Sooo hardcore. The world's craziest dirt jumpers head to Cam White's yard to put their skills to the test on some of the biggest jumps ever in a contest. You got Hucker doing dipped 3s that just look like barrel rolls, James Foster whipping his bike around like a razor scooter, and even Brakeless Billy sticking true to his nickname. Brakeless downhill trails riding? Dude...

When you think of dirt jumping in BMX, what names come to mind? TJ Ellis? Hucker? Bohan? Guettler? Cam White? A Naps? Nyquinch? Well, if you agree with all those names, Red Bull has got the event for you. And if you can make it to the Windy City (that's Chicago, kiddies) on May 15th you can catch it all first hand. Let's just hope it's not too windy or Nyquist will be pissed...

The event will go down at an abandoned construction site on the corner of Wells and Harrison (a block east of the river, google it). Everybody's favorite Tim FUZZY Hall will be designing the course. He's responsible for all the Dew Tour courses and X Games courses (when they had dirt!) and what not so you know what's bound to go down. But these jumps aren't going to be 3 big sets in a straight line like those events. We all know us dirt jumpers are more creative than that. Fuzzy promises "turns, twists, hips, tons of options and just fun". Just fun sounds good to me...

May 14th a qualifying round will be held to establish the next day's line up. Both days will be worth watching. No doubt about it...

For more information on this event visit the website: http://www.redbullstompingground.com

Well. Let's start off with Jamie Bestwick. As much as we all sort of KNOW he is going to win, everybody was riding really well this event. I do not know who Vince Byron is or where he is from... but he probably should have scored higher for what he was doing. What I love about vert riding is, due to its lack of documentation that street and park and dirt have, riders seem to pop up out of nowhere and they are good!

Jamie Bestwick really dominated this event like any other, however. His run was just continuous skill, wall after wall, no hesitation, way too high. If only the other riders could trick as many walls in a row as Jamie there would be a competition. I see the other riders do a lot of great tricks, but often they have one or two blank hits in between creating a less fluid, or less impressive, run. Either way, I think Vince did better than sixth. Also, Tim Wood almost over rotated a 900... 'nuff said.

Dirt. This is going to get a bit controversial. A bit rude. But it's clear as day and everybody was saying it, even myself. I don't know what this obsession with having Ryan Nyquist win is, but he did not deserve this one. BY FAR. I feel like I should pull a Kanye West at this moment... "Ryan, I am happy for you and I'm going to let you finish, but TJ Ellis had the best dirt run of ALL TIME!"

It's so crazy how triple whips are being thrown on the first set and sh!t. Diogo's first run looked a bit better than ninth. Dennis Enarson needs that shirt "please stop the tailwhips." Rob Darden needs a new shirt called stop the 720s... and 360s... Chris Gerber's off-axis backflips and double whip flip were nuts. Cam White is such a pure dirt rider. Brandon Dosch as well. So many different tricks.

TJ ELLIS. Back and front flip variations, 360 variations, opposite 3 variations, higher than anyone, smoother than anyone... a frontflip whip? And he got second to a guy who does 360s with barspins and one-handed x-ups all night. I won't go any further... just watch and see...




There we go Dhers... we were wondering where you were on the Dew Tour. Dave Mirra and Mark Webb definitely killed it, but took 6th and 5th respectively. It was cool, however, to see little Brett get third place. He's so young and he so kills it and he so deserved it. How do you have that much style at his age? So, Garrett Reynolds got second in this event. Again, I should mention that his riding is more suitable to street courses but he has changed it up a bit to adhere to park judges better. It's insane how talented this kid is. No brakes, no problem. Don't forget to check him out in Five Months to Freedom on MTV2, graduating high school...

Daniel Dhers went so insane with whips and flairs and those crazy 360 flips or whatever it is he does. Like inverted 720s. Only thing I would take from Daniel is that has uses about 4 ramps the entire run. Give him the win though he went ape-sh!t on that course. And don't forget that wicked inverted 720 tailwhip he did at the end... watch the video...




Check Mike Aitken and his abnormally cute son in the photo gallery... and here are some tour standings updates...

VERT
Jamie Bestwick with 300 points
Steven McCann with 246 points
Chad Kagy with 236 points
Simon Tabron with 214 points
it is just a battle for second here...

PARK
Garrett Reynolds with 280 points
Dave Mirra with 258 points
Daniel Dhers with 238 points
Mark Webb with 216 points
can Garrett hold on to this year's tour win???

DIRT
Ryan Nyquist with 282 points...
Brandon Dosch with 248 points
Dennis Enarson with 226 points
Josh Hult with 200 points
TJ Ellis with 187 points
I give Mike Aitken the win... by default... :D

I went to the Warriors of Wood contest in San Jose that Ryan Nyquist put on with the help of the local police (!!!) and many others... What resulted was a contest beyond people's expectations. Flips, 360s, whips, spins, and shit eating. At its best!

In between the dying batteries, getting lost in San Jose looking for our hotel, and Andrew breaking every chain ever sold, we found time to get some flicks. Here are the pictures and the video is still to come...



The contest went like this. Practice for a few hours. Practice more. More hours and hours of practice. Now have a pre-qualifying practice. Hey! Why don't we start competing? Okay!

Qualifiers went down and most of the top names got through with two young gun locals getting through but one destroying his shoulder and not being able to compete in the finals. Many riders expected to go on didn't make it due to trouble adjusting to the sheer size and danger of these wooden ramps. Props to those dudes though... now to the finals.



Pat Casey just made the cut (he's only like 15 or 16 dude) and had some trouble with the ramps, but put on a fair run. Though not placing well, he certainly made his name for future events...

A lot of pro riders were doing their thing in the finals, such as Alistair Whitton, Ryan Nyquist, Rob Darden, and Cameron White, and filled up the middle spots. Allan Cooke rode REALLY well but must have just missed the podium as he placed fourth.

Mike "Hucker" Clark took third place due to some slip ups but took first in every one's hearts as he whipped out the double backflip, amlost landing it but walking away safely. That trick is a real mindfreak ever since great rider and great friend Stephen Murray lost his career to the trick.

Anthony Napolitan took second place for his absolutely effortless style whilst doing triple whips backflip and 360 combinations. He is such a complete rider on ramps, it is ridiculous.

Taking first, and of course a well deserved first, was TJ Ellis who simply won the event. His runs were so complete, so perfectly linked, so smooth. Frontflips, backflips, 360s, opposite 360s. Throw in variations of tricks in between all of that on EVERY double and it's no wonder why he took top honors.



Anthony, who took second, would get his fame however, winning best trick with a 360 TRIPLE TAILWHIP. The funny thing is, he had about two other tricks that could have won the best trick contest as well... wow.

Thanks to Ryan Nyquist, the San Jose police, and all the team and sponsors behind putting on the event, making the ramps, making everything work. First annual Warriors of Wood... IN THE BOOKS. See you next year!