ESPN Moto-X Championships - Cleveland Goes Off!
04.03.02
by: Cameron Steele
If you want to be counted as a top Freestyle Motocross rider you have to ride the Holy Grail of moto events and there is no higher level than the ESPN X-Games. This past April 4th and 5th in Cleveland's C.S.U. Convocation Center were the final two stops for the ESPN Moto X Championship tour and the final chance at points going towards the Philly X Games this summer. Anyone with a glimmer of a chance was on hand to try and earn enough points to make the big show and if that's not enough pressure then how about having all three World Championships on the line as well in Freestyle, Step Up, and Big Air.
The Step runs both nights and has two winners per weekend. It is a huge crowd favorite and the 9,000 or so fans on hand made tons of noise.
Tommy Clowers, undefeated at X Step Up,
Ronnie Renner, Jeff Tilton, and
Twitch have pretty much owned this event and as Twitch is out with a lacerated liver he would have to leave his 2001 World Title for one of the challengers. On Fri it was Points leader Ronnie Renner who cleared the height of 24 feet to earn the top spot over the "Tom Cat" Tommy Clowers. For Saturday a rider who usually skips the Step Up came out and did just that in clearing the height of 27feet.
Brian Deegan making a monster leap claimed the win in honor of fellow Mulisha member "Twitch". Deegs didn't have a great weekend but came away with at least one win, Renner earned his first ever World Title in Step Up.
The BIG AIR is GNARLY and
Mike Metzger qualified 1st during the day with an all new Disco Can to Pendulum Side Saddle Lander......exactly. He would end up crashing on qualifying jump two and take himself out for the Sat show. The six riders making the Big Air show pumped the crowd hard and the World Tittle chase came down to this final as Brian Deegan and
Nate Adams were the top two with Deegan leading. Deegan busted out the Mandatory Suicide plus an extra no handed version but just didn't get all the extension and would end in fourth and this meant if Nate Adams won he would steal the championship at the 13th hour.
Parsons was 6th, Renner 5th and with Deegan watching on
Clifford Adoptante came in 3rd and first timer Aussie Dane Kinnaird finished 2nd with a No Handed Cat Walk to Heal Clicker combo that left first time World Champ Nate Adams in 1st with a Rock Solid to No Hand Lander, and no he did not check the bars.
The biggest event is the Freestyle and it runs twice on the weekend with a Friday and Saturday event and two chances at a win. Nate Adams led the points coming into the event over Clifford Adoptante and Brian Deegan. Friday would belong to the only rider busting an unusual line when
Kenny Bartram went landing to landing for the win. He was followed by Adoptante who was looking to gain points on Adams who would end up forth with Drake McElroy earning third.
For Saturday Night the heat was on as the fans watched the qualifiers to see how the war would end up. By virtue of Nate Adams making the final he would earn the coveted Freestyle World Championship over "The Flying Hawaiian", and FMF's "Punk Rock Parsons". The final would shape up to be a battle between Kenny Bartram, Clifford, Drake, Nate, Parsons, and Aussie standout Kinnaird. Kenny would hold the top spot over Clifford through the end of the final with only Kinnaird left to go. Kinnaird threw some huge tricks but in the process of pushing the limits he would have to eject and pay the piper with a trip to the hospital and a broken elbow.
Bartram was the champ again on night two and left the arena with a spot in all three disciplines of X Games. Following Kenny were Clifford and the younger crew, Drake McElroy, the new world champion Nate Adams, and Doug Parsons. In all another weekend of limits being pushed and points being earned. Congrats to all the boys.
Unofficial results
Freestyle Results
Friday
1. Kenny Bartram
2. Clifford Adoptante
3. Nate Adams
4. Drake McElroy
5. Doug Parsons
6. Dayne Kinnaird (Aus)
Saturday
1. Kenny Bartram
2. Clifford Adoptante
3. Drake McElroy
4. Nate Adams
5. Dane Kinnaird (Aus)
6. Doug Parsons
World Title chase final and X Games spots - top 9 in points go to Summer X in Philly.
1. Nate Adams
2. Clifford Adoptante
3. Doug Parsons
4. Trevor Vines
5. Brian Deegan
6. Ronnie Renner
7. Ronnie Faisst
8. Kenny Bartram
9. Dan Pastor
Step Up Results
Friday
1. Ronnie Renner
2. Tommy Clowers
=3. Caleb Wyatt
Doug Parsons
Saturday
1. Brian Deegan
2. Tommy Clowers
=3.Ronnie Renner
Jeff Tilton
Caleb Wyatt
World title chase and final X Games points - Top 9 to X (Tommy is in with his gold so #10 will go)
1. Ronnie Renner
2. Jeff Tilton
3. Doug Parsons
4. Ronnie Faisst
5. Tommy Clowers
6. Caleb Wyatt
7. Brian Deegan
8. Kenny Bartram
9. Benoit Milot (Can)
10 Daniel Hall (Aus)
Big Air
1. Nate Adams
2. Dane Kinnaird (Aus)
3. Clifford Adoptante
4. Brian Deegan
5. Ronnie Renner
6. Doug Parsons
World Title and X Games points - Top eight to X (#9 will also go due to Brian Deegan's Gold medal, Bartram is also in on Gold)
1. Nate Adams
2. Brian Deegan
3. Clifford Adoptante
4. Doug Parsons
5. Dan Pastor
6. Ronnie Renner
7. Trevor Vines
8. Ronnie Faisst
9. Benoit Milot (Can)
Related Photos:
ESPN Moto X Championships - Cleveland
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