2014 Freestyle of Nations
More than 24,000 extreme sports fans turned out to watch Saturday’s spectacular premiere of the FIM Freestyle of Nations in the Veltins Arena at Gelsenkirchen.
The world’s best freestyle motocross riders were representing their home countries in a contest for the world title.
Eight national teams from four continents competed for points in the six disciplines of Freestyle, Maxxis Highest Air, Best Whip, Best Trick, Synchro and Race & Style that would determine the winner of the Rockwell FIM Freestyle of Nations.
The trophy ultimately went to the team from Spain who prevailed by a comfortable margin over the second-placed Czech Republic.
The night before had already seen a play-off between Russia and Brazil for the last place in the line-up. The South Americans went through to join the United States, Australia, Spain, France, Italy, the Czech Republic and Germany in tonight’s final.
There were preliminary heats in the Synchro and Maxxis Highest Air events to determine the four teams that would go through to the final in each. The Synchro would subsequently be fought out between Spain, the USA, Germany and the Czech Republic, while the high jump pitted Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain and the USA against each other. None of the other teams made the grade and were therefore out of the reckoning.
The showdown in the Maxxis Highest Air was an exclusively European affair, with Libor Podmol and Massimo Bianconcini going head to head. This was after X-Games gold medallist Matt Buyten had crashed out at 9.30 metres, leaving Massimo to clear the bar at 10.00 metres and seal the win for Italy.
The Synchro event was won by Dany Torres and Maikel Melero ahead of the American team led by Potter and Mason.
The Best Whip contest produced a shock result with a win for Marcelo Simoes – the Brazilian outscored the favorites with a sequence of stunning whips. Jeremy Rouanet took the runner-up spot for France.
In the Best Trick contest, Dany Torres was adjudged the winner on the basis of his Double Hart Attack flip ahead of Jeremy Rouanet whose hopes had rested on a 540 Flair. Germany’s 16-year-old prodigy Luc Ackermann performed a Surfer Take-Off Tsunami Flip which secured him fourth place.
In the Race & Style Contest, France’s Brice Izzo beat X-Games medallist Mike Mason – the American chose the wrong racing line, which effectively put paid to his chances.
The two Freestyle runs were dominated by the Spanish contingent, the first contest being won by Maikel Melero while Dany Torres triumphed in the second.
This was enough to secure the Rockwell FIM Freestyle of Nations trophy for the Spanish team, with a five-point margin over the Czechs. The French team claimed the remaining podium spot.
2014 Freestyle of Nations Results:
Results: Freestyle Contest, Round 1
1. Team Spain M. Melero RFME KTM 393 points 1 point
2. Team Czech Rep P. Pilat ACCR KTM 364 points 2 points
3. Team USA T. Potter AMA Honda 332 points 3 points
4. Team France J. Rouanet FFM KTM 328 points 4 points
5. Team Australia T. Carroll MA Yamaha 272 points 5 points
6. Team Italy L. Fini PZM KTM 258 points 6 points
7. Team Germany H. Ackermann DMSB KTM 255 points 7 points
8. Team Brazil M. Simoes CBM Kawasaki 158 points 8 points
Results: Freestyle Contest, Round 2
1. Team Spain D. Torres RFME KTM 394 points 1 point
2. Team France D. Rinaldo FFM Yamaha 368 points 2 points
3. Team Czech Rep P. Pilat ACCR KTM 368 points 3 points
4. Team Australia J. Brown MA Yamaha 337 points 4 points
5. Team Brazil G. Flores CBM Yamaha 323 points 5 points
6. Team Germany L. Ackermann DMSB KTM 301 points 6 points
7. Team Italy K. Ferrari PZM KTM 259 points 7 points
8. Team USA M. Buyten AMA Honda 161 points 8 points
Results: Synchro Contest
1. Team Spain D. Torres / M. Melero RFME 206 points 1 points
2. Team USA T. Potter / M. Mason AMA 192 points 2 points
3. Team Czech Rep L. Podmol / P. Pilat ACCR 175 points 3 points
4. Team Germany L. Ackermann / H. Ackermann DMSB 169 points 4 points
5. Team Australia Carroll / Marschall MA 5 points
6. Team France J. Rouanet / B. Izzo, FFM 6 points
7. Team Italy K. Ferrari / L. Fini PZM 7 points
8. Team Brazil M. Simoes / G. Flores CBM 8 points
Results: Maxxis Highest Air
1. Team Italy M. Bianconcini PZM KTM 10.00 metres 1 point
2. Team Czech Rep L. Podmol ACCR Yamaha 9.30 metres 2 points
3. Team USA M. Buyten AMA Honda 8.50 metres 3 points
4. Team Spain J. Miralles RFME KTM 7.50 metres 4 points
5. Team Germany L. Ackermann DMSB KTM 0.00 metres 5 points
5. Team France B. Izzo ACCR Yamaha 0.00 metres 5 points
5. Team Australia R. Marschall MA Yamaha 0.00 metres 5 points
8. Team Brazil G. Flores CBM Yamaha DNS 8 points
Results: Best Trick Contest
1. Team Spain D. Torres RFME KTM 394 points 1 point
2. Team France J. Rouanet FFM KTM 328 points 2 points
3. Team Czech Rep L. Podmol ACCR Yamaha 235 points 3 points
4. Team Germany L. Ackermann DMSB KTM 225 points 4 points
5. Team Australia J. Brown MA Yamaha 337 points 5 points
6. Team Italy L.Fini PZM KTM 258 points 6 points
7. Team Brazil G. Flores CBM Yamaha 166 points 7 points
8. Team USA M. Buyten AMA Honda 161 points 8 points
Results Best Whip Contest
1. Team Brazil M. Simoes CBM Kawasaki 1 points
2. Team France J. Rouanet FFM KTM 2 point
3. Team Australia R. Marshall MA Yamaha 3 points
3. Team Germany L. Weis DMSB KTM 3 points
5. Team USA T. Potter AMA Honda 5 points
5. Team Spain J. Miralles RFME KTM 5 points
5. Team Czech Rep M. Koren ACCR Yamaha 5 points
5. Team Italy M. Bianconcini PZM KTM 5 points
Results Race & Style Contest
1. Team France B. Izzo FFM Yamaha 1 point
2. Team USA M. Mason AMA Honda 2 points
3. Team Spain J. Miralles RFME KTM 3 points
3. Team Czech Rep M. Koren ACCR Yamaha 3 points
5. Team Italy M. Bianconcini PZM KTM 5 points
5. Team Germany L. Weis DMSB KTM 5 points
5. Team Brazil G. Flores CBM Yamaha 5 points
5. Team Australia R. Marshall MA Yamaha 5 points
FIM Freestyle of Nations Overall rankings
1. Team Spain Torres, Melero, Miralles RFME 16 points
2. Team Czech Rep Podmol, Pilat, Koren ACCR 21 points
3. Team France Rinaldo, Izzo, Rouanet FFM 22 points
4. Team USA Buyten, Mason, Potter AMA 31 points
5. Team Australia Brown, Carroll, Marshall MA 32 points
6. Team Germany H. Ackermann, L. Ackermann, Weis DMSB 34 points
7. Team Italy Bianconcini, Ferrari, Fini PZM 37 points
8. Team Brazil Simoes, Flores, Campacci CBM 42 points
For additional information, log onto www.freestyle-of-nations.com.
