XGames 2012 - Day 2, Moto X Step Up & Best trick

Red Bull's Ronnie Renner on his way to a new world record and XGames Gold.

On Day 2 of Xgames 2012 I found myself back at the iconic Staples Center for Moto X Best Whip, Step Up and Best Trick. The whip comp is fun and some of the guys were doing massive whips, but the voting system was definitely flawed as they relied on the audience to vote. Twitch had a huge following in the crowd and that made him the winner. I reckon Cam Sinclair was the best guy by miles, but hey, the system chose it's winner. (Important note that their has been a lot of questions hanging over the judging at this XGames and much discussion that it is all rigged. More on this at a later stage.)

The big surprise for me was how amazing the Step Up competition was to watch live. Normally I am not that taken with this event, but live it was a whole new ball game. I was sitting right in front of the kicker and I can tell you those guys are going Cheech and Chong high. Ronnie Renner had a huge battle with Matt Buyten and ended up with not only XGames Gold but a new World record at 48 Feet High. It was amazing.

After all that excitement it was time for the Best Trick Competition. These guys put everything on the line for 2 runs, most pulling first time tricks. There were plenty of spills and plenty of new tricks. Taking the Gold though was Australian, Jacko Strong, last years winner.  Jacko pulled off a soild body varial combo for Gold. Freestyle winner, Taka Hagashino came in second with an all new Rock Solid Backflip to no Hander. Another amazing event!

 

Poor Clinton Moore just missed making this 720 attempt, then had his bike attack him after the wipe...

 

XGames 2012 - Day 2, Massive Rally Cross Crash

Toomas Heikkinen crashes big during a RallyCross practice session. Talk about needing some extra speed to clear the jump.

 

XGames 2012 - Day 2, Bob Burnquist takes 4th Gold at Big Air

Bob schooled the crop of youngsters, some as young as 11 years old, it simply beggars belief. But the old warrior waxed on with some dominating skating in the final, even carrying a pretty serious injury. Bob is now the King of Big Air!

Xgames 2012 - Day 1

Ok, so as most of you know by now, I have been gallivanting around California for some time now. The primary reason was to cover the XGames in all their glory. Turns out ESPN decided not to give me my press pass (To say I was disappointment was a severe understatement.), but life goes on and luckily I still managed to secure tickets for a couple of events.

I just got back to my hotel after the first of those and it was a big one. The Moto X Freestyle competition was mind blowing. Most of the talk was about Travis Pastrana not being there, but I can tell you that all it meant was that the young guns had their opportunity and two of them took it. Levi Sherwood was commanding and oh so smooth. He came in for the Silver, but I can tell you it was dam close. The man of the night however was the first Japanese Podium finisher in XGames history. Taka Hagashino blew minds here tonight and won the Gold with his first run! I watched him fly above my head (Managed good tickets for this one.) Check out the Gold winning run...

Also today were the Big Air Elimination for the skaters and while I could not watch them live, I got to watch most of show inside the Staples Center on the big screen. Some huge action including two massive 900's. This competition is going to get mad!  Mitchie Brusco and Tom Schaar both pull off 900s in the Skate Big Air Eliminations. These guys are kids, Mitchie is 14! Wild I tell you, just plain wild!

Tomorrow is another day and I will be at all the Moto X action including Step Up, Best Whip and Best Trick. Judging by tonight's action, the Best trick is going to be off the hook. A massive thank you to Red Bull South Africa again for all their help! You guys are awesome.

The Friday Mix - Distant Shores Trailer, Erzberg Enduro and California Summer Surf

Welcome to my Friday Mix, fresh from the hi speed bandwidth of the West coast of the USA. It has been a trip having such unfettered and fast internet access and I have been making the most of it. First up check out the trailer for Surfer Magazine's "Distant Shores" film, which will be free to download shortly. Then we have the highlights video from the Red Bull Erzberg Rodeo, the craziest enduro race on the planet. Next up I thought I would show you some summer waves in California, though I have yet to find waves this fun, as the June Gloom bites and the swell continues to be tiny. Enjoy the mix...


 
 

The surf session that has changed all the rules! Fiji Freight Trains 2012

They will be calling it the session and the day, that what was possible in paddle surfing, was rewritten. Sound epic and grandiose? Well it was...

Twig, Kelly and John John have called it that and they are the three surfers whose judgement on things ridiculous in surfing, I trust the most. Just watch the video from the water and understand what I am harping on about...



Then back it up with these angles. Your jaw on the ground yet?

Super Amazing Slow motion Skate Flips

This video is worth a watch. Incredible skating in super slow motion, to a kick ass funky track. You will be happy. The video has caused a mini storm online, as Skrillex tweeted it out and some liked that and some did not, such is the web....

Uncommon skateboarding tricks in super slow motion. Filmed at 1,000 frames per second with a Redlake N3 high speed camera. Since skateboarding trick names are defined by common usage and these tricks are not very common, some of them don't have well-established names. So here are my best guesses as to what they should be called:
Kyle McPherson -- nollie dolphin flip (AKA nollie forward flip)
Cameron Carmichael -- backside 180 casper flip (?) (or bs 180 hospital flip)
Jerrod Skorupski -- nollie heelflip bs body varial
David Case - nollie 360 shuv underflip (AKA nerd flip)
David Case - frontside shuv underflip (AKA kiwi flip)
Dustin Blauvelt - hardflip pretzel
Dustin Blauvelt - Merlin twist (switch front foot impossible fs 180)
Dustin Blauvelt - nollie heelflip indy grab
Shane Anderson - early grab frontside 180 fingerflip (?)
Jovan Pierson - pressure hardflip (?)
Jovan Pierson - ?? I don't know what this is, I just call it a Jovan flip
Erick Schaefer - backside pop shuv underflip
Tim Hamp - Nollie pressure hardflip (?)
From: http://www.youtube.com/user/ashomskyhttp://www.youtube.com/user/ashomsky

Thanks to Funky Notes for the music. This song is called Never Knew.
http://soundcloud.com/funkynotes Funky Notes

The Friday Mix - Cheerleader's Bikini Shoot, O"Neill Wake the Line, Intentio Trailer & Hall of Meat

It's your Friday Mix with the best bits and bobs of video from the web this week. First up you have the O'Neill Wake the Line from Germany, then it's the new surf film trailer, called Intentio, followed by a gnarly skate wipe with Thrasher Magazine's "Hall of Meat" and finally a little eye candy and the Miami Dolphin's Cheerleaders shooting their 2013 Bikini Calendar (Warning, the music on this one may drive you mad, but the visuals are great.)

 

 

 

Massive Cloubreak Free Surf on Day 6 - Volcom Pro Fiji 2012

Bede Durbidge winning the 1st of only 2 heats surfed on Day 6. After this the Free Surf began... (Photo:ASP)

The massive swell arrived as expected, but the contest only lasted 2 heats, with Bede and Kai Otton winning the heats and moving into Round 3. The ASP made the call to wait for today to start Round 3, which will probably go down at Restaurants. Once the tour had puled out, the hordes of big wave charges were out there, with some of the more core Tour surfers joining the fray in solid 15ft Cloudbreak. Luckily the contest left the live feed running and we got to watch a rare free surf in giant waves. Enjoy the video...

 

BMX from the Air - Sebastian Keep & House Park

What an incredible Bowl.

I love this video. it has some a mellow rhythm to it. Having said that, it also make me a little depressed as we don't have anything like this park in South Africa. It looks like the architects incorporated it into the building design. It's like a piece of sculpture!

Bas Keep's Day At House Park from Attack & Release on Vimeo.

Bodyboarding World frothing for 2012 Itacoatiara Pro Brazil

Can you say big and Rampy?

Much talk has gone down this week in anticipation of the giant swell headed to Fiji for the surfers, but the bodyboarding world are also getting their Frothbeards on. Why? Because the early warm up surfs in Brazil prior to the 2012 Itacoatiara Pro, have been off the charts and they are looking at some solid swell for the start of the competition. Just check out this warm up video, starring our very own Saffer, Jared Houston. Those are some mind blowing launches...

Dancing while Skating - Killian Martin, Altered Route

I had to watch this about 3 times in a row, just to try and figure out how he does some of the things he does. Who is he? Killian Martin, skater of really different lines and tricks. Our generations Rodney Mullens. This is his latest web video, "Altered Route" and boy is the skating altered. Warning, you will watch this more than once...

Spearfisherman Faces Down a Great White

Happy face post Dive.

This was filmed off of Thunderbolt Reef close to Port Elizabeth. I wish I knew who the diver was, so I could buy him a beer. Though the Great White looks like a juvenile, make no mistake it would easily remove a limb. Incredible to see how the shark slowly has a look and then swings in for the face off.  That must have been one hell of a scary swim back to the boat. Check out the guy's Youtube page.

Captain Kai's World on www.2ov.fm - Podcast Show 35

Another Monday and another radio show. I was joined by Superbike racer, Ronan Quarmby, who is off to Italy to compete in the Supersport Series. Dutchie joined us to talk about Club Surfing in SA and the West Coast Boardriders. Dustin from Luks Brands came to tell us about the exciting new Skull Candy range, as well as the imminent launch of both Ogio and Neff in the local market soon. We also covered the Volcom Pro in Fiji. 

Download the Podcast - Show 35 Podcast

(Right Click and save as.)

Volcom Pro Fiji - The first 2 Days

Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, ASP Dream Tour sophomore, put in a sensational performance, netting the event high heat total of an 18.57 out of a possible 20, in Round 2 of the Volcom Fiji Pro. (Photo: ASP)

We wanted it back, the surfers wanted it back and Volcom came to the party. The first weekend of the Volcom Fiji Pro did not disappoint as the world's best surfers were treated to solid 8-10ft Cloudbreak for Round 1 and 2. There are still 2 heats left to surf in Round 2, but the focus is now on Round 3. Yesterday is was a lay day, but there is a massive swell tracking towards Fiji and most of the guys will have probably phoned home to order bigger boards.

The surfers to impress so far in Round 1 were Jordy Smith, who in the first heat of the event scored a 9 for a really good backhand tube ride. Enter, Mitch Coleburn, the wildcard, who surfed an incredible heat to beat Kelly Slater and Kai Otton. The kid is not really known as a competitive surfer, being from the new school, free surfing, lifestyle, making video parts, but he out classed the other 2 surfers scoring the highest heat total of the round. He is definitely worth keeping an eye on as the competition progresses. John John, Mick, Joel and Owen all comfortably through to Round 3.

In round 2, the swell dropped a little but got way cleaner and it was Julian Wilson setting the pace with the highest heat score of the event and some amazing tube riding. Matt Wilkinson found himself losing with a heat score that would of won most of the other Round 2 heats, against an on fire Miguel Pupo. Josh Kerr, who tore his ankle the day before, strapped up and grinned through the pain to ride an epic tube and progress to the the 3rd Round. Kelly Slater also made short work of the local Fiji wildcard. Gabriel Medina scored the first 10 Point ride of the event with an incredible tube that had the commentators thinking he had not made it, when he blew out the section with the spit.

Next up is Round 3 and with the swell expected to boom the big question is, will they keep the guys at huge Cloudbreak or shift to Restaurants in front of the Tavarua Lodge? i am hoping for massive 10-15ft Cloudbreak with the best surfers in the world on it, but we will have to wait and see. Match ups in Round 3 to look out for are John John versus Adrian Buchan, Kerr versus Damien Hobgood, Parko versus Coleburn and Kelly Slater versus Freddy P. 

Strength in Numbers - Dirt Bike Movie Section

I am waiting in anticipation to get my copy of "Strength in Numbers", but luckily while we wait down South, there are some bonus segments going online. This is one of them...

The quaint beachside community of Aptos, California is located ten minutes south of Santa Cruz down highway CA 1. Across the road from the bustling Post Office sits a vacant lot. This is home to the aptly named and world-renowned Post Office Dirt Jumps. These jumps have given rise to a community of riders who have grown up around them. With the jumps ultimately slated for demolition, the riding community has adopted a vision that transcends the quest to maintain the perfect set of jumps, instead realizing that just being a part of the quest means everything.

Get the full film and support the filmmakers: http://anthillfilms.com/strengthinnumbers/buy.

James Stewart's MX return - Outsider Ep 1 - Premier

A little while ago, I let you guys know that there was a new Web Show coming from Red Bull, following James Stewart and his return to MX Outdoor racing in the States. Well, here is the premier, with event number 1, as well as James talking about why he returned to MX Nationals and changed bikes to Suzuki. Enjoy the show...

Welcome to the PREMIERE of Outsider. After a perfect 24-0 season in 2008, James Stewart makes his return to the outdoors with a new bike, a new team, and a new attitude. Follow James and the Yoshimura Suzuki team on their quest for domination in the 2012 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

New episodes every FRIDAY

Follow James Stewart on Twitter:
@JS7 https://twitter.com/#!/js7

The Friday Mix - XGames, Brian Deegan, Bodyboard and Surf

Welcome to the Friday Mix and this week has a slightly XGames heavy theme, as I am confirmed to attend the event for the first time. Talk about stoked! First up there is the official XGames 2012 teaser, followed by the first "Road to Xgames" with rally and bike hell man, Brian Deegan. After that you get to see the final days action from the IBA World Tour in Arica, Chile. I cannot believe Mike Stewart is still giving it horns in competition. Finally, check out some good vibes from the West Coast Boardriders in Cape Town, as they sponsor a new surfboard for one of their own...