World championships await father-son duo

Putting on the green and gold and representing your country is a dream most Australian athletes share, but that dream will soon become a reality for Wonthaggi-based father-son duo Peter and Charlie Moule.

Peter, 56, and Charlie, 14, have both qualified for the UCI BMX Racing World Championships to be held in Brisbane later this month, where they’ll compete against some of the best riders in the world.

The pair currently ride with the Knox BMX club in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, but they’ll proudly wear the green and gold when the racing gets underway in Brisbane.

For Peter, the opportunity to compete at an event on the world stage alongside his son is something special.

“It just sort of feels good to represent the country with the green and gold colours,” he said.

“We’ve got an official racing outfit, with the Australian colours, so yeah, we’re quite chuffed with it, especially being able to do it alongside my son. It’s a good feeling.”

Peter will compete in the 50-plus cruiser category, while Charlie will line up for the 13-14 cruiser category. IN BMX terms, a cruiser bike has 24-inch wheels, compared to the more common 20-inch BMX bikes.

Their spot at the world championships was only recently secured following the Australian Championships in Shepparton, where the top 32 riders in each age group qualified for Brisbane.

The qualification is even more impressive given the fact that the Moules have only been involved in BMX for about four years, originally starting their journey when talks of a potential track in Leongatha began.

“We just saw when they were trying to get a Leongatha track going, I think I saw something about them trying to start a track on Facebook,” Peter said.

They attended a come-and-try night, enjoyed it, and soon began racing at events in places like Frankston and Casey.

From there, they progressed to club racing, Victorian championships, Australian championships, and now the world stage.

Peter said the transition to BMX was an easy one, as the pair has always enjoyed mountain bikes, motorbikes and jumps, so BMX felt like a natural extension of that.

“Charlie and I were always sort of into mountain bikes or motorbikes and all that,” he said.

“He loves jumps, so he’s always building jumps out the backyard.”

Charlie said qualifying for the world championships was an unforgettable moment.

“I was absolutely stoked to qualify. It’s a dream come true,” he said.

“I’m most looking forward to racing against kids from all over the world but also watching the elite class battle for the world champion title.”

The pair leaves for Brisbane on July 15.

They both understand that the competition will be tough, but Peter said the goal was to enjoy the experience and soak up the atmosphere.

“We’re just hoping for a great experience, doing our best. It’s one of those sports, if you’re happy with your lap, that’s all you can do,” he said.

“Just the thrill of competing against the best riders from around the world is a privilege.”

The top eight riders in each class receive a coveted world plate, known as a W plate.

Peter said the two of them were being realistic with their expectations, though anything could happen.

“It is BMX and stranger things have happened,” he said.