Spectacular championship Braun Flatground offers flatland the stage it deserves
“Braun Flatground should serve as an example to all flatland competitions�
Last weekend Amsterdam – Holland welcomed the world’s largest flatland event: Braun Flatground. After an opening party on Friday, with Dutch hip hop artists Pete Philly & Perquisite, Saturday started off with qualification rounds Pro and Girl followed by the Dutch Championships Finals. No less than forty-seven professional riders from Japan, USA, Canada, Chili, as well as most European countries competed for a much sought after qualifying place amongst the sixteen finalists.
At night the finalists gathered in front of a massive crowd in the Westergasfabriek Gashouder built in 1902. In a heated one-on-one battle, Viki Gomez (SPA) managed to beat all his opponents.
The day ended with a great party featuring Dutch C-Mon & Kypski and the renowned rapper Talib Kweli (USA).
Originality and consistency
“I was lucky,� says Viki Gomez (SPA), “because already in the second round I rode against Alex Jumelin (FRA), which motivated me to get the best out of myself.� According to the judges, though, it was rather thanks to his originality than to his luck, that Viki got his triumph. Judge James Alberto: “He used much more variation than his adversary in the last round, Japanese York Uno. Viki did an exceptional combination of a karl kruizer to spinning hitchhiker pivot to cross-footed half-packer.�
2005 has been an exceptional year for the Spaniard who came to Amsterdam with his BMX and gets to return with a brand new Suzuki Bandit motorbike as a prize for his overall victory in the Braun cruZer Tour 2005.
Exciting one-on-one battles in the focal point of a circular industrial landmark
After the starting list had been composed by means of a lottery, sixteen riders competed one-on-one in four-minute battles, directly followed by the judges’ assessment and subsequent elimination of one of each two riders. The duels took place on a small, round wooden floor, drawing all attention to the focal point of the intimate arena. What is more, MC Scott ‘O Brien brought the game to a higher level. The man from New Orleans, who only a few weeks ago experienced hurricane Katrina, now conveyed his physical enthusiasm and energy to the entire audience.
Example to all flatland competitions
As such the evening became “a great experience for spectators as well as contestants, a phenomenon that represents flatland in all its aspects,� as Dutch pro rider Sytse Winkel described the event. To finalist Travis Collier (CAN) the championship was something special as well: “For the first time I felt I could achieve anything I wanted.� Viki Gomez thought “Braun Flatground should serve as an example to all flatland competitions. Its outstanding presentation gets the crowd going and stimulates the riders to go to the edge.�
Results Pro International
1. Viki Gomez (Spain)
2. York Uno (Japan)
3. Pete Brandt (USA)
4. Raphael Chiquet (France)
5. Alex Jumelin (France)
6. Justin Miller (USA)
7. James Mc Graw (USA)
8. Travis Collier (Canada)
9. Martti Kuoppa (Finland)
10. Michael Steingraber (Germany)
11. Hiroya Morizaki (Japan)
12. Matt Wilhelm (USA)
13. Sebastian Pospischil (Germany)
14. Bram Verhallen (Netherlands) / Jesse Puente (USA)
16. Ryoji Yamamoto (Japan)
Expect a full report from our flatland ninja as soon as he's finished with those diapers!
The day ended with a great party featuring Dutch C-Mon & Kypski and the renowned rapper Talib Kweli (USA).
Originality and consistency
“I was lucky,� says Viki Gomez (SPA), “because already in the second round I rode against Alex Jumelin (FRA), which motivated me to get the best out of myself.� According to the judges, though, it was rather thanks to his originality than to his luck, that Viki got his triumph. Judge James Alberto: “He used much more variation than his adversary in the last round, Japanese York Uno. Viki did an exceptional combination of a karl kruizer to spinning hitchhiker pivot to cross-footed half-packer.�
2005 has been an exceptional year for the Spaniard who came to Amsterdam with his BMX and gets to return with a brand new Suzuki Bandit motorbike as a prize for his overall victory in the Braun cruZer Tour 2005.
Exciting one-on-one battles in the focal point of a circular industrial landmark
After the starting list had been composed by means of a lottery, sixteen riders competed one-on-one in four-minute battles, directly followed by the judges’ assessment and subsequent elimination of one of each two riders. The duels took place on a small, round wooden floor, drawing all attention to the focal point of the intimate arena. What is more, MC Scott ‘O Brien brought the game to a higher level. The man from New Orleans, who only a few weeks ago experienced hurricane Katrina, now conveyed his physical enthusiasm and energy to the entire audience.
Example to all flatland competitions
As such the evening became “a great experience for spectators as well as contestants, a phenomenon that represents flatland in all its aspects,� as Dutch pro rider Sytse Winkel described the event. To finalist Travis Collier (CAN) the championship was something special as well: “For the first time I felt I could achieve anything I wanted.� Viki Gomez thought “Braun Flatground should serve as an example to all flatland competitions. Its outstanding presentation gets the crowd going and stimulates the riders to go to the edge.�
Results Pro International
1. Viki Gomez (Spain)
2. York Uno (Japan)
3. Pete Brandt (USA)
4. Raphael Chiquet (France)
5. Alex Jumelin (France)
6. Justin Miller (USA)
7. James Mc Graw (USA)
8. Travis Collier (Canada)
9. Martti Kuoppa (Finland)
10. Michael Steingraber (Germany)
11. Hiroya Morizaki (Japan)
12. Matt Wilhelm (USA)
13. Sebastian Pospischil (Germany)
14. Bram Verhallen (Netherlands) / Jesse Puente (USA)
16. Ryoji Yamamoto (Japan)
Expect a full report from our flatland ninja as soon as he's finished with those diapers!
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.