CALDWELL, Idaho — About 500 riders are competing in this year’s Gem State National, a national bike competition that’s part of USA BMX Nationals, bringing riders from across the country to the Caldwell BMX track.

“It’s a sport that’s different from any other, like a team sport. You can be on teams, but it’s an individual sport,” said Jen Hill, president of the Idaho BMX Board.

Among the competitors is 15-year-old Hope Anderson, who has been racing for 7 years after starting BMX when she was 8 years old.

“This is my home track, so I ride here weekly, so I’m really excited you know riding on the home turf, so I’m definitely very confident and really excited going into the weekend,” said Anderson.

Anderson, who has several sponsors and rides for FLY Racing, will be competing in multiple events throughout the weekend.

“I’m doing the pro-am so it’s the pros and the amateurs, but the class I race the most is the 15-16 girl expert class,” said Anderson.

After the Gem State Nationals, many riders will continue on the national circuit with hopes of making it to “Grams,” which is essentially the Super Bowl of BMX racing.

For Anderson, mental preparation is just as important as physical training.

“I think having the mental strength to push through that and be ready to train every day and take that training into your laps, I think you need to be mentally tough to continue that,” said Anderson.

The Gem State Nationals will continue throughout the weekend, with events starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday at the Caldwell BMX track.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Attorneys for a man accused of killing four University of Idaho students have asked that his trial be delayed, citing in part a recent NBC “Dateline” special that they called prejudicial toward Bryan Kohberger and a need for additional time to prepare his defense.

The filing dated Tuesday said moving forward with an August trial would infringe upon Kohberger’s constitutional rights. It said attorneys need more time to review discovery, complete investigations and prepare for trial.

There was no immediate ruling on the request, which comes days after the judge overseeing the case, Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler, said he wanted to identify anyone who may have violated a gag order by leaking information from the investigation to news organizations or anyone else not directly involved with the case.

Hippler last week ordered prosecutors and defense attorneys to provide a list of everyone who might have had access to the previously unreported information about Kohberger’s internet search history and other details that were featured in the “Dateline” episode that aired May 9.

Kohberger’s attorneys raised concerns about the special and an upcoming book on the case set for release in mid-July. Their filing states the blurb for the book “suggests that the apparent Dateline leak was not the only violation of this Court’s non-dissemination order.”

“A continuance is necessary to fully investigate the leaks and to mitigate the prejudicial effects of such inflammatory pretrial publicity occurring so close to the current trial date,” the filing said.

Kohberger, 30, a former graduate student in criminal justice at Washington State University, is charged in the stabbing deaths of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. The four were found dead in a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 13, 2022.

A not-guilty plea was entered on Kohberger’s behalf. Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

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