Important Brits Update
This time next week we’ll be halfway through the Brits, so it seemed like a good time to make sure everyone is up to speed with what’s going on. Apologies for the long post, but we have a fair few first timers this year and want to make sure everyone knows everything they need to know.
Jerseys and numbers will be ready for collection from myself and Suzy at the track in Manchester on Friday afternoon - we’ll let you know exactly where and when on WhatsApp and Facebook, keep your eyes open. If you’re not around on the Friday please let us know and we’ll sort out when we can get them to you.
If this is your first time doing the Brits in the South for Hayes then you’ll get a lovely blue plate along with the sticker pack for your number. If you’re an old hand then you’ll just get stickers and will need to bring the blue plastic plate you were issued with when it was your first year. If this has been lost/broken/frisbeeed into a bush at Cyclopark in a fit of rage, you need to buy a new one. Get yourself over to Moto1 and sort it out here:
https://www.moto1bmxplates.co.uk/products/south-region-bmx-brits-plate-2026
Friday practice is organised by the host club, you must book and pay to take part. Advance booking here: https://www.manchesterbmx.co.uk/event-details/manchester-bmx-brits-friday-practice-2026
…or you can pay on the day.
12 and unders are from 15:00 to 16:05; 13 to 16 year olds are from 16:10 to 17:15; 17 and overs are 17:20 to 18:25; championship classes are 18:30 to 18:55.
You can wear whatever jersey you want for Friday practice, but you must have your Brits number on your bike, including side plates.
Doing a lap in Friday practice should register you for the event if your transponder is working but please check Sqorz to make sure you’re signed in.
Racing is from midday on Saturday for 12 and unders and cruisers, and from 10am on Sunday for 13 and overs on 20”.
On Saturday morning there is a practice session for everyone, which will also register your presence. For these ones you MUST wear your South jersey. The Saturday session is split by region rather than age, we’ll let you know once the South time slots are confirmed but it’ll be about an hour long and start some time between 8:30 and 10:40. Taking part will also register your bike.
Sunday warm-up is by class: 8:30 to 09:25 for most of you, 9:30 to 9:50 for superclass, championship women and juniors. And again this will register your bike.
If you don’t want to (or can’t) take part in any of the practice or warm ups, registration is open at the BC trailer from 15:00 to 19:00 on Friday, 8:30 to 11:15 on Saturday, and 8:35 to 9:15 on Sunday.
After the Quarter finals on Sunday we have the parade! Some people love it, some hate it, but this year the South’s theme is “Hawaiian / under the sea”. It’s open to riders, parents, siblings, anyone really, just wear something theme-related and vaguely blue and you’ll be fine. The regional running order will be confirmed closer to the time, again we’ll let you know on this group once we know what’s happening. You don’t have to take part if you don’t want to!
Gazebos are grouped by region, the South area is alongside the final straight (next door to the north). Every club brings a gazebo and pitches them all together, in theory you can sit yourself anywhere in the “village”, not just in the Hawks bit, although people genrerally gravitate to their own club area. Please be mindful of space - the weather forecast for the weekend is currently… Mancunian, so don’t force riders out into the rain by bringing chairs for the entire family and a supplies trolley fit for an expedition to the South Pole.
If you’re camping, the site is open from 11am on Friday. Spot-saving is officially frowned upon so please try and arrive early if you want to pitch up with the rest of the Hawks crowd.
The event tech guide is here, any TBC details will be updated once confirmed.
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/BritishChamps_Event_Manual_24.07.2026.pdf
If this is your first time at the Brits and you’ve only ridden regionals before the sheer size of the event can be a bit overwhelming. Take some time to explore the site and take it all in, it’s great fun once you get going. For practice and on race days allow plenty of time to get into the pens, Saturday will have about 3 times as many riders as the average South regional.
Lots of other people have been there before so don’t hesitate to just grab someone and ask for advice, there are no stupid questions apart from the ones you decide not to ask.
I think that’s everything. If nothing else you just need to remember two very important things:
1. To collect your shirt and number and have the number on your bike in time before you go to practice.
2. To have fun, on and off the bike.
See you in Manchester!
