When The Wheels Fall Off The Bus.

Some photos of things going wrong at the Ranch Style competition.  It is amazing how these guys can bail out and survive to try again.

From the Best Trick Comp

Eric Lawrenuk

Doesn't look too bad here.

Didn't end so well.

Nick Simcik

Jack Ludlam tried the front flip twice.  He was already sporting a brace on his right wrist at the start of the competition.  On his first attempt he crashed and thought he had re-fractured his right wrist.  But went back up for another attempt anyway.  On his second attempt here you see he is under rotated.

This is about a micro second before he fractures his "left arm".  I was close enough to here it snape.  He didn't win the $1000.00 prize but probably got a hefty bill from the hospital.

Joe Perrizo had never tried a double back flip into a foam pit or water, but that didn't stop him from trying to throw it down at this competition.  He tried three times.

This was his 2nd attempt and he took it hard to the jeweled area.

Joe's third attempt ended a bit under rotated.

This head slap knocked him silly.

His limp "body grinder" was impressive.

This ended the competition for the night.  He was up and back competing the next day.

Slope Style day.

One of my favorite photos of the weekend.

Until next time.

Slope Style

Best Trick was incredible, but to watch these professionals cut loose on a whole Slope Style course of big step-ups, drops and jumps, was just unbelievable.  You can watch it on videos and or TV, and kind of think you know what it is all about, but to be right there is a whole other level.
My wife normally thinks this kind of thing is "stupid", but even she was just blown away by these athletes and their daring and skill.  Once again the crashes were off-the-hook as these guys pushed each other.
By late afternoon Bender was on a bender and provided some extra entertainment.  They had to eventually take the microphone away and keep hauling him off the course as he staggered around.

I like the cloud of dust from his feet as he spins the bike around in a tail-whip 360.

I believe this was the only back flip no-hander over the 30 foot gap of the day.

I will definitely make this an annual must see event.

Until next time.

Ranch Style Best Trick Competition

So I took Bonnie up to the Ranch today for the Best Trick Competition.  I also brought every piece of camera equipment I have.  During practice I had complete access to the jump.  It was like shooting fish in a barrel.  I almost got smoked by errant bikes and riders twice.  At some point Josh Bender (yes, the Josh Bender), who was MC, put a price on my head.  "Twenty bucks to the first rider to smoke the Photographer by the jump".  This brought some unwanted attention my way, and soon enough the professional photographers and videographers noticed I didn't have any credentials and "bam" back behind the tape I was sent.  But I had already ripped off 1000 photos by then.  So here is some teasers of my wicked ways.

That is Bender on the ladder up in the tree in the back ground.

Back up tomorrow for the Slope Style Comp.  Maybe I'll get lucky again.
Bonnie says I have to wait to make a seperate blog entry of all the carnage shots I have.  It will be epic!

Until next time.