Category Archives: Exclusives

THE 2024 FLATMATTERSONLINE YEAR AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

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It is time to get into the winners of the 2024 Flatmattersonline Year End Awards. We had a record number of people voting this year, as well as some good suggestions for how the awards should be announced for next year. Congratulations to all the winners, and also everyone who was nominated.
I will be in touch with the winners soon for their contact details to send the medals out!!

Flatmatters!

READER CHOICE RIDER OF YEAR + CONTEST RUN OF THE YEAR + LINE OF THE YEAR + EDITORIAL CHOICE RIDER OF THE YEAR

YU KATAGIRI.

Yu Katagiri won the reader choice by a fair margin it’s fair to say. With around 60% voting for Yu, and you can see why.
He got my vote much like my vote for Nora Cup, because he’s pushing the sport and dropping brand new tricks and taking risks in his contest runs which is pushing the sport at the highest level.
This might not win contests all the time, but does win respect and he’s setting a standard now which is so promising for the future.
Not to mention when he does get it right, it’s something to experience in real life. Hence why many of you voted for his winning run at the Japanese championships in November! Jaw dropping perfection in signature snappy Yu Katagiri style.
And you can’t forget Yu dropping the no footed backwards spin levitating and jumping through to switch foot ice cream on the opposite side on Jimalog’s Umikaze edit, this move sent shock waves through the flatland scene. I haven’t seen a trick like that for years, this levitating line broke new ground, and physics for sure. Well deserved Line of the year!!
Congrats Yu for winning four awards in 2024, the future is so bright for Yu!

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THE 2024 FLATMATTERSONLINE YEAR END AWARD NOMINEES ARE…

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created by photogrid

It’s time to announce the nominees for the 2024 Flatmattersonline Year end awards, thanks to everyone who took the time to vote. Winners announced next Sunday…

Editorial Vote:

RIDER OF THE YEAR

Jean William Prevost
Yu Katagiri
James White
Kio Hayakawa
Matthias Dandois

MUST WATCH EDIT OF THE YEAR

Matsudo 2024 year end edit
James White Pivotski
Sebastian Grubinger Reminiscence
Los Andinos: Owen Bohn & Benjamin Hudson
Umikaze jam edit

*OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
*BREAKTHROUGH RIDER OF THE YEAR
As always no nominees in these categories I will announce these winners next Sunday!

BRAND OF THE YEAR

Nous Bmx
Heresy BMX
Four pegs BMX
Viking BMX
IGI FLAT BMX

Reader choice

RIDER OF THE YEAR

Jean William Prevost
Varo Hernandez
Yu Katagiri
Matthias Dandois
Kio Hayakawa

EDIT OF THE YEAR

Los Andinos by IGI
James White Pivitski
Matsudo Year end edit 2024
George Manos Soothenight
Varo Hernandez Action Wheels

CONTEST RUN OF THE YEAR

Kio Hayakawa FA BATTLEGROUNDS
Yu Shoji Fise Montpellier
Yu Katagiri Japan championships November
Matthias Dandois World championship finals
Julien Baran Euro Championship final

FEMALE RIDER OF THE YEAR

Anna Mondics
Nina Suzuki
Veronika Kadar
Carin Hommura
Ayuna Miyashima

LINE OF THE YEAR

Jean William Prevost Chile line
Yu Katagiri No foot float line
Kio Hayakawa Battleground line
Takato Moriya ucchie park line
Jigen Omotehara

2024 FLATMATTERSONLINE YEAR END AWARDS: POSSIBLE CONTENDERS FOR LINE OF THE YEAR

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As voting closes for the 2024 Flatmattersonline Year end Awards this Sunday, 12th January.
Here is one for the last minute voters, some possible contenders for Line of the Year, theres no way I can include everyone…

Thanks to everyone who has voted so far.

Congratulations to everyone who made the contenders edit.

FLATMATTERS!

16 YEARS OF FLATMATTERSONLINE!

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“To document, share and progress”, the mission statement if you like of Flatmattrsonline has remained consistent since FM’s birth in 2008. As I wondered what I can produce to celebrate our 16th anniversary, I asked around a few friends as I always do for some feedback. One of the ideas was to showcase 16 highlights throughout the years, that idea stuck in my head for a few days before I started going through the archives and thinking this had a nice feel to it.
I enjoyed going through content I had forgotten about, and I thought you at home would do also.

It’s hard to fathom its been 16 years being Flatmatters, I appreciate all the support I have been receiving especially recently. It seems as I am pretty much the only consistent the only flatland website, riders seem to appreciate the work that goes into running the site much more.

It would be interesting to hear back from you at home, what are some of your most memorable moments?

*The actual anniversary was Saturday 30th November, which I missed being at work all day.

I’ve added website links and videos as well for a reference for you all.
Here we I go! Thank you Flatland for 16 amazing years!

Flatmattersonline To document, share and progress!!

Effraim:

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DISCUSSION POINT: Is Flatland an Artform or a Sport?

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Watching George Mano’s last video part “Adapa”, I thought to myself shall I ask the flatland community on the FM IG. Is flatland an artform or sport? The response was amazing, and I definitely wasn’t expecting George to write about in on his FB account, and just like that a new DISCUSSION POINT section is born here on Flatmattersonline. Over to George, let us know what you think in the comments. Love how this happened, so organically. Thank you to George for sharing his thoughts with us…

Text & Photos: George Manos.

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Repo: BATTLEGROUND 2

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Repo: Effraim.
Photography: Effraim, Thaddeus Schau.
Videos: Brant Moore.

Bit late with getting this repo up on the site, after a very busy summer. I finally have some time for myself to return to riding and updating the site regularly. Hope you all enjoy this one!

As I boarded my first flight home from the FA Battleground contest, I planned to start writing a report on the event for the site. Then, over the tannoy, we were told that we were unable to land in Chicago because of a thunderstorm. Off to Indianapolis we went, to wait until we could land in Chicago. I thought to myself, was this trip all worth it? The flight home was already delayed by twenty-four hours, and now was going to be even longer.
The Battleground contest had a real family community vibe that we really need right now. As this event clashed with the Olympics, I thought to myself, what do we really need to help the sport grow? More events? More jams? Better communication between riders? What is it that holds us back?

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Fise World 2024: Back Wheel Assassins

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In between full days judging all the classes at Fise World 2024, I managed to get a few combos from some of the riders, time was pretty limited so this one is short and sweet. As it turns out, they are all Back Wheel Assassins! Enjoy!

Featuring:

Yohei Uchino.
Naoto Tamaru.
Yu Katagiri.
Jean William Prevost.

UCI WORLDS GLASGOW: PRACTICE

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As contest season is about to get in full flow, with the Fire World event in Montpellier, France this weekend. I remembered I had a load of clips from the UCI World Championships in Glasgow last summer that I need to get off my phone. Enjoy this one!

Featuring:
Sietse Van Berkel.
Matti Hemmings.
Dan Hennig.
Dez Maarsen.
Moto Sasaki.
Jean William Prevost.
William Perez.
Joris Bretagnolles.
Alberto Moya.
Terry Adams.
Matt Wilhelm.
Kio Haykawa.
Bruno Zebu.

Music: Ivan Shopov & Valance Drakes.

Repo: Sportszone Hungarian Cup Round 1

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Text & photos: Rob Alton.

On April 20th, the new building of Sport Zone SE hosted this year’s first Round of the Hungarian FlatlandCup. As usual, this year competitors rode in the Junior B, Junior, Girls, Master, Elite men’s, Elite women’s and Open categories. We created the Junior B category for those who started cycling not long ago, but love it!

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BIKECHECK: Naoto Tamaru / We The People Utopia 20″

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Who doesn’t love a bike check? I’m always curious about people’s set ups, and what you can bring to your own set up. With the help of David Paterson over at We the People HQ, today we are able to bring this exclusive feature on Naoto Tamaru’s new WTP Utopia ride, and his new signature parts which have some interesting tweaks, let’s get into it!

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