Two Vernon BMXers came agonizingly close to booking their tickets to the World Championships. 

Both Bas van Steenbergen and Rachelle Nielsen finished on the podium in their respective races, but missed out on the top spot, which would have sent them to the worlds in South Africa.

BMXers competed at the first-ever UCI Velosolutions Pump Track World Championship qualifier, hosted at the Finlayson Park pump track in Sicamous Sept. 6-7.

Nielsen finished third in the women's elite race, behind Maple Ridge's Karsen Tielen and USA's Olivia Armstrong. In the men's elite race, van Steenbergen was second, finishing 1.3 seconds behind Dutchman Niels Bensink.

The event also featured a free learn to ride session, which saw 38 kids from Sicamous, Salmon Arm and Revelstoke take part in a two hour workshop that taught them basics on track etiquette, communication and technique. 

Sicamous will also be hosting the qualifier in 2025.