The 2011 nominations for the European BMX Hall of Fame by the UNIVERSITY of BMX.

D.5 European BMX Hall of Fame nominations 2011

Category AA:

Nominations will be made after the 2012 Olympic Championships in BMX in London, UK

Category A1:

The nominees from the 2011 World Championships are the following Champions coming from Europe:

• Elite men: Joris Daudet (France)

Category A2:

2011 Supercross World Cup Series overall winners:

• Elite men: Joris Daudet (France)

Category A3:

The nominees from the 2011 European Championships are the following Champions:

• Elite men: Joris Daudet (France)
• Elite women: Manon Valentino (France)

Category A4:

Pioneer rider(s) nominated.

• NO nomination(s) at this time

Category B1:

Pioneer (non racers) nomination(s):

• 1st:  Special recognition: Mr. Greg Hill 
  
  Motivation: Greg Hill (USA) is the first official Pro/Elite World Champion within the I.BMX.F. (International BMX Organisation), now UCI (integration of I.BMX.F. completed in 1996) and therefore honoured and becoming an outside European, European BMX Hall of Fame member. The first ever I.BMX.F. World Championship was helt in Dayton - Ohio, USA in 1982. The I.BMX.F. was the first official world governingbody for BMX founded in Florida - USA in 1981.
  
  
• 2nd:  Special recognition: Mr. Eric Rupe
  
  This is an update on a special recognition dated September 2007 of Mr. Eric Rupe is already an inductee since 2007. Here an update on the motivation of our outside of Europe, European BMX Hall of Fame member. Eric Rupe holts a record being the longest, still racing professional bicycle moto-cross rider, actif for over 37 years without any interruption and performing at the highest level in competition classes concerned, during any periode of time. Eric Rupe started racing in 1974 and won 9 NBL Pro titles, 8 ABA Pro titles, 3 USAC titles and 9 I.BMX.F / UCI world titles up and till 2011.

Category B2:

Organizers/promoters of European Top events:

• Special recoqnition: Mr. Albert Knill (r.i.p.) - Switzerland
  
  Motivation: It was in 1985 that Albert Knill jr. learned about an indoor BMX race at an Iceskating hall in Döbendorf in Switzerland. Together with his dad Albert Knill sr. they went to that event. This was the Albert Knill's first contact with BMX. To give you an idea, back then a BMX bike was about 1300 Swiss francs. In that same year also Susanne Knill, Albert sr. daughter, started racing BMX. It was in 1987 when daughter Marlies Knill started racing BMX bikes. So, it was because of those facts Albet Knill sr. came in contact with our sport and in 1989 became president of the BMX Club Grab on Kids in Switzerland. This BMX club still excists today.
  
  It was in 1992 that Albert Knill sr. organized the Mentos Trophy BMX Club Blumenstein. Albert Knill started to organise the International Mentos Trophy in Blumenstein in 1991. The last time this event took place was in the year 2000. This was the 10th. and last International Mentos Trophy in Blumenstein - Switzerland. Riders from 11 different countries took part in these events with at each even t around 400 entries.
  
  On January 31st. 1996 Nico Does of WEBCO Bicycles and Albert Knill sr. started a working together relationship with the result that a new company was formed called, KD Quality Products AG (KD stands for Knill-Does). WEBCO bikes and parts as well as "softwear" (clothing) were sold and an international BMX race team was set up. Members of several WEBCO Mentos teams during the years were among others, Michael Prokop, Pieter Does, Anthony Revell, Rob van den Wildenberg, Aneta Hladikova, Dagma Polakova, Roy van Leur, Jakun Hnidak, Ellen Bollansee and Marlies Knill. Main sponsor of the team was Mentos arranged by Albert Knill sr.
  
  From January 6th till 2002 Albert Knill was President of BMX Suisse and lifted the sport in Switzerland to a higher level. At that time BMX Suisse had around 600 license-holders. After I.BMX.F. integrated into the UCI and the UCI reorganized their organisation (FIAC and FICP were cancelled), a European BMX committee was organized within the UCI. Since this "continental BMX committee" did not have anything to do with the UCI as world governing body, Hein Verbruggen wanted this committee to be out of the UCI and working together with the already existing UEC (Union Eropean Cyclisme, affiliated to UCI, specific road cycling, mtb and such). Albert Knill and Ilja Kesic contact the UEC and they all came to a final conclusion soon. Since then, BMX is part of the UEC. Albert was instrumental in getting this all organized.
  
  Albert Knill sr. has been an important figure at a National but also International European level during the periode 1995 - 2001. It was a great shock for many people when they learned Albert suffered from cancer. After several months of fighting this terrible illness Albert Knill sr. died in hospital on 25th. February 2002. For all his work done for the better of BMX at a National but specialy at an International level, Albert Knill sr. has been awarded with this European BMX Hall of Fame membership.

Category C:

European National Teams or Manufacturer Teams winning a team World title;

• NO nomination(s).

Update Waalre, November 2011

Induction: all nominees mentioned above, have been inducted in November 2011.