2010 Flashback 8: Report from the BMX Masters

Dec 27, 2010

Written by Bart de Jong

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As I write this it’s Saturday morning and I’m parked underneath the Zoobrucke in Cologne. It feels like I’ve been here for a week but in fact I only got here on Thursday evening just in time for the Bob Haro Illustration show at the New Yorker. The exclusive gathering even attracted Mike Dominguez and Xavier Mendez all the way from the USA. Since then they left for Amsterdam and I haven’t seen them since. But the night was interesting with Bob Haro telling stories behind each drawing.

The First night at Camp Holland was the wildest one already. It ended with a van on its side so you can imagine that not everyone was silently reading a book at the camp fire. After checking out the ramps, dirt and flatland area (I couldn’t find the vert ramp) I managed to get online for a bit in the press area and got some work done. Then headed downtown with A to the Z and visited the Peoples store which was on fire with all the extra BMX-ers in town for the BMX Masters. It was super hot all day and practice was

going on in all areas. The BMX Masters attracts loads of people and even though budget cuts had to be made, the feeling is still the same. Riders from all areas are here for a good time.

After Bob Haro presented his interesting slideshow next to the dirt jumps it was time for the pro riders to kick off the dirt event. Team Holland was well represented with Desmond Tessemakers, Dimitris, Schep, Pim and Wedemeijer and the Dutch crowd got into it. Even Catfish got the “Hup Holland Hup” chant down. The windstorm that picked up quickly made an end of the pro qualifying and will be fit into the schedule somewhere today, in typical Masters fashion. It rained hard last night but the sun is out again. As soon as everyone’s awake and the ramps are dry, a new day of BMX-ing will kick off. I’m going to walk over to the press area now for some internet connection. Will keep you posted.

BdJ