Three weeks before the World Cup in Santiago, Chile, everything looked promising. 17-year-old Håkon Fredrik Leinebø trained as usual in the facility in Sandnes. news was also present. – It requires good technique to drive on this track, because it goes fast. – Have you had many injuries? – I don’t try much. I have had a serious injury. Broke my shoulder a few years ago. Then I’ve had something out of joint, but it passes quickly. Håkon Fredrik Leinebø. Photo: Monica Solberg-Leinebø But just after news has finished its recordings, things go wrong. In one of the turns, Leinebø nosed. The result is a severe concussion and a broken hand. It was uncertain for a long time whether he could participate in the WC in Chile as the youngest participant. But when the WC started, Leinebø was there. However, the result was not quite what he had intended. It was 16th place out of a total of 35 starters. – It went like that, but it was great fun to be there. It was social, and I will do more of this. – You said before you injured yourself and the WC that you could get on the podium, and even win? – That’s how you have to say up front. You always have to have something to reach for, hehe. It goes fast and requires good technique to do well in pump track. Here is Håkon Fredrik Leinebø in action in the Norwegian champion jersey. Photo: Monica Solberg-Leinebø Leinebø is the reigning Norwegian champion. He is thus the best in Norway in the fast-growing pumptrack cycling sport. – It’s kind of cool to be able to say that I’m Norway’s best. Pumptrack is a sub-branch of BMX. The bike used is often the same as used in both branches. In both branches, the courses are made up of balls and turns. But in the pump track course, the balls are smaller and stand closer together, and the turns are tighter. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news – I use gravity to pick up speed. I make myself as light as possible on the ball and as heavy as possible down from the ball. Building tracks in many municipalities Interest in pump track is growing in Norway. Last year, pumptrack was taken up as a branch of the Norwegian Cycling Association. Many municipalities build lanes. – There is still a small branch. But as there are less formal requirements for how a pump track track should look compared to a BMX track, there are many municipalities that create such tracks, says general secretary of the Norwegian Cycling Association Eystein Thue Stokstad. Rogaland and Østfold are the biggest environments for BMX, but pump track tracks are now also being built in municipalities with ski resorts. Håkon Fredrik Leinebø in action during the WC in Santiago, Chile. Photo: Monica Solberg-Leinebø – It is a very good learning arena for children and young people where they can learn to ride a bike and develop skills. There are many children and young people who use the courts. – It is a growth branch in cycling. Using gravity Leinebø competes in both BMX and pump track. It takes a lot of practice to get good technique. – I train every day, and I have done that for 11-12 years. I like speed and excitement. That’s why I like this so much. It was in Sandnes that it all started. There was an event where the participants jumped and rode fast on the bikes in the track that was made for the occasion. – It looked so nice that I wanted to start it right away. There was no question. – It is very intensive and heavy to cycle around the track, says Leinebø, who gasps for breath when he stops. – What are the biggest challenges with pumptrack? – It’s about staying on the bike on the track. It is full of balls and the turns are tight and the speed is high.
ttn-69
Håkon Fredrik Leinebø bets on pumptrack cycling – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
