Sports

Wetumpka native soars in MotoX competitions

By Griffin Pritchard - Sports Editor / The Wetumpka Herald
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In less than a month Wetumpka High School graduate Barry Nobles will roll back onto the national stage in search of his first professional world championship. In 2003, the 2005 WHS graduate, hoisted the world crown as an amateur competing on Australian soil.

“Winning the World’s as an amateur was exciting,” said Nobles. “It’s probably my greatest accomplishment as an amateur.”

This year, as a professional BMX racer, Nobles will compete for the crown in Taiyuan, China.

“If I can go out and win the World’s this weekend, then I’ll have a chance to compete in the time trials in Chula Vista, Calif., June 14. The winner of that gets the No. 2 slot on the Olympic team.”

This is the first year that the Summer Olympics will feature BMX racing.

But looking towards Beijing in August is looking too far into the future. Nobles said his current goal is continuing the success that he’s had in recent races.

“I race in a league in Florida and actually the Florida Championship as a No. 1 professional this past weekend,” Nobles said.

He is currently ranked No.5 in the eastern division standings ababmx.com.

Nobles began his fascination with competitive bike riding as a child.

“I started when I was young,” said Nobles. “I’d go to a track at Lagoon Park in Montgomery and ride there. But they tore it down. I found another track in Birmingham and that brought me to where I am today.”

Nobles competed all throughout high school and won his first world championship as a sophomore at Wetumpka High School.

“All of my friends, my best friends are BMX riders now,” said Nobles. “I still have some of the kids from high school that I stay in touch with but most of the guys that I knew, that I spent time with were in other states.”

Nobles said that his fiance is even a racer.

After competing for most of 2007 with a damaged knee, Nobles has made an impact in every race he’s competed in one year later.

“I hurt my knee in January of 2007 and rode most of that season with a brace on it,” Nobles said. “It’s frustrating at times though. Especially now that it’s healing. You’ll have good days where it won’t bother you one bit and then bad days where it stays tights and won’t get loose.”

As a professional, Nobles competed and finished races in Daytona, Coral Springs, the Highlands, Jacksonville, The Emerald Coast and the St. Cloud Championship.

Aside from the knee injury at the start of last year, Nobles said that he hasn’t had any major injuries in a while.

“Knock on wood,” Nobles jokingly responded. “During one wreck I hit my head on the ground, had a seizure and broke my wrist all at the same time.”

He’s also broken his collarbone and an ankle.

“You’ve got to stay healthy to succeed in this sport,” Nobles said.

Bumps and bruises are par for the course, so is travel.

Nobles will left his Ft. Lauderdale apartment to compete in New Mexico Friday. From there he will return to south Florida only to repack, crash and then board a plane that is non-stop from New York to Beijing. Once inside China, Nobles will board another plane that will carry him to the racetown of Taiyuan.

He’s also traveled to compete in Australia and Amsterdam in his career.

While the locals may change for Nobles, the training regime sometimes doesn’t.

“But that’s when you find little ways to change up your workout,” Nobles said. “That way you don’t get burned out when you train.”

To prepare for a race, Nobles said that he will train twice a day - morning and evening.

“With me traveling, that gives my body a chance to recuperate and rest,” Nobles said. “I’ll compete in New Mexico, fly home and then get ready for China.”

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