Place: Limoges, France.
Date: July 24-25, 1993.
Organisation: FFC, l'IFN (International Freestyle Network) et DSO (Denis Shock Organisation).
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, april 2008: Video jingle made by Tone Stojko & Simon Stojko Falk.
Lionel Cardoso front wheel stunts.
Clas Schroder from Germany pulled his no-footed deathtrucks, no handed backpackers, jugglers, ...
James White
Michael Briand
Armen Djerrahian, Ride BMX UK october 1993: Flatland is now a really different thing that it used to be ten years ago. It needs a lot of practice, the new tricks are really hard and the riders who have mastered a full routine are rare, simply because the flatland is forever progressing. That's why only the riders can judge the other riders and no-one else. Why? Because you have to understand how hard some tricks and links are: I'm talking about all the new moves that Kevin Jones and Chase Gouin impose on us. The bar-varials, the bodyvarials, squeaks with either foot [so you can do opposite side tricks]... the list is endless.
Anyway, it was a big problem to let the riders judge either flat or ramp at the Worlds - fortunately Geoff Catlow, one of the organisers who understands riders most, used his authority with the people in charge and put riders on the judging panel. Thanks a lot! Now, let's talk about the riding. The first thing is that I would like to apologise to those who I forgot and who deserve to be mentioned in this article - yep, all of you guys from every country! Let me introduce the youngest killer of the weekend: Alexandre Jumelin [France], he's only 15 and rides on the same level as some of the masterclass, so his first place will not surprise anyone. Tons of fire hydrant to blender to circle k [regular bar] to bar varial to body varial back to fire hydrant to double decades yes! I've seen him pull this spastic junkyard but with his foot on the pedal!! 2nd place went to Monika Pecze [Hungary] who is the best girl in the World: caboose, funky-chickens, bar ride, and decade. For the other expert categories the level was approx the same and the ages were the only difference. That's why the following names are spread in every class and the result they scored doesn't really show how good they are! During practice is the best time to see this in effect, and usually in Europe the Germans [the Rolling Posse], the French [the Parisian Posse] and the Hungarian [Street Style Riders] used to dominate it, but for once there were more English riders than usual [Effraim Catlow, Phil Dolan, James White] and some crazy Spanish guys. One of them even had the same tattoos as Chase Gouin! A fan or what? Some others were riding so fast through the area and it was hard to concentrate, but cool to see those Spanish hardcore.
In spite of that, Stephan Tamme [Germany] pulled his famous whiplashes to opposite chickwhips and all his half-lash links, Lionel 'Ciborg' Cardoso [France] blew everyone's minds with his front wheel stunts: fire hydrants to gliding circle K to bar whip to circle K [x-up bars] to bar-varial to a jump behind the bike to cross-footed elephant squeaks to bar varial to fork wheelie to one more trick and one more and one more... unfortunately Lionel couldn't ride the contest because he was too late for his run which was due at 9:30am in the morning!
Clas 'Engineer' Schroder [Germany] pulled his devilish no-footed death truck [AlE!!], jungler [hitchiker whips], no handed backpacker and all that in his routine. The York local, Rob 'Tex' Tayer was here too, and when he wasn't repairing Matt and Dave's wheels he was riding: whiplashes with style plus some of his own links - he's the master wheel truer!
The masterclass was one good moment on the Sunday. There were 22 riders and the best were: Klaus Dyba [Germany] is now working for Freedom Magazine and still riding too, gerator to switch-b to fire to axle-decade, side squeak with his foot on the toptube of his frame, double jumpin' whiplashes to side squeak to barwhip to side squeak [x-up bar]. After getting the first place during the qualifications, Armin 'Onyx' Batoumeni had a bad run for the final. However, he did his death-b to death to dump again, pulled turbine cliffhangers in practice and switch-b [opposite side] to locomotive to cross-footed locomotive. Sick. Armin is French but decided to ride for the Congo, just for fun. Oh yeah, there was this Spanish guy [sorry dude I forgot your name] who was riding so fast! I think he placed 3rd, you should have seen him ride, so fast!
2nd place went to Alexis 'cross-foot master' Desolneux. After a re-run forthe 1st place, Alex came second but deserved to win: multiple whiplashes to pinky squeaks, death-b to undertaker caboose, cross-footed whiplashes to bar-whip to circle k [opposite way] to bar varial to cross-footed elephant glide to cross-footed halfpacker, jump to regular elephant glide and pulled it, hang five to half packer to hang five, fire hydrants to double decades... but when you're technically strong it doesn't mean that you have to win - what about style? Yes, that is what Michael Briand has most, 1st place for him; forward roparoni to gerator to shove-it to pervert, fire hydrant to double decades, gliding junkyard to pervert, dumptruck to gliding lawnmower to pervert, triple decades [yes!], pervert to decade, pervert to gerator and that's it for the masterclass!
Now, it's time to take a seat, 'cause here are the pros! We were lucky to have the two best European flatlanders here: Albert Retey and Phil Dolan, and one of the best flatland gods, Chase Gouin. Unfortunately, Chase once again had the bad luck with him, the airline company lost his Big Daddy bike and he had to ride a borrowed bike [Tex's bike]. Anyway, here's the show-down. 4th place Effraim Catlow surprised everyone by riding in the pro class, but he really deserved it - he's one of the most consistent riders and believe me, even if he rides slow he can pull some very hard links.
3rd was Phil 'Bob Dylan' Dolan, who was saved by the bell - yes, he bought his licence at the Worlds and so he could ride: backpacker caboose to caboose [regular side but with the opposite foot], cross-footed gliding caboose to undertaker to cross-footed upside down wheelie, multiple fire hydrants to body varial to elephant glide to bar-hop pinky squeaks, chainsaw, mega spin to bike varial to turbine to forward cross-footed back wheelie to caboose - killer!
2nd place went to Chase Gouin. Chase killed everyone during practice with all his new stuff: fire hydrants but x-up bar to bar-scoot to fire hydrants [regular bar] to double decades, megaspin to floater to pervert but with the bars x-up, pulled 4 perverts on the platform. He did backwards wheelie with his foot on the platform and went to pervert like that! Crossfooted G string... anyway, here is his run: half-lash to forward upside-down backwards wheelie change feet to go to the other side and to gerator, squeaking with his left foot, change feet again for a regular gerator to shove-it to spastic. junkyard to pervert. Cross-footed whiplash then catch the rear wheel for a backward wheelie with his foot on the platform to pervert. Half-lash to opposite chickwhips to john donut to circle k to bar-whip to elephant glide [regular bar] regular squeaks to circle k [x-up bar] to bar varial to elephant glide to karl kruzer to pinky squeaks to cross-footed elephant glide attempt. Double G string to multiple fire hydrant, jump to half-lash [opposite way] to boomerang to fire to pervert. Head grab forward roparoni to upside down mega spin to spastic gliding gerator, pegade change his feet to pervert.
It was a killer run, but Albert Retey was also so good, didn't put his feet down and mastered all the hardest moves. 5 whiplashes to half-lash to pegade, mega spin to pervert, jungler [hitchiker whips], undertaker caboose, hang five to elephant glide [regular bar] to bar hop pinkies to bar whip to half-lash to decade. Turbine junkyards to pervert to fire hydrant to double squeaks to locomotive, whip to varial to circle k, jump behind the bar to pinky squeaks, forward head grab roparoni to upside down backwards wheelie to switch-b [opposite way], and finally forward roparoni to spinning gerator - that's a 'kin' hard run man! Albert Retey [Swiss] deserved his 1st place, even if it was pretty close with Chase [Canada].
James White, Ride BMX UK january 2007: 1993 Worlds Flatland Final in Limoges. I got there too late to enter so I was watching. Chase and Albert Retey. It was like a classic Wimbledon final between Borg and McEnroe that would probably cause pages of forum controversy in today's fickle world. But back then everyone was just psyched see high quality tricks being pulled at a comp.
SOL 15 ANS: 1-Alexandre Jumelin 2-Stephane Libersac
SOL 16 ANS: 1-Romaric Fath (FRA) 2-Miguel Valero (SPA) 3-Stephane Piton (FRA)
SOL 17 ANS: 1-Xavier Di Bartolo (FRA) 2-Norbert Korosi (UNG) 3-Zoltan Barta (UNG)
SOL 18 ANS: 1-Clas Schröder (GER) 2-Simon Stojko Falk (SLO) 3-Andras Csuzdi (UNG)
SOL 19 ANS: 1-Maik Dettmar (GER) 2-Richi Rich Vobr (OST) 3-Robert Thayer (USA) 6-Markus Moldenhauer
FLATLAND EXPERTS 20 AND OVER: 1-Gladys-Yves Gestel (FRA) 2-Chrisrophe Huber (GER) 3-Steffen Tamme 4-Andre Gardiol 5-Christian Wenland 6-Remy Gontier 7-Daniel Calvo 8-Paul Wells
FLATLAND MASTERS: 1-Michael Briand 2-Alexis Desolneux 3-Armin Batoumeni 4-David Padilla 5-Marco Meisborn 6-Alain Massabova 7-Klaus Dyba 8-Manu Massabova
FLATLAND PROS: 1-Albert Retey 2-Chase Gouin 3-Phil Dolan 4-Effraim Catlow 5-Andy Mann 6-Valery Boteteme
Alexis Desolneux. Photo: Freedom.
Chase Gouin
Chase Gouin
Flatland finals pro world 1993 with Valerie Boteteme, Andy Mann, Effraim Catlow, Phil Dolan, Chase Gouin.
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, august 2011: Effraim Catlow (4th place) flatland pro.
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, april 2008: Phil Dolan, 3rd place Flatland Pro.BMX FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIMOGES, France, 1993. Video: Tone Stojko & Simon Stojko Falk.
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, april 2008: Chase Gouin, 2nd place Flatland Pro.BMX FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIMOGES, France, 1993. Video: Tone Stojko & Simon Stojko Falk.
Albert Retey.
Jason Davies ...
Dave Mirra extreme no footer variations, pulled backflip fakie.
Mat Hoffman no handed rocket air, busdriver 540, bus to no foot.
Rampe experts 15 years: 1-Stuart King (ENG) 2-Julien Pouplin (FRA) 3-Harald Wagner (GER) 4-Sebastien Pons (FRA) 5-Monika Renecke (GER)
Rampe experts 16 years: 1-Chris Usher 2-Christian Van Hanja 3-Romaric Fath
Rampe experts 17 years: 1.Karoly Toth 2.Frederic Besson 3.Waldek Lyko
Rampe experts 18 years: 1-Thomas Caillard 2.Attila Barts 3.Thierry Trome 6.Margret Bödecker
Rampe experts 19 years: 1.Markus Grempel 2.Tim Eichert 3.Wayne Karpha 4.MeCash
Rampe experts 20 and over: 1.Richard Browne 2.Thomas Stellwag 3.Tim Bone 7.Achim Golzer 8.Ralph Meyer
RAMPE MASTERS 1-Oliver Matthews 2-Edwin Wasser (HOL) 3-Christophe Bioules 4-Marcus Arnoldy 5-Yoann Vega 6-Lars Gförer 7-Achim Kujawski 8-Stephane Meneau
RAMPE PROS 1-Mat Hoffman 2-Stephane Curaudeau 3-John Petit 4.Alexander Reinke 5.Guido Hinz
Mat Hoffman backflip fakie
Guenael, Mat Hoffman, et moi.
Dave Mirra backflip fakie.
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, april 2008: Jonn Petit 3rd Ramp pro. BMX FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIMOGES, France, 1993. Video: Tone Stojko & Simon Stojko Falk.
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, april 2008: Stephane Curaudeau-vice champion Ramp pro, BMX FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIMOGES, France, 1993. Video: Tone Stojko & Simon Stojko Falk.
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, april 2008: Matt Hoffman,bmx freestyle world champion ramp pro.BMX FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIMOGES, France, 1993. Video: Tone Stojko & Simon Stojko Falk.
TEAMS 1-France/GB 2-Hoffman Bikes 3-FBO 4-Greak Team 5-The Union 6-UKBFA
Hal Brindley (2B) attempted and pulled a couple loops.
Stephane shogun Meneau tailwhip, bus driver.
Pro dirt results: 1-Stuart King
Shogun barspin.
tonestojko, www.youtube.com, april 2008: Dirt jumping; BMX FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LIMOGES, France, 1993. Video: Tone Stojko & Simon Stojko Falk.
STREET B GROUP RESULTS: 1.Guido Hermann 2.Benkes Zsolt 3.Thierry Thome
Christian VanHanja flip attempt.