The Gatorade Free Flow Tour at DK Dirt Circuit saw twent
y-nine riders throwing down for their ticket to the Finals. Professional riders Brian Hunt, Joey Hill, Anthony Watkinson, and Chris Childs were on hand to judge, and had a tough decision to make after the final session. Wheaton, Ill.'s Alex Landeros won the top prize, impressing the judges with his 360 suicide no hander, double whips, and truck drivers. He was also the only rider of the group with front brakes and to front flip the last set. Second and third place finishers Kyle Biller and Vinny Mannino also earning their way into the Finals; due to the three-stop nature of the dirt discipline, the top three contestants from each dirt event earn a spot in the Finals. "I'm super psyched on making it out here today," Landeros said. "I am looking forward to Salt Lake City. I've never been there before, and competing in the Gatorade Free Flow Tour out there should be rad."
"The Gatorade Free Flow Tour is the best chance for riders to live their dreams," DK Team Manager, Zack 'Catfish' Yankush, said. "We have needed an amateur series in BMX for a long time, and the Gatorade Free Flow Tour now fills that void. It's the best way to go from 'Flow to Pro'."
Twenty-year-old Cory Smith from O'Fallon, Mo. earned the skate park victory at Plan 9, greasing the whole park in style and flowing all over the course. His front noseblunt across the bank, gap over the big hubba to flat, tuck knee up and over the step-up, frontside bigspin over the hip, as well as a grip of rail and ledge tricks all lent to his win.
"I'm so psyched I won; thank you so much," Smith said. "I can't wait for the Finals! It's going to be sick."
On Sunday, the BMX riders came out hard, making a decision for the overall winner a difficult choice for the judges. The honor went to 20-year-old Reggie Runion, who used his transitions and big tricks such as a 720 on the step up and huge flair transfer from the roll-in to bank to take the win.
"I've never entered a Gatorade Free Flow competition before," first-timer Runion said. "I'm so psyched I won. I can't wait for the Finals."
"Plan 9 was proud to host the Gatorade Free Flow Tour," Plan 9 owner, Casey Otto, said. "The contest brought out locals as well as attracted many new faces from around the Midwest. The event was a good mix of a core event feel with the legitimacy of a major contest. Both skate and BMX comps came down to the wire and were decided by long deliberations by the judges. Overall, the contest seemed to be a big hit and was such a great event to have at our park. We definitely want to work with Gatorade in the future."
At Mission Valley YMCA, 15-year-old Kevin Peraza from Tucson, Ariz. earned the BMX park victory, stealing the show with his big tricks during the final jam session. His final fun consisted of a frontflip over the ski jump, front flip over the box to flat, a 720 double whip, and a flair whip on the quarterpipe.
"I'm really glad I came out today and took the win," Peraza said. "I'm psyched to compete in the park and dirt finals in S-L-C now."
Peraza will be competing in both BMX park and BMX dirt in the 2010 Finals, after placing third at the Gatorade Free Flow BMX dirt event in Perris, Calif.
"It was great having the Gatorade Free Flow Tour back in town," Mission Valley YMCA skatepark's park director, Laszlow Kelemen, said. "We were really happy with the turnout, and psyched to see so many talented kids coming out for this great opportunity."
With the win, Landeros, Biller, Mannino, Smith, Runion and Peraza all earn an automatic bid into the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals that will take place at the Dew Tour's Toyota Challenge, September 16-19, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah at EnergySolutions Arena.
Gatorade Free Flow Tour - DK Dirt Results Saturday, August 21, 2010 Dayton, Ohio BMX Dirt
1. Alex Landeros, Wheaton, Ill.
2. Kyle Biller, Cape May Court House, N.J.
3. Vinny Mannino, Howell, N.J.
4. Eddie Pratt, Knoxville, Tenn.
5. Spencer Scott, Alexandria, Ohio
Gatorade Free Flow Tour - Plan 9 Results Saturday and Sunday, August 21-22, 2010 St. Louis, Mo. Skate Park
1. Cory Smith, O'Fallon, Mo.
2. Alex Meyer, Florissant, Mo.
3. Zach Doelling, Independence, Mo.
4. Colin Shue, Westerville, Ohio.
5. Ryan Buss, McHenry, Ill.
6. Jeff Rasp, Belleville, Ill.
BMX Park
1. Reggie Runion, East Alton, Ill.
2. Jake Barry, O'Fallon, Mo.
3. Dan Nielsen, Omaha, Neb.
4. Brendan Selby, St. Louis, Mo.
5. Mitchell Kent, Robinson, Ill.
6. Dylan Gold, East Peoria, Ill.
Gatorade Free Flow Tour - Mission Valley YMCA Results Sunday, August 22, 2010 San Diego, Calif. BMX Park
1. Kevin Peraza, Tuscon, Ariz.
2. Wesley Hark, Stallion Springs, Calif.
3. Darcey Peters, Canada.
4. Patrick Overturf, Tehachapi, Calif.
5. Mitch McKelvey, Ocean Beach, Calif.
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.