Next to two teams of FMX riders (Europe Vs America) the stop at the SportPaleis had dancers, trail riders, stunt guys and pompom girls. Again, the light show, two announcers, big screen and fire all added to the show element. The European crowd might be different but at least they tried hard to make it work. 
With two shows on Saturday and one on Sunday the people in Belgium had their chance to pick one that suited their schedule. The first show on Saturday wasn't sold out but had a decent crowd, same goes for the night show. [url=http://fmx.cc.com/Riders/Rider.2004-03-10.2143]Jake Windham was the captain of team USA[/url] which hosted one Canadian rider and riders such as [url=http://fmx.cc.com/Riders/Rider.2004-03-05.0910]Derek Burlew[/url] and [url=http://fmx.cc.com/Riders/Rider.2004-03-09.0559]Dustin Miller[/url]. The European team set-up was even funnier, they had a New Zealander in the team and Nick de Wit from South Africa. Chris Birch (UK), 
local [url=http://fmx4ever.com/]Jimmy Verburgh (Belgium)[/url] and [url=http://www.airwastl.de/]Busty Wolter (Germany)[/url] were the actual riders that came from Europe (yes Brits, you're part of Europe too). Hey, the show must go on and the two non-Europeans were the ones flipping the ramp to ramp distance so what the heck. 
After a short introduction the contest/show started with a double routine where two pairs of riders of the same team had to do the exact same tricks. The duo with the best routine would send the others "to the showers". Jake Windham and Dustin Miller won round one. Up next was a little trial intermezzo before the Europe versus USA best whip comp started. Finalists Busty Wolter and Dustin Miller gave it their best for the Belgian crowd and the judges gave it to team USA. 
A stunt show and a freestyle comp followed and the more the crowd was downing beers, the better the vibe got.From here the show leaps to:
-Helsinki, Finland on May 12-13
-Zurich, Switzerland on May 19-20.
BdJ
Here's the official press release:
Team Europe Takes Lead Over USA in Premiere
Hardcore Freestyle Motocross Tour in Belgium!
AURORA, Ill. (April 7, 2006) – Live Nation - Motor Sports division announced today that Team Europe emerged on top in the first stop on Europe’s premiere Hardcore Freestyle Motocross tour in Antwerp, Belgium - the first leg of a trio of Hardcore Freestyle Motocross events in Europe this spring. With 16,279 fans at the Sportpaleis, Team Europe dazzled the crowd with stunning tricks and technical grace. Keeping the crowd on its feet throughout the show, the European squad saved their best stunts for the end as the competition came down to the final riders in each performance.
The Hardcore Freestyle Motocross Tour features the world’s most accomplished and famous FMX riders, taking five of the best riders from the USA and matching them up against five of the best riders from Europe. Each rider competed in each of three categories: the doubles, the whip and an 80-second freestyle run. Riders gained points for their team in each category, as well as also earning points individually for the 80-second freestyle segment. Early on, Team USA looked dominating in all three rounds, and in a testament to the intensity of the competition, American Mike Mason captured all three individual wins in each Freestyle portion. By the time it was all over in Antwerp, however, Team Europe emerged the victor 2-1 against the eager Americans.
The first show saw the Americans coming out in full swing. Dustin Miller was on fire as he took the win in doubles with team-mate Jake Windham. Miller also went on to take the whip contest – a rare feat for Dustin, who hasn’t competed well in this category in the past. Led by Mike Mason, the Americans took the top five positions in the freestyle competition giving team USA the first win in that weekend’s series.
The sold-out second show saw the Europeans come out on top. Competing for the Euro Team, Nick DeWitt combined with Nick Franklin to take the win in the doubles competition to get the Euro train rolling. Then it was local Flanders favourite Jimmy Verburgh who nabbed the win in that afternoon’s “whip” contest with his deluxe seat-grab-tail-whip trick. After these back to back wins, the European team kept on the gas into the FMX contest, and despite Team USA’s Mike Mason once again winning the individual FMX portion, Team Europe claimed 4 of the top 6 positions in the FMX main to take the overall win in the second of three shows.
In the final match-up Sunday, Nick Franklin and Nick DeWitt again took the doubles competition with European team-mate Nick Birch grabbing his first top spot for the whip contest. Even with the US’s Mike Mason taking his 3rd win of the weekend in the individual FMX contest, the team freestyle competition was evenly split. So, with the Europeans taking the doubles and the whip segments, the US fell in the final round. The weekend’s overall championship went to an ecstatic Team Europe for their 2-1 performance.
“We knew the Americans are the best in the world, “said Team Europe Captain, Jimmy Verburgh, “but we thought we could take them if we stayed consistent. We did. They didn’t. They rode great. We rode better. We are really happy to have won the first round at home. “
Verburgh went on to say that he didn’t expect the Americans to take their loss lightly, “We really need to be tough from here on. That US team is going to try to bury us in Helsinki and Zurich. They learned the hard way that this European Team is for real and here to stay.”
“We are very pleased with the results in Belgium last weekend, the interest in Hardcore Freestyle Motocross is huge. And the crowds in Europe were fantastic.” said Magnus Danielsson, Live Nation’s senior director of European events, “It will be great to see this Team Europe victory on Eurosport later in April.”
Eurosport will feature comprehensive TV coverage of the tour. Each event will be broadcast in two 1-hour slots on both Eurosport and Eurosport 2, starting with Antwerp on 29 April and 6 May on Eurosport at CET 23h30 and on 4 and 8 May on Eurosport 2 at 6 PM, and followed by Helsinki and Zurich.
“The event promoter, Live Nation Belgium, did a great job producing the Hardcore Freestyle Motocross Tour for the first time. We are right now planning the expansion of the Hardcore Freestyle Motocross for 2007 and beyond”, says Danielsson.
Media partners:
TV: JIM, PLUG, ATV
Newspapers: Gazet Van Antwerpen / BVL
Free press : Passe Partout
French magazine: Cine tele revue
Dutch magazine : P magazine
Radio: Radio Contact
Specialized press: Motorgazet, Moto 80
Websites: mxworld, fmx4ever.com, mxmovies.com
The Hardcore Freestyle Motocross next stop is Hartwall Arena in Helsinki May 12-13, Finland. From there the Hardcore Freestyle Motocross Tour leaps to Zurich, Switzerland on May 19-20.
Points standing after Antwerp:
MIKE MASON, USA 150
NICK FRANKLIN, EUROPE 141
DUSTIN MILLER, USA 135
JAKE WINDHAM, USA 123
NICK DE WITT, EUROPE 118
DEREK BURLEW, USA 113
JEFF FEHR, USA 112
BUSTY WOLTER, EUROPE 111
JIMMY VERBURGH, EUROPE 110
KRIS BIRCH, EUROPE 96
TEAM EUROPE 2
TEAM USA 1
Look for more important announcements regarding the 2006 Hardcore Freestyle Motocross and European Monster Jam Tour at www.hardcorefmx.com and www.monsterjameurope.com. Please direct all inquiries to Magnus Danielsson.
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.