Don’t be fooled by 13-year-old Sienna Pita’s quietly shy demeanor; once she hits the BMX track, she becomes a whirlwind of speed and intensity in her pink gear on her blue bike.
It’s been three years since Pita’s cousins, who are also BMX racers, took her out riding. According to her mother, Kristina Pita, she enjoyed it so much that once she started, she never wanted to stop. Pita is one of 25 members on the Santa Maria Elks BMX team, which participates in track races up and down the state.
During competition, she races eight laps per day on two different bikes. She rides a 20-inch bike (the number refers to tire size) and a 24-inch bike, also known as a cruiser. The difference in bike size creates different levels of difficulty when it comes to racing. Even though BMX involves more racing than tricks, Pita can perform as she tears it up on the track.
“My favorite trick that I am learning to do is called a whip,” Pita said.
In the BMX world, “a whip” is when the tail end of the bike whips around the handlebars while the rider’s body is suspended above the bike. It’s risky, but it’s a head-turner.Santa Maria Track Director Scott McMann loves that Pita is a part of his team. Last year, she was instrumental in winning the state championship.
“We have to pick five at every state race to represent the team,” McMann said. “We almost always pick Sienna because she is a guaranteed win.”
The team practices twice a week on the track at the Unocal Elks Rodeo center, but for Pita, that’s not enough time to do what she loves. During her free time, she can be found riding her bike all over Santa Maria.
As of right now, her team is competing in the state competition, a series of 12 races throughout California. Currently, Pita is ranked No. 1 in the state and is looking to take home another championship title. Pita and the team will race again on July 8 and 9 in Prunedale.
Pita wants to join the Junior Development program next year, the first step toward reaching the professional BMX circuit.
In her own quiet way, Pita is racing toward her goal with “Tazmanian” speed—and nothing is going to stop her.
This article appears in Jun 30 – Jul 7, 2011.