|
|
Crankworx 2006: Part Four
13th August 2006 - Peter Mozola
Back to articles
Well this afternoon was the much anticipated qualifier for the Crankworx Kokanee Slopestyle comp that is coming up this weekend. This year the main event was going to be run differently.
There was no invite list.
If you wanted to be in the show, you had to perform, no matter what your name was.
What this meant to the spectators is that they would get the opportunity to see some of the biggest names in Freeriding throw down early to ensure themselves a spot.
Boyko tailwhip
With 109 athletes in the qualifier, it was broken into three heats with two runs for each rider. The big guns were spread about so that there were superstars in each heat.
At first most of the riders were taking it pretty easy, not showing their cards. But Ben Boyko, a Kona teammate of Paul and John's wasted no time. He pulled out his guns early throwing huge tailwhips over the big dirtjump set. This seemed to light a fire under everyone's asses and they all began to throw down. Most of the top riders opted to do the massive natural roadgap step down to step up line.
Cam McCaul superseater!
Kyle Strait was throwing big inverted Tables off the step down, right into no footed cans off the step up.
Cam McCaul started hucking lofty superman seatgrabs, and Paul Basagoita one-upped him by tweaking out big Indian airs.
Benton Henning flip
Nobody had flipped anything until the new NSMB team rider, Benton Hennig, dropped in and decided to flip the giant step up. This opened the floodgates and soon riders were inverting themselves everywhere, Joe Perrizo took a new line from the Giro Trailer to flipping the hip by the step up.
Darren Berrecloth no can
The "Claw" rode fairly conservatively but well enough to get him into the show. He soared big no cans and x-ups.
Lluis Lacondeguy, the other Spanish fly (Andreu's older brother) went off with massive flips. He scored well enough to put him at 8th position in the final; however he crashed practicing the final drop after the qualifier which resulted in a broken ankle.
spanish fly - Lluis Lacondeguy
With a smaller bag of tricks, but style for miles Thomas Vanderham's unreal motowhips earned him the fourth spot in the finals.
Hardcore - Vanderhams huuuge powerful motowhips
The level of riding was incredible without doubt, but nobody had really seemed to bring their "A game", and the show was lacking for it… That is until Manchester's Lance McDermott dropped in.
McDermott flare!
He X-upped the step down, to a sweet bmx style tuck no hander over the step up, screamed down towards the quarter and stunned everyone with a flare on his 26 inch wheels.
There was going to be some progression after all.
Joe Perrizo flipping mad
Kyle Strait
Paul B Indian Air
|
|
|
|
