Category Archives: News

Must Watch – Brandon Derbowka / 2018

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It takes a lot to move the Heresy Tour video off the top spot here on Flatmattersonline today. You just know when you hear the name, Brandon Derbowka that this is going to be really good and this does not disappoint.

Right from the off, working a really tight indoor riding spot, 00:05 a straight version of Martti’s xft hitch full body varial. Starting opposite xft Karl to opposite xft hiker to backwards backpacker for a second literally pivot regular side xft hitch, beautiful. Literally everything hits hard in this edit, so this might be a long description. But I wanted to show this video some deserved love, so bare with me.

00:18: Xft opposite halfpacker pivot hitch pivot regular side xft halfpacker, how he flips that hitch to xft from an almost straight angle is amazing!
00:47: Xft whiplash to xft hitch jugglers, crossing his feet regular and opposite on each rotation of the juggler, watch this one again and again. So technical!
1:14: Might be my favourite line of the edit, xft half hiker to halfpacker pivot opposite xft hitch and he comes out straight (that’s the key point), to opposite backwards backpacker switch hands regular backwards backpacker pivot xft half hiker to the Martti Kuoppa xft hitch body varial this time in circles! What a line, difficulty levels off the chart here, wow!
1:47: Xft half hiker pivot to halfpacker bars straight pivot xft hitch xft whiplash switch leg to regular xft halfhiker pivot halfpacker pivot opposite xft hitch! Are you following all this?
And the final move, that I wish to highlight because it’s so damn technical! At 2:15, opposite Karl entry to opposite backwards backpacker hitch to regular side backwards backpacker pivot xft half hiker uncross leg switch to opposite xft half hiker backwards backpacker pivot xft hitch out!

What an edit, I realise today the Heresy edit will get a lot of attention, but do not sleep on this one. Holy shit! Take a bow, Brandon Derbowka this is truly inspiring!

Bri Welch – Rad Girls Interview by Paula Marie

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Intro/Interview: Paula Marie.

Good morning all! We start the week here on Flatmattersonline with one of my biggest current motivations, Bri Welch! If you follow the FM instagram page, you will have seen the photo of Bri balancing with a prosthetic leg! Think about that, flatland is hard enough but throw in a prosthetic leg and I can’t even imagine. I met Bri at the Battle in the Rockies this year, and she is full of life and out there doing it and learning tricks. Paula Marie over at Rad Girls BMX caught up with Bri to tell her story, which goes so much deeper. Next time you are struggling for motivation, think about this girl and what she has gone through. Much respect Bri, over to Paula Marie..

I routinely scour the girls bmx scene, looking for new talent, I’ve been doing it well over a decade, pretty much since I started riding. But I can tell you that these past few years have been some of the greatest yet. Every so often I find someone that really stands out. Recently Bri Welch caught my eye. A girl showing up to ride at the Cornhuckit Jam, at the Midwest Indy Jam, and Battle in the Rockies. Bri has a real interest in riding that you rarely see, and she’s already planning to host a clinic this upcoming spring to inspire others to ride. Even though Bri just started flatlanding last spring it has been a whirlwind for her. Much of her life has been. From new flatland beginnings back to how it all started, Bri answers a few questions I asked her when we sat down for a chat in the proverbial cafe that is the internet.

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Masashi Itani & Sunny Singh – two life goals, one clip

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Masashi Itani & Sunny Singh met up for a session in Japan, and Sunny was able to chalk off two life goals in one day. Read his description and watch the video, the back wheel line from Masashi is off the chart!

“Two. Today I knocked out two life goals ever since I made my first BMX video back in 2000: 1) Ride with and film a Japanese pro rider at a famous spot in Japan and 2) Pull a trick of my own in Japan. Spent a few hours today riding with 2nd generation pro rider Masashi Itani and 13 year old Sakura Kawaguchi, who is just getting into flatland. In a scene dominated by men it was really great seeing her work on new tricks. She is part of the emerging 3rd generation of Japanese riders who are pushing the boundaries in terms of originality and technicality.

It took Masashi several tries to land this combo. The difficulty was the final cross footed pivot before scuffing the ride out. We had a radio playing and for good luck he switched the song to the KRS-One track that I used in the video I produced for him earlier this year from our session in Hawaii. Sometimes the right tune puts you in the headspace you need to be in.”

Christmas Flatland Jam hosted by Keelan Phillips – Saturday 22nd December

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In a few weeks time, Keelan Phillips is hosting a xmas flatland jam at this indoor spot in Leicester, here in the UK. If you are able to make it, message the man himself Keelan on his social media for the address details etc. Here’s what Keelan had to say:

“Riders: a Jam going down to see out the year!
Saturday 22nd December, 10-4, Leicester city centre!
*Few quid on entry (and that goes directly to the hall who do loads for charity including food for the homeless)
*Chill day, music etc, msg me for the address
*See you there!”

Must Watch – Joe Cicman / The Idea in Brief 2018

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It seems like Joe Cicman was made for the Master of Creativity contest and when didn’t enter this year I was curious as to what he was up to riding wise. Today the wait is over and for his year-end edit, he teamed up with Jim McKay for something special. From the opening Jaffa rebates, how many does he do? 10-11? I was glued to the screen wondering what was next. My shinbones ached just watching that first clip, I’m always into riders that master their craft, and do the lines they do as best they can and Joe really put some effort into the details of his riding to make the lines have as much impact as they can.

00:57: The huff packer (I believe thats what it’s called) to halfpacker jump two footed backyard.

Aside from the riding, Jim McKay did a great job I feel communicating Joe’s personality throughout the edit, the two complimented each other really well.

2:06/2:35: The hitchhiker version of the Jaffa whip rebate, really inspiring to see Joe take his Jedi skills to another trick and in turn create something new particularly that second line where momentum is coming out of nowhere and 3:13 Jaffa whip death jump to two footed backyard, although not pulled. This almost adds to the hype!

And not a scuff in sight from Mr Scuffington Post himself, the critics gather round…

Fanks a lot for this Joe and Jim, you made a rainy Friday in Southsea so much better!

Nick Watts – December 7th 2018

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Last night it happened again, I see a notification for a new Nick Watts edit right as I am about to go to sleep. It’s become a late night Thursday ritual to save Nick’s video for the morning. I feel like I must scythe same thing every week, but bot can Nick freestyle. I feel the term gets thrown a lot in flatland circles, but Nick is a true freestyler. These lines look like they are thrown together without an idea of where they could end up, bike control, quick awareness and so much style. There are a couple of standouts that made my morning I wish to highlight: the Double boomerang off the back tyre popped into xft cowboy at 00:16 and the No footed flail land back pegs to caboose at 1:07 both brought a smile to my face. It’s raining outside, thank you Nick!

Repo: Sport Zone Veresegyház Contest

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Text: Rob Alton.

On November 24th we held our second major contest at Sport Zone Veresegyház. I worked really hard to improve on last year’s contest in all departments. Thanks to our main sponsors Magnetic, IPF Corner, DMKER, Elite BMX Shop and Sport Zone we raised 1000 Euro for Pro purse. I hoped it would help bring some top Pro’s here and it did! We had 12 Pro riders from 6 countries, including the kids and Amateur riders a total of 34 competitors!
Róbert Völler “Minerboy” our live DJ was running the rider routines which made my day a lot easier. We also added new podiums and sponsor wall for the prize giving.

I split School Class into A and B classes, because there is a good step up now from the kids who are really practicing a lot. Recent contests in Hungary have really helped to motivate them. The B class was great to see as some of the kids have only been riding 5-6 weeks and still wanted to take part. Emma Kriston one of two girls at the school got second place! There is a separate video for each category on Youtube.

School Class A

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Amateur & Pro – Sport Zone Verseny 2018 Highlights

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With Sevisual behind the lens and Rob Alton on editing duties, here is the AM and Pro highlights video from the Sport Zone Verseny contest the other week over in Hungary with great riding from the likes of Dominik Nekolny, Martin Drazil, Matti Hemmings, Keelan Philips, Fülöp Vidakovich, and many more. Great to see grassroots events like these being so well attended, this looked like a lot of fun including the longest mega spin contest. Anyone dizzy?

Must Watch – Matthieu Bonnécuelle / Riding Waste

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RIDING WASTE from NUAGE BMX on Vimeo.

Isn’t the saying “Another man’s waste is another man’s treasure”, well god damn my mind is blown this evening with this footage of Matthieu Bonnécuelle shot in 2015/16. Matthieu in my mind is like a mysterious figure we don’t see a lot of, but when we do it is a treat for us all.

And such is the case here, second clip in at the 00:17 mark – backwards facing messiah no handed double backwards facing whiplash to backwards facing messiah. I screamed loud at my laptop, the bike control on this clip is out of this world and it continues there are so many surprises in this edit.

00:39 and a steam bikeflip to backwards ice cream! Hit the rewind, wow! I love how I have no idea what’s coming next, exciting!

1:00 – I think this might be my favourite clip of the edit, backwards facing whiplash to body varial jump rideout!

Pretty much everything Matthieu does is a highlight to be honest, let’s talk about this one in the comments section. I am going back to watch this one again.

Who will be the 2018 Flatmattersonline Rider of the Year?

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The exclusive content here on Flatmattersonline keeps coming. Whilst I was out at the annual Battle in the Rockies contest a few weeks back, I caught up with some riders to ask them who they thought was the Rider of the Year as a prelude to the up and coming FM year and awards that will be open to vote from 17th December.