Last year, while battling ungodly overhead conditions at the Pensacola Beach round of Pro Watercross racing, all were entreated to freestyle rider Daniel Martin’s daring double backflip from off the face of an oncoming wave. Although surf-going freeriders have dared the maneuver before, such had never been seen in a typically flatwater competition. And that’s often the delineation between freeriders and freestyle: the waves in which they have to work with.
Freerider’s tricks are almost always significantly more impressive (particularly in still photographs), as the waves they operate in are natural launch ramps to execute their impressive moves. Freestyle, on the other hand, are relegated to flatwater, or moderate lake chop to pull off what air they can. So as Martin – a freestyle rider – illustrated what he can do in larger surf, the question arises, what can a freerider do in the short stuff?
The video below of Alaskan freerider Tanner Thomas should be all you need to see. “Filmed in Lake Havasu City AZ,” Thomas begins, “I was with Taylor Curtis his wife Dana and kids, Jericho Kaiser, his wife Danielle and kids.” Within 24 hours of posting on Facebook, TC Freeride’s Taylor Curtis had himself a viral phenomenon. Team rider Tanner Thomas’ double backflip had gone supernova. Only within these short hours did Thomas manage to talk with The Watercraft Journal:
“They threw me a double boat wake like we have done in the past. I have tried this trick 21 times last year, and 3 this time. This is by far the hardest trick I’ve tried but always off a not so perfect double boat wake. We don’t have wake board boats all sacked down to make it easy. So I just have to hit it HARD, As you can see in the video the wake isn’t very big.”
Riding his full carbon fiber, lightweight ’15 Rickter XFS Competition Ninja, Thomas whips through the air at a dizzying pace. The Rickter’s torquey Dasa 900cc engine was built by his Ninja mechanic from Japan, Hiroyuki Ogino and TC Freeride; the 155mm pump built by Skat-Trak. Admittedly, Thomas, a talented freerider, is no stranger to freestyle, and the 900cc ski will be his freestyle competition ski for the season.
Sponsored by Rickter, BAM, Tyler Rental, Dasa Racing, TC Freeride, Ninja, Alaska Diesel Power, Skat-Trak, Alaska Marine Lines, JetLift, Sign Pro, JetPilot, Liquid Militia, KMG Racing, Mystik Lubricants and Sourdough Tactical; you can expect to see a lot more from Thomas in the coming weeks and months.
Opinions are funny things. It’s pretty easy to dismiss one or two, but when an overwhelming majority all rise up in unison to claim the same sentiment, it’s all but impossible to ignore the chanting. And recently we at The Watercraft Journal were made privy to this exact phenomenon happening over on Jet Renu’s Facebook wall. See, the once upstart makers of PWC total care cleaners and waxes has created quite the following of loyal customers, and they are without argument, incredibly vocal.
Ryan Ellefson wrote, “Used my Jet Renu to clean my skis after the river. Love how easy this stuff is to use and how clean it gets my skis.”
Newly signed Jet Renu racer Brock Austin stated last week, “Got my ski all shined up thanks to my newest sponsor Jet Renu. Now we’re off to Sparks, NV to race the next stop of the Pro Watercross tour!”
Jake Zier showed a great before-and-after series of pics, saying, “Jet Renu does it again! [Making] an old ski look new! Jet Renu, thank you so much for the support!”
Joe Albert wrote, “So I know it’s not a jet ski or a boat or some [thing] like that, but it does not matter! These products are amazing! These pics don’t show nearly as good as my truck truly looks. Thanks again and I hope to get my whole company to use these products. I’ll be using them from now on!”
Wednesday, June 10th, started out just like any other: going to work and looking at the clock throughout the day. But this Wednesday was different, the clock seemed to run backwards. When work was over my wife, Holly and I were heading out to Laughlin to meet up with California’s largest watercraft club, West Coast Watercraft Club (WCWCC) for the first annual Laughlin trip.
After work, I did my usual and stopped by Temecula Motorsports and picked up some necessary supplies, goggles, and clothes. I got home, hooked up the trailer and headed out to meet up with 33 other members for four fabulous fun filled days. We arrived at the hotel and checked in late that night and found several other members in the casino. We had some fun in the casino then headed to bed.
Day 1, June 11: We planned a small ride as some members drove in Thursday morning and others were still on their way. We met at the Riverside dock at 2pm and launched our skis for a trip down river to the Avi Hotel beach. We had 15 skis slalom downstream and pull up on the beach. We floated around in the water trying to cool off as it was already getting hot.
We watched as club President Lewis Lipstone did his usual business chatter on his cellphone before departing. We had to get back and meet up with the rest of the club members for a dinner at Outback Steakhouse. We all sat around talking, laughing, and telling whale tales over the breaking of bread. After dinner we all grouped up and hung out creating new friendships.
Day 2, June 12: We met at the Riverside parking lot at 8:00 am to have a group meeting about safety and what the day would hold for us. Around 8:30am we caravanned down to Jack Smith Park and we were all in the water by 10am after a few group pictures, of course. The water level was high enough downstream so there wasn’t need to dodge shallow areas. The weather was nice especially after taking a dip in the cool water. We hung out at the sandbar for a while, which was a nice break and awesome hang out spot for Frisbee and football.
We rode on through to Lake Havasu down to London Bridge to have our picture taken by air from a drone. The footage turned out great! A few stopped for fuel at the Chevron station before heading on to our lunch spot in Havasu Springs. After our lunch break we had a long trek back so we set out our way.
This time only a few skis had to break off to get fuel, the rest continued on around the other side of the island that we didn’t get to see before. There was another short stop at the sand bar, but we had to hurry on our way since the sun was starting to set and we wanted to make it back with light to spare. 120 big miles and 115 degrees that day. Very successful with such a big group!
Day 3, June 13: Only a half of the riders chose to head out since the ride the day before really pushed everyone with lots of sun and well over 130 miles of riding. We did a ride from Catherine’s Landing to Hoover Dam. We had 25 riders attend to see some of the most beautiful scenery God had to offer. We found caves, bridges, and a huge dam. We found a really nice spot to stop and eat lunch. We chatted about the nice weekend rides so far and where else we could all go. Florida or Mexico? On the way home some of us were treated to a summer shower with a side of lightning.
Day 4, June 14: Most of our group was heading out today but we didn’t want to go without one last ride. Around 11:30am we headed out again from the Riverside launch and made our way down the river and ended up at the Avi. We stopped and had some lunch and just relaxed and hung out in the shade soaking in our last few hours we had at the river.
By about 2:30, we decided that we should probably head back since the drive home for most of us would be at least 4 hours. Since it was Sunday, there were quite a few people on the river which made the ride home interesting. We saw several close calls which reminded us, safety first. West Coast watercraft club is all about family fun but being safe while doing so.
After these incidents, we continued our way back to the riverside launch but had to be careful since the water level was low and feared the possibility of running aground. But with great leadership we made it back all in one piece safely. Being satisfied getting one last ride in we pulled our skis out and got them all cleaned up and strapped down for our trek home.
Such a great trip. We were so glad that so many members of WCWCC were able to be a part of the 1st annual Laughlin trip, can’t wait to do it again next year! Special thanks to Lewis, Shirley, Jay, and Ryan for this great trip. Thanks to those WCWCC members who attended.
It used to be if you wanted to join in on a game of Texas Hold ‘Em or join in on a hand of Seven-Card Stud while on the water, you’d have to buy a ticket on a paddle wheel river queen. But not so for us personal watercraft enthusiasts! Poker Runs are basically a moving game of poker that instead of sitting around a table, we ride on our jet skis, and chase our croupier (ie. dealer) around the water to collect our cards.
This year, our friends at the JetSkiShop.com are joining in the fun by supporting the Queensland State of Origin Poker Run, a charity event that will be funneling all of its proceeds to the Welch Family Trust (Bec and Harper Welch), although each rider will finish with five cards in their possession, making them eligible for some pretty cool prizes for the best hand. And, as James Tod of JetSkiShop.com stays, “if you’re not happy with the hand you’ve been dealt, you can simply buy more cards to improve your hand.”
According to the State of Origin Poker Run website, “The QLD Poker Run participants will enjoy a fully organized event starting from the Main Beach behind Sea World, around Russell Island, then back to South Stradbroke to Tipplers Hotel for lunch. Players will enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening at Tipplers Hotel. Lunch will be provided by the Hotel and included in your ticket price. Drinks are available at a cash bar.”
The run is scheduled for Saturday, June 27th, so you’ll need to hurry as places are limited to 20, with tickets costing $75 per person (including lunch and band at Tipplers, fully organised and safe event, and a $40 donation to the Harper Welch Trust). Earlier this year, Jai Welch, who, as James wrote, “was killed water skiing, and has left behind his 6 month old daughter, Harper, and his wife, Bec. All the money that we can raise in the State Of Origin Poker Run will go to the Harper Welch Trust.”
The Sea-Doo Amphibious Goggles are a strong lightweight pair of eye protection that floats! The frames even conform to the shape of your face and they have interchangeable polarized lenses that offer 100% UV protection. Included are a hard case and a soft case that also acts as a cleaning cloth.
The Vibe Rashguard follows suit with its own SPF 50 sun protection. It is fitted for comfort with the additional protection of a mock turtleneck collar. The rashguard also has a boardshort connector so you don’t have to worry about it riding up. It is available in long sleeve and short sleeve.
The next item on the list is a matching Vibe PFD that has wide-open armholes, giving the arms free range of motion. It’s made with a nylon super duty outer shell and is useful for many water activities.
Dad must have boardshorts to go with his rashguard! The Cove Technical Boardshorts sound pretty sweet with their removable neoprene liner. This helps prevents those irritating rashes! The shorts are quick drying and have a lightweight four way stretch fabric. They wouldn’t be complete without a side pocket containing a key loop. The Cove Boardshorts have a simple tie closure and the pocket has a hidden Velcro seal. Don’t forget to connect them to that new rashguard!
He’ll need something for his feet when he gets out of the water so how about a pair of comfortable Sea-Doo Sandals that actually mold to the feet? These sandals are lightweight and include anti-slip rubber inserts in the soles.
He’s also going to need something to carry his gear in so Sea-Doo added a duffel bag to the list. It is the Sea-Doo Duffel Bag, which is specifically designed for lengthy outings and day trips. The bag measures 24” x 12” x 12” and includes a waterproof pocket and a cooler pocket. It also has a mesh inner pocket and comes with a heavy-duty carry strap.
Last on the list is a pair of bright orange Snap-In Fenders. These bad boys are easy to install and easily removable. They are helpful in preventing damage to your watercraft when docking. However, you will need to purchase the required installation kit that is sold separately. Now dad is ready to get on his ski and ride!
As temperatures cool and many PWC enthusiasts south of the equator are packing up their watercraft for winter, Yamaha Motor Australia is celebrating a markedly successful weekend at the 2015 Melbourne Boat Show. The Australian division of one of the largest watercraft and boat manufacturers in the world exhibited a selection of outboards, rigging, accessories and WaveRunners for the 29,179 attendees of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this past June Friday 12th through Monday 15th.
Over 130 exhibitors participated in this year’s boat show including boat brokers and retailers, chandleries, boating and fishing tackle and accessories, boat trailer manufacturers, personal watercraft retailers and more.
Over the weekend, judges for the 55th anniversary boat show awarded Yamaha Motor Australia two prestigious accolades: the Best Stand Overall and Stand of the Year (in the “Powerboat” category). Yamaha’s display included samples of all of the latest personal watercraft for 2015, as well as a virtual reality RiDE simulator. Titled the “Yamaha RiDE Challenge,” the RiDE simulator had riders completing a lap on a RiDE-equipped WaveRunner peering into a flat screen display.
As Yamaha noted, “Lap times are generated by the simulator and recorded on the lap time board. Hundreds of show goers had the chance to compete in the Yamaha RiDE Challenge, which put them into the draw to win 1 of 8 Yamaha TW Steel Watches.” The announcement for this grand prize will be announced shortly.
Middle Tennessee Personal Watercraft Club celebrated its 5th anniversary this year, first formed in 2010 to provide a fun, safe, responsible way for families and friends to enjoy riding personal watercraft together and share the beautiful waters that the Middle Tennessee Area has to offer. In celebration, the Middle Tennessee Personal Watercraft Club held its monthly ride on Saturday the 13th of June to ride from Old Hickory Lake To Cordell Hull Lake, a route distance of 103-miles, or a total 253 miles round trip.
Eight PWC and ten people made it this past weekend, We set out from Shute’s Branch Recreation Area at 9am Saturday morning heading NE 30 miles up the Cumberland River to our only fuel stop at Shady Cove Marina. We topped off all the machines and had a cold drink before proceeding to Cordell Hull Lock & Dam another 73 miles upriver.
Club member Rollie Pierson told The Watercraft Journal, “I met the group at Shady Cover Marina because I live in Kentucky at 10 am where they had to stop to top off with fuel to make the remaining 73 miles of the trip up the Cumberland. At 10:30 we were on our way with 9 skis.”
Fellow club member Pam Tidwell explained, “This ride upriver is my all-time favorites. It starts in my back yard and ends where my father grew up. The ride starts with a quick look at a country music star’s house on the lake. Then we pass the first set of cliffs. It is sad to ride past Johnny Cash’s house the burned to the ground. Then there’s The Church on The Lake, and the new 109 Bridge.”
Due to the distance, we set our pace around 40mph to get maximum fuel mileage. We took breaks about every 25 miles to enjoy the river and have a water; it was an extremely warm day with temperatures in the 90’s. Tidwell noted, “There [was] very little traffic on this stretch of the Cumberland River. We waved at the fishermen on the sides of the river. Most waved back. We travel through shady patches where the air [was] much cooler than normal.”
We arrived at Cordell Hull Dam at 1:30pm just in time for a brief rain shower – enough to get everyone soaked. “About 1 mile before we got to the dam we experienced a brief 10 minute rain shower but it ended as quickly as it started and we had great sunny weather the rest of the day,” Pierson recounted. Drying quickly, we passed through the lock at 2:15pm.
“Locking through the dam was a little nervous for me,” stated newcomer another club member, Tonya. “I was being teased by the gang about finding a dead fish and having to kiss it for luck. This, I was told, is the initiation of newcomers. I prayed I didn’t see one. I also was told that the lock would be like a washing machine churning us and spitting us to the other side when the gates opened. Of course, none was true but it add for great laughs and fun.”
Running low on fuel, we headed to our destination 5 miles further upriver to Defeated Creek Marina that served as homebase for the night. They are very PWC friendly and the staff is always helpful. Tonya joked, “I ran up to the restaurant and got us a table for a late lunch. As I looked out over the deck and saw all the skis tied to the dock, the thought came to mind that it resembled a throwback to horses being tied around a corral as the gunslingers headed into the saloon.”
Pierson continued, “Three of us stayed at the cabin at Defeated Creek and the other 6 stayed at the rental house a couple of miles away. On of the riders brought their truck there the day earlier so we would have transportation to and from the rental house.”
The cabin was a short walk from the marina where enjoyed a late afternoon lunch at the nearby restaurant. A bluegrass festival was going on nearby, so we walked the vendors and enjoyed the pickin’ before calling it a day.
Sunday morning, we woke early and had breakfast at the marina before we mounted our skis for a 10-mile ride up Cordell Hull to Granville, a historic river town along the Cumberland. There is no docking there, so we tied our trusted steeds to trees along the bank and walked into town. “We tied up by the shore and walked the town. It was a small town that you felt like you were living in 1950 with all the historical building and museums,” Pierson noted.
“We walked around for a while and then a few of us headed about 5 miles up the lake to Salt Lick campground where we stopped for a swim before heading back to Defeated Creek,” Pierson continued.
Its highly recommend that you ride Cordell Hull, the lake is stunning with the rolling hills in all directions and the water is clean and clear. We had a lock through time scheduled for 1pm, so we headed back to Defeated Creek Marina to top off the fuel and proceeded to the dam. The lockmaster was ready for us, and entered the lock 15 minutes early. The ride was once again paced back to Shady Cove and then Shute’s Branch.
“The water was smooth, air was warm and it was a great ride with a great group of ski lovers,” Pierson concluded, but Tonya said it best, “Spending time with this group of friends can never be replaced. We look out for each other. We laughed and joked. We talked about the sites we saw. Pulling off the rides takes planning. I learned how maps and GPS are crucial. You definitely just don’t jump on a jet ski and ride a total of 253 miles without planning. I might have started out as a novice but I’m hooked now.”
Man, Sea-Doo is really making the rest of us look like a bunch old fogeys with all their viral marketing and social media whatnot. Recently, the leading personal watercraft manufacturer welcomed uber popular action/lifestyle videographer Deven Graham (aka Devin Supertramp) to film their “Ultimate Beach Party” grand prize party, where one lucky contestant – Trevor Soety – walked away with a new Sea-Doo Spark.
Held on a fresh water lake in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the lake is usually closed to watercraft except for rare races or filming as shown here. Normally its a water playground for kids called “Quiet Waters.” Entrants were invited to enjoy a day or music, games, frivolity and of course, plenty of riding Sea-Doos while Supertramp filmed professional riders (including Pro racers Cody Hawkins, Erminio Iantosca and Eric Lagopoulos, as well as pro wake skate athletes Andrew and Austin Pastura and Zuzana Vráblová) around their own personal closed course.
Below is both the video that Supertramp filmed using “the RED Dragon in 6K resolution and the Phantom Miro Pro with the Glidecam Devin Graham Series for the stabilizing shots and GoPro Hero 4’s,” for all you film buffs. Sadly, The Watercraft Journal was invited to attend but scheduling conflicts made the impromptu hustle down to Florida out of the question. This of course, just rubs salt in the wound…
On June 13th and 14th, racers throughout the Southeast headed back over to the quaint and cozy town of Tavares, Florida right outside of Orlando on Lake Dora for Rounds 3 and 4 of Mikey Young’s Surf & Turf Reunion Tour. This site is a favorite amongst the racers as the city welcomes the participants, and family members alike, with open arms to enjoy an action packed weekend at Wooten Park.
Racers from areas such as Georgia, North Carolina, and of course Florida made the trek over which made for solid turnouts particularly in the ski and sport classes.
Pro Ski GP is always a favorite to watch amongst everyone there and on Saturday, it was all Broc Harris in Moto 1 as he holeshotted and led all 15 laps wire-to-wire to take the win with guys like John Stevens, Jimmy Wilson, Johnny Smith, David Cabrara and Kirk Britto battling it out behind him. In Moto 2, we saw some intense action as Johnny Smith and Jimmy Wilson battled for second place behind race leader Broc Harris.
The two went side-by-side for several turns through the chicane section and finally, to the left hand turn that lead down the front straight, where Jimmy Wilson and Johnny Smith swapped fiberglass exiting the turn, which left Johnny Smith swimming after his ski. Wilson was subsequently black flagged for riding a little to aggressive and had to talk to the race director but was able to finish off some of the remaining laps of the race on board his Yamaha SuperJet. Both racers where OK and as the saying goes, “rubbin’ is racin’” sometimes. Broc Harris took the Moto 2 win.
Sport Spec and Sport GP both had a stacked field with some very talented riders on the line on Saturday. Sam Nehme of Borward Motorsports showed the field around in both Sport Spec and GP for the overall wins followed by notable riders such as Ken Waddle and Keith Dill hot on his heals just waiting for Sam to make a mistake.
Junior Ski class had intense battles in both motos between Sammy Nehme Jr., Hayden Skellet, and his sister and first time racer, Taylor Skellet who were going at it and showing us that the sport has a bright future with racers like them out on the track. Sammy Nehme Jr. took the overall win for Saturday and traded positions with Hayden Skellet who took the overall on Sunday. Great job, juniors.
Sunday brought a new challenge for the racers as Mikey Young decided to utilize an equalizer buoy to create some lead changes and also add a bit of strategy to the racer game on a course that already proved itself as having good areas for passing the day before.
Sunday’s Pro Ski GP was a Cinderella story for Brock Harris in Moto 1 as he pulled the holeshot and lead all 10 laps to victory. Moto 2 saw Broc holeshot once again, but this time had Jimmy Wilson hot on his heals with a good start. Wilson, riding aboard a Stock Spec SuperJet against a field mostly composed of 1100 triples showed that solid riding and hard charging can pay off as he was able to get passed Broc Harris when he chose to take the equalizer buoy. Jimmy extended his lead just far enough in front of Broc to be able to take the equalizer buoy and stay in front of Harris for the Moto 2 win. Great riding from all the guys in the class and the equalizer buoy proved it’s importance.
On Sunday, Sport Spec witnessed Sam Nehme win both Moto’s and take the overall win. This time however, in Sport GP. Sam Nehme watched the back end of Richard Taylor as he got to the finish line first aboard his GP Seadoo HX in Moto 1. Sam came back for the win in Moto 2 as Richard Taylor had to be towed in due to a mechanical issue. Sam walked away as the overall victor once again.
Team X-Scream’s Chris Langlais and Jayson “The Destroyer” Stoyer put down some impressive freestyle routines both days aboard their ultra lightweight and powerful machines and got the crowd worked up like they always do. Thanks goes out to those guys for coming out and putting on a great show.
Want to thank all the racer and their families for attending the event as well as all the sponsors that make these events possible. Without you guys, none of this could happen. A special thanks goes out to the City of Tavares for hosting such a great venue for us to enjoy as well as to the several first time racers that came out to see what racing is all about. We are glad we can share our addiction with you guys and welcome you to the race family.
All images courtesy of Kurt NgSaye. Originals can be viewed and purchased HERE.
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Saturday Results- Round 3 Surf and Turf
June 13 Tavares, FL Sport Spec: 1. Sam Nehme, 2. Ken Waddle, 3. Keith Dill, 4. Ken Carpenter, 5. Shawn Renyolds, 6. Chad Eggleston, 7. Jessica Millone; Sport Modified: 1. Keith Dill, 2. Cody McCallum, 3. Rob Hoffman, 4. Shawn Renyolds, 5. Sam Nehme, 6. John Gordon; Women’s Runabout: 1. Tasha Siu, 2. Bill Beneker; Runabout Open: 1. Stan Hightower, 2. Steven Jurczak, 3. Rob Sayah; Junior Ski 10-15 Stock: 1. Sammy Nehme, 2. Hayden Skillet, 3. Taylor Skillet; Am Ski Ltd: 1. Paul Jordan, 2. Laura Millone, 3. Anne Bigsby, 4. Tony Cantalamessa, 5. Joe Suddeth; Pro Am Stock: 1. David Cabrerra, 2. Pete Kucinski; Am Ski Open: 1. Dustin Higdon; Pro Am Ski GP: 1. Broc Harris, 2. John Stevens, 3. James Wilson, 4. David Cabrera, 5. Kirk Britto, 6. Johnny Smith
Sunday Results Round 4 Surf and Turf 2015
June 14 Tavares, FL Am Ski Ltd: 1. Laura Milone, 2. Anne Bigsby, 3. Jesse Snyder, 4. Tony Cantalamessa, 5. Paul Jordan, 6. Joe Suddeth, 7. Allen Clark; Pro Am Ski Stock: 1. David Cabrera, 2. Pete Kucinski; Am Ski Open: 1. Dustin Higdon; Sport Modified: 1. Sam Nehme, 2. Keith Dill, 3. Cody McCallum, 4. Richard Taylor; 5. Rob Hoffman; Jr Ski 10-15 Stock: 1. Hayden Skillet, 2. Sammy Nehme, 3. Taylor Skillet; Runabout Open: 1. Stan Hightower, 2. Robert Sayah, 3. Steve Jurczak, 4. Eric Schulte; Sport Spec: 1. Sam Nehme, 2. Ken Waddle, 3. Keith Dill, 4. Chad Eggleston, 5. Jessica Milone, 6. Shawn Reynolds, 7. Ken Carpenter; Pro Am Ski GP: 1. James Wilson, 2. Broc Harris, 3. David Cabrera, 4. Johnny Smith; Women’s Runabout: 1. Tasha Siu, 2. Bill Beneker
Although most of us will never experience the thrill of executing a backflip on a jet ski first hand, this really cool multi-angle footage from Pro Freestyle rider Gary Burtka is probably the closest you can get. The short clip shows his awesome warm up performance for the first moto at the 2014 International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) World Championships Pro Freestyle Event.
The video shows Burtka performing some extremely hardcore freestyle riding; highlights include him attempting three back flips in a row (ending in a pretty clear shot of what it is like to fully submerge a ski), and a pair of one-hander and no-hander back flips for good measure. Sharing a field with the likes of Lee Stone, Daniel Martin and Jason Stoyer, Burtka had to step up his game.
As any good freestyle rider worth his salt should know, working the crowd is just as important as executing each trick. And throughout the video, he whips up the fans by waving to them. They return the favor by yelling for more! It is easy to tell that he is smiling the entire time – his smile is conveyed through his eyes and his body language. The fans are elated at the crazy stuff he’s pulling off.
With the advanced technology that today’s freestyle competitors are equipped with, backflips are almost passe. Now, riders must perform flawless transitions between tricks, increase their amplitude (the ridiculous air these guys are getting) and stick every 360 or scarecrow – all while keeping your cool, too! Burka seems really laid back and on top of the world in this short clip.
