Following an explanation of BMX Freestyle’s Flatland format, we take a look at Park, which also features on the programme of the 2026 UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup. The first round will take place in Montpellier, France, on 13-17 May.
BMX Freestyle - Park is truly spectacular, with riders and their bikes flying several metres into the air while performing spins, flips and tricks on a course filled with ramps and obstacles. Part of the Olympic Games since Tokyo 2020, the spectacular BMX Freestyle format sees athletes launch themselves over giant ramps on bikes with 20-inch wheels.
Fast, creative and visually explosive, it combines athletic skill with personal style. Riders are judged on how difficult, original and clean their tricks are. Behind every run is years of practice, precision and control.
The competition format
In BMX Park competitions, the focus is on tricks and creativity rather than racing. High speeds are only used to fly higher, not to get somewhere faster.
Competitions take place in a specially designed park filled with obstacles such as quarterpipes, box jumps, spines, walls and step ups.
Riders use these features to build momentum and perform tricks in the air or while moving around the course. Each athlete performs timed runs – usually around one minute – during which they aim to link together their best tricks and most creative lines. UCI events have one-minute runs for both Men and Women, and everything shown in those 60 seconds counts towards a score of the run.
Judges score riders based on difficulty, execution, style, originality, flow, height and amplitude. The goal isn’t simply to do the hardest tricks possible. Riders must also make their runs look smooth, controlled and creative. A well-timed run will end just before the buzzer goes off at the 60-second mark.
The tricks
BMX Park is famous for its aerial tricks, such as backflips, frontflips, tailwhips, barspins, 360s and flairs.
Many tricks involve rotating both the rider and the bike at the same time – often several metres above the ramp. It can always get more difficult by adding different tricks to standard moves. The height of the tricks performed as well as their extension and execution all count towards the points received from the judges.
The beauty of BMX Park is that at each competition you are likely to see tricks that have never been shown before. Athletes are always aiming to push the riding to another level.
But BMX Park is not only about big tricks. Riders are also judged on how they use the course. Choosing creative lines – the route a rider takes through the park – is an important part of competition. The best athletes find unique ways to connect obstacles while maintaining speed and flow throughout the run.
Get an idea by watching highlights of last year’s UCI World Championships for BMX Freestyle – Park, which were part of the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The bike
BMX Park bikes may look simple, but they’re specially designed to handle hard landings and repeated impacts. Of extemely strong construction, they feature 20-inch wheels, a compact frame, and single-speed gearing.
They have no suspension: riders rely entirely on body control, balance and technique to absorb shocks. The bikes are designed to be highly manoeuvrable in the air, allowing riders to spin the handlebars, frame and body freely during tricks.
The creativity
No two riders perform exactly the same way. Some athletes focus on massive jumps and technical combinations. Others are known for smooth style, originality or creative use of the course. There are no imposed tricks.
That individuality is deeply rooted in BMX culture. BMX Park grew from skateparks and street riding during the 1980s and 1990s, when riders began experimenting with tricks and transitions in urban environments. Over time, dedicated BMX parks and international competitions helped it evolve, become more professional, and develop a global appeal. Today, BMX Park retains a strong connection to creativity, self-expression and progression. Riders are constantly inventing new tricks and pushing the limits of what is possible.
The Olympic Games
BMX Park reached a historic milestone when it made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021. It became the first judged cycling discipline ever included in the Olympic programme, and helped introduce BMX Park to a huge global audience.
It was an eye-opener for many viewers, who praised the creativity, intensity and non-stop action of the runs. Online discussions during the Games frequently described the sport as “insane” and one of the most entertaining Olympic events to watch.
Olympic competition also helped the growth of BMX Park worldwide with the construction of new parks and the appearance of more female riders. Since the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) officially integrated BMX Freestyle Park into its regulations, the discipline has expanded rapidly, with more international competitions, more participating nations and a significant increase in women’s participation.
The difficulty
Watching Elite riders in action can make BMX Park look effortless. The reality is very different. Athletes must combine speed, timing, spatial awareness, courage, balance, and technical precision.
Every jump requires split-second judgement. Rotating too slowly or landing slightly off-balance can end a run. Riders must think several obstacles ahead while travelling at high speed. Progression also takes patience. Learning a single trick can take months or even years. And because the sport evolves so quickly, athletes constantly need to develop new combinations and techniques to remain competitive.
The attraction
BMX Freestyle - Park has become hugely popular due to its blend of sport, creativity and entertainment. The spectacle – giant jumps and gravity-defying tricks – is combined with style, imagination and individuality. For the athletes, BMX Park is a culture and a lifestyle built around progression, expression and community. For spectators, it is exciting, unpredictable and pure entertainment.