| Story by Oliver Franke/IFMXF.com |
Ostrava, 20th November 2010: The ninth round of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship at the CEZ Arena in Ostrava was a spectacular display of every flip in the book. In a thrilling finale to the LR Health & Beauty NIGHT of the JUMPs, local hero Libor Podmol not only emerged as victor on the night but also advanced directly to the top of the world championship standings. In the exclusively French tussle for runner-up spot, Remi Bizouard edged out Brice Izzo. It was Scott Murray, however, who stole the show with the first double backflip in the history of NIGHT of the JUMPs.
9,300 fans turned up at the CEZ Arena to watch the Czech Grand Prix of NIGHT of the JUMPs FIM Freestyle MX World Championship and were immediately treated to an exciting qualification round. IFMXF newcomer Josh Sheehan, Ales Liemann and Massimo Bianconcini had major problems early on. Liemann took a tumble, Sheehan had two deadsailors and Bianconcini’s bike packed up before the double-up. That meant they went out in the preliminary round. By contrast, Hannes Ackermann, Lukas Weis and Alastair Sayer had strong runs and only just missed out on the final. The six riders going through were Fabian Bauersachs, Brody Wilson, Jose Miralles, Remi Bizouard, Brice Izzo and Libor Podmol.
In the exciting finale of the Race & Style competition, Libor Podmol took the victory ahead of Kornel Nemeth. Youngster Luc Ackermann performed a Backflip to 1-Hand-Landing and Alastair Sayer set a NIGHT of the JUMPs step-up record with a mighty leap of 10.3 metres.
The final was a tour de force of backflips. Fabian Bauersachs laid on a 1Hand Nac Flip. Brody Wilson pulled out a meaty Tsunami Flip and Jose Miralles a Superman Seatgrab Indy Flip. Meanwhile, the battle for overall victory was raging between Bizouard, Izzo and Podmol. Brice pulled off a Stripper Flip, while Remi showed that he can still manage a Ruler Flip and Podmol that he is the master of the Underflip Indy. So eventually, the Czech rider finished the evening on top and regained his leadership in the title race. Just four points behind in equal second place are Jose Miralles and Brice Izzo.
And as if Podmol’s victory on his home turf were not enough to send the crowd into raptures, US guest star Scott Murray crowned a fantastic evening by performing the first ever double backflip in the history of NIGHT of the JUMPs, on exactly the same spot where he came a cropper twelve months ago.
FACTS LR NIGHT of the JUMPs – FIM Freestyle MX World Championships
Ostrava, 20th November 2010 – Round 9
Results LR NIGHT of the JUMPs – Final
1. Libor Podmol CZE ACCR Suzuki 419 Points
2. Remi Bizouard FRA FFM Yamaha 407 Points
3. Brice Izzo FRA FFM Yamaha 401 Points
4. Jose Miralles ESP RFME KTM 393 Points
5. Brody Wilson USA AMA Yamaha 372 Points
6. Fabian Bauersachs GER DMSB Suzuki 337 Points
Results Qualifikation
1. Libor Podmol CZE ACCR Suzuki 370 Points
2. Brice Izzo FRA FFM Yamaha 368 Points
3. Remi Bizouard FRA FFM Yamaha 367 Points
4. Jose Miralles ESP RFME KTM 363 Points
5. Brody Wilson USA AMA Yamaha 354 Points
6. Fabian Bauersachs GER DMSB Suzuki 326 Points
7. Alastair Sayer BOT MSA Suzuki 324 Points
8. Lukas Weis GER DMSB Suzuki 314 Points
9. Hannes Ackermann GER DMSB KTM 297 Points
10. Josh Sheehan AUS MA Honda 297 Points
11. Massimo Bianconcini ITAL DMSB KTM 259 Points
12. Tomas Lysacek CZE ACCR Yamaha 209 Points
13. Ales Liemann CZE ACCR Suzuki 27 Points
Results Race & Style
1. Libor Podmol CZE ACCR Suzuki
2. Kornel Nemeth HUN ??? KTM
3. Josh Sheehan AUS MA Honda
3. Lukas Weis GER DMSB Suzuki
Highest-Air
1. Alastair Sayer BOT MSA Suzuki 10,30 Meter
2. Lukas Weis GER DMSB Suzuki 9,00 Meter
3. Kornel Nemeth HUN KTM 8,50 Meter |
Ostrava, 21st November 2010: The second instalment of LR NIGHT of the JUMPs was just as full of excitement and high drama as the first. In an even more thrilling final than on Saturday, local hero Libor Podmol claimed his second overall win in Ostrava. Once again, he managed to surpass Remi Bizouard and main title rival Brice Izzo, both of whom were also on top form.
Liemann was unable to compete at all following his fall on Saturday, so only twelve riders took part in the qualifying round. Most improved contestant was Josh Sheehan who laid on an impressive sequence of tricks to go through to the final in only his second NIGHT of the JUMPs. Alastair Sayer also ratcheted up the complexity of his tricks to book a place in the final. The two of them were joined by Jose Miralles, Brice Izzo, Remi Bizouard and Libor Podmol.
This time, racer Nemeth Kornell stamped his authority in the Race & Style contest. The crowd were ecstatic when Alastair Sayer broke the 11-metre barrier to set a new world record in the Highest Air contest. This surpassed Tommy Clowers’ 10.7m jump in the 2000 X-Games by a wide margin.
The man from Botswana was evidently overcome by the momentous nature of his achievement, because he then went on to register two deadsailors that dropped him down to sixth place. Jose Miralles who had led the pack going into the Ostrava Grand Prix was unfortunately unable to raise his game and had to settle for fifth, which also meant that he lost further ground in the championship, slipping back to third place.
Josh Sheehan only narrowly missed out on a podium finish in Ostrava. He pulled off an underflip, a Cordova Flip and Tsunami Flip, but Brice Izzo’s Underflip Indy and Stripper Flip narrowly sufficed to snatch third place on the night.
Meanwhile, the battle for the top podium spot in the tenth round of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championships was a close-fought encounter between Remi Bizouard and Libor Podmol. The Frenchman rejigged his programme to bring in the Rulerflip before the double-up jump which he reserved for a Superman Seatgrab Flip. On an ‘average’ night, that would normally have been good enough to secure the win. But with the crowd roaring him on, Libor Podmol executed an Underflip Indy, a Superman Seatgrab Flip Indy and various other tricks to take him to the top of the leaderboard.
The Czech rider was thus able to consolidate his championship lead which he has built up to a clear six points on Brice Izzo and an even more comfortable 10-point gap on Jose Miralles. Scott Murray almost rounded off what was in any case a sensational weekend with a second double backflip. However, the American over-rotated ever so slightly and just missed out on a copybook landing. Thankfully, he was OK apart from a few grazes.
The next two events in the series (Rounds 11 and 12) of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship are scheduled for next Friday and Saturday at the NIGHT of the JUMPs in Vienna.
FACTS LR NIGHT of the JUMPs – FIM Freestyle MX World Championships
Ostrava, 21. November 2010 – Round 10
Results LR NIGHT of the JUMPs – Final
1. Libor Podmol CZE ACCR Suzuki 419 Points
2. Remi Bizouard FRA FFM Yamaha 415 Points
3. Brice Izzo FRA FFM Yamaha 399 Points
4. Josh Sheehan AUS MA Honda 392 Points
5. Jose Miralles ESP RFME KTM 385 Points
6. Alastair Sayer BOT MSA Suzuki 235 Points
Results Qualification
1. Brice Izzo FRA FFM Yamaha 364 Points
2. Libor Podmol CZE ACCR Suzuki 362 Points
3. Josh Sheehan AUS MA Honda 361 Points
4. Remi Bizouard FRA FFM Yamaha 353 Points
5. Alastair Sayer BOT MSA Suzuki 344 Points
6. Jose Miralles ESP RFME KTM 338 Points
7. Brody Wilson USA AMA Yamaha 329 Points
8. Fabian Bauersachs GER DMSB Suzuki 328 Points
9. Massimo Bianconcini ITAL DMSB KTM 320 Points
10. Hannes Ackermann GER DMSB KTM 307 Points
11. Lukas Weis GER DMSB Suzuki 301 Points
12. Tomas Lysacek CZE ACCR Yamaha 197 Points
Results Race & Style
1. Kornel Nemeth HUN KTM
2. Massimo Bianconcini ITAL DMSB KTM
Highest-Air
1. Alastair Sayer BOT MSA Suzuki 11,00 Meter
2. Massimo Bianconcini ITAL DMSB KTM 9,00 Meter
2. Kornel Nemeth HUN KTM 9,00 Meter
2. Lukas Weis GER DMSB Suzuki 9,00 Meter
FIM Freestyle MX World Championships
Ranking (after 10th contest)
1. Libor Podmol CZE ACCR Suzuki 164 Points
2. Brice Izzo FRA FFM Yamaha 158 Points
3. Jose Miralles ESP RFME KTM 154 Points
4. Remi Bizouard FRA FFM Yamaha 104 Points
5. Brody Wilson USA AMA Yamaha 104 Points
6. Massimo Bianconcini ITAL DMSB KTM 89 Points
7. Alastair Sayer BOT MSA Suzuki 83 Points
8. Fabian Bauersachs GER DMSB Suzuki 80 Points
9. Lukas Weis GER DMSB Suzuki 61 Points
10. Petr Pilat CZE ACCR KTM 61 Points
11. Hannes Ackermann GER DMSB KTM 59 Points
12. David Rinaldo FRA FFM Yamaha 45 Points
13. Rob Adelberg AUS MA Yamaha 34 Points
14. Martin Koren CZE ACCR KTM 20 Points
15. Josh Sheehan AUS MA Honda 20 Points
16. Marcelo Simoes BRA CBM Yamaha 10 Points
17. Tomas Lysacek CZE ACCR Yamaha 8 Points
18. Kai Haase GER DMSB Suzuki 8 Points
19. Aleksey Koleshnikov RUS KTM MFR 4 Points
20. Freddy Peters GER DMSB Yamaha 3 Points
21. Ales Liemann CZE ACCR Suzuki 3 Points |
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