l 4. Olaf K.l.e.i.n 5. Mark B.a.l.t.r.u.s.c.h 6. Hamdi A.b.b.a.s 7. Thomas K.o.l.l.e.r 8. Jordi M.i.r.a.n.d.a
Team-Wertung - Coming Soon 1. tbd 2. tbd 3. tbd
King-of-Oldschool 1. Elmar H.e.n.r.i.c.h (Hutch Hollywood) 2. Thomas G.r.e.i.s (Skyway T/A) 3. Stephan P.r.a.n.t.l (GHP)
Beauty-Contest - AA Pro Klasse Gold Medaillen 1. Mark S.c.h.o.e.l.z.l (Redline PL Carrera, 1983) 2. Lothar K.a.s.p.r.z.y.k (Hutch Pro Racer, 1984) 3. Elmar H.e.n.r.i.c.h (Hutch Hollywood, 1984)
Beauty-Contest - A Pro Klasse Silber Medaillen 1. Lothar K.a.s.p.r.z.y.k (Patterson 200, 1984) 2. Mark S.c.h.o.e.l.z.l (Schauff Anaconda, 1985) 3. Stephan P.r.a.n.t.l (Torker, 1982)
Beauty-Contest - Pro Klasse Bronze Medaillen 1. Gino B.a.r.i (Skyway T/A, 1983) 2. Juergen W.a.g.n.e.r (SE Quadangle, 1984) 3. Markus G.r.u.e.n.e.w.a.l.d (PK Ripper, 1983)
Beauty-Contest - Roots of BMX Sonderklasse 1. Joerg S.e.e (Centurion, 1980) 2. Frank K.o.l.b.e (BMX Enduro, 1977) 3. Carlos A.y.a.l.a (Schauff Crossmaster, 1979)
Beauty-Contest - Best of Show 1. Ulli B.e.c.k (Skyway T/A, 1983)