Wow, when the 2018 Nora Cup winner Jean William Prevost drops an edit you take notice. MY Sunday is made, it is pouring with rain and I am getting ready to go ride with a spring in my step. This is flat out incredible, Dub continues to break new ground and do his own thing away from the contest scene and in turn turn up the notches in the art form of flatland riding and then some.
This will be the 4th Must Watch edit this week! Here’s why I haven’t gone soft giving these Must Watches out!
00:17: backwards spinning undertaker to xft carved pumping peg wheelie pivot 360 body varial two footed backyard out another side xft carved peg wheelie Degroot undertaker! Let’s just getting the party started!
00:36: Backwards spinning undertaker direct to two footed 360 backyard type body varial pivot! Dig how he showed the original progression in the clip before….
00:48: Switch foot lawn turbine opposite foot forward g-roll step over forward two footed death truck on pedal to rodeo jump out xft carved peg wheelie flip to backwards spinning two footed one-handed cream flip to xft carved peg wheelie right hand side inside gliding switch-b spinning undertaker out! Wow!
1:33: Everything Dub does is flat out amazing, and the next line hits so hard! At the 1:33 mark ending in double turbine forward death pedal overtaker out! A man at the top of his game and continuing to push what is possible on a flatland bike…
I could go and on, let’s discuss this one in the comments section. I gotta go ride!!
Yesterday right as I posted Brandon Derbowka’s amazing new edit, I got a notification on instagram that Yu Katagiri had dropped a new edit. Rather than post 2 banging edits at the same time, I decided to give Brandon’s edit some limelight on the site for 24 hours, well deserved in my opinion. Today, is all about this wonder kid from Nagaoka,Niigata Japan.
I had the pleasure to watch this 13 year old prodigy at two contests in the summer, BMX Cologne and Urban Waves and the kid delivered in both contests and is the real deal. What were you doing at 13 years old? This level of riding, creating tricks, being consistent, beating established pros double your age? It’s easy to say Yu Katagiri is the future, but he’s already here and smashing it hard!
As with all Must Watch edits I like to highlight why I chose this edit as Must Watch, and before I get into details, regardless of age this hits the spot really hard and can only inspire you for today’s session!
1:22: Carved peg wheelie flip to pedal g-roll turbine flip to opposite foot turbine ice cream shove it xft ice cream turbine flip pivot to spinning lawn bike flip to xft mega spin turbine pivot to g-roll flip back to spinning lawn bike flip to pedal turbine g-roll out! (that last switch is insane!)…
2:03: Xft carved peg wheelie pivot to two footed backyard pivot direct to backwards ucchie spin bike flip to xft pumping ice cream backwards xft ice cream spin pivot peg wheelie to xft ice cream (that switch rewinding to understand) to backwards spinning x-ft cream to backwards foot pedal time machine out! Thats’s two massive lines already with so much creativity within, this kid!!!
3:00: My favourite line of this amazing edit, the beginning just has me hitting the rewind. So rad!
Go watch this and admire this kids technique, I feel like I have typed enough over the past few days. I’m left thinking various thoughts…
If Yu is this good at 13 years old, what happens when he is 18 years old and so on…. Thank you ZOLS ETM for sharing this kids amazing talent with us all, flatland just went up a notch and then some! Hitting the rewind and watching in awe of this kids abilities.
Can we please see some footage of his brother, Ryo!
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!
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!
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.
Starting the week off with a banger with Austin Luberda, I have had the pleasure over the last five years at Battle in the Rockies of watching Austin come through the ranks from Amateur to now modern day a top professional rider that has a shot of taking the win every time he competes.
If you are familiar with Austin’s riding, which I hope you are. You will be aware the man is blessed with natural flow, over the last few years Austin has added his own style and unique lines and movements to this flow. This edit “Autumn flow” hits hard from the very beginning and contains a scary pivot move that Austin makes look easy (which I will talk about in a moment. As with Must watch edits as I didn’t really talk about James Whites’ last video I will resort back to familiar territory and highlight what I liked about this edit.
1:07: The flow and the intricate switches in this line, caboose body varial without kicking and ending in the x-ft straddle pedal time machine! Super good!
2:14: Lung spin / one handed time machine body varials without touching the tyre. I don’t believe I have seen this variation done before and always with Austin’s riding, so stylish!
3:05: For me the move of the edit and something I was thinking I would never see, if you learnt the scuffing version of this back in the day you will know how difficult this is. Austin of course in 2018 is doing this junkyard turbine blindside body varial to time machine (switch handed) without a hint of scuffing. One of the moves of the year right here! Take a bow Austin, blown away!
The man James White does it again, unless you have been living under a rock or something it’s hard not to notice James White’s riding on social media. He seems to be everywhere, and this new “Stop the World” edit featuring a classic Black Rock and Ron track hits hard like you would expect, yet retains a fun element and stoke factor. All these details plus mixing the riding to a great tune that describes what he is doing, and give you an uplifting feeling that makes you want to go and ride.
Ultimately this is what it is all about, I am still in awe of the bike control involved on the no-handed “still b” at the 1:52 mark and that ender I was waiting and the cut at the end!. Rather than list all the highlights, I think this edit is about the whole package that just left with a great feeling and immediately on the rewind for the whole video, brilliant work throughout.
This morning I woke up in Monument, Colorado to a special treat from the Heresy BMX family. It is almost goes without saying that many of you will not even read this description before hitting play on the video, that’s the hold and respect the Heresy crew have on the flatland community.
The flatland team seems to be a thing of the past for the most part so it’s great that Alexis is able to continuing growing the team adding Pete Olsen to the team who totally fits the HSY aesthetic, and this summer Pete joined Michaël Husser, George Manos, Sebastian Grubinger, Matthieu Bonnecuelle, and head honcho Alexis Desolneux for a summer tour around various spots in Southern France. Combine that with that amazing work of Tom over at Sevisial who captures the chemistry and aesthetic of the brand and in turn whets the appetite somewhat.
From the opening triple backwards two footed backyard walk around by Pete Olsen you just wait in excitement like a little kid as to what is next to follow. The subtle change to colour was almost a nice touch in my mind, as with all Must Watch edits and particularly edits like this I like to highlight what I loved about it.
1:00 & 3:34: Sebastian Grubinger’s lines throughout are absolutely amazing. He and Pete are really pushing the backwards style in this edit and generally and it’s so good now they are repine’ the same brand. Like I said before, the fit makes sense.
4:09: Loved Michael Husser’s whiplash to two footed frontyard round the bars line is so good, and look at the dust on the ground. Even more amazing, loved the style.
5:09: Matthieu Bonnecuelle has so many nice intricate moves throughout the edit, especially loved this g-turning switch foot whiplash jump to pedal manual 180 out to jump off pedals switch foot fakie whiplash and out. The variety between each team members styles are really refreshing throughout.
5:26: One of my favourite lines of the edit, one that myself and James McGraw called out when we first watched the edit this morning, Sebastain’s gliding gerator g turned to backwards two footed backyard half backwards decade off the pedal. Subtle, but such a treat!
The shove pedal 5 line that George Manos drops at the 7:06 is absolute poetry in motion.
And the ender, x-up ride in to brakeless straddle roni from Pete Olsen is so point. Another masterpiece from Heresy, who deserve all the plaudits they will get from this edit I am sure. This is flatland and that is why we love it. Big up everyone involved in this production.
Toon Pakphum is two years deep into his coaching lessons with Martti Kuoppa and boy does it look like it is paying off. I have a lot of respect for anyone who takes the effort of training over and over to be dialled. It is great feeling to know you have tricks on lock, at any point of the day and Toon is one of those riders as he looks to break into what I call the elite group of pro’s currently dominating the contest scene. I love to see someone carrying the fight, and Toon is most certainly doing that.
From the first line onwards I was memorized by his consistency, his head barely moving, total bike control right here.
Some of the highlights for me:
00:57: The multiple stem boomerangs, attacking it!
1:18: the brakeless crack 360 flip to steam, notice how quick he is from jump to the tyre. Amazing technique.
2:21: The backwards boomerang to half packer that just goes on and on.
2:57: The last line is a belter, again its too long to name the whole combination of tricks. Just watch this and think about the dedication and hours it has taken for Toon to get to this level. And now he is firmly knocking on the Podium spot door…
The results are in, and unless you have been living in a cave with no wifi over the last two days you will have seen the videos on instagram plus shared all over social media. Martti Kuoppa put together a Master of Creativity pro finals edit that totally hits the spot.
The MOC is infamous in flatland circles now as the most progressive contest on the planet, I am honoured each year to be invited to judge the event, this year along with Martti, last years winner John Yull, and Chad Degroot.
Now the contest is over and results have been announced, I wanted to give some love back to the riders that are helping to take flatland to the next level and bring new tricks to the table as we have seen with the likes of Sietse van Berkel’s winning entry.
11th.Stephan Fabien – Xft pedal nose wheelie inside xft steam without touching seat drops back wheel throws back to xft nose wheelie at the 00:6 mark. So smooth.
10th. Raphael Chiquet – 00:15. Raphael seems to have caught second wind in his riding career and is coming back really hard after being out of the scene for a while it seemed. Love the one handed stubble, looks like he wanted his signature no handed backwards spin, and throws the bike round body varial style to the floor. Look forward to seeing how this line develops.
9th. 00:34. Interesting choice of trick from Toon Pakphum for the finals, although I have seen this crack 360 flip to steam done to death with a front brake. I have never seen it brakeless, watch his technique getting the foot to the tyre so quickly after the flip. Literally has to be perfect execution to get this done, respect!
8th. 00:47. Who else but Mateus Beckmann drops a 180 bunnyhop to backlash whopper to backwards wheelie (controls with a few scuffs) to brakeless foot jam decade out?! Amazing skills from the talented Brazilian.
7th. 1:09. Xft rolling lawn full body varial gerator to his signature Zinger out, James White continues to amaze. James posted today there will be an edit out this week showing the background work that went into this entry later on in the week.
6th. 1:23. It’s been a great year for Mates Tucek, and this teakettle to opposite side xft half packer step to quick xft hang ten without touching the bar pivot to crackpacker is out of this world technically. This guys future is bright, believe me…
5th. 1:49. Owen Bohm is always a treat, you never know what to expect. And this no footed cliff turbine holding the seat defies all logic of gravity, flat-out amazing!
4th. 1:57. Ederson Paulo Ferreira dropped a wicked variation on his signature backwards one handed seatspin spinning the bars 360 and back to it for the finals. Incredible.
3rd. 2:11. Top three is getting heavy, Moto Sasaki went for a longer line than most riders for his final entry. The difficulty of combo’ing a one handed hang ten pivot triple xft crack turbine jump to steam kick pivot forward Karl xft opposite steam backwards spinning opposite Karl to spinning/pumnping xft hang ten jump to crack is insane!
2nd. 2:38. The beginning of Alex Jumelin’s final entry is out of hand, who else does an xft nose jumps at the point of the sweet spot to turbine and hop 360 nose jump xft steam without holding the seat? All Alex originals right here, absolutely unreal!
1st. 2:55. It was going to take something special to beat Alex’s entry and boy did Sietse van Berkel come up with the goods. I am going to just put it out there, whatever Sietse calls this trick (some kind of hybrid backwards pedal halfpacker locked on the top tube no handed) is the trick of the year!
It’s so fresh I have no name for this, and it made just say “wow” let’s rewind that when I was judging this. Flatland just went up a notch with the Master of Creativity contest, for me this event is not about the results although I know you riders at home like to see who came where. It’s about the progression, and the inspiration it gives to us all on that next session. I can’t wait to ride tomorrow….
Big thanks to Martti Kuoppa inviting me to judge, all the other judges that helped. John Yull, Chad Degroot and MK of course and of course all the riders that made MOC what it is. Beautiful.
