Tuesday, September 30
Vans Triple Crown of BMX - Final Stop
By George Crosland
EXPN.com


  • Full Contest Results

  • Press Release

    Notes

  • This stop, in Oceanside, CA, was the only BMX Triple Crown with a Vert comp. Some of the big guns, like Bestwick, Mirra and Robinson were absent. The other guys stepped it up and it was cool to see new riders on the podium.

  • Jimmy Walker took the BMX Vert win by combining his huge airs with hard tricks likes flares and 540's. Rick Thorne did a backflip to fakie on the ramp.

    The Bike Vert podium, from left to right: Koji Kraft, Dennis McCoy and Jimmy Walker collect the goods.

  • The relatively small field of guys (21) who entered Vert was more than made up for by the 80 guys who entered the Street comp.

  • It rained Sunday morning, causing the Street and Dirt start times to flip-flop. Since Cory Nastazio lives about an hour and a half away and did not know the Dirt comp time was moved up, he missed finals. Bogus, cause everyone loves Nasty.

  • The Dirt course looked super fun. There were three big jumps, a few small jumps and a berm in the middle of the course. Plus a big drop-in that replaced the traditional roll-in (see the Cleveland stop for a more thorough explanation of the roll-in).

    Jimmy Walker tweaks out a big air just before night falls and the street lights turn on.

    Quotes

    JIMMY WALKER ... on riding sponsor-less.

    EXPN: How is competing without a bike sponsor?
    Actually, it's pretty rough. I came out here to do shows to earn money. I found a replacement for my show and drove down two hours before the comp started.

    How's the ramp?
    It's beautiful, just as I remembered from the Gravity Games.

    Were you stepping it up today because you thought you might win?
    No, my main priority is not to get injured. Like you said, I don't have any sponsors. If I get hurt, there's no money coming in for the bills. I try to play it safe and if I get a good feeling, I go for it.

    We usually don't show bails, but this was brutal. Stephan Murray was trying a backflip 360 turndown when his leg cramped up. He actually made this trick earlier in the comp and he walked away from this bail b/c he landed on his butt on the tranny.


    CHRIS DOYLE ... on his plans for the cash.

    EXPN: How was the course?
    The course was awesome, probably some of the best contest jumps all year. A lot of times, there's something wrong; it's too windy, the jumps aren't good, it's bumpy. There's always something going on, but these are by far the best jumps.

    Any BMX aspect to it, with the berm and all?
    Not necessarily, I think everyone could get in and out of the berm pretty easily. If you tricked into the berm (Chris did, and it helped him take second) it was harder, but I think everyone made it fine. Racing probably had something to do with it.

    What are you going to do with all the cash when you get back to Pittsburgh?
    Save it.

    Save it!?
    (Laughs) Actually no, I am looking into buying a winter car, like a 4x4 truck or SUV so I don't have to drive my car in the snow and salt.

    So you can drive up to Seven Springs to go snowboarding?
    Exactly. A beater, a winter car.

    Related Photos:
    Vans Championships of BMX

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    --------------------------- ALSO SEE


    Vans Championships of BMX - RESULTS
    RESULTS

    Nyquist Wins Vans BMX Triple Crown Overall
    Nyquist, Walker and McCann take top honors at Vans Championships of BMX.

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