Johannesburg will take centre stage on the African BMX racing calendar this November, as the Cradle BMX Club prepares to host the 10th CAC BMX Racing African Championships.
The single-day showcase, awarded to Cycling South Africa (CSA) by the Confederation of African Cycling (CAC), is scheduled for 29 November 2026 and will bring together elite, junior and challenge-level riders from across the continent under UCI and CAC regulations.
The championships carry African status and are officially registered on the UCI calendar, affirming their significance within Africa’s cycling structure.
Riders will compete on a purpose-built 350-metre track at the Cradle BMX Club, located within the Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve on Kromdraai Road, Krugersdorp, a venue whose clay and soil surface, tar berms and 5-to-6-metre starting hill are expected to test the continent’s finest competitors.
Set roughly 45 kilometres from central Johannesburg, the Cradle BMX Club sits within one of South Africa’s most storied landscapes, better known for its palaeontological heritage than its sporting infrastructure.
Categories and Eligibility
Competition will unfold across two broad levels. The Championships level covers Elite, Under-23 and Junior riders in both men’s and women’s fields, while the Challenge level opens the track to a wide span of age groups riding Standard 20-inch and Cruiser 24-inch bikes, from boys and girls as young as six through to masters riders aged 55 and above.
*Men Elite (19 years and over)
*Men Under-23 (19–22 years)
*Men Junior (17–18 years)
*Women Elite (19 years and over)
*Women Under-23 (19–22 years)
*Women Junior (17–18 years)
*Challenge Standard 20″ (6 years and over)
*Challenge Cruiser 24″ (6 years and over)
Entry is restricted to national team members who are citizens of a nation affiliated to the Confederation of African Cycling and who hold valid UCI licences.
Each national federation may enter a maximum of five riders per category, though South Africa, as host nation, may add further entries in the Challenge 20-inch and Cruiser 24-inch classes should the quota not be filled.
National federations are required to submit entries through the CAC’s official online sport entry form ahead of the 1 November 2026 deadline.
Race Day Programme
Team registration and equipment confirmation take place on 28 November, alongside an official gate practice session and a team managers’ meeting. Racing begins in earnest on the morning of 29 November with age-graded gate practice sessions, followed by opening ceremonies featuring remarks from a CAC representative, a VIP address and the national anthem, before racing gets under way at 10h00. The day concludes with finals and an awarding ceremony.
All riders must ride in national kit approved by their federations, with bikes, helmets and clothing subject to inspection by the commissaires’ panel ahead of racing, in line with UCI equipment guidelines.
The use of MyLaps electronic timing transponders is compulsory for every rider, with a refundable deposit required at pickup, while front number plates issued once by the Local Organizing Committee must be used throughout the championships or riders risk being recorded as a non-starter.
UCI anti-doping rules apply throughout the event, with testing permitted at any time, including after races, and the UCI’s standard scale of penalties will govern any infractions.
Medals will be awarded across the top three finishers in each Championships-level category, with the overall continental title in each Elite, Under-23 and Junior category earning the winner the Africa Champion’s jersey. Challenge-level medals will be awarded across designated age brackets for both the Standard 20-inch and Cruiser 24-inch disciplines.
Getting There and Staying On Site
International travellers will fly into either Lanseria International Airport or OR Tambo International Airport, with the Local Organizing Committee providing transport to and from both, provided teams confirm arrival and departure details by 20 November 2026.
A shuttle service will also run between official team accommodation and the Cradle BMX Club from 28 November, covering both training and competition days. Federations requiring visa invitation letters have been directed to contact Cycling South Africa directly, with all participants advised to arrange their own travel and medical insurance ahead of departure.