Benni Kopp rode very well, maybe the best I've ever seen him ride, but if you ride against a Dew Tour and X-Games regular by the name of Austin Coleman, you know you're in for a tough game. When Austin started unpacking his no-handed flairs, double whips and double downside whips, it was over for the German Kopp. 
Jann Valenta has been riding lots and his riding is amazing. He just built up a new bike before the comp and was still breaking it in. Last year's winner Vince Byron is no joke and he aired from left to right like it was nothing. He's got the tricks too and isn't afraid to throw them. Barspin 540-s to no-hander, double whips, oppo double DS whips, barspins to no-handers, flair whips and all them. Jann was unlucky to have Vince as his opponent in the first round as I would have liked to see him ride again.
Veteran Zach Shaw rode against Steve McCann. On paper it might look like an easy win for McCann, but take into consideration that he was riding someone else's bike, and rode with borrowed pads on a new ramp and you've got some ingredients of fucking up. Zach is always a pleasure to watch ride. He's a vert dog and has been for neary 25 years. It shows. He did the tricks he wanted to do and left it up to McCann to fuck up. He didn't. What amaze
s me is when people simply grab someone else's bike and shred on it like it's their own, on different terrain! McCann is good and did what needed to be done to make it to the finals.By the time the finals started, the place had filled up. Boys Set Fire was about to play after the Vert finals and they were the main act on stage. it kinda felt like the Dew tour inside the Velodrome, but then with the place packed. A good crowd adds to the excitement and with some very decent prize money on the line the 4 finalists climbed on top of the ramp. Coco climbed all the way onto the roll in as it's his style to come in fast and reach for the sky. He did. His riding is pure vert. He's smooth, goes high and he's got style. His two 45 second run
s were sweet and packed from start to finish. Who was going to beat that? Steve McCann played it safe and I don't blame him. He had a trip to Australia coming up soon and there was just no need to mess himself up in Germany right now. He didn't make a fool out of himself though but he was just not pushing things. And to make it to the podium, you had to throw down. Austin Coleman did that. His one-handed tailwhip was nuts. Unbelieva
ble he got back on the bike again. Double downsides, double whips, no-handed flairs, we got to see the full deal from the yank. 3rd place for him.But there was one rider left, one of those young vert riders who was wearing a special "I love Vert" shirt. Vince Byron (Australia) has got a lot of talent and he's been putting it to good use on the vert ramp. Two solid runs gave him the highest score of the day, his best run getting a 92.50. the $ 5000,= USD check was his and soon he forgot about the long travel, the different food and the time change.
Vert is rad, thanks to the Playgrounds people for recognizing it.
BdJ
Results BMX Vert Final Four
1 Byron, Vince AUS 92.50
2 Zurita, Coco CHI 91.33
3 Coleman, Austin USA 90.67
4 McCann, Steve AUS 89.17
BMX Vert Round 1
Final Result - KO 1
1 Zurita, Coco CHI 89.67
2 Warden, Zack USA 88.83
Final Result - KO 2
1 Coleman, Austin USA 87.67
2 Kopp, Benny GER 84.50
Final Result - KO 3
1 Byron, Vince AUS 91.67
2 Valenta, Jan CZE 87.67
Final Result - KO 4
1 McCann, Steve AUS 88.67
2 Shaw, Zach GBR 84.67
Watch the Vince Byron clip from Berlin
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.