It’s time to announce the winners of the Editorial and Reader Choice 2025 Flatmattersonline Year end awards. 2025 was one of the better years, in terms of edits, instagram clips, add to to that of course jams and contests in recent times.
As I put together the editorial side of things running Flatmattersonline. I like to discuss why I’ve picked the winners and offer some insight. It’s time to get into the details, it’s cliche to say, but truly just to be nominated feels like a master achievement in my opinion.
Let’s kick off with your votes in the reader choice category….
2026 has started with a bang, and it’s already hard to keep up. This is massive news, Pedro Melo on Heresy, this addition totally fits the brand.
Pedro can do it all, and keeps it fun, Flatland, Street, Ditches, Skateparks, and of course we are interpreted in the flatland and as always Pedro does not disappoint.
This man is like a cult figure in the flatland world, the x-ft halfpacker with knee on peg at 1:20 is groundbreaking, followed by the surfer nose wheelie although I’ve seen him do this before its a move that deserves to be highlighted.
The x-up nose at a skatepark at 2:48 I have never seen before, likewise with the x-hand tyre slide at 3:13, Pedro is so creative and it continues, towards the end of the edit going back to cutting edge flatland, everything is so creative and groundbreaking.
Its January and we might have a contender for edit of the year already!
Put two underrated creatives together, and you got yourself some magic. Today, we got ourselves another Must Watch, the man is a master of the Gadget Whip, check the flowing GW lines at 2:25, and especially 2:41 with the pumping half hiker in between each gadget whip and the x-ft hitch juggler ender is so clean at 3:34.
So much style and grace in Joachim’s riding, I’m a big fan. Thanks Stephane Bar for documenting this Frenchamn’s riding, the world needs to see this guy!
The annual Matsudo Jam took place on the 6th December, last year. This feels like an annual tradition at this point, the year doesn’t start until we see Jimalog’s annual Matsudo jam getting dropped.
This jam round, Akihiko Takahashi, Yu Shoji, Takahiro Ikeda, Shinichiro Hara, Masashi Itani,
Varo Hernandez, and Anatole Rahain throw down their latest moves.
Already two must watch edits this year, thank you Jimalog for contributing to the flatland culture once again!
We don’t even get a day into 2026, and already a Must Watch edit?! Heresy’s Jigen Omotehara is one of the new generation in Japan making waves, with unique riding style and trick selection as he gets ready for the New Season.
The x-ft half hiker pivot to half packer line at 2:17 is next level, magical pivotry skills going here that I have never seen before and had me hitting the rewind several times to understand what he did.
Loved Jigen’s right hand half packer turbines backwards half packer pivot to backwards switch foot Karl line at 2:45. So smooth and so tech!
And the ender at 3:56 is another NBD, opposite whiplash to full turbine switch foot pedal 5 turbine ending backwards switch foot pedal 5 jump to regular side steam, too good.
Nice jazzy hip hop vibes fit Jigen’s style really well, starting the year with a Must watch. 2026 is going to be a good one!!
What a month for flatland video parts, and it continues right here with a beautiful concept. Cory Fester last released video was his “16 days” part, and today Monday 22nd December marks 16 years.
At 21 minutes long filmed between 2009-2025 there is a lot to take in here, it’s fully time to grab a cuppa and enjoy Cory go all in and get the dream combos on his list.(check the end of the video!)
If you know Cory, he does not mess around, and besides the obvious hammers that are going to have everyone talking.
I loved some of the subtles, the backwards tea kettle turbine to forwards at 8:45, the genius of the can-can ride in to backwards half packer at 10:18.
The double hanglider lines, into hang 5 at 10:33 and hitchhiker at 17:15.
And the last section that starts at 17:00, the opposite flail body varial to backwards half packer at 20:34!
Big respect Cory, this is one hell of a project! Let’s talk about this one!!
Must Watch season continues with this absolute belter from Japanese flatland lifer, Akihiko Takahashi who celebrates 25 years of riding.
If you don’t already this guy is one of the best in the backwards game, there are some mindmelters packed into 5:59, which is definitely a contender for the hardest stuff done this year.
It is funny how somethings work out, yesterday I was having a conversation about flatland in the USA. And we talked about Austin Luberda, and I wondered what he was up to, having seen a little glimpse of him at the Aggro Jam in St Louis that I posted yesterday.
This morning I got my answer, Austin and his wife have been busy welcoming a new born baby into the world in September. Congratulations to you both.
Today we have this amazing new edit from Austin, with a couple of new moves he has been dreaming about, I especially loved the development of his signature can-can style pedal junkyard move at (1:07, 1:50, 4:23 and the ender around 4:50), that you can leads to other moves like the multiple opposite forward pedal g-roll turbines jump to pedal time machine at 2:48.
Throw in the opposite backwards spin stubble duck at 3:18, with that smooth flow state Austin is renowned for. Some things never change, and long may that continue!
Loved the old footage of Austin shredding his GT back in the day mixed in with the modern day, great feel to this edit, editing on point, music fits, camera work, it’s all here!
It’s officially “Must Watch season”, loving this, thank you Austin!
Alberto Moya teams up with arguably the heaviest crew in modern day flatland for amazing edit at the Park Samukawa. Insane lines from the likes of Yu Katagiri, Naoto Tamaru, Alberto Moya, Nina Suzuki, Shu Sugawara (worth a rewind at 1:56!), Ayuna Miyashima, Ryo Katagiri, and saving the best for last at 3:30 with Takato Moriya! The only one missing is Ucchie!
Thanks Moya for documenting, it’s been an amazing few weeks for edits!
Feel good edit from Julien Baran’s and Jean William Prevost’s recent trip to Singapore, Fise had a test event out there and JB and Dub took the opportunity to film together, and put this together with a bonus Calvin Tan appearance. Anyone else loving the increase in good edits, as we get into FM year end awards season?
