Antwerp City Drops took place in the weekend of 23/24 September and once again the weather cooperated to make the Urban sports festival a success in the middle of the city centre of Antwerp. This year, next to dirt, a flatland contest was added to the program. While kids rode the dirt pump track all weekend long, the Dirt jumps were used for an Open Qualification contest, a Primus High Air comp, Best trick contest and the BMX Dirt Invitational. The Flatland contest was held on a 144 square meter podium which attracted a huge crowd.
The 8 meter high roll-in got the riders up to speed in no-time for the two big jumps. The first dirt jump was angled in a hip with the second one sending you to the moon if you wanted to. On Saturday Tom van den Bogaard (NED) cleared 7,80 meters in the Primus Haacht Beer high air contest winning a keg of beer and €500 for his efforts. Qualification on Saturday sent the best riders to Sunday's finals where Konrad Szabo (HUN) delivered his triple whips and front flips to please not only the crowd but the judges as well for first place. Tom van den Bogaard styled to second place with height while German Simon Moratz grobbed third with barspins to tailwhips and flip variations. Joe Baddeley (GBR) double flipped to 4th while home favourite Kenneth Tancré claimed 5th place.
Best Trick on Dirt went to Joe Baddeley with a bad-ass double flip on the first hipped double jump. He's got that trick on lock. Antwerp got to see plenty of them over the weekend and Joe liked throwing them to please the Belgians.
It was The Netherlands' Dez Maarsen who claimed first in qualification. The newly graduated Bachelor of Art can finally focus back on riding and was having a good time in Antwerp with fellow flatland riders from Belgium, Germany, and Czech Republic. Lots of places changed in finals but Dez remained on top. Martin Drazil (CZE) qualified in 6th but ended up in 2nd place in the final while Gino Stuart (NED) moved from Saturday's place 8 to a 3rd on sunny Sunday.
BMX was brought to the masses during Antwerp City Drops. Can't wait till next year for the third edition. That sunshine has already been ordered.
BdJ
Antwerp City Drops 2017 Dirt Final Results
1 Konrad Szabo (HUN) 536
2 Tom van den Bogaard (NED) 529
3 Simon Moratz (GER) 495
4 Joe Baddeley (GBR) 487
5 Kenneth Tancré (BEL) 481
6 Tom Selbeck (NED) 455
7 Brent Minne (BEL) 446
8 Maxime Charveron (FRA) 440
9 Greg van Tulder (BEL) 434
10 Charly Ash (GBR) 402
Best Trick: Double flip over the hipped first jump: Joe Baddeley (NED)
High Air: 7,80 meter by Tom van den Bogaard (NED)
Antwerp City Drops 2017 Flatland Final results
1 Dez Maarsen (NL)
2 Martin Drazil (CZ)
3 Gino Stuart (NL)
4 David Hoffmann (DE)
5 Sietse Van Berkel (NL)
6 Barre Neiryinck (BE)
7 Markus Schwital (DE)
8 Jorrit van Drumpt (NL)
Pics by Bart de Jong/EBC