A top BMX rider who has fought his way back from a major spinal injury is to compete in the sport’s world championships with help from geospatial data services provider ODCGIS.
Under their partnership agreement, the Oxfordshire-based company is contributing towards the costs of Michael Whittaker’s travel and accommodation so he can represent Britain at the UCI BMX World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, in July 2026.
Mike, 44, a chartered building engineer who works as a drove surveyor at Manchester Drone Surveys, said:
“ODCGIS are one of two principal sponsors who are partnering on costs. Without them I wouldn’t be going. What really resonates with me about the support from ODCGIS is our shared mindset. In BMX racing, success is built on preparation, attention to detail and constant improvement."
“The same can be said for the work ODCGIS do every day, taking complex information, analysing it properly and helping organisations move forward with clarity and confidence.Their backing means a huge amount to me. I’m extremely proud to have their name on the front of my race garments as part of this campaign.”
The link with ODCGIS came about because of a family connection that the firm’s Director of Operations Rick Thompson has with Mike’s BMX club. Rick said:
“This is the first time we have been a sponsor of an elite sports competitor. We’re thrilled to be on board with Mike and we wish him all the very best as he continues to prepare for Brisbane in the coming months."
“We know that his road to the championships has not been the easiest one, so it’s especially satisfying to have the opportunity to support him.”
After taking up BMX racing seriously in his early 40s, Mike suffered a severe injury that resulted in a spinal fracture. After a gruelling recovery he returned to the track in 2025 to compete at a regional and national level. Despite racing parts of last season with a broken hand, he is currently ranked third in the sport’s North Region and seventh in the UK nationally.
More than 3,000 BMX riders from around the world are due to compete on the 400-metre race track at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane from 22 to 28 July.
Australia previously hosted the UCI BMX World Championships in Adelaide in 2009, meaning this will be the first time in 17 years that the country has held the event.
Mike, who will compete in the 40-44 Cruiser category, describes his forthcoming participation as the ‘pinnacle’ of his BMX journey. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said.
“I believed the chance to reach the highest level of a sport had passed me by. The fact that hard work and perseverance have opened this door at 44 is something I can’t walk away from. The cost of travelling to Australia makes it impossible to do alone and that’s why I’m so grateful for the support from ODCGIS and my other sponsors.”
Mike added: “As well as being an honour and a privilege, representing my country at a world championship will help me promote BMX in a positive light, particularly for adults, parents and those who believe it’s ‘too late’ to start something new after a certain age.”
The sport of BMX began in southern California during the early seventies when groups of young riders modified their road bikes to try and imitate the motocross heroes they saw on TV. They would create dirt tracks in their gardens and neighbourhoods to perform stunts and race one another.
By the late seventies, the influence of BMX was extending to other countries. The first official British BMX race took place in Redditch, in the West Midlands, in 1980.
The sport has two main disciplines in the UK: racing and freestyle. While the first focuses on speed, acceleration and winning races on dirt tracks, freestyle is more about creativity, show and performance.
BMX saw a renewed surge in popularity in the UK after a freestyle category was introduced during the Tokyo Olympics of 2020.
