Gerrit Does: The Godfather of European BMX on Bringing BMX to Europe in the Late ’70s

From BMX Weekly · 00:13:43

Show by @BMXWeekly.com

On this episode, I sit down with the Godfather of European BMX, Mr Gerrit Does, during the British BMX Hall of Fame weekend at Donington Park. We talk about bringing BMX to Europe in the ’70s and helping build the sport internationally through the IBMXF.Gerrit takes us back to discovering BMX during a motocross trip to America in 1974. We also talk about his motocross background and his connection to his brother-in-law, motocross legend Pierre Karsmakers, a US Outdoor and Supercross Champion.Gerrit talks about setting up the first Dutch BMX organisation S.N.F. in 1978. By 1979, he was being contacted by people from France, the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Belgium who wanted to learn about BMX. He shared information and advice to help them set up the sport in their own countries.He shares the story behind forming the IBMXF alongside George Esser, Tadashi Inoue and other early pioneers, including Geoff Wiles from the UK, with the goal of creating a truly international World Championship.Gerrit also talks about some of the politics within the IBMXF, explains FIAC and the UCI, and recalls meeting with the ABA’s Clayton John. He shares his disappointment when the IBMXF board refused to meet with Clayton at the 1993 World Championships in Holland.Gerrit was also inducted into the British BMX Hall of Fame in the International Award category during the weekend. Congratulations, Gerrit!Check out Gerrit’s website, University of BMX, for a year-by-year account of the history of BMX as he knows it.

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