Red Bull Pump Track Championship Qualifiers Results

The India qualifier of the 2018 Red Bull Pump Track World Championship took place in Hyderabad on Saturday evening. A field of riders took to the Wall Ride and skate park, the country’s first pump track; to try and secure their spot at the World Final in Switzerland later this year.

Battling it out in the heat, the best riders from India and internationally were racing for tickets to the World Championship Final. Ahead of the knock out heats on Friday, riders completed timed seeding runs. As the knock out heats pushed through it was clear Ariff Jufri’s pace and style on a mountain bike would outstrip his rivals for the win. As the finals approached the next evening, it was no longer just about the riders skill on the track but also their fitness and stamina. The intense heat, track layout and neck to neck racing put the riders through their paces. Ariff put in the fastest time for the win with a lightening  20.12s lap time, leaving behind Rajnish Kumar, Hamza Kahn and Karthik Gottumukkula all three from India who came in second, third and fourth respectively.

Says Ariff Jufri looking exhausted but pleased with his performace, “I am very happy and a little surprised at my win. Hamza and Rajnish put in a tough fight. All the riders were good and it was quite a close race. I am very passionate about cycle racing and so I’m thankful to Red Bull Pump Track for this opportunity to showcase my skills. I am nervous about the World Championship in Switzerland but also excited. I will have to race much better.”

Results:

Winner timed run /  Qualification

Men: Karthik Gottumukkula / India 19.97s
Women: No women registered

Fastest time of the race

Men: Karthik Gottumukkula / India (Qualification) and Ariff Jufri / Singapore (Semi Final) 19.97s

Race format

Qualification: single run time trial (2 runs each)

Finals

1/32 and 1/16 finals: Pursuit (2 riders start at the same time but from a different starting position, the one with the better time in qualification could choose starting position)

1/4, 1/2 and final: single run time trial

Total number of riders

0 women

34 men (31 from Indian, 3 from Singapore)

8 kids (6 boys / 2 girls) in the unofficial kids race