The 2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs tour promises a triple sporting treat. In addition to the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship and various international events, NIGHT of the JUMPs will also be the setting for the hotly contested European Championship. So for the first time in the history of the world’s biggest and most extreme freestyle motocross series, NOTJ will see both the official FMX world champion and the FMX European champion crowned. With two major titles at stake, we can look forward to even more tricks being premiered and to new freestyle heroes establishing a reputation for themselves, all of which is guaranteed to keep spectators on the edge of their seats.

The curtain-raiser to the most gargantuan IFMXF season of all time takes place on the weekend of 14th/15th January, when the first two rounds of the new UEM European Freestyle MX Championships are staged at NIGHT of the JUMPs in Linz (Austria). The FIM Freestyle MX World Championship begins just one month later (19th/20th February) in the context of NIGHT of the JUMPs in the Italian city of Turin.

Air traffic controllers will be closing air space above o2 World in Berlin on the weekend of 5th - 6th March when the city hosts the two German Grands Prix. After the FMX elite have left their mark on the German capital, they will be moving on to Basle in Switzerland for the fifth and sixth rounds of the World Championship (25th/26th March).

Following the box office success of the first ever NIGHT of the JUMPs in Asia last year, the continent will once again be hosting two world championship evenings in 2011, with Adana in Turkey as the chosen venue (15th/16th May).

The UEM European Freestyle MX Championship then continues one week later (14th May) at NIGHT of the JUMPs in Hamburg.

Whoever is leading the UEM FMX championship by that stage will certainly be aiming to cement their position at the NIGHT of the JUMPs premiere in Munich (28th May) with the aim of firming up starter’s rights for the NIGHT of the JUMPs World Championship Series which is continued at the first NIGHT of the JUMPs on Russian soil when Penza hosts two GP events on 18th and 19th of June.

The FMX circus then goes into its summer recess. The season is planned to resume on 22nd October with the eleventh round of the World Championship in the Latvian capital of Riga. The only possible interruption to the summer break could be a NIGHT of the JUMPs premiere in Angola, but this international event pencilled in for 24th September awaits confirmation.

It is also not yet clear whether Ostrava and Vienna are to feature on next year’s FMX World Championship calendar. But if they do, then the Austrian Grand Prix will take place on 5th November with the two Czech rounds scheduled for the weekend of 19th - 20th November.

After Hamburg and Riga, another of the so-called ‘Hansa’ ports makes it onto the fixture list: Gdansk. This will be first time since 2007 that Poland has hosted NIGHT of the JUMPs. The ERGO Arena has been chosen as the venue for two rounds of the World Championship on 26th and 27th November.

And as usual, the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship stages its grand finale in Brazil during the first half of December The backflip showdown plus crowning ceremony for the new FMX World Champion is scheduled for 10th December, but it has not yet been decided whether the season will terminate in Fortaleza as in 2010 or in some other Brazilian city.

The rider line-up for the World Championship will again feature the top names from FMX, starting with Libor Podmol, Brice Izzo and Jose Miralles, the three main contenders from last season. They will be joined by David Rinaldo, one of the FMX newcomers of 2010 who has been recruited by the IFMXF as a regular member of next year’s tour on the strength of his doublegrab backflip which was a first in the World Championship arena and had the top riders blinking with disbelief.

IFMXF comeback kid Rob Adelberg rejoins the field as one of Australia’s top riders. The circuit will also be graced by the presence of two legendary figures from the FMX record books in the shape of Massimo Bianconcini (ITA) and Fabian Bauersachs (GER). And Czech FMX boy wonder Petr Pilat also qualifies for a twelve-month pass. The other top names are due to be announced soon. For each national event, two local ‘wild card’ riders will be nominated. In addition to stirring the passions of their home crowds, they can be relied on to supply a few surprises along the way.

The very first NIGHT of the JUMPs was held back in 2001 at the Arena Riesa. During its first decade, this ‘sportainment’ tour has established itself as the ultimate benchmark for freestyle motocross skills and thrills. It is only at the NIGHT of the JUMPs that world and European champions are crowned. This is where the knights of freestyle motocross earn their spurs and become superstars who are feted around the globe and write their name in the record books. The 2011 season is guaranteed to bring forth new heroes in the annals of NIGHT of the JUMPs. And spectators will discover at first hand who these future legends are, because no other motor sport lets you get quite as close to the action as NIGHT of the JUMPs.


NIGHT of the JUMPs series 2011:

FIM Freestyle MX World Championship
19.02.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Turin/ITA Round 1
20.02.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Turin/ITA Round 2
05.03.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Berlin/GER Round 3
06.03.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Berlin/GER Round 4
25.03.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Basel/SUI Round 5
26.03.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Basel/SUI Round 6
07.05.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Adana/TUR Round 7 (tbc.)
08.05.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Adana/TUR Round 8 (tbc.)
18.06.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Penza/RUS Round 9
19.06.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Penza/RUS Round 10
22.10.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Riga/LAT Round 11 (tbc.)
05.11.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Vienna/AUT Round 12 (tbc.)
19.11.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Ostrava/CZE Round 13 (tbc.)
20.11.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Ostrava/CZE Round 14 (tbc.)
26.11.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Gdansk/POL Round 15
27.11.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Gdansk/POL Round 16
10.12.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Brasil Round 17 (tbc.)

UEM Freestyle MX European Championship
14.01.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Linz/AUT Round 1
15.01.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Linz/AUT Round 2
14.05.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Hamburg/GER Round 3

IFMXF International Events
28.05.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Munich/GER
24.09.2011 NIGHT of the JUMPs Luanda /ANG (tbc.)