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With (Dave) Mirra out, due to street practice injuries (get well Dave), it was not going to be your annual Bestwick/Mirra battle. This past year has been exciting for Chad Kagy and I couldn’t wait to witness it all. After so many great riders including Jimmy Walker, Koji Kraft, Tom Haugen, it was only a blessing to watch Simon Tabron, DMC, Kevin Robinson, Kagy and Bestwick to haunt that gold medal down…

Dennis (McCoy) was riding so big and so smooth that when he attempted a HUGE 900 in his second run, that nearly knocked him out, but I can’t think of any other 39-year old even dreaming about such thing…Tabron is the most consistent at that trick and it showed, nevertheless anything he throws down in vert is impeccable. Kevin Robinson has everything he needs, the only thing that stopped him was his signature Opposite No Handed Flair (Nevertheless his double flair won gold in best trick!). We all know Bestwick is a tall fellow, but his airs are beyond…the second he drops in, you might as well expect your neck being hurt from looking up, trying to figure how high he is….all with mad style and confidence…but then in 9 years of X-Games vert, someone was going to break up the podium history list, this time it was Chad Kagy who made it all (including the impossible) happen. He was throwing some of the most insane tricks back to back, his signature flat spin (one with a tail whip and a contest first bar spin flat spin), superman seat grab bar spin and then some. I wasn’t going to call out a crazy ass tricklist, cause you can read that anywhere, but this vert contest looked more like a playstation game to me…Congrats to Chad, you fucking deserve it man…

I moved just a notch to the right, where all the ruckus was about to go down at the Freestyle Moto-X event…Jessee, Sandra Bullock, Pink were all present to see the riders hit the shit…The main and only reason I have to mention this event, is watching a double backflip on a 200+lb motorcycle done SO right and so smooth, was beyond my believe, congrats to Travis Pastrana, he truly is THE man!

The next day Saturday came along to welcome us with some sweaty armpits and nice expensive watered down Coca-Cola. I ended up sitting next to Todd Henry (who was shooting photos for his own website), where we actually reminisced the Pony Park Slagharen days! It was time for BMX Street finals, looking at the overall street course, it was super creative and only the best was expected from the qualified riders, such as Gary Young, Dave Dillewaard, Morgan Wade, Colin McKay, Daniel Dhers, Scotty Cranmer and Ryan Guettler…everyone seemed to be in tip top shape, but when Daniel (Dhers) came from a left corner, the Venezuelan showed that his first appearance wasn’t going to be his last…the only full face wearing rider was definitely up to par with the other riders, huge tricks and using the complete course to the fullest…While I am staring at the hotties wishing Dave (Mirra) to get well soon, I think Morgan Wade must’ve already seen half of the course. His pocket airs were just about the craziest thing out there right now….he was loving the ramps and it showed…just huge tricks all around. I know he is only 19 and I am kind of scared when he is 29, waiting to see what will happen, after witnessing Scotty Cranmer taking gold with just a ridiculous run…Tail whip drop in, Double Whip, 360 whips, front flip turndowns and of course some random bar spins and flairs anywhere he wanted. This weekend was another great weekend for the spectators, the athletes and the sport. It seems that there’s no end in sight anytime soon and that is what keeps us riding and being creative in anyway we can.

Thanks to Bart de Jong (obviously), Katie at X-Games, Neighbor Tim and Todd Henry…(for the flashback)

Michael “Choq” de Wit

Ps. I was ordered to shoot photos of the ladies…eh…erf…

Watch the Neighbor Tim X-Games movie by clicking this link

X-Games results: 

BMX Freestyle Park

 1 (Gold) Scotty Cranmer 91.00 91.66 91.66
2 (Silver) Morgan Wade 88.66 90.00 90.00
3 (Bronze) Daniel Dhers 89.33 89.66 89.66
4 Dave Dillewaard 87.66 85.00 87.66
5 Gary Young 85.00 87.33 87.33
6 Ryan Guettler 86.66 76.66 86.66
7 Colin Mackay 85.66 83.66 85.66
8 Alistair Whitton 84.66 83.00 84.66
9 Josh Harrington 77.33 84.33 84.33
10 Chase Hawk 82.66 80.33 82.66


Men's BMX Freestyle Vert Final Standings Final standings from X Games 12

1. Chad Kagy State College, Pa. 93.00
2. Jamie Bestwick Darbyshire, Eng. 91.66
3. Simon Tarbon Newquay, Eng. 90.00
4. Kevin Robinson State College, Pa. 89.33
5. Jimmy Walker Gilberts, Ill. 86.00
6. Dennis McCoy Kansas City, Mo. 85.66
7. Tom Haugen Orlando, Fla. 85.00
8. Jay Eggleston Denver, Colo. 83.00
9. Koji Kraft Addison, Ill. 80.33


BMX Dirt Finals X Games Los Angeles 2006

1 (Gold) Corey Bohan 91.66 91.00 81.33
2 (Silver) Ryan Nyquist 79.66 91.33 77.66
3 (Bronze) Anthony Napolitan 90.33 85.00 79.00
4 Chris Doyle 89.00 78.00 77.00
5 Ryan Guettler 87.33 87.33 88.33
6 Mike Aitken 78.00 83.66 86.66
7 Allan Cooke 86.00 83.66 76.00
8 Luke Parslow 77.66 79.33 83.33
9 Cameron White 77.66 78.00 77.00
10 Corey Nastazio 75.66 -- --

BMX Vert Best Trick Rank Athlete Trick

1 (Gold) Kevin Robinson Double Flair
2 (Silver) Chad Kagy Double tail whip flat spin
3 (Bronze) Simon Tabron Alley oop n/h to t/d 540
4 Kevin McElhinney Front flip flair
5 Koji Kraft Double tail whip
6 Jimmy Walker Turn down flair
7 Jamie Bestwick Archibold Air


BMX FREESTYLE BIG AIR FINAL RESULTS

1. Kevin Robinson East Providence, R.I. 95.00
2. Chad Kagy Gilroy, Calif. 93.66
3. Allan Cooke Greenville, N.C. 86.00
4. Morgan Wade Tyler, Tex. 84.33