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University of BMX by Gerrit Does

History of BMX (1982)

This is the year BMX in Switzerland (German speaking part of the country) got organized as a competition sport by Mr. Franz Hattan. Franz owned a bicycle store in Malters (Lucerne). He discovered BMX about 4 years earlier in Great Britain. He "imported" BMX in Switzerland and started to promote BMX during markets and such. The unofficial organization did holt around 40 license holders in its starting year 1982.

South American BMX developments and specially in the leading country Chile, was very strong. The existing C.B.X. was transformed into the F.CBX. - Federacion Chilena de Bicicross and this organization was officialy recognized by the Chilian government in 1983. The Executive President at the time was the excellent Mr. Ruy Barbosa, one of the first directors of the sport in Chile (at present-2001, president of the UCI-BMX Committee). Later this year, Chilian riders did win four world-championship titles during the first I.BMX.F. World Championship at Dayton - Ohio in August 1982. These titles helped a lot promoting the sport in Chile. Getting organized in Chile is very hard, due to the fact this country is stretched out along a 4000 km long coastline.

During 1982, the New Zealand Government allowed CroMo tubing into the country and Pantha (factory) put out a truly NZ designed and made CroMO frames.