Friday, May. 09, 2008
4-year-old Los Baños girl claims expert title in BMX racing, 3rd in nation
Zoe Baca places third, brother an expert also
By Samantha Salas / ssalas@losbanosenterprise.com
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ReprintShe's considered an expert in her field; it's even one of her most favorite things to do.
And she hasn't even had her fifth birthday yet.
Four-year-old Los Baños resident Zoe Baca has been riding BMX bikes since she was three and a half years old, influenced by her older brother Kory's shared love for the sport.
"Boys and girls BMX racing is different," father Vernon Baca said of Zoe's riding. "Girls are able to advance a lot quicker."
Kory was an intermediate rider at age 4, whereas Zoe has made it to the expert level at her pre-kindergarten age, Baca said.
"There isn't as many girls who compete," he said.
When Zoe would visit her brother at his races, before she was even trained on how to ride, "she wanted to be on out on the track," Baca said.
While her home track is in Atwater, Zoe also competes in Patterson and Tulare.
In her most recent race in Tulare, Zoe placed second in the national event, moving her into the 3rd place position for the five and under expert class in the United States.
"Her trophy is bigger than she is," Baca said. "She's also ranked in seventh place in the district, "which includes Patterson, Modesto, Atwater; all the places in the area."
Zoe said her favorite thing about racing in the BMX events is beating the boys she is put up against in some cases.
Baca said she placed 3rd in one of her races against 19 other boys.
"I like beating them," Zoe said. "They can be mean on the track."
While Baca said Zoe can be aggressive also, other riders' parents get involved and take it to another level.
"Some of the boys cut me off," she said.
While the object of the BMX races are to stay on the ground, Baca said, in order to keep the aggressive pace, Zoe can tend to get some height on the jumps.
"It's fun to go high," Zoe said.
Zoe said she enjoys spending time with her brother, named an 8-year-old expert rider currently, who also started when he was four years old.
"I cut him off on the track," Zoe said about racing against her brother during practice time.
"Yeah, she does," Baca agreed. "She'll beat him sometimes. But he helps her to know what to expect out on the track and to know what to do," he said.
When it comes to starting kindergarten, it doesn't seem to be too much of a hurdle her BMX bike can't handle, Baca said.
"Competing shouldn't cut into too much of Zoe's time once she starts school," Baca said. "But it has with Kory since we travel to other states, like Oregon, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah."
Traveling is sometimes is the most expensive part of being involved in the sport, aside from the initial bicycle and gear purchases.
The racers are required to wear a full-face helmet, similar to motocross racers, also with motocross pants and shirt, and a chest protector.
Yet, motocross and BMX racing are two very different sports, Baca said.
"The BMX track is ten times more technical than an MX track," he said. "The actual turns are probably a good 12-14 feet tall, and the jumps have at least a 70 percent grade.
"It's like running to a wall," he said.
While she's fearless on her micro-mini "Carbon" BMX bike, Baca said Zoe is also into riding motocross dirtbikes.
"We have to dig her out of tumble weeds sometimes when she rides dirtbikes," Baca said.
But with gas prices and loading everything up, and training facilities, are just some of the reasons that BMX riding the family's chosen sport versus motocross.
Even with one inch tires on the kids' bikes that hold nearly 100 PSI and an entire body made of carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum, Baca said there isn't too much maintenance involved with the sport.
"Except for keeping up with the rims and the chain," he said. "You don't want anything dragging on the ground."
One of the reasons Baca said Zoe is one of the most advanced of her age and experience level is because she stands up when she rides.
"Other rides sit down on the bike," he said.
Age aside, Baca said Zoe is too aggressive and fearless to give up on the sport just yet.
"She'll be riding for a while," he said. "It's funny to see how the older girls who race out there get excited to see her. They're excited to see another girl, especially so young and at her level, getting into the sport."
Enterprise reporter Samantha Salas can be reached by phone at (209)388-6562 or by e-mail at ssalas@losbanosenterprise.com