This is one of the few trophies I kept from over 500 BMX and motocross trophies from racing 1976 to 1986, from an International we did in France 1981. While the engraving shows the date - 26th July 1981 - I often wondered where the race was held, but it seemed a heck of a long drive.
Anyway looking through the excellent Previous Page (opens in new window) BMX archive, which hosts scans of hundreds of BMX magazines, I came an across a news piece in Official BMX No.5, 1981.
I know we all met at the Jarvis's house and went on the ferry from there and as the article says it was long drive, the report reveals that race was actually held in Beaune, not far from Lyon (where the indoor Euros were held in 1982) in eastern France, towards the Swiss border, 370 miles or thereabouts from Calais. I don't remember much from the trip, we all piled into the van and off we went, I assume my dad drove me and Robinson team-mate Fenwick Carr down. As for the race itself I recall it was hard and fast and in the final it was essentially me vs Addie Van Der Ven (on Torker as it happens), SE Racing's John Hutelin was also there. There are no photos from the event unfortunately, Bi-cross magazine (also featured in Previous Page) only started in 1982*
UPDATE! I just found a piece about the event in Gerrit Does' brilliant and comprehensive University of BMX (opens in new window) archive, with three photos I've never seen before, including one of Gerrit! I should've looked there first. According to Gerrit this was the second ever international BMX race.
July 26th, 2nd. time an international BMX event was organized in Beaune - France.
Present among others John Hutelin a USA SE factory rider from Florida, who stayed at my house for some time and we brought him to France. Besides John, racers were present from 5 countries: 66 riders from Holland, 22 from Belgium, 6 from England and 3 from Spain. There were around 100 French riders competing.
The day before the races we went to a vineyard with, amongst others, John Hutelin. The owner explained how wine was made and of course we had to test and taste the wine. One has to sip the wine, not drink it all. Well John Hutelin didn't and every time he drunk the whole class. At the time we had to go out for dinner, you could say he was drunk. The worst thing is that while we were eating dinner at a restaurant, John had to throw up but could not get away from the table. So, he did his thing just under the table. The others sitting there were very surprised, we picked up our plates and sat down at another table. John was "out" for the rest of the evening and felt very ashamed the next day. The race itself, however, was a success for John!
The same trophy as mine, but with a BEAUNE sticker. I don't remember peeling it off, maybe I did, maybe not all came with them. Either way, I'm pround to have won the second ever International BMX race.
Me and my dad, Arthur Woods, Redditch taken two weeks earlier, 12th July 1981, for the Anglo-American Cup (see excerpt from Official BMX below). Above photo by Chuck Robinson.
Alan Woods
February 2026
