Linz 19th January 2013: Saturday and the second contest of the NIGHT of the JUMPs / Freestyle MX European Championship marked the end of the big Freestyle Motocross Grand Prix weekend in the Tips Arena Linz. In front of a sell-out crowd, the motocross acrobats dug deep, topping their performances from the previous day. Remi Bizouard even harboured thoughts of entering the fray once more after being laid low on Friday by a bout of flu but was not really on form, riding just rode for the fans.

This was Frenchman Fred Walser’s NIGHT of the JUMPs debut and he was to get a taste of heady European Championship air but did not do enough to finish higher than eleventh. Local hero Thomas Wirnsberger was cheered loudly by his fellow Austrians. With their shouts of encouragement ringing in his ears, he managed finally to jump into the Top Ten. Martin Koren and Bianconcini posted solid runs but they too had to bow out of the freestyle competition on this second day.

World Champion runner-up Libor Podmol looked exhausted, and, as on Friday, ruined his chances with another dead sailor flip. Placed sixth, he just made it through to the finals. The young guns – Pilat, Ackermann and Rinaldo – dominated qualifying on both days. Of the top dogs from recent years, only Brice Izzo showed world class form. Miralles secured a place in the final but was nowhere near achieving a podium.

So, we were witnessing a clear-out of the old guard in the NIGHT of the JUMPs, or so everybody thought, but then in the final round, Podmol called on all his reserves – everything from Underflip Indy to Cliffhanger flip – sending shock waves through Miralles and Pilat, who now trailed behind him. Hannes Ackermann countered with all the tricks he could muster but had two lapses of concentration during his run and was an unlucky fourth. Even his best ever Hart Attack flip was not enough to rescue the situation.

But Libor Podmol found himself bested by David Rinaldo and Brice Izzo. Firstly, it was Izzo who toppled him from the hot seat with a triple salvo of combos, and then Rinaldo, the weekend’s best rider, jumped again to victory on the day, shooting from the hip with another Double Seat Grab backflip.

In Maxxis Highest Air, 2013 began where 2012 had ended. High jump virtuoso Bianconcini nailed his second victory in the second competition, and the Italian Stallion also claimed victory in the Whip contest.

David Rinaldo now leads in the overall standings of the Freestyle MX European Championship after two rounds, having secured a maximum haul of 40 points, followed by Brice Izzo in second place with 34 points. European Championship points will be up for grabs once more on 27th April at the NIGHT of the JUMPs in Munich, and the next competition follows soon after that on the 2nd March when the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship takes place at the NIGHT of the JUMPs in Kaunas / Lithuania.

Note: Austrian fans can start pencilling in their diaries for next year: NIGHT of the JUMPs returns to Linz, 17th-18th January 2014. Tickets are already on sale.

Linz, 19th of January 2013 – Round 1
Rinaldo wins Linz European Championship opener – Ackermann sensational second, Pilat performs Tandem Flip

Linz, 18th January 2013: Friday marked the start of the 13th season at the NIGHT of the JUMPs in Linz, where the freestyle motocrossers met in the Tips Arena for the first round of the Freestyle MX European Championship. Snow caused chaos throughout Europe, affecting many flights and airports and made things very difficult for people trying to reach the event. However, all the freestyle aces made it in time for the start of training in the morning, eager to get started.

Maxime Gregoire (FRA), Martin Koren (CZE) and Austria’s Thomas Wirnsberger made it through to the European Championship competition via pre-qualification on Thursday, joining the line-up of those riders already seeded – Libor Podmol (CEZ), David Rinaldo (FRA), Brice Izzo (FRA), Hannes Ackermann (GER), Jose Miralles (ESP), Petr Pilat (CZE) and Bianconcini (ITA). Remi Bizouard completed training but was unable to compete in the evening due to an attack of flu.

Austrian Thomas Wirnsberger, flying the flag for his country, turned in a much better performance than in pre-qualification but it was not quite enough to make it through to the finals, despite massive support from fans in the arena. Maxime Gregoire also dropped out after the preliminary round; he could be one to watch in the future, though.

2012 Maxxis Highest Air winner Bianconcini showed that he is not too bad at freestyle riding either, finishing eighth. He also triumphed yet again in the high jump contest.

Executing a huge Hart Attack Indy Flip, Czech rider Martin Koren missed going into the final round in seventh place, but Podmol, Izzo, Miralles, Ackermann, Pilat and Rinaldo all progressed through to the first final run of the season.

French newcomer Maxime Gregoire won the Whip contest. Petr Pilat then treated spectators to another highlight in the Tips Arena. The Czech Red Bull driver pulled off the first-ever Tandem backflip in NIGHT of the JUMPs history.

However, that feat was topped in the finale. Podmol had a dead sailor in qualifying but just managed to stay in contention, placed sixth. He made up for his mistake with a clean run and Underflip combos, but it was not enough to finish on the podium. Despite producing many flip combos, including Side Saddle Take-off to Landing Side Saddle flip, Petr Pilat also had to be content with a sixth place. Jose Miralles, now back on form, muscled his way in between Podmol and Pilat.

Brice Izzo showed his usual fine style in the finals, which bumped him up into third place. But it was Hannes Ackermann and David Rinaldo, two good friends and training buddies, who fought for victory on the day at the European Championship opener in Linz. Ackermann produced Cliffhanger flip, Cordova flip, Tsunami flip, Superman Seat Grab flip, Hart Attack backflip and Ciffhanger to No-Hand-Landing. This was the finest run ever by the German motocrosser. Rinaldo countered with a lot of style and two Double Seat Grab back flips, for which he was ultimately adjudged to be the winner.

Hannes Ackermann and David Rinaldo had long since been celebrating their triumph along with Brice Izzo, when the Theisen excavator arrived in the hall with their trophies.

Today’s victory in Linz also sees Rinaldo take the lead in the overall standings of the Freestyle MX European Championship, followed by Ackermann and Izzo. However, that could all change tomorrow, when the next European Championship points are up for grabs in Linz at the second day of the NIGHT of the JUMPs.