Red Bull X-Fighters Mag - Dubai 2011 by Red Bull X-Fighters

e ial e Thic zin f a of ag

the ride of your life! the biggest, baddest red bull x-fighters tour ever revs up for 2011!

www.redbullxfighters.com

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

Cover photography: Daniel Kolodin for Global-Newsroom; PHOTOGRAPHY: Andreas Schaad for Global-Newsroom

WildRide!

The recipe is simple: take 12 of the finest Freestyle Motocross riders in the world, add six of the most spectacular locations on the planet and a purpose-built playground of dirt and steel in each, stir in some of the most eye-popping and gravitydefying tricks imaginable and mix well. The result? The world’s most adrenalin-fuelled, high-octane sport – an action-packed blend of high-tech, highskill riding and the gladiatorial spirit and pageantry of bullfighting. From the ancient pyramids of Egypt to the Eternal City of Rome, from the heart of London to the bullrings of Spain and Mexico, Red Bull X-Fighters has over the past 10 years thrilled hundreds of thousands. Now 2011 is set to even bigger and better. With rounds in Dubai, Brasilia, Rome, Madrid, Warsaw and Sydney, this year’s Tour is going to be the most intense and truly global yet. Welcome to the wild, wild world of Red Bull X-Fighters!

Conte nts the best action from the 2010 Tour 04 Camera Tricks a look back at some of of the world’s foremost FMX competition pment develo the g Tracin Far 12 The Story So Nate Adams sealed back-to-back title champ ters X-Figh Bull Red uction 14 Double Destr fight to the man they call The Destroyer? the take anyone Can year. last Rome wins in event. are automatically invited to each 2011 20 Six of the Best Last year’s top six ’s Club Each event also sees six of the planet Fight The 23 ozen half-d vil darede the Meet a Trick the pre-qualified top six. 26 Anatomy of highest-ranked riders take the fight to to land a Ruler Flip 28 slick tricks Your FMX star Levi Sherwood explains just how each year 34 The Gear The kit is simple but guide to the tricks to look out for this X-Fighters t and safety 36 The Director Red Bull element is crucial to a rider’s comfor on info expect this year 42 The Rules The Key Sporting Director Tes Sewell on what to a global phenomenon is ters X-Figh Bull Red ght spotli the how the series works 44 In year’s Global Playgr ound Your guide to this 46 Results How the 2010 Tour finished 48 Red Bull X-Fighters’ coverage from best the get to How ts Contac Tour stops 50 Media

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS tour 2011

e h t f o t r a e h

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS tour 2011 Spain’s Dany Torres celebrates victory at last season’s final round in Rome.

! n o i t c a

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi for Global-Newsroom

s the Bull X-Fighters Tour see Every stop on the Red r eve of rse cou the r ove d up adrenalin levels cranke rter qua no re’s ead battles. The more intense head-to-h gest big ir the out g brin rs ride given or received as the ress to fire up the fans and imp and best tricks in a bid duels the r Tou r’s yea t las on p the judges. At every sto no toughest ever seen, and proved to be some of the top step the to im cla r ula reg one rider was able to lay ant that as the Tour of the podium. It just me wilder, the showmanship progressed the runs got With tricks bigger than ever. more elaborate and the 2011 h, hig e tim allan at the standard of tricks now re amazing experience. should be and even mo

PHOTOGRAPHY: Andreas Schaad for Global-Newsroom

, spain location / madrid ood rid er / levi sherw

ber Kid in honour of his The rider they call Rub year. ns was a revelation last ama zing trick extensio young New the , don Lon and w With wins in Mosco an rse for a first title until Zealander looked on cou Rome. The in nd rou l fina the of injury ruled him out erstar ugh: Sherwood is a sup message was clear, tho ing off big pull es tinu con he if in the mak ing, and could Stripper Flip then 2011 tricks like this ama zing ic. her tosp stra s be the year Levi goe

ly troyer, and it was cer tain They call him The Des ered to his pow ms Ada e Nat as r the case last yea ently ers Tour title by consist second Red Bull X-Fight Flip out Boy y Laz this like ks dragging huge tric es. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the metronomic of his vast arsenal of mov ms is able to do this Ada ch whi consistency with -back championship k-to bac him that has earned wds such as those in cro of n latio wins and the adu The Destroyer can now ). left low (be r Madrid last yea technician in Red Bull ate ultim the g lay claim to bein invention to resist the e hav he s doe X-Fighters . But such as Swiss star ls, riva est clos his the challenge of will tell. time ly On )? left , ove Mat Rebeaud (ab

PHOTOGRAPHY: Daniel Grund, joerg mitter, andreas schaad (all for for Global-Newsroom)

yp t Location / giza , Eg Rid er / Nate adams

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS tour 2011

, spain location / madrid on rid er / robbie maddis

PHOTOGRAPHY: Daniel Grund for Global-Newsroom

ers boy for Red Bull X-Fight If ever there’s a poster son is it. Bringing ddi Ma bie Rob star then Australian paration, big-tricking a mix ture of studious pre boyant showmanship to flam and s the competitivenes it takes to challenge for all has do Mad every round, upped the game by he , drid Ma in r yea t Tour title. Las par ty Volt body varial, to the bringing a new trick, the e on the night. He agn mp cha the him and it earned to the victorious spirit through wasn’t able to carry that a different stor y. be to e sur is 1 201 but final rounds ,

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

jump through time!

From a single battle to a world-spanning series featuring the very best freestyle riders on the planet, Red Bull X-Fighters has come a long way. Here’s how…

2006 2006. After a glut of US wins, 2006 sees a

new European star born as Swiss rider Mat Rebeaud beats Pastrana in Mexico. Rebeaud eventually finishes third behind winner Pastrana and Nate Adams, but it’s clear a new era of internationalism beckons. Time to go global.

2001

July day when some of world’s best FMX riders gather in the historic bullring of Valencia, Spain. With echoes of Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls – 100 white-clad volunteers are herded into the arena by the FMX stars –Mike Jones is screamed on to victory by a fanatical crowd. The template is set.

2002. Following the success of the Valencia event, Red Bull X-Fighters migrates to Madrid’s legendary Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, for wilder tricks and bigger air. More than 23,000 fans cram into the iconic venue to see local hero Edgar Torronteras take his revenge on inaugural winner Jones.

2007. The first World Tour takes off in 2007,

2007 2002

2008

2003

2009

2004. Madrid hosts the only event of ’04, but a

2004

2010

2005. With crowds rising in the Red Bull X-Fighters heartland of Spain the decision is taken to go international. Given its bullfighting heritage, Mexico’s vast Plaza de Toros in Mexico City is the obvious destination and here Ronnie Renner dominates what is fast becoming FMX’s most exciting series. 12

2008. The beast keeps growing. Across a five-stop season, taking in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Fort Worth in the US, Madrid, Oeteslhofen, Germany, and the season finale in Warsaw, Rebeaud is imperious, taking three wins from the first four Tour events to seal title victory before the final round. 2009. The biggest Tour yet sees Red Bull X-Fighters invade Mexico, the US, Spain and, for the first time, Canada and the UK. And despite the discovery of wonder kid Levi Sherwood, who wins at his first attempt in Mexico, it’s Nate Adams who eventually seizes the overall title, victories in Calgary and London and second in Madrid landing him the crown ahead of friend and California neighbour Robbie Maddison.

2003. Bigger and better, as both Valencia and Madrid feature. Kenny Bartram rules at both locations, twice relegating fellow American Nate Adams to second position. new legend is born when Travis Pastrana takes his first title ahead of Nate Adams and Ronnie Renner. “Red Bull X-Fighters is more fun than any other event. The atmosphere is unique,” the new champion confesses. It’s about to become even more special…

with events in Mexico, Ireland and, once again, in its spiritual home, Madrid. It’s here that Travis Pastrana takes another title, blitzing the finale after also taking victory in Ireland to claim his title back from Rebeaud.

2005

2010. For the 10th Tour, Red Bull X-Fighters

goes even bigger. As well as the established cities of Mexico City and Madrid, the series stages wild events at some of the world’s most iconic locations, including Egypt’s Great Pyramids on the Giza Plateau, Moscow’s incredible Red Square and concludes in Rome, the Eternal City. The dominance of Nate Adams looks eternal too, as the ’09 champ seizes a second title on the bounce. Can anyone stop The Destroyer in 2011?

PHOTOGRAPHY: Global-Newsroom, Red Bull Content Pool

2001. Red Bull X-Fighters is born on a steaming

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world TOUR 2011

Stealth Fighter

PHOTOGRAPHY: Joerg Mitter for Global-Newsroom

Nate Adams didn’t win a single round of Red Bull Fighters last season, yet the rider they call the ‘Destroyer’ crushed the hopes of rivals by sneaking a second title in a row at the final event. With the champion vowing to battle harder for wins in 2011, can anyone compete with the series’ Mr Consistent?

Take us back to last year. Would you say consistency was the key to your second title in a row? It was a like a stealth mission in the end! Ha! Yeah, that’s how I felt after it was all said and done – stealthy! That’s a good description. Honestly, I didn‘t really think it was going to happen, me taking the championship. I hadn’t won a single event all year and I missed Madrid with a sore wrist, so, really, all I could do was stay confident in my riding. You know, if anything is consistent, it’s that people are inconsistent. Freestyle motocross is never over until it’s over. Everyone rode so great last year, I just had to trust in myself and be content, whatever the outcome. Did it help that two of your main rivals, Levi Sherwood and Robbie Maddison were not competing? Honestly, I don‘t know. Those guys are both my buddies, and I hate to see anyone get hurt. Both Robbie’s and Levi’s crashes were quite violent. Looking back, and I hate to say this, but yeah, it probably did help a little. Those guys were really on it last year! 14

What’s happened for you in the time since then? What have you been up to? A lot, and a little. I did three weeks on the Crusty Tour in Australia and did some demos, one in Monte Carlo, which was so much fun. We rode right next to these huge ballin’ yachts!! Then I did a contest in Barcelona, Spain and… I finally won an event last year! It was my only win but it felt great, ha, ha! Barcelona was my last freestyle event of the year, so I went home and got ready to try a couple rounds of AMA supercross, which didn’t really work out. It really bummed me out, and it was sort of heartbreaking, but, because my FMX season was so long, I just didn‘t have adequate time to prepare for super cross last year. I did 37 weeks of travelling last year and super cross is something I do for fun. So, instead of grinding through my off-season training and trying to race, I just threw in the towel. I’ve never given up on something so blatantly, but for some reason, it just felt so right to give up. That sounds terrible and it even sounds weird to say out loud. But I followed my heart. I just needed a rest.

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world TOUR 2011

Last year in Red Bull X-Fighters there seemed to be a real ramping up of the kind of tricks on display. It was almost a case of ‘bring something new or suffer’. Did you feel that pressure? Oh yeah, everyone did! I mean Levi is on another level with his extensions, and Sincs (Cameron Sinclair) is doing double flips in his run – it’s like Jeez, guys! So I tried to always bring something new to each round. Nothing like a double front flip or ‘fronty’, but I got onehand take off flips, 360 fender grabs, that kind of thing. So I was definitely trying to match the pace... everyone was. You have to. It’s intense. We’re seeing riders such as Jackson Strong landing tricks like the Front Flip on a regular basis now. Where does that leave you? I’m not sure, honestly. I see all these big... no, huge, tricks coming out, but it’s injuring a lot of riders. I hate being ‘casted-up’, sitting on my couch watching Red Bull X-Fighters and X Games on TV… so, we‘ll see how long it lasts. Or how long I can make it!

You carry a bit of a reputation for being the most ‘prepared’ of the riders in Red Bull X-Fighters, the one who covers all the angles at a competition. Would you say that’s an accurate assessment? Ha! Well I hope so. If it isn‘t, it sure is a nice compliment! I try to be as prepared as possible. Travelling to all these far-off countries forces everyone to plan their best. But once I fly out from LAX to Dubai, what I brought is what I brought. I can’t run down the street and find a dirt bike park, or just find a place for one more day of practice. Once I get there, it is what it is. What is your regime for an FMX event? You don’t seem like the turn up, ride, party, and then recover kind of guy. Well, before hand, practice a lot. I will have a general idea of where I think I should be in the ranking, and then I just go and ride. Each event has a different feel, so I try and go event by event and adjust where I feel I need to in the down time. Which riders are you seeing as your biggest rivals? It’s tough to say. Last year Villa and Levi really upped their game, it could be those guys again, or somebody I‘ve never even heard of. I just

cyber Rider Red Bull X-Fighters Sporting Director Tes Sewell delivers his verdict on the current Tour champion

“If you were being cruel you would say Nate is almost a robot! You can joke about him being ‘the cyborg’, that if you strip away the skin you’ll find metal and machinery underneath, but he really is that consistent, and he’s in spectacular form right now. “However, the interesting thing is he didn’t actually win an event last year. That’s the really telling thing. He is a total winner, but he didn’t take a victory. That’s what he’s got to deal with this year. The competition is intense. Having said that, he was always there and always extraordinarily consistent and you have be that to do well in Red Bull X-Fighters. “He was also slightly fortunate in that three of the top contenders, Levi Sherwood, Robbie Maddison and Eigo Sato all took themselves out through injury, and as good as Nate is, I don’t think he’ll be able to win through stealth this year. “The difficulty for him is that I believe he’s also changing bikes. He’s going to a fourstroke, which could upset things. It could be a really good thing too, though. It has more pull and he can do anything off any ramp. But it is heavier and has engine braking. It’s going to take some getting used to. Whatever happens, though, I have no doubt that he’ll be in the mix right up until the end.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi for Global-Newsroom

Supercross is obviously still important to you but it almost sounds like it might be the end of the line for you as far as that sport is concerned? Well, I might try some rounds next year, or I might just be done with it. I might just have to accept it. I don‘t want to, I’m so close to being fast enough, yet still so far. SX is a lot of work. I took my SX season (January) off, didn’t touch a dirt bike, and it did me good. I’m recharged and motivated now. I bought some Honda 450s and I’ve been loving them! So look for me on a thumper this year! But as far as SX goes, I’m really not sure where I’m going with that...

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world TOUR 2011

You’ve developed a bit of a career as a rapper outside of FMX. How’s the music going? Will it continue? It’s going good. I’ve had a great response from my first album, Life and Other Things. Obviously, I was a bit nervous about putting my music out there for everyone to hear, but the feedback has been uplifting and has given me more confidence in my music. I’ve actually been recording a bunch since I took January off from riding. I’ve got five new tracks – when I get a few more down and I’ll release another free album for download. You can check it out at deftfamily.com! You’re on the road for a huge amount of each year. How does it impact on home life? Is it possible to have a normal life in this sport? Well, yeah, you can... kind of, I guess! It really requires us to have some people in our lives that make sacrifices for us and help keep us grounded and on an even keel. It would be impossible if I didn’t have that. My mom, my dad, brother, the whole Deft Family clique all help. My girl is also very understanding of my situation and my priorities. It can be tough, but with the help of loved ones, it rolls right along. Red Bull X-Fighters changed a bit last year in terms of judging. Were your pleased with the progression and how to do see the series shaping up in the future? Well, I won the championship, so yeah, you could say I‘m ‘pleased’! Kidding aside, it did work well. Not every time and not for every rider, but that’s always going to be an issue with a judged sport. For the most part, though,

‘There were some heated arguments last year. feelings get hurt, it‘s our reputation on the line.’

it was sweet. I’m not saying I can come up with a better system of judging, I’m just saying there were some heated arguments after a few contests last year, as usual. That’s normal-ish... feelings get hurt, people get pissed. It’s big money and it’s our reputation on the line... Will you make all rounds of Red Bull X-Fighters this year? Hopefully! I love this series, but it’s just so long. I’m known for being a constant, but I still do crash a lot – just as everyone in this sport does. So if I’m healthy, count me in! What are the next goals for you? The same as always: be the best rider I can be! FMX is all about tricks, but not 100 per cent. I like to bring a mix of FMX and all-round bike skills to the contests. This year, though, I just want to have fun! I want to win a round or two this year! The goals are simple: stay healthy, travel and enjoy my life for 12 more months, and of course, build up Deft Family! That’s it!

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi for Global-Newsroom

don’t know, you’re making me think too far ahead! We’ll all see soon enough.

Dany Torres

One of the most stylish riders on the Tour, Dany Torres has been bringing his hugely impressive mixture of flawless technique and big trickery close to a title win for several years. That it hasn’t happened yet is purely down to bad luck. Last year’s attempt was derailed by a wrist injury that sidelined him for the Moscow event. His form soon returned and good showings in Madrid and London saw him close in on the leaders. His stunning win in Italy was never going to be enough to propel him to the top of the standings , but it did point to a rider who, if he stays free of injury, could take the fight to Nate Adams.

The top six from 2010 get an automatic entry to each event. Meet the daredevil half-dozen...

Nate Adams

Nickname / The Destroyer Nationality / USA Date of Birth / March 29, 1984 Bike / honda CRF 250/450

The Destroyer needs little introduction. One of the most fearsome past competitors in FMX, he has dominated Red Bull X-Fighters for the in two seasons. In 2009, he took a dramatic title win at the final round London and last year he repeated the feat, three second-place finishes and two third places leaving him top of the standings after the final on round in Rome. The only question now is, can The Destroyer’s grip the series be destroyed? Don’t bet on it!

Andre Villa

Nickname / None Nationality / Norway Date of Birth / April 27, 1982 Bike / Yamaha YZ250

Andre was the ‘renaissance man’ of Red Bull X-Fighters last year. After a disappointing 2009 season, Villa decamped to the US that winter and reinvented himself, emerging at round one in Mexico in 2010 as a surprise winner. The shock soon wore off as the Norwegian went on to score podium finishes at the following two rounds in Egypt and Russia. Despite leading the series right up to the final round in Rome, Andre lost out on the Tour title by just five points. All of which suggests that Villa the Thrilla will come back in 2011 with a massive point to prove.

2010 Results Mexico City (Mexico) 1ST Giza (Egypt) 2ND Moscow (Russia) 3RD Madrid (Spain) 3RD London (UK) 9TH Rome (Italy) 4TH Points: 365 Overall: 2ND

2010 Results Mexico City (Mexico) 2ND Giza (Egypt) 3RD Moscow (Russia) 2ND Madrid (Spain) DNS London (UK) 2ND Rome (Italy) 3RD Points: 370 Overall: Champion

2010 Results Mexico City (Mexico) 4TH Giza (Egypt) DNS Moscow (Russia) 6TH Madrid (Spain) 4TH London (UK) 3RD Rome (Italy) 1ST Points: 310 Overall: 3RD

Levi Sherwood NICKNAME / RUBBER KID NATIONALITY / NEW ZEALAND DATE OF BIRTH / OCTOBER 22, 1991 BIKE / KTM 250 SX

The Rubber Kid made one of the most sensational Red Bull X-Fighters debuts ever when he won his first event in Mexico in 2009. It pointed to the young New Zealander becoming a force to be reckoned with, but indifferent results at the beginning of 2010 seemed to give lie to that assessment. In Moscow, though, Levi suddenly hit his stride, winning that round and later adding to the lustre by claiming victory in London. Given his exceptional lateseason form, he should have gone on to challenge for the ultimate prize in Rome, but cruel luck saw him crash at an event in California and a broken femur meant he missed out on the chance to claim his first Red Bull X-Fighters title. He’s another with a claim on this crown, so expect big things from the Rubber Kid again this year. 2010 RESULTS Mexico City (Mexico) 7TH Giza(Eygpt) 5TH Moscow (Russia) 1ST Madrid (Spain) 5TH London (UK) 1ST Rome (Italy) DNS POINTS: 290 overall: 4TH

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi (1), Flo Hagena (2), joerg mitter (1) (ALL for Global-Newsroom)

Nickname / DT Nationality / Spain Date of Birth / March 10, 1987 Bike / KTM 250SX

ADAM JONES

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world TOUR 2011

the top six might get an automatic pass, but once there they’ll go up against a host of riders ranked among the world’s elite. Meet the challengers...

2010 Results Mexico City (Mexico) 8TH Giza (Egypt) 1ST Moscow (Russia) 7TH Madrid (Spain) 6TH London (UK) 5TH Rome (Italy) 2ND Points: 290 Overall: 5TH

EIGO SATO LANCE COURY

Nickname / None Nationality / USA Date of Birth / July 23, 1984 Bike / Yamaha YZ250

ROBBIE MADDISON Nickname / Maddo Nationality / Australia Date of Birth / July 14, 1981 Bike / Yamaha YZ250

Maddo, who aside from being an FMX superstar is also a distance-jumping record holder, started last year in spectacular style – by jumping across Greece’s Corinth Canal. In the wake of that huge jump he swore off the big distances in favour of big air, vowing to give it his all in pursuit of a Red Bull X-Fighters title. Victory in Spain, inspired by his latest trick, The Volt body varial, gave him a solid platform, but crashes at the X Games and at the London round left him with a broken hand, which ruled him out of the final stop. Maddo’s certainly got the skills for the big win and it’s only a matter of time before he picks up the elusive prize of a Tour title.

2010 Results Mexico City (Mexico) 3RD Giza (Egypt) 4TH Moscow (Russia) 5TH Madrid (Spain) 1ST London (UK) 10TH Rome (Italy) DNS Points: 265 Overall: 6TH

Nickname / none Nationality / usa Date of Birth / march 3, 1990 Bike / Honda CRF250R PHOTOGRAPHY: joerg mitter for Global-Newsroom (2), Denis Klero, Axel Schelbert (both for Red bull content pool)

The first rider to land a Cordova Flip in competition, Jones is one of the top FMX riders in the world. An X Games gold medallist in 2007, he’s won pretty much every major event he’s competed in at least once. s The only trophy missing from his cabinet was a Red Bull X-Fighter win and he scored that in Giza last year. The victory spurred on the American rider and he ended the season with fourth on a rain-hit London course and a hard-fought second in Italy. Having finally found the key to victory, Jones will definitely be one to watch this year.

Coury first clambered aboard a motorcycle at just four years of age and has been pushing the limits ever since. Now 21, he’s been knocking on the door of the big leagues for the past couple of years, and with Swiss rider Mat Rebeaud as his sparring partner in training, Coury has been learning from the best. The young American made his Red Bull X-Fighters debut in Egypt last year and returns for another tilt at top-level FMX in Dubai this year. Where it takes the über-talented newcomer is anyone’s guess!

Nickname / None Nationality / Japan Date of Birth / October 30, 1978 Bike / Yamaha YZ250 After coming close to landing the overall title in 2009 with a string of fine performances, last year was something of a let-down for Japan’s foremost FMX practitioner. Middle-order finishes in the first two rounds gave way to a decent fourth in Moscow, but in Madrid Sato crashed out and was forced to miss the final two rounds. That setback won’t keep the man from Nakaso down though, and he’s sure to be a strong contender again this year.

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

TAKAYUKI HIGASHINO

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi, Daniel Grund, joerg mitter, christian pondella (All for Global-Newsroom)

Nickname / TakA Nationality / Japan Date of Birth / March 13, 1985 Bike / Yamaha YZ250

The second Japanese rider to figure in the X-Fighters shake-up this year, Taka moved from Japan to California several years ago to ride with other top-line FMX competitors. Taken under the wing of Jeremy ‘Twitch’ Stenberg, Taka’s been upping his game and is trading a loose and fiery style for something more focused but which still carries the punk attitude that first got him noticed. Good showings in Red Bull X-fighters events in Canada in 2009 and the US the year before have earned him a recall for 2011.

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world TOUR 2011

ROBBIE ADELBERG Nickname / Aldy, Adels Nationality / Australia Date of Birth / November 7, 1988 Bike / Yamaha YZ250

Robbie has been setting FMX alight since riding outside his native Australia, and last year cemented his place on the world stage with fifth in the Freestyle event at X Games 16 in the US. His most recent Red Bull X-Fighters appearance, in London last year, wasn’t so successful and a crash in practice meant he was sidelined for the crucial qualifying session. He’ll definitely be looking to set the record straight in this new campaign.

BLAKE WILLIAMS

Nickname / Bilko Nationality / Australia Date of Birth / April 4, 1985 Bike / Honda CRF250R

Last year was a tricky one for Bilko, one of the most popular stars in all of FMX. After the amazing highs of claiming the gold medal in Moto X Freestyle and silver in the Best Trick categories at X Games 2009, Bilko arrived into Red Bull X-Fighters as the ‘one to watch’. It all turned sour in Moscow, however, when he crashed heavily and was ruled out for the remainder of the Tour. Still, he’s been buoyed recently by being inducted into the Hall of Fame of his hometown Frankston, in Victoria, Australia, so expect him to bring both his huge tricks and equally large personality to the front of the pack this year.

JACKSON STRONG

Nickname / Jacko Nationality / Australia Date of Birth / November 4, 1991 Bike / KTM 250 SX Australian riders are steadily taking over the FMX world and of all the riders coming up from Down Under, Jackson Strong could be the one to emerge as the biggest star. In 2010, he became the first rider in the world to land an 85-foot (26-metre) Front Flip to dirt and spent most of 2010 attempting to perfect that trick, surely the most difficult in FMX. His burgeoning talent led to him being selected for Red Bull X-Fighters in Madrid last year, and a creditable ninth there leaves him hungry for more success in the world’s premier FMX series.

On the e d i S p i l F

PHOTOGRAPHY: Alex Schelbert for Global-Newsroom

erwood Ru bb er Ki d Levi Sh kes on e ma ex plai ns how he ers’ most ht Fig of Re d Bu ll Xult tr ic ks, tech nically di ffic ok easy… th e Ru le r Fl ip, lo

dubai / RED BULL X-FIGHTERS up before is put my super flip levers k tric this for e par pre n normal tha r we slo e littl “The first thing I do to a d to ride into the ramp ten I ff. e-o tak ter. the fas ng approachi bike off the ramp the take-off to spin my is and then accelerate on k as hard as I can. This bac l pul I ff, e-o ve the tak need to speed you so , “When I’m about to lea flip the of n ws down the rotatio because a Ruler Flip slo rt to account for that. sta extend the at n atio up the rot my super flip levers and I let my wrists lean into p, try and ugh thro k loo I , “Once I’ve left the ram my arms and legs out ed end ext I’ve ce On . my feet out long as I can. flip levers and try to hold this position for as k on, I lean into my super bac get to it e tim its k “When I thin e. This is the part where l to get back onto the bik my t spo I e, bik the tuck my legs up into a bal on k n the most. Once I’m bac slows down the flip rotatio k in my run. tric t nex the for e par pre ks because there are landing and start to do than a lot of other tric to ier eas it. It’s ch mu k tric “I find this how far I need to extend as how hard to pull and no half measures as far all goes right!” a fun trick to do when it

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

Slick Tricks Red Bull X-Fighters brings the world’s finest riders to the planet’s hottest locations. as for the riders, Well, they just have to bring the sickest tricks possible! Here’s your guide to tonight’s biggest moves…

WHIP A relatively simple trick, demonstrated here by Levi Sherwood, the Whip is when the rider kicks the bike sideways in the air so that the machine comes to at least a 90° angle before being straightened out for the landing.

ROCK SOLID A variation on the Superman Double Grab. In that trick the rider extends his legs out behind the bike to resemble the super hero in flight. For the Rock Solid, shown here by Mat Rebeaud, the rider releases his hands sideways, totally detaching himself from the bike. He then catches the bike and uses the grab holes to pull himself back onto the saddle. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 6

difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 5 RULER One of the trickiest moves to pull off well, the rider comes off the ramp and throws his feet up towards the sky, while also pushing the rear of the bike down. The Ruler name comes from getting rider and bike perpendicular, like the hands of a clock pointing to 12 and 6. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 5

LAZY FLIP A Backflip in which the rider, here it’s Dany Torres, lies back, flat on the seat, with his arms extended during the rotation. While he’s upside down his body is parallel to the bike.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Global-Newsroom

difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 9

DOUBLE HART ATTACK The origin of this trick is the Hart Attack, invented by FMX star Carey Hart. The rider holds the bike at the front and rear, kicking his legs outward. The Double Hart Attack adds an element of a Superman Double Grab, where the rider, in this case Levi Sherwood, performs the Hart Attack, but uses just the rear grip holes, thus being able to extend his legs much further away from the bike.

KISS OF DEATH INDY FLIP The basic Kiss of Death trick involves doing a handstand on the bike, while stretching down to kiss the front fender. It takes some skill, but to do it upside down, and with an added Indy variation, where the rider scissors his legs out at angle, take things to another level. Mat Rebeaud shows how it’s done.

difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 5

difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 9

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

HART ATTACK INDY FLIP Why stop at an upright Hart Attack? Why not flip it, as Levi Sherwood shows. Plus, in the hope of more points, the New Zealander adds an Indy kick, just because he can!

DEAD BODY FLIP The Dead Body is when the rider places his body over the front of the bike while holding the bars and keeps his body horizontal with the bike. Now, try that while flipping, like Levi Sherwood. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 9

difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 10

TSUNAMI The key to the Tsunami is to perform a handstand in the air, over the front of the handlebars, while trying to keep the bike as horizontal as possible. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 7 DOUBLE GRAB INDY The standard Double Grab is straightforward enough: grab the back of the motorcycle with both hands and extend your body off the back of the bike. An added Indy scissor kick lends a bit of flair to what, these days, is a relatively basic trick. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ 4

PHOTOGRAPHY: Global-Newsroom

CORDOVA FLIP With his hands on the grips, the rider brings his feet up underneath the bars, presses his knees to his chest and then arches his back so that he is looking out over the back fender. All this while pulling a Backflip! Adam Jones was the first rider to land a Cordova in competition. This is Remi Bizouard’s spectacular take on the trick.

SUPERMAN INDIAN By modern standards another relatively simple trick to pull off. Release your feet from the foot pegs and extend your legs back, like Superman in flight. Mat Rebeaud adds the Indy variation for style. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ 4

difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 7

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011 whipped Nine O’Clock Robbie Maddison pulls a big extension of this trick, in which the rider hangs onto the bike just by the handlebars. The rider must aim to get his body to the nine o’clock position in relation to the bike. Robbie adds a whip, too, kicking the bike out for added difficulty.

CHRIST AIR Similar to a Cliff Hanger – in which the rider hooks his feet under the handlebars and extends his body straight up from the bike – the Christ Air adds the element of extending the arms out in a redeemer-like pose. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 5

difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 7 VOLT The big one from 2010, and the trick that helped Robbie Maddison to victory in the Madrid round. The rider dismounts and pirouettes his body through 360 degrees, before climbing on board again. Technically extremely difficult, the Volt definitely represents the future for FMX’s big-tricking superstars. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 10

Tsunami FLIP The rider performs a handstand on the handlebars while keeping the bike level. Sounds simple right? But how about doing it all upside down. Tough one! difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 8

PHOTOGRAPHY: Global-Newsroom

NINE O’CLOCK INDY As Josh Sheehan demonstrated in Rome, the aim here is to lift yourself off the bike and extend your body away from it at the 9 o’clock position, Requires good upper body strength. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 7

STRIPPER FLIP While performing a Backflip, the rider puts one leg over the handlebars, while the other locks behind the bars, as in a Cordova. Extension is again the key here and no one does extensions better than New Zealand’s Levi Sherwood. difficulty 1 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 8

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world TOUR 2011

flying in top gear

Oakle y Mayh em MX gogg les “These really work well for me. Great designs, high-quality lenses. I have this model in several colours,” says Torres.

It’s not just big tricks that the riders bring to events, but also big style. Dany torres talks us through his essential kit...

troy lee desig ns grand prix Jerse y A rider’s jersey and pants have to be lightweight and breathable but they’re also his on-course identity, Dany’s come from US company, Troy Lee Designs, who’ve been custo mising riding gear for more than 25 years now.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Daniel Grund, joerg mitter for Global-Newsroom, Simon Vinall Photography Ltd

Bike Most riders choose from manufacturers such as Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda. For Dany, though, it’s the KTM250 SX. “It’s the bike I feel most comfortable with, it’s like my second skin.” An FMX bike is largely the same as a regular trials bike but with a few key modifications: orks/Nu mber Plates: Riders cut the 1F number plates to fix on grip tape. This helps them to clamp their feet to the forks during tricks like the Cliffhanger. 2 P op-Up Bars: These are flip-up bars that, when extended, help a rider maintain balance by propping his arms against them for stability. H andholds: Cut-outs in the plastic just 3 beneath the seat provide space to hang on to during seat-grab tricks. Footpegs: Most riders go for wider 4 pegs, for greater stability.

Troy Lee Des ign s SE2 ‘Vorte x’ helmet k “I love TLD’s artwor and designs and would n wear their stuff eve ring me,” says if they weren’t sponso h helmet, which -tec high this of y Dan ers and cheek features shock absorb rem oved easily pieces which can be in case of a crash.

Gaer ne SG12 boot s “These are my favourite boots. The season I first wore them they gave me good luck, I had a lot of good results. Last year they made me a special pair in green and white.”

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

In the Director’s Chair Last year’s Tour was the biggest yet. Do you feel it was also the most successful from a sporting point of view? I think what was really interesting about last year was that we dug in a little and tried to formalise a lot of the processes. The biggest change we made was in the judging of the sport. With last year’s Tour there was a real effort made to formalise the judging process so that it made sense to the riders, which was important because it defines their opportunities going forward, and also that it made sense on the media side. The series needed to be more understandable to people on the outside. The changes we made definitely helped people to understand what was going on during the event and why. It took a lot of effort, much more than anyone expected, but I think it worked out very well. From a riding perspective, the big surprise last year was that there were at least five guys, 36

maybe six, who could have won the Tour at the end of the season, accidents notwithstanding. It was a big surprise. There was no dominant rider and that made for a fantastic series. Isn’t the lack a dominant rider good for the sport though, making for tighter battles at each event? The sport has lost some of its stars over the past few years. There was a time, in its infancy, where the guys who developed he sport were big stars – the Pastranas and Deegans of this world – but in its place has come this intense competitiveness. Now we don’t have this one shining star that everyone needs at an event for it to be a big success. These days you have the opportunity for breakout stars all the time, and I guess Levi Sherwood is the one you’d point to immediately in that regard. There’s also a new groundswell, especially in the US, at the amateur level. And when you

track across the globe it’s happening all over. Australia is out of control! It’s the same in Japan. There are tons of riders there who haven’t yet broken through. That means that, while the shining stars are less visible, the competition is much tougher and yes, it’s a better sport for that. The current stars, like Nate Adams or Jeremy Stenberg, don’t run away with it any more. It’s fantastic, as we really don’t know who’s likely to win any event. It’s incredibly close. In light of that intense competition, which riders surprised you last year ? The biggest surprise for me was Eigo Sato, because he completely bucks the trend. Normally, as you get older, you tend to fade away, especially in this sport. You don’t put in as much effort any more… there’s a lot of reasons why a guy in his 30s shouldn’t be a standout star in this sport. But Sato has the

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi for Global-Newsroom

Red Bull X-Fighters Sporting Director Tes Sewell looks back at last year’s Tour and explains why 2011 is shaping up to be the toughest competition yet…

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS tour 2011

“Eigo sato was the biggest surprise for me. he has the creativity, the style and most of all the right attitude to be a true star”

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS tour 2011

creativity, the style and most of all the right attitude to be a true star. The only unfortunate thing is that when these guys make a mistake, however small, it can punish them badly and Eigo suffered that in Madrid. We lost him to injury too early last year when he could really have been a contender in the final rounds. What about Andre Villa? After a pretty difficult 2009 he really seemed to find another level last year. Andre has, for the past three years, been my dark horse. To me it was no surprise that he performed that well. The real concern was whether he would be able to hang on and defeat the mental challenges that would come. I have a score sheet from Rome that is really interesting because what it tells you is that, in qualifying, Andre had the best single score of the night. The judges felt he was almost perfect across all the areas we measure and to me that 38

says that Andre was the standout. But when he got to head-to-head rounds, in the semifinal I think, he started second-guessing himself and making unforced errors. That’s why Adam Jones beat him. It was one unforced error in the semi-final that cost Andre the title. Does he know that? He knows it really well. He knows the moment when it all slipped away. As judges, we would have expected the final in Rome to be between Andre and Nate Adams. But despite that loss, Andre’s other successes last year weren’t a surprise. He has always had the potential and he unlocked it. This year he should do the same – if he can just dump the frustration, forget the mistakes and not let them bug him. But Andre is the guy who works out more, thinks more, does yoga. There are so many thing he does to make himself a champion. He’s deserving of where he’s at in his career now.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Flo Hagena, Daniel Kolodin (all for Global-Newsroom)

“Andre villa has been my dark horse for three years. he has always had the potential and last year he unlocked it”

Adam Jones was another rider who seemed to make a ‘breakthrough’. What was the key for him in winning his first event and getting into the final top six? He listened – and that’s where the new judging really worked. We kept telling the guys, “Here’s the system of judging, this is how it works. This is what we’re looking for.” Adam kept complaining that he was pulling all these really gnarly tricks and that he’s the best technical rider on earth and he wasn’t getting rewarded. And we pointed out that, yes, he was technically fantastic, but he was nailing these runs with no pizzazz at all. He wasn’t entertaining the crowd and that’s one of the judging categories. He finally got it, came out in Egypt and won it. It wasn’t goofy dancing or anything, it was simply showing the audience the energy it takes to do this sport at this crazy level. That completely turned the season around for him. He knows how to be at the top of his game,

but he just needed to focus on what the judges are seeking from this competition, which is a complete performance. That’s the thing about Red Bull X-Fighters, it rewards the best allround rider. You may be able to Double Backflip, but that won’t help unless the rest of your run is solid and you’re exuding some kind of energy. With all the riders now looking so competitive and with a better understanding of the judging in place, is this looking like a good Tour? It certainly looks like a true World Tour. We’re all over the globe! The thing we look at is that we don’t want to do too many events. We get a lot of applications from potential host countries and what we have to do is bake it all down to six, which is a great number. It takes up a good portion of the year and it allows the competitors a chance to focus from spring until the end of summer. They get a chance to do other things

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS / dubai

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

in the winter and then we give them a very serious six months of competition. In terms of the events, there’s no one event that appeals more than any other. They’re all so different. This is year 10 for us. You think we’d all be fed up with Madrid, but nothing could be further from the truth. It’s such an energising event to do. There, you have the real passionate, educated fan. And, although we’re restricted in what we can do from a course perspective, the energy the crowd brings really lights up the guys and makes them ride at a completely different level.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi for Global-Newsroom

“This year’s Tour should be really close! In the end the rider who wins will be the one who simply nails all the criteria”

Once again we’ve got a good mix of courses. From the tight courses like Madrid to the potentially bigger arenas such as Rome. Sure. In Madrid, because of the size of the arena, you have to have big tricks and they have to be executed incredibly well as the judges are in such close proximity to the action that they miss nothing. They don’t miss when you have a bad landing, which they might do when they’re on the other side of a vast course like Moscow last year. The variety of courses is great because it gets different things from different riders. Tactics always come into it a lot when you get to the bigger courses like Moscow or London. The real smart guys look at the course, look at the judges and who they’re going against. They say, “I’m going against this guy and I know his extensions are huge and his technique is flawless, but his showmanship isn’t so good, so I’m going to ramp up that aspect and try to score heavily there.” That’s the beauty – the tactics play a big part because of the rules structure and judging we have now. Speaking of tricks, we’re seeing more and more tricks like the Volt body varial and the Front Flip being perfected. How much further can these guys push it and when does it become too risky? I think it got too risky when Travis Pastrana started pulling Double Backflips! Then Cameron Sinclair was doing them with such regularity that the landing percentage became much higher than I ever thought it would be. It was an earth-shattering event when Travis

landed it, but Cam’s now done about 30 of these things. He saw the bad end of it, too. It’s probably the most dangerous trick we have. I think you will see more guys bringing body varials and 360s. I think the 360 is the next most dangerous, because if you over- or under-rotate that trick, it will take you down. As far as the Front Flip goes, Jackson Strong has been perfecting it over the past year and we’ll have to see if he does bring it to Dubai. That will be a big thing. Riders such as Jackson and Levi Sherwood are competing at such a high level at such a young age. Has the skill of the new generation surprised you? In Australia, they looked at FMX and they would see Deegan and Adams and they thought everyone was at that level. They thought they had to be psychotically good to even begin to compete. But they were already good enough to mount a challenge. There’s just a raft of those guys, Clinton Moore and Josh Sheehan and so on, all coming up from Australia. They’re only going to improve and that’s almost scary! Red Bull X-Fighters has been really active in bringing young guys like Jackson and Levi Sherwood to a wider audience. Will that continue? I hope so. What we’ve tried to do is give some of these young guns some space to show what they can do. It’s hard to do when we only have 12 spaces. You want the best to get a chance. But my argument is to take positions 11 and 12 and give someone new a chance to shine. That’s what we did with Levi in Mexico a couple of years ago and look how that worked out. Finally, what’s your forecast for the 2011 World Tour? Just that it should be really close! In the end the one who wins is the one who simply nails all the criteria. It’s down to a rider’s ability to take the information they’re given and if things don’t go the right way then they have to sit down with the people deciding their fate and work out where they’re lacking. I don’t think a competitor gets that opportunity in any other sport. It makes the competition tighter than ever, but that’s what everyone wants right?

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

Head to head

A potent mixture of high-octane intensity and gladiatorial duelling, Red Bull X-Fighters rewards riders’ daring, technical skill and vibrant showmanship. Here’s how it works...

Qualifying

The head to heads see the riders seeded according to qualifying and round one results. They then face off...

heat 1

heat 2

2 runs (12 riders)

vs Rider heat 3

Rider 05

The top six riders progress directly to the quarter-final stage, while the remaining six head to Round One, to fight it out for the two remaining quarter-final spots.

Rider 01

Rider 02

Rider 03

Rider 04

Rider 05

Rider 06

Rider 07

Rider 08

vs Rider heat 4

Rider 06

Rider 1 R1 vs Rider 02

Rider 10

round 1

Rider 11

semi-finals Head to head

It’s almost crunch time. The penultimate head-to-head round see the tricks and the showmanship ramped up high.

winner

Rider 12

Heat 1

1 run (Quaifying ranks 7-12)

vs Heat

Heat 2

vs Heat

The top six in qualifying (Riders 1-6) do not take part. The remaining six get one run each. The two ranked highest progress as the lowest seeds in the quarter finals.

finals Head to head

It all comes down to this. One run each, the biggest tricks, the biggest crowd-pleasing action and, in the end, just one winner.

Rider 01

Rider 1 R1 42

Rider 02

Rider 2 R1

Rider 03

Rider 3 R1

Rider 04

Rider 4 R1

Rider 05

Rider 5 R1

Rider 06

Rider 6 R1

winner

Semi-Final 1

Rider 2 R1 vs Rider 01

winner Rider 09

Each World Tour stop comprises three days: Day One (rider briefing and training) Day Two (training and qualification) Day Three (training and main competition).

vs Semi-Final

If available to take part in the event, the six top riders from the final standings of the 2010 Tour immediately qualify to take part in an event. The remaining six places at the event are given over to the four riders who ranked highest at the previous round, if they are available (at the first stop this is based on current rider rankings scored by the Tour Committee). Two Wild Card slots are also made available to riders whom the organisers believe will bring something special to the event. Only 12 riders compete at each event. Following the Qualifying round on Day Two, the six riders ranked highest in Qualifying automatically progress to the quarter-finals of the main competition. The remainder battle it out in Round One of the main event on Day Three. During Round One, each rider has one run to impress the judges. The top two riders from Round One then progress to the Quarter Finals where they are ranked as seeds #7 and #8 respectively. They then compete in head-to-head runs against the six who progressed straight to the quarters from Qualifying. In the climactic headto-head rounds, each rider again gets a single run, the lower seed going first, and a panel of five judges, presided over by the head judge, rules on a variety of categories including, Variety (of tricks), Challenge and Execution, Style, Use of Course and finally Show and Spectator Reaction. The Rider who impresses most across all categories will ultimately take the event title!

The Points System

At each Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour stop, 100 points are awarded for first place, 80 for second, 65 for third, down to 5 points for 12th place. As the tour heads towards the final round, Riders have the chance to discard their lowest single Tour stop score under the Throw Out Rule, with the remaining stops totalled to give an adjusted points score prior to the start of the final event. The overall winner of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour 2011 is the rider with the highest number of points after the final stop of the season.

1st 100 points 7th 30 points 2nd 80 points 8th 25 points 3rd 65 points 9th 20 points 4th 55 points 10th 15 points 5th 45 points 11th 10 points 6th 35 points 12th 5 points

Illustrations: Mandy Fischer

Riding Rules

The Rules

quarter-finals

Volle Energie

voraus!

größten Zieie Battersea Powerstation, einer der für eine opgelbauten Europas, sorgte abermals die Red Bull tisch atemberaubende Kulisse für des stillgelegX-Fighters. Vor die gigantischen Schlote einen ten Kohlekraftwerks hatten die Streckenbauer und Dirt Jumps, Kurs mit vielen verschiedenen Rampen springen ließ, einer Line, die sich in beide Richtungen forderte Fahrer die der gebaut, Jumps und sogar Hip intensiven Rhythmus und ihnen vor allem einen ziemlich recht porös, abverlangte. Der Boden war wohlweislich verkraften, wodurch um ein hohes Maß an Wasser zu Jumps schneller aussich aber natürlich gerade die Dirt konnten. werden gebaut fuhren und nicht so steil eine Menge Die Ausgangslage vor London verhieß einen neuen Sieger Spannung: Jeder Tourstopp hatte Adams war bislang gesehen, Vorjahres-Champ Nate bereits noch ohne Sieg und hat sein Streichergebnis in Madrid nicht am in Anspruch genommen, indem er wie auch SerienStart war. Andererseits landete Nate auf dem Podium. Leader André Villa bei jedem Event seinem 360° BodyUnd sowohl Robbie Maddison mit bewiesen mit guvarial (Volt) als auch Levi Sherwood Form. ten X-Games-Resultaten ihre starke FeinsSpannend war leider auch die Wetterlage. Abwechslung viel für sorgte August im tes Aprilwetter und das in eivon Sommersonne bis zu Herbstregen der, den die Strecke nem ähnlich hohen Rhythmus wie Trainings und von den Fahrern verlangte. Somit waren sich permanent an Qualifikation kaum planbar, da man ist natürlich eine das Wetter anpassen musste. Das die sich dann immer blöde Ausgangslage für die Rider, in den Ridingwieder bereithalten und sich spontan sich dieser nicht Modus versetzen müssen. Nur lässt über Stunden aufrechterhalten.

r kehrte im vorjah statio N Premie re sea Power geluN geNeN t zur Batter uNd die augus Nach eiNer zuschauer auF ite mitte Für die eiNFac h die FmX-el ielPlatz mehr Platz uNd um der dirt-sP gesetz t. eiNe Forzurüc k. , wurde aus d uNd das zu haBeN ziegelsteiNBtaBell eNstaN strecke NgeN... e seite des eNder üBerraschu die aNder eiN sPaNN Für eiNige strecke, derNd e sorgteN wetter Ner loNdo Text: Busty Wolter

Quali-Quit Red Bull X-Fig

hteRs WoRld

touR, london,

14.08.

Feuchte Vorentscheidung schwierigen Bedingungen wa-

Levi Sherwoods Ruler Flips sind mittlerweile so unglaublich, dass selbst eine solche Fotosequenz nicht ist mehr so wirklich nachvollziehbar

Die ersten Opfer dieser Zuerst unren auf australischer Seite zu verzeichnen: Rob Adelberg terrotierte der frisch gebackene Vater des Events mit stareinen Flip, wodurch er für den Rest Und in der ersten ken Prellungen aussetzen musste. auch Robbie Mad Qualifikationsrunde haute es dann war mit einem dison unsanft in den Boden. „Maddo“ unterwegs. angeknacksten Arm als X-Games-Souvenir der im Kampf Ähnlich wie bei einem verletzten Löwen, auch bei „Maddo“ nur noch wilder wird, muss es dann seine alließ „Durchbeiß-Modus“ Sein gewesen sein. er versuchte einfach te Wildheit wieder aufblitzen, aber schwer genug, zu viel des Guten. Ein Volt ist ja schon ist noch diesen über einen Dirt-Absprung rauszuhauen über den zweischwerer, das Ganze dann aber noch verdammt einfach ist machen ten Sprung einer Line zu

081

080

jump the world! Since the first competition in Valencia in 2001, Red Bull X-Fighters has been thrilling crowds all over the world with its mix of edge-of-the seat tricks, wild showmanship and the bullfighting-inspired intensity of the series’ head-to-head final rounds. That mix of ultra-competitive action and entertainment means that Red Bull X-Fighters has established itself as a major sporting series in the eyes of the world’s media and the excitement of the world’s premier FMX series is reflected in the coverage the Tour attracts. From Tokyo to Toronto, Moscow to Madrid and Los Angeles to London, the stunning tricks pulled off by Red Bull X-Fighters continue to amaze viewers and readers worldwide. This year will be no different. With the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour hitting amazing locations such as Dubai and Sydney, the pageantry and passion of FMX at the highest level is sure to grab even more headlines all over the globe. 44

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS tour 2011

Days of the Destroyer Last year’s Red Bull X-Fighters Tour went right down to the wire, with four riders in contention for the title up until the final round in Rome. Would it be double event-winner Levi Sherwood, Madrid victor Robbie Maddison or the reborn Andre Villa who would be crowned champion? In the end, it was none of the above. Like a high-flying stealth fighter, ’09 champ Nate Adams swooped in and on the back of podium finishes at all his counted rounds took his second Tour title with a blend of dogged persistence and trick perfection. Nate is usually known as The Destroyer and on the back of last year’s performance and the challenges he derailed at the last moment, the nickname seems a perfect fit. Can anyone match Mr Consistency this time out?

2010 Final Tour Standings Bike

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

Yam YZ250 Yam YZ250 KTM SX250 Yam YZ250 Yam YZ250 Yam YZ250 KTM SX 250 Yam YZ250 Yam YZ250 Suz RM250

Nate Adams Andre Villa Dany Torres Levi Sherwood Adam Jones Robbie Maddison Mat Rebeaud Eigo Sato Mike Mason Jim McNeil

USA NOR ESP NZL USA AUS SUI JAP USA USA

Mex Egy Rus Esp UK Ita Total

80 65 80 *0 80 100 80 65 65 *20 55 *0 35 55 65 *30 45 100 45 100 *25 100 30 35 45 65 55 45 100 *15 - *0 15 80 35 35 35 55 5 *0 - - - 30 55 45 30 20 - -

65 55 100 0 80 0 45 0 20 0

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi for Global-Newsroom

Pos Name Nat

370 365 310 290 290 265 175 130 105 95

* Indicates throw out round.

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

Global Playground the upcoming TOUR promises to be the most incredible yet. From the heart of modernist brazil to the 21st century wonderland of dubai and iconic sydney harbour, it’s going to be a wild ride!

war pol s aw, and

Red Bull X-Fighters last visited the Polish capital in 2008, when Dany Torres took victory at that season’s final Tour stop. Then, the event took place at the city’s Stadio X-Lecia. This year it will return to the same venue – although it’s now a shining new 55,000-seat stadium, built to host soccer’s 2012 European Championships. Red Bull X-Fighters will be the first sports event to be held in this amazing new arena, so expect fireworks!

06.08 .1

rid, m a da i n sp

1 15.07.1 ro i t am e , ly

Bra B r as i l i a , zil

Architect Oscar Niemeyer’s homage to modernism, Brasilia is a city of amazing buildings and amazing people and as such has justifiably been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. After Red Bull X-Fighters’ previous Brazilian adventure, in Rio, Brasilia is the obvious stunning choice for a second action-packed visit. And with the city’s vast Esplanada dos Ministérios as the venue, Brasileiros are in for an eye-popping treat when the Red Bull X-Fighters circus rolls into town.

ai, d u ba e u

1 1 5 . 0 4. 1

24.06

.11

The spiritual home of Red Bull X-Fighters, Madrid’s place on the calendar is almost guaranteed. Vibrant, colourful and always passionate, the competition at the historic Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas is one of the most eagerly anticipated of the whole year.

Another year, another stunning new stop for Red Bull X-Fighters as the world’s most intense motorcycle sport meets the world’s most modern city. This will be series’ first visit to the United Arab Emirates and, given the city’s ability to astound the senses, it’s sure to be incredible, especially as the venue for the opening round of the 2011 Tour is set to be the beautiful Jumeirah Beach. Red Bull X-Fighters competition doesn’t get much hotter than this.

.11

The Eternal City made its Red Bull X-Fighters debut as the final event of the 2010 Tour and after seeing how the FMXcrazy capacity crowd reacted to the moments leading up to Nate Adams’ second Tour title win there, it was impossib le to resist the chance to head back to the Italian Capital. The venue this time will be the city’s stunning Stadio Olimpico, which guarantees even more spectacle than last year’s thrilling competition.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Corbis (5), picturedesk.com (1)

2 8 . 05

e y, a i sydn tral s u a

1 17.09.1

The final stop needs to be something special and locations don’t get much more special than Sydney. Incredible city, incredible backdrops and a nation of FMX-mad Aussies cheering on homegrown talent such as Robbie Maddison – it doesn’t get much better. The Tour’s ultimate showdown will this year have the ultimate backdrop!

Free advertisement.

RED BULL X-FIGHTERS world tour 2011

For all the latest on Red Bull X-Fighters visit the offficial Website at: www.redbullxfighters.com To access and download up-to-date Red Bull X-Fighters news, press releases, moving images and photography visit:

www.redbullxfightersnewsroom.com To contact Red Bull X-Fighters, email:

Info@redbullxfighters.com or Media Contact:

media@redbullxfighters.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: Balazs Gardi for Global-Newsroom

Produced by Red Bulletin Corporate Publishing www.redbulletin.com

SPINAL CORD INJURY MUST BECOME CURABLE.

“It can happen to anyone.” Ronnie Renner.

Moto X Freestyler and Wings for Life Supporter. Spinal cord injury can affect anyone. In funding the best research projects worldwide focusing on the cure of spinal cord injury, the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation ensures top-level medical and scientific progress. We assure that hundred percent of all donations are invested in spinal cord research.

Your contribution makes a difference. Donate online at www.wingsforlife.com