2014 Freestyle of Nations
The world premiere of the FIM Freestyle of Nations May 31, 2014, in the VELTINS Arena in Germany will assemble the cream of Freestyle Motocross (FMX) riders in a competition to decide the official Number 1 national team.
All together, 27 FMX riders from nine countries and four continents will be vying for the title in six disciplines: Freestyle, Maxxis Highest Air, Best Whip, Best Trick, Synchro and Race & Style.
The US team, which slipped in shortly before the close of registrations, will arrive in the form of Matt Buyten, Mike Mason and Todd Potter. The three riders have notched up a total of 10 X Games gold medals, putting them among the hot favorites to take the World Championship Team title.
Flying the flag for Germany will be Hannes Ackermann, Lukas Weis and youngster Luc Ackermann. The 16-year-old from Thuringia will be looking to outdo the elite from Italy and the USA in the high-jump competition and leave the rest of the field behind him, as he did recently in Mannheim at the NIGHT of the JUMPs. “Skywalker” Lukas Weis will be taking to the ramp in the Best Whip discipline while Hannes Ackermann mixes it with the best of them in the Freestyle Contest.
The US team, which slipped in shortly before the close of registrations, will arrive in the form of Matt Buyten, Mike Mason and Todd Potter. The three riders have notched up a total of 10 X Games gold medals, putting them among the hot favourites to take the World Championship Team title.
But they won’t have an easy time of it. The French team made up of David Rinaldo, World Championship runner-up Brice Izzo and Jeremy Rouanet is in with a good chance to land a place on the rostrum, as are the Spaniards – Red Bull X-Fighters champion Dany Torres, Maikel Melero, winner of four NIGHT of the JUMPs contests in this season alone, and the popular Jose Miralles.
The Czech team is likewise in the running for a medal. Captain Libor Podmol won the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship in 2010 and has pulled off a succession of new trick combinations lately. Red Bull rider Petr Pilat, too, recently unveiled a number of world firsts at the NIGHT of the JUMPs. And old hand Martin Koren rounds off the team.
The Italians are seen as long shots. Although Massimo Bianconcini is a hot tip in the high-jump event, Ivan Zucconi and Leonardo Fini are not seen as being experienced enough to make a mark. The same goes for the Australians: Joel Brown did well in the Freestyle discipline at the NIGHT of the JUMPs early in the year and Metal Mulisha rider Truman Caroll and Robbie Marschall both have a sizeable repertoire of tricks and combinations, but in view of their modest international experience it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to bring in the medals.
Completing the line-up will be the Brazilian team, composed of Fred Kyrillos, Marcelo Simoes and Jeff Campacci, and Russia, who will field Nikoly Ivankov, Mihael Yarygin and Vladimir Yarygin.
Before the tournament begins for real, however, one of the nine teams will be eliminated in the heats on 30th May. On the Saturday just eight teams will go head-to-head in the first ever FIM Freestyle of Nations.
2014 Teams Freestyle of Nations
- Team Germany: Hannes Ackermann, Luc Ackermann, Lukas Weis
- Team Spain: Dany Torres, Maikel Melero, Jose Miralles
- Team Czech Republic: Libor Podmol, Petr Pilat, Martin Koren
- Team USA: Todd Potter, Matt Buyten, Mike Mason
- Team France: David Rinaldo, Brice Izzo, Jeremy Rouanet
- Team Italy: Massimo Bianconcini, Ivan Zucconi, Leonardo Fini
- Team Australia: Joel Brown, Truman Carroll, Robbie Marshall
- Team Brasil: Fred Kyrillos, Marcelo Simoes, Jeff Campacci
- Team Russia: Nikolay Ivankov, Mihael Yarygin, Vladimir Yarygin
*only best eight teams after pre0-qualification (day before) will advance into main competition
For additional information, visit freestyle-of-nations.com
