Announcing the winners of the 2023 Flatmattersonline Year End Awards in Editorial and Reader Choice categories! Thanks to everyone to took the time to vote – congratulations to all the winners and nominees. It is always a pleasure to host these awards, I’ll be in touch with the winners shortly + interviews with the winners soon.
– Effraim.
YU KATAGIRI:
WINNER OF READER CHOICE RIDER OF THE YEAR.
CONTEST RUN OF THE YEAR & LINE OF THE YEAR.
2023 was an amazing year for Yu Katagiri, Yu dominated the X Games in Chiba Japan and many of you voted for him not only as Rider of the Year, stating the X Games was a big factor in that decision, so it’s understandable you also voted Yu for Contest Run of the Year with his X Games final run.
Yu won the Flatark, with a ridiculous “never been done” that you the readers of FM voted as line of the year during the best trick format finale to the contest, plus Yu won a few of the Chimera A- side events.
It’s no rocket science, Yu Katagiri is on top of his game right now and is the rider to beat on the contest scene, I personally would love to see a video part out of him each year as well as the contest riding much like Dub is doing. Congratulations Yu!!
JEAN WILLIAM PREVOST:
WINNER OF EDITORIAL CHOICE RIDER OF THE YEAR.
READER CHOICE & EDITORIAL CHOICE MUST WATCH EDIT OF THE YEAR.
Running Flatmattersonline my outlook on Rider of the year appears to be obviously different than the readers, which keeps things interesting. Many of you focus on contests, whereas running FM I think Video parts as well as contests are important. Jean William Prevost was that rider in 2023 that delivered on both fronts, the way I see it contests and having a video part also are really important in being a complete rider. Nowadays as the modern day pro, you should have a video part, someone like James White springs to mind here and someone I want to shoutout as he had so much amazing content all year, an amazing video part and even a few contests to boot.
Dubs “Comes in waves” could easily have been three video parts, we can of course focus on the amazing tricks, but the narrative and story telling throughout really shown through for me, and sat him apart from all the rest.
Dub killed it on the contest scene, with one of the best runs of the year at the Huffjam, podium at Fise Montpellier and X Games. Dub had an amazing year, also running IGI and helping out other riders along the way, and that’s what it takes to be rider of the year in my opinion.
AUDE CASSAGNE:
READER CHOICE FEMALE RIDER OF THE YEAR.
Photo: Swpix_cycling
Female Rider of the Year was the closet run award in 2023. For the second year in a row, Aude Cassagne took the honours, congratulations! Winning Fise Montpellier and the UCI world Championships in one year is no joke, plus a lot of instagram content and a solid “Revive” part makes Aude the complete package, understandable how many of you voted for the second year in a row.
YU SHOJI:
EDITORIAL CHOICE BREAKTHROUGH RIDER OF THE YEAR.
Photo: Swpix_cycling
Breakthrough rider of the year is in mind one of the most important awards for a number of reasons. We need new talent breaking through, that in turn pushes the top level. What a year 2023 was for our winner, Yu Shoji. Yu won the Fise Montpellier contest and the UCI world championship in Glasgow, dropping fresh moves throughout the year to boot including his new crackpacker turbine into snake spin with signature flat spin jump style. Congratulations Yu!
HERESY BMX:
EDITORIAL CHOICE BRAND OF THE YEAR.
The flatland industry is a small one, with so much love poured into each brands products to make them happen. This year’s winner is once again, Heresy BMX. Besides product, Heresy recently added Jeanne Signeur to their team, and adding another female to their amazing team adds another dynamic to the squad. Heresy are also one of the only brands in the game to release video parts each year, big fan of that they do for the flatland community. Congratulations Alexis and Heresy!
ATTILA TOTH / FOUR PEGS BMX:
EDITORIAL CHOICE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION.
Last year’s winner Rodney Williams was well received, this years award for Outstanding Contribution goes to Attila Toth from Four Pegs Bmx! This award isn’t really about riding, it is about a contribution to the culture and lifestyle side of what we love.
Attila goes out of his way to support the flatland and BMX scene, he also sponsors riders all across Europe, and supports events, he has recently started making bike parts and is doing it independent style, which I respect a lot. So much to admire about Attila, congratulations!!
Congratulations to all winners, and thank you for making this happen, Effraim.
Thank you Todd!
+1000
much respect!
@r Thanks for the support!
SALUD to all the winners of 2023 ! All you cats RULED .Thank you , Big-E =FLATMATTERSONLINE.COM……..THANK YOU , LUIS PALMAS for considering and REALLY , ACTUALLY peep gaming my video entry for Line Of The Year 2023 . THAT was much appreciated , TIMES 7 . LUIS , you’re a RIPPER yourself on your bike, Campeon ! You have a VAST knowledge of ALL eras of BMX Flatland and actually KNOW about it ! I’ll be looking forward to the video edit of all the winners of 2023……AND , BLEGH ! The new FREESTYLER # 123 edit from GIANNIS CATERNELLIS , a lil 50 DOWN -JASON BROWN type ,BMX vibe , peep gaming some more of his 5 Combo’s video link , some OWEN BOHN motivation . ( I voted for him for rider of 2023. )…..and OF COURSE …….KEEPING true to my riding style with these LONG combos and some tech jibs ,in between …BLEGH !! OOOOLALUUUUUUUUUUU !!
Thank you Rodney! Always appreciate the positive vibes!
You’re so welcome , Big-E ! Love what you do , bruv . On/ off your bike ! I have a request question for all the Dub , Attilia , Katagiri , Shoji , Aude ,the entire Heresy team ,etc…..all the winners. I’d love to know their favorite trick or line to do whenever they session . Like what trick or line can’t they get enough of . Even if it’s not a consistent trick or line. Just something they love doing on their bikes at any given moment . Whether in a contest run , a casual riding session solo or with friends , etc……what’s the one trick or line that gives them all that personal ” rush ” when they’re doing it ?? Besides that …….I also want Katagiri to know that ” bronco ” save after his 360 bike flip when he was battling @ Chimera. THAT was the sh-t to me ! Totally took me back to signature Kuoppa- type saves , mid line when he’d be in contests runs . I LOVED that . Just staying on the bike at ANY means. That sh-t RULES and I remember your interview with Martti , Effraim …..in Ride BMX U.K. December 2007 . ( I just read that interview a lil while back . ) I remember you asking Martti about those ” bronco ” saves and Kuoppa said ” It’s REALLY a skill . Judges should mark it up as a GOOD point , staying on the bike like this . ” I love Katagiri’s riding of course . ESPECIALLY that longer line he did @ Chimera from 2022 . He FREESTYLED all his hardest sh-t into a 1 minute line , saving a cross , inside pumping ice cream , leg just flailing ! It was totally on the fly , the ENTIRE line. He was again , battling Kio and went full on SSSEEEZZZZZZ (meaning ALL OUT on his bike. ) securing the win with that line. I’d just like Katagiri to know that that save ( and Kio’s cross ice cream Dizz Hicks stall , pick up -pump save. ) was RAD……thanks ,again Effraim. Look forward to this content coming up……FLATMATTERSONLINE.COM……BLEGH !
Nice moment here Rodney, so much to take in. Flatland saves indeed can be pure artistry, magical moments. Always think back to MK’s magical save during his 2002 Worlds run, something from the gods. He got not only the world title, but a standing ovation. One of those where I say, you had to be there! Stay tuned for some fresh content….
I hear ya , Big-E . He was doing his fire hydrant , quick half hiker- X-leg pivot to side packer………and completely slipped off of his pegs……….he “clapped ” the ground with ONE hand , his legs and feet were STILL in the X-leg position ,ending up on the front and rear tire ! Sh-t was WILD. Total skill and grit . I waited over 8 years to see that run and when I finally saw it I was floored. Had no idea it was THAT much of a BURLY save ! I remember Rob ” Tex ” Thayer telling all of us in our hotel room @ the 2002 , Dunamis Elevation Flatland event in Houston Texas……….” Dude , Martti busted the f-k out !” We all had not seen the video or were there . Truly an honor you were there competing ,representing Ronin with your pressure flips , mid-line……and sick back wheel flowing lines ……..then seeing Kuoppa’s run. Fresh content I’ll be looking forward to , bruv……
Thank you Effraim, much appreciated! Thank you for recognizing the amount of work behind it all and thank you that you do this work with FM!
Well deserved Attila! It is a lot of work I know all about it, I hope you still get some time to ride. It’s important!
Good choices!
Thanks Morgan! Half from the readers 🙂