We got to Cologne yesterday and it rained a fair bit. The set up looks good, especially the trails are sweet. Since they were built underneath a bridge a session was going on there and we can't wait before the contest starts. The Zoobruecke was the scene for the Dutch to get together. Riders were arriving in Camp Holland all night long and with the motto: "Party Like A Rockstar" they were welcomed with a beer or two. The sun's out today so we'll leave you with last night's party pics for now and go shoot some pics of the riding. Make sure to check back in over the weekend.

At one point you were the hottest talent in flatland, then you decided to stop doing contests, what happened?
Bram Verhallen: Hehe, well… That’s a long story which seemed to be hard to understand for most people. I cannot really deny that I’m one of the talented riders but hey, do you really think that’s what makes you happy? Contest riding feels like riding for somebody else or for the show. Is that what I am riding for? Yeah, maybe you get more money, clothes, shoes, whatever! But I am not riding for those things.. I am riding for fun! The reason why I started riding street is so that I could start all over again. Riding as a beginner is more fun than riding as a pro!

You even had your own signature frame from KHE, how did that work out?
Bram Verhallen: Actually that worked out great! Lots of people gave me good feedback so I’m happy for them to enjoy their frame. My passion for the past few years has been designing.

Houston Harmsen took the title in the BMX park contest this weekend at the Free Flow Tour’s Perris, Calif. stop, edging out some tough competition to become a winner on the 2008 Tour. Following Sunday’s BMX action at the Compound, Harmsen, 18 from Murrieta, Calif., won the park competition. With the win, Harmsen earns an automatic bid into the Free Flow Tour finals that will take place at the AST Dew Tour’s Toyota Challenge, September 11-14, 2008. 

Check out this picture of Ronnie Surridge and Scotty Cranmer. It's a photo on a stretched canvas and hangs above the fireplace at Scotty's house, where Ronnie is the new house guest/ maid. It cost a whole $1800 ( of Scotty's money, obviously). It's a pin up for the girls. Posters available soon.

We're lucky this guy with the GT bike (including bottle holder under the seat) was walking by this couple in the grass field otherwise this photo would have never made it on the FATBMX Pin Up section. Thanks to Olivier for passing it on. Now who's lucky?

Actual Journal Entry February 1, 1997: I did my 2 “straight down” downhill runs in the morning. My top speed was 65.37 MPH. I got 19th place, but only the top 15 qualified. I was only 1.5 MPH away from qualifying. I did my runs in my underwear (my own skinsuit!) and that’s all I was wearing. I didn’t wear any pads except for my knee brace. Funny! The ESPN people got kind of mad at me. Oh wells.

I went back to our condo & changed into normal clothes & then met up with Steve Peat (UK MTB pro) & others & went back up the mountain & watched some other events & drank some beer. At night, we went to a sports bar & watched the X-Games on TV & then to another bar with all of the athletes. These mountain bike people are kind of square. Definitely not as fun as the normal X-Games with all the BMXers. 

Sidewall Distribution, the exclusive distributor of Hoffman Bikes and SMPL BMX in the US, is pleased to announce the addition of two new brands to its growing portfolio of components, apparel and accessories; France's Superstar BMX and St. Martin BMX. "We're excited to have Superstar and St. Martin on board. Both brands cater to the evolving needs of the modern day BMXer in new and innovative ways," says Sidewall director Mark Owen. Effective immediately, Sidewall will be distributing Superstar and St. Martin's extensive line of frames, forks, handlebars and components.

Established in 2002 by BMXer Marc-Etienne "Med" Dalgé, Superstar and St. Martin exist as separate entities under France's BMX Groupment. Superstar's innovative line is designed to address the needs of street, park and trails riders. Consisting of two lightweight frames (Light My Fire and New Deal), Superstar's line offers progressive geometry, patented designs (including the 'Strawberry' internal seat clamp) and attention to detail. The range also extends to include handlebars, stems, sprockets, brakes and micro-pegs. St. Martin's focus is exclusively on the flatland scene, with three lightweight frames (Wells, ClassX and Happy Place) that feature flatland-specific geometry and innovative flat-friendly designs, along with a wide range of components that includes flat-specific handlebars, cranks, forks, brakes, seat posts and pegs.
"Sidewall has shown an increased interest in Superstar

The sun is out, the barbecue heated and the girls are fiiine! And so are the new features and videos on soulbmx.tv! Apart from the full bonus sections of the new Soul BMX DVD Issue 31 and the webclip from the recently held Peoples Jam (divison of wethepeople bmx)

Just imagine sitting in the FBM offices. Crandall is trying to come up with a way to present their new line of T-shirts. He has already taken a photo of the T-shirts in "The Studio" but he wants some more attention. That's when he calls over Micky Marshal and together they start to set up the bunny hop poles with the new shirts in the middle hanging on a rope. And voila! here is the photo!

On January 18, while riding his bike to work Mike Vincent, a former BMX rider who has been a prominent fixture in the sport for many years, was struck by a car. He sustained major head trauma and many bodily injuries, including the possibility of permanent loss of sight. Like many action sports athletes, Mike did not have any insurance at the time of the accident therefore payment for all of his treatment and future rehabilitation and surgeries, outside of a life-threatening emergency, will have to come out of his own pocket.

In addition to competing in BMX, Mike has worked as a judge for all of the major action sports competitions, including the X Games, LG Action Sports World Tour, AST Dew Tour, and the former Gravity Games. He has also been a part of most of the core BMX competitions, including Rebel Jam and the CFB events.

Cycling Australia named the 5 BMX cyclists it intends to nominate to the Australian Olympic Committee for selection in the Australian team for the 2008 Olympic Games to contest the BMX cycling event in Beijing.
BMX: Tanya Bailey (Mariginiup, WA 15.03.1981), Nicole Callisto (Beechboro, WA 12.11.1987), Jared Graves (Toowoomba, Qld 16.12.1982), Kamakazi (Jimboomba, QLD 08.03.1981), and Luke Madill (Cranebrook, NSW 28.05.1980).

The final set-up might look a bit different than this but to give you an idea on how "Real street" at the X-games in Los Angeles will look like we have a few 3D drawings for you. The following riders have been invited to ride it: 1. Garrett Reynolds, 2. Aaron Ross, 

Here they are, dates and locations for the Metro amateur qualifying events:

-July 12, Chinguacousy Skatepark, Brampton ON
-July 19, Iceland Skatepark, Mississauga ON
-August 2, The Forks Skatepark, Winnipeg, MB
-August 16, Legacy Skatepark, Ottawa, ON

There will be beginner and expert divisions at the contests, but only the top 3 from the expert division at each contest will qualify for the amateur finals at Kingston Metro Jam.

A great crew of pro riders will be in attendance at the events as well. Tony Hamlin, Tom Dillon, Jay Roe, James Steele (Kink Bike Co.), Kym Grosser, Jaumell Campbell, Harrison Boyce, and Chris Silva (MacNeil Bikes) will be present in Brampton and Mississauga. 

Our good friend and founder of the One Step Closer Foundation, Jacob Zalewski, with the support of "The Simpson's" co-creator Sam Simon and the Sam Simon Foundation, is putting on the first annual All in for CP Celebrity Poker Tournament at the Hollywood Park Casino on August 3, 2008. Confirmed celebrities and Poker stars include Sam Simon, Norm MacDonald, Jennifer Tilly, Ben Affleck, Colin Quinn, Jerry Cantrell, Montel Williams, Jamie