FATBMX Your Online BMX News Resource Since 1998

Pro Dirt results Extreme Thing, Las Vegas:
1. Rob Darden
2. Ryan Nyquist
3. Anthony Napolitan

80 teams lined up for the T-Mobile Extreme Playground Dirt session qualifying event. Goal was to win a spot for the main event in Duisburg where riders such as Ryan Nyquist, Corey Bohan and Ryan Guettler are invited for. The results of the qualifying event in Mainz look like this:
1 Felix Kirch, Simon Moratz
2 Volker Wildner, Moritz Kauper
3 Benny Paulsen, Rafael Adam

Purpose: Unite Riders, Promote Positive Freestyle BMX bike riding.

Criminal gangs, drug abuse, racism, these are just some of the concerns surrounding the youth of our inner cities. The Foundations Organization exists to address these issues, by connecting at risk youth with professional athletes who utilize their position as role models to encourage positive creative and healthy lifestyles.

Best things about the event: The mass number of riders who came out for the event, from Washington State to San Diego, from Arizona to Santa Monica; The full cooperative level of volunteer effort from riders helping riders, this event would never have been possible without their support. Special thanks to Sean Azizi, Alvaro Ocanto, Charles Bazzell, Jason Aleknewicus, everyone at Innertwine Clothing Co, and Ben Snowden for helping with the labor and transport of the ramp construction, Jesse Puente, Larry Alvarado, and J.L Sodinu Productions for the inside management and creative work,

The third annual Winter Splinter contest went down on March 14 at the Factory Skatepark, a huge bike oriented indoor park near Atlanta, Georgia. Locals and out-of-towners alike tore the place up in park, vert, and a high air event on the huge 11 foot quarter. The amateurs were better than ever: semi-local rider Russell Summerville went back to back, pulling a double whip right into a decade jump on the rhythm section. He also won vert, clicking lookbacks and throwing tuck no-handers like a seasoned vert rider. Russ won a free weekend at Woodward East for his efforts. The pros, as always, went off. Philadelphia rider Paul Horan nailed an icepick grind to no-footed can can off the end of a flat rail. Jersey boy Matt Leveige

Now everyone in BMX wants to make it to the Nora Cup to party with their friends. That place is insane as it hosts the young blood, industry types, old school guys and media all in one. At the Old School BMX reunion at Woodward West no riders were allowed under 32 years old unless you were a son or daughter of one of the participants. The party that followed on Saturday night was absolutely great. Getting to hang out with riders you only got to see in the magazines when you were growing up was awesome. Wherever you turned your head you saw a BMX legend. A unique night for sure.

We suggested a hold-fire with the online BMX media that's present at Woodward West this weekend so we could all ride and enjoy the weekend. But if the other parties don't cooperate we can spoil a few pics of the event right now before going into tonight's party. A few names of riders who are here: Bob Haro, Eddie Fiola, Tony Murray, Hugo Gonzales, Maurice Meyer, Dave Nourie and many more. Everyone is riding, and riding more than they've done in the last few months (or years). Great times here. 

One of the goals on this trip was to see Stephen Murray. After hanging with him shortly at Paxton's jam on Saturday, Andy and I drove over to his place in Riverside where we were welcomed by his dad and John Jennings. Seeing the little trails around the house made me smile and after Stephen got up from the bed he proudly showed them to us. "Seth is killing it on these things" he said and soon enough Seth, Mason, Kimarie and the nanny showed up. "Get on the bike Seth!" Stephen said "but water the jumps first."

On Sunday after the Paxton's jam I drove over to Los Angeles for the LA Street Jam. The meeting point was somewhere on Alameda street but I found out that that road is 10 miles long. Finding the meeting point then can be challenging but I had everything in the car, got online through an open signal and headed towards Chinatown where I parked the car. I saw a bunch of riders heading in one direction and I just followed them to meet Jesse Puente with a megaphone. I had made the 1 o'clock meeting and soon after the crew left. From one spot to the other. More and more riders joined the crew and at the end there must have been over 250 riders riding from spot to spot. Being in that group simply makes you feel good. Everyone was amazed by the turnout and all worked out well. If the cops or the security showed up, Jesse and his megaphone lead the posse to the next spot. It was a little strange seeing Jesse, being a flatland rider, as the leader of the LA street ride but he kept it together and mentioned what parts could be won at each stop. Enjoy the photos to see the riding, the spots and the moves.

The day started foggy but that didn't last long. After getting some computer stuff done Andy Zeiss and I drove over to Santa Ana to hook up with Will Stroud who was filming a Levi web clip with Dakota Roche and Morgan Wade. The little park provided ledges, wedges, stairs and rails and both riders were looking for clips to film for the next web clip. No problems with security/cops as people have been laid off which opens the parks to bikes as well. Finally one good thing coming out of that recession.

If someone dropped a bomb on Burnside last Saturday, the whole Dutch scene would be vanished. Everyone was there. Well known people, unknown people, young people and really old people. Or in Dutch terms “shit was aan!”.
 
With 3 contest due the evening everybody could show their skills. Arthur from Polen pulled a backflip no hander over the small jumpbox and won the best trick contest. Syo who doesn’t belong to something won the jeans hanging contest. Format: jump with your bike to the jeans and keep on hanging.

Last contest wasn’t really a contest. One big mini session and the best trick/biggest beard award went to Daniël Wedemijer with a 540 footjam (that Harry Main thing).

But the event wasn’t really about the contest, it was more about fun and seeing each other after a long winter break.