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….
Effraim.
READER CHOICE 2025 FLATMATTERSONLINE YEAR END AWARDS:
RIDER OF THE YEAR:
Yu Katagiri.
Check his winning run from Fise Sakai, flat-out amazing!
EDIT OF THE YEAR:
Cory Fester Under the Radar.
LINE OF THE YEAR:
Takatora Hishikawa No saga Run winning line.
FEMALE RIDER OF THE YEAR:
Chiaki Todaka.
CONTEST RUN OF THE YEAR:
Yu Shoji Fise Montpellier.
EDITORIAL CHOICE: 2025 FLATMATTERSONLINE YEAR END AWARDS:
RIDER OF THE YEAR:
Yu Shoji, my choice for rider of the year is different from the readers choice. For me, I feel edits are an important part of the overall spectrum of what makes a top professional rider and should contribute towards who is rider of the year.
2025, Yu Shoji won a lot of contests and took a lot of risks doing so pushing the art from/sport side forwards. Wins at Fise Montpellier, Fise Shanghai, Chimera Games, UCI overall winner, and also which was a key plus that made him stand out. He had the banging “Welcome to Far east cycles” edit, which tops a rider in my opinion that either just has edits or just has contests.
Congrats Yu Shoji!
EDIT OF THE YEAR:
This was a tough one, that took a lot of going back and forths. In the end the decision was in the title: edit of the year! Not over numerous years, that to me seems to be a different project altogether and we will get to that.
The edit of the year goes to James White for his amazing “in control” edit. James continues to lead the way in cutting edge riding skills, but not just that, his editing and camera shots, the mood and feeling it gives you.
At the age of 55 putting out a 15 min edit full of whiteski originals is a pretty much amazing feat in itself, the sheer variety of creative tricks and his expertise in filming and editing sets James apart. Congratulations James White, winner of the editorial choice edit of year for the second year in a row!
Time for a glass of red wine James!
I feel it’s time we do a big whiteski interview on the site, if he’s down of course!
BRAND OF THE YEAR:
So much good stuff goes on in the flatland industry, and it seems like there is little to no reward for that. Hence this category!
For the second year, my vote goes to Nous BMX, Nous continues to grow strength to strength, full length videos, winning a Japanese film festival award, helping grow the wave of athletes, Ren Oshima, Takatora Hishikima and Varo Hernandez.
Peep this Welcome to Nous edit, that dropped when the website was down.
Signature frames, Ti frames, a flatland tyre and so much more that I’m on the tip of iceberg about.
Congratulations to Tamao and all the team at Nous BMX!
BREAKTHROUGH RIDER OF THE YEAR:
This year my vote goes to Ren Oshima, this guy is beginning to insert his name as one of the top Japanese Flatlanders right now.
Placing on the podium at Flatark and Fise Sakai, slamming new moves in the contest arena with amazing consistency and confidence is mind-blowing to see.
Nous got a great one here, really excited to see what he does in the future. The news just broke last week, he got himself got a signature frame and fork with Nous, so well deserved!
And even though you guys at home didn’t vote for him, his back wheel move jumping from two footed dump truck to pedal junkyard has some serious body English (you can watch it below at 1:48). There’s so much more than that, Ren is a powerhouse with a lot of style.
Congratulations to Ren, you will be hearing a lot more of his name!
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION:
Usually I have 1-2 riders in contention for this award. In 2025, I had a shortlist of 7-8 contenders.
The award for Outstanding Contribution goes to Cory Fester, his amazing edit “under the radar” was on repeat for a full week and then some. This edit felt like one of the most important edits of the last decade, I doubt we will ever see other edit like this in this day an age.
The whole concept of releasing the video 16 years since his last edit on the same day was absolutely amazing, and said a lot about Cory.
Even the fact he didn’t have an Instagram account until after the video dropped.
Imagine the discipline of sitting on footage for that long, full respect to Cory.
A real flatland lifer, congratulations Cory!!
And that’s a wrap on the 2025 Flatmattersonline Year end awards, congratulations once again to all the winners. I will be in contact to get your addresses to send out your medals!
Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote this year!
Flatmatters!