mix in the time schedule of the day. In the end all riders got some fresh etnies goodies and were more than happy to ride the big jumps and compete. Sunday morning the Pro contest kicked off with qualifications for BMX. A lot more riders had come over on Sunday to get in the race for the prize money that was available. With a 3 run 2 count judge format riders had enough chances to impress the judges with their riding. After qualifying 6 riders progressed to the finals later that day: 1. Desmond Tessemaker (NL) 2. Channon Balorian (NL) 3. Tobi Merz (AUT) 4. Bas Fokkinga (NL) 5. Tyson Ten Vaarwerk (NL) 6. Tom Selbeck (NL)
Rest of the guys could chill out for a bit and could hop in straight after finals for a best trick competition. Finals kicked off at 4 o' clock with a 3 run best count judge format. As the qualify list was switched upside down the heat was set. Tom Selbeck kicked off in his first run with a super stylish no hander on the first set followed by a superman seatgrab one hander on the second jump. He put down 2 more solid runs including a big 360 no hander. Next rider up was Tyson, nobody saw this guy for ages but he was back bigger and better! The always stylish brakeless rider from the east of Holland impressed the crowd with his big amplitude and his first ever backflip. 
Bas Fokkinga had been rocking all weekend already and continued in the finals with the biggest jumps off all riders, this guy got so high on the first jump that the cameraman of the dutch television broadcaster SBS6 lost track of him. Tobi was the only international rider that made finals in the BMX class. This guy is completely nuts and showed the crowd why he qualified 3rd. He stepped his game up with a big superman on the first jump and a cliffhanger on the 2nd jump. 2 riders to go and they knew they had to step up their game. Channon Balorian was riding the contest with a broken tailbone and didn’t want to crash because he flew out to Italy the next day for a diamondback trip, never the less this guy showed that he can ride. Started off his run with a huge backflip on the first jump followed by a opposite whip on the second jump and a huge air on the quarter. 
Last up was Desmond Tessemaker who helped out the guys of Pedal Park Groningen by designing the course and working behind the scenes to get all set and ready. He started off his finals with a big no hander flip followed by cannonball to superman and a flair on the quarter. In his final run he was the first rider to flip the step down but didn’t manage to finish the line. Straight after the BMX finals there was a 15 minute DTX13 best trick competition for both bmx and mtb with a riders chosen winner. Channon Balorian almost pulled a windshield whiper on the big jump but just missed the pedals. Tobi Merz sticked a 360 flip on the 2nd jump but landed on top and couldn’t ride out in the end it was the Austrian mountain biker Clemens Kaudela who put down a solid frontflip and took down 150 euro’s for best trick.
BMX RESULTS:
1. Desmond Tessemaker
2. Tom Selbeck
3. Channon Balorian
DTX13 Best Trick:
Clemens Kaudela (Huge Frontflip)
Text: Desmond Tessemaker
Pics: Syo van Vliet
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.