BMX City Battle 2025, Kooigem, Belgium. By Pieter Possenier

Jul 01, 2025

Written by Bart de Jong

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For over 20 years the skatepark of Kooigem, a small village of 800 people, has been the decor of a freestyle BMX contest, but due to know reason the new concrete BMX park that was finished in 2019 never has seen a contest, until last weekend that changed. The format of the City Battle stayed the same. Ride in pairs as a team and entertain the crowed. The public decides who won the battle and who so will advance to the next round.

This all takes place during a free music festival, and due to the insane heat the audience came late to the park. But because it's freestyle and there are no rules at this contest the 5 riders who showed up for qualy decided to play a game of bike instead to entertain the crowd.

After the first band had done playing and there was a lot more public it was time for the real contest. The first semi final was between Brent Minne (Mechelen) with Rocco Saccomando (Ninove) who took on local rider Tuur Legley (Kooigem) with Jan Soenens (Kuurne). Tuur Legley was wearing a lot of hats that day as he was one of the organizers of the festival, but found time to ride in his lumberjack hardhat and pull tailwhips. Jan was happy with pulling a 180 and then returned to his normal job as MC of the contest. Rocco was doing all his usual street tricks and then stopped mid in the jumbox, to have Brent come in a jump over him. This was an easy call for the audience and made enough noise to make Brent and Rocco advance to the final.

Second semi was between Kenneth Tancré (Dikkebus) with Jarno Kina (Ninove) against team oldschool with Guillaume Bonte (Mouscron) and Pieter Possenier (Kooigem). Guillaume called his wife before the contest to ask if it's ok to enter and Pieter had announced that after +40 years riding BMX this would be his last contest. But it didn't stop both from totally going for it. Guillaume did big wallrides and 360's over the box and rode with the biggest smile the whole time. Pieter only had wallrides on his mind, so after a normal one and one on the back fence of the quarter he lined up to try to 50/50 the big wallride. After 3 crashes the 4th attempt was high enough to stay on top, followed witha drop from the top in the bank and a big shinner from slipping one pedal, but also a big roar from the public. Jarno did some more tech tricks and then the Kenneth show started with a big backlip for the crowd followed with the standard Kenneth magic. So on to the final for both.

After a short pause the final started with Brent knowing he had to shift up a gear and did some awesome 360 variations and flairs all over the place.
So that made Kenneth having to step it up and started his run with a whip over his team rider, and finish his runs with a cancan backflip to coast to coast wallrides with a spine to box lip transfer and then a double whip on the big quarter at least 2 meter above coping. The public had seen enough and gave the win to the team from Kenneth and Jarno.

Since the contest was sponsored by Red Bull and Tattoo Louis this resulted in all riders getting Red Bull and the winning team getting each a Tattoo.

Podium:
1st Kenneth Tancré and Jaron Kina
2nd Brent Minne and Rocco Saccomando
3rd Pieter Possenier and Guillaume Bonte

Next year we are doing this contest again, so keep a watch to the agenda of FATBMX.com for when we announce the new date. Thanks to all the riders, public and sponsers to make this contest happen.

-Pieter Possenier