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Koji Kraft from the USA and Michael Sommer from Austria both claim their first ever world titles at the 2005 Nokia BMX World Championships.
Prague, RCZ - 05 June 2005.
Beyond participating at the Freestyle BMX World Championships, a highlight in the career of any rider, the perspective of spending 4 days in Prague, boosted the motivation of some 370 riders representing 30 nations. All of this frenetic activity plays well against a stunning backdrop of towering churches and centuries-old bridges and alleyways of a city that achieved much of its present glory in the 14th century, during the long reign of Charles IV.
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The Flatland contest saw the usual confrontation of riders from Europe, USA and Japan as flatland is one of the rare sports where the world champion can be drawn from any one of these regions. On Saturday, with 42 Pro riders entering the qualification runs, the tasks of the judges looked daunting, as they had to ultimately select only 12 finalists.
Japan placed three riders in the finals while Germany and the USA secured two positions leaving Spain, Canada, Finland and France with one representative each. On Sunday afternoon, in front of a massive crowd, the atmosphere peaked for a major confrontation of style and creativity. Each rider was eager to execute tricks rehearsed all winter with no real opportunity besides the first two stages of the Braun cruZer Tour to be confronted by opponents at the highest level.
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The contest crowned Michael Sommer, winner of the Braun Best Combo at the 2004 Suzuki BMX World Championships in Köln, Germany. Spaniard Viki Gomez came second ahead of Yanmar from Japan, winner of the 2004 Braun Flatground. Frenchman Alex Jumelin, just missed the podium despite some recent convincing results amongst which a victory at King of Ground in Japan. Michael Sommer declared 'this is totally unexpected. I always come to the Worlds looking forward to just competing with the Japanese riders whom I personally look up to. I had never expected to finish any where near the top. I am used to riding on a concrete surface and it gave me a boost of confidence when the organisers had to change location as a result of bad weather that would have hindered the staging of a contest at the original outdoor venue.'
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Viki Gomez consolidates his lead on the Braun cruZer Tour ranking, with victories at the UK Bike show and Braun Ninja Spin as well as a second place at the World Championships in Prague.
The highlight of this year's Nokia Freestyle BMX World Championships has undoubtedly been the miniramp contest. This contest took place at night with the floodlights illuminating a crowd of 1000 BMX fans jam packed on the grandstand and any area with a free view of the Braun Spine, the world's largest mobile miniramp. Out of 27 Pro Riders, 12 qualified for the finals. England placed 4 of its riders in the finals while the USA and Spain each had two and Canada and Australia one.
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Koji Kraft from Chicago USA claimed the title with an impressive succession of back to back tricks involving lip trick combinations, look down flips over the spine and a massive decade air over a spine that culminates at 2.10m. Morgan Wade from Dallas, Texas, finished second performing 720 over spine, tailwips on ice pick on the subbox, 3 back to back flairs and the highest air of the contest. In an attempt to execute a back flip over spine, Morgan broke his bike. Despite borrowing fellow competitor Clint Miller's bike and even a second bike, he didn't successfully complete his signature move.
Third was Spaniard Sergio Layos who illustrated himself with a very stylish ride, high downside tail wips, carved 360 over the spine and an amazing nose bonk to manual followed by a nose bonk to ice pick to flair.
Allistair Whitton from the UK, takes over the leadership of the Braun cruZer Tour from Ryan Guettler who didn't compete in Prague and will return to the series at the Suzuki Masters.
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Ryan Guettler is now leading the Braun cruZer Tour ranking. Further dates of the Braun cruzer Tour are:
03-05 June: Nokia BMX World Championships, Prague
23-26 June: Suzuki BMX Masters, Köln - Germany
08-10 July: NASS, Shepton Mallet - UK
26-28 August: King of Concrete, Southsea - UK
17-18 September: IFMA Bike Challenge, Köln - Germany
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Out of a total of 6 spine contests, the best 4 results are taken into account for the final ranking of the Braun cruZer Tour. The winner will take home a 4x4 Suzuki Jimny.
Photocredit : @AlexSchelbert.de/zooom.at
Video: Koji Kraft's winning run
Results
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