HIGH ACHIEVERS: National silver-medallist Kaiser cycling brothers on track for BMX success

By Martin Cleary

The National Capital region has produced a number of elite cyclists over the years, including Gord Fraser, Linda Jackson, Michael Woods and Derek Gee.

If you look closely, they have one thing in common. They put their heart and soul into the road racing discipline of the sport to discover their road to success.

Ottawa hasn’t known quite as much success internationally in other cycling disciplines, but a pair of brothers are hoping to change that as they emerge onto the global stage in BMX racing.

Quietly and confidently, Jakob and Zakary Kaiser have been building their reputations in BMX (Bicycle Motocross) against Canadian and American riders over the past several years and occasionally challenging the best in the world at World Cup meets and world championships.

BMX has been a part of the Ottawa sports scene for many years. But the fast and furious Olympic discipline has gone about its business unassumingly behind the scenes of its higher-profile peers.

The Kaiser brothers are giving the local BMX culture some positive exposure as they have teamed with the Nepean BMX Club and the American-based Long’s Sport Group to excel at national and continental levels, which has allowed them to get experiences on the world platform.

On Sunday, they will continue their BMX journey, which could someday lead them to the Summer Olympics, when they travel to a World Cup competition in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Jakob is 18 and Zakary is 17, but they will both race in the men’s U23 category.

Way back when they had just graduated from the toddler stage, the Kaisers were introduced to BMX racing in Quebec City by Zakary’s godmother, who had a son involved in that aspect of cycling. When they went to the track to take in the racing and environment, they were instantly hooked on BMX.

They started racing at around seven years old, experienced the bumps, bruises and injuries, but also savoured the thrill of some podium successes at local and provincial races.

For the past three years, they have immersed themselves in BMX. Jakob completed the final two years of high school online and has continued on that path into his second year of police foundations at Algonquin College.

Zakary, a Grade 12 student, is in his third year of high school online learning.

Online education has allowed the brothers to put more time into BMX for training, travel and competitions.

At six feet, two inches and 190 pounds, Zakary has the proper build for moving his small bike over bumpy courses and around tight corners. He also has a competitive attitude fit for the combative races.

“I don’t like to lose. And I don’t like to lose to certain people and, if I lose, it makes me mad,” Zakary said in a phone interview this week. “I have ADHD and I want most things to be perfect. I push myself to the limits.

“I enjoy BMX. It’s dangerous, exciting, I like going fast and the adrenaline. It gives me a purpose.”

When Jakob moves into the five- or eight-metre-high starting gates to attack a course, which he would complete in about 30 to 35 seconds, he shifts into ‘a zone’ for full concentration.

“When I’m on the track, it’s all about me. I go fast. There’s the adrenaline, the strategy. And it’s fun to race,” he explained. “When I race, I focus. It sounds cliché, but you get lost in what you do. I love it.”

For the past four years, the Kaisers have elevated their game by being named to the Long’s Sport Group team, coached by Donavon Long.

“He taught us what hard work is and has given us so much opportunity with sponsorship, bikes, clothes, jerseys and helmets,” Jakob continued.

The Kaiser brothers have transferred their hard work into results over the past three years.

In the lead-up to their World Cup meets in Argentina next week, the Kaisers have continued to achieve their goals this season.

Zakary reached his goal of making the national team by being the top Canadian at the 17- and 18-year-old level during a World Cup race in Rock Hill, South Carolina, which is just outside Charlotte.

Wearing Canadian colours, he raced the World Cup in Papendal, The Netherlands and finished 49th and 59th in a pair of men’s U23 big hill races, using the eight-metre-high starting gates. At his world championship debut in Copenhagen, Denmark, he was disappointed with his 18th-place result in the rainy men’s junior race.

Jakob, who was third overall in the Canada Cup men’s U23 series with one second-place finish and a pair of fourths, also raced in the Papendal World Cup, finishing 131st in a field of 150 riders.

“It was very tough,” he explained. “There were a lot of Europeans and they’re older than me. I’m in my first year in the U23 group. They’re men and I’m a young man. They’ve had more time to grow, get faster and be stronger.”

At the recent Canadian championships, Zakary and Jakob finished second in their respective junior and U23 class finals.

Based on their results this season, Zakary is ranked 14th in the world and Jakob is No. 44.

At the 2024 world championships, Zakary earned a bronze medal in the final in the boys’ 16-year-old class, after spending several weeks training at the Rock Hill track. He won all three of his preliminary races and, when rain cancelled the final day of racing, officials determined he was the third-place finisher.

Last year, Jakob had a big breakthrough in his final year of junior by not only qualifying for Grands (the Grand National finals), but also surviving the long process of reaching the final through elimination races. In the end, he placed a remarkable eighth.

“There were 120 of the best riders (at the start) and I made it to the top eight,” Jakob explained. “That was a dream come true. When I crossed the line third or fourth in my semifinal, I made it (the final). I hugged my dad. He was dumbfounded and I almost started to cry.”

Jakob felt that result was a reward for all the pain he endured over the previous year. He broke his shoulder in a practice session 10 days before he was scheduled to fly to Papendal for a 2023 World Cup race. Then he recovered.

That was followed by a broken scaphoid bone in his left hand, more recovery, then a broken scaphoid in his right hand and still more recovery.

“There was so much hardship it felt like it (Grands) was the reward for (enduring) it,” he said. “And I still managed to make it. It meant the world to me. I finally had a positive on my side.”

Right after his third injury, he wanted to quit BMX all together.

“I looked at my mom and said I can’t do this anymore,” he admitted. “I was just going through the initial shock. I was with my girlfriend and my mom and it was a real hardship to do recovery again.

“Having them by my side helped my recovery. My head was feeling better. I was willing to do it again.”

The Kaisers have the same goal entering next week’s World Cup in Argentina – reach the quarterfinals.

“If I do that, I’ll be ecstatic,” Jakob admitted, which was seconded by Zakary.