BMX NORA Cup Award – BMX Action Reader Poll Trophy

The BMX NORA Cup (Number One Rider Award) stands as one of the most prestigious and culturally significant honors in the history of BMX. Established in the late 1970s by BMX Action Magazine (BMXA), the NORA Cup was unique in that it was decided by the readers—the riders, fans, and core community that defined the sport during its formative years.

Unlike sanctioned race titles or governing body championships, the NORA Cup represented something far more personal: recognition by the BMX community itself. Readers of BMXA would cast their votes annually to determine the most influential and dominant riders across multiple categories, including freestyle, racing, and overall performance. This made the NORA Cup one of the earliest examples of a grassroots, rider-driven award system in action sports.

During BMX’s explosive growth in the late 1970s and 1980s, BMX Action Magazine served as the primary voice of the sport. As a result, the NORA Cup became a benchmark of cultural relevance, often reflecting not just race results, but style, innovation, personality, and influence. Riders who earned a NORA Cup were not only winning on the track or in freestyle—they were shaping the direction of BMX itself.

The award’s origins within BMXA also highlight the magazine’s role as a central hub of BMX identity, where media, riders, and fans intersected. In many ways, the NORA Cup helped define what it meant to be the “best” in BMX during an era before formalized global rankings and digital media.