Racing returned with a roar on Sunday as thousands of spectators gathered at Coney Island Park for the Pink Sands Scrambling motocross competition—an event the Government is hailing as a resounding “success.”
The buzz of motocross racing made a thrilling comeback at Coney Island Park on Sunday, providing nostalgic scenes for many Bermudians. It had been more than two decades since the venue last hosted racing, and its revival drew thousands of spectators.
The Pink Sands Scrambling motocross competition, organized by Jyire Mitchell, saw over 80 local and international riders competing for cash prizes in a family-friendly atmosphere.
Following the event, Lt. Col. David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, had nothing but praise for the organizers.
“I think it was better than my wildest dreams. It was well-organized and a tremendous success. I think that it proves you can do things differently in a space, return it to its natural state, and not cause any lasting damage,” Minister Burch said.
In the lead-up to the competition, plans to temporarily transform the National Park into a racetrack drew objections from environmentalists. However, Minister Burch supported Mr. Mitchell’s proposal, emphasizing the balance between opportunity and environmental responsibility.
He added that Coney Island Park is now in “better shape than it was before the event,” with organizers restoring its condition and taking the opportunity to clean up two decades of pollution from the lagoon.
On the cultural impact, Minister Burch highlighted how the event brought generations together to celebrate a key part of Bermuda’s history and identity.
“It’s a place of peace, and I think it’s because you insert young people into the equation who are racing, and in many instances, are supported by their fathers. And so, it’s a whole knock-on effect of familial and friendly benefits that come from motocross in the country. I just think it’s a tremendous compliment to their effort that you could have 8,000 people together and not one incident. Everybody operated on the basis that we’re here to watch motocross and motocross only,” he said.
While overcoming scrutiny from environmentalists was one challenge, it wasn’t the only hurdle Mr. Mitchell faced in bringing his vision to life. His planning application required checking additional boxes, which Minister Burch consulted on him with.
Looking forward, Minister Burch hopes the success of this event will inspire other young entrepreneurs to pursue their ideas.
“I hope that other young people, having seen his experience… because when I got to him, he was a little discouraged because he’d been told no at the first hurdle. And I just think that we, as a country, need to transition from being transient and say, yeah, we’ll explore just about anything. Some of the answers will be no, we can’t do it. But I suspect that a majority of them will actually be yes, and we’ll have this type of success on a number of fronts,” Minister Burch said.
Premier David Burt, who attended the event, echoed this sentiment, describing it as a “remarkable showcase of Bermudian talent and community spirit” and “a perfect example of what can happen when bold ideas are supported, which the government was proud to do.”
