2013 FIM Freestyle MX Championship NIGHT of the JUMPS
April 27 is a red-letter day for all lovers of extreme sports. The Olympiahalle in Munich is about to play host to NIGHT of the JUMPs for the third time, but this will be the first occasion on which the Bavarian fans have witnessed a European Championship fixture.
And the field of riders for the third round of the Freestyle MX European Championship could not be more star-studded.
Topping the bill is 2010 Motocross World Champion Libor Podmol (CZE). He is joined by Brice Izzo (FRA) and Jose Miralles (ESP), two former runners-up in the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship. Spanish rider Dany Torres, who won the X-Fighters in 2011, will be contesting the European title for the first time and is looking to notch up a maiden victory in the NIGHT of the JUMPs series with his Oxecutioner Flip and Paris Hilton Backflip.
But David Rinaldo will have different ideas: he leads the 2013 European Championship standings and has already won two World Championship competitions this season.
Hannes Ackermann also has big ambitions. The best of the current crop of German FMX riders occupies fourth spot in the championship table and has been practicing his Tsunami Backflip in the hope of securing a podium in front of his home crowd. Hannes’ 15-year-old brother Luc will be measuring himself against the world elite in the MAXXIS Race & Style and the ROCKWELL Best Whip contests. The third German flying the flag is Kai Haase; the Berliner is not only aiming to qualify for the freestyle final but is also a good bet for the Race & Style sideshow.
Standing in for the injured reigning world champion Remi Bizouard is fellow Frenchman Maxime Gregoire, and there is every chance that he could be performing The Volt. Expect a blast from the past as Englishman Chris Brock makes a NIGHT of the JUMPs comeback.
After an astonishing seven year’s absence, he will be hoping to rekindle some of the former magic and wing his way into the final. The rider line-up is completed by Maikel Melero from Spain and Russian favorite Aleksey Koleshnikov, both of whom will be venturing into the European Championship fray for the first time this season.
So the Munich fans can look forward to a spectacular international contest, with various trick premieres and new riders. Another star attraction on the bill is Emma McFerran.
The Australian, who is one of only two women active on the world FMX scene, aims to become the first female to pull off an FMX backflip on Bavarian soil. Following the resounding success of the Mountain Bike Show last year, the aerial acrobats have been invited back as part of the support programme. Newcomer Antti Rissanen from Finland, will be contributing to the stunning repertoire of the troupe. If you miss this spectacle in Munich, you will only have yourself to blame.
NIGHT of the JUMPs in Olympiahalle, Munich / Germany Field of riders:
- Libor Podmol (CZE)
- David Rinaldo (FRA)
- Dany Torres (ESP)
Brice Izzo (FRA)
- Hannes Ackermann (GER)
- Jose Miralles (ESP)
- Kai Haase (GER)
- Maikel Melero (ESP)
- Maxime Gregoire (FRA)
- Chris Brock (ENG)
- Aleksey Koleshnikov (RUS)
- + Luc Ackermann (GER) in Race & Style and Best Whip
- + Emma McFerran (AUS)
Freestyle MX European Championships Ranking (after 2nd contest):
1. David Rinaldo         FRA   FFM      Yamaha   40 Points
2. Brice Izzo         FRA   FFM      Yamaha   34 Points
3. Libor Podmol         CZE   ACCR      Yamaha   30 Points
4. Hannes Ackermann      GER   DMSB      KTM      30 Points
5. Petr Pilat         CZE   ACCR      KTM      24 Points
6. Jose Miralles         ESP   RFME      KTM      22 Points
7. Martin Koren         CZE   ACCR      KTM      17 Points
8. Massimo Bianconcini      ITA   PZM      KTM      17 Points
9. Thomas Wirnsberger      AUT   OSK      Suzuki    13 Points
10. Maxime Gregoire      FRA   FFM      Yamaha    7 Points
11. Remi Bizouard      FRA   FFM      Honda       6 Points
12. Fred Wasner         FRA   FFM      Yamaha    5 Points
