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the world's biggest action sports contest. In both BMX Dirt Jump and Mountainbike Slopestyle, this was the best we've seen in Europe so far. All our expectations have been excelled, and we want to make it even better at the two sessions that are still to come,” says Lars-Oliver Vogt, CEO of Nice Productions in Hamburg. 

The closest final of them all featuring the highest density of 720° tricks in the history of the T-Mobile Extreme Playgrounds came from the BMX Dirt Jump. Battling it out in the end were Ryan Guettler and Corey Bohan from Australia and Americans Rob Darden and Ryan Nyquist. While Nyquist, holder of the title, overrotated on his first 720° and thus had to start out with a slight lack of points, the other three riders were heating up the place. Darden delivered two flawless runs, winning the comp with an amazing advantage of just 0.2 points. His masterpiece came by the way of a 720° Barspin spinning himself and the bike twice while letting the handle bar spin as well. A stunned audience appreciated Darden's tight top spot, with Bohan coming in second and Guettler placing third.

In between sports action, the festival stage delivered rioting rock at its best. Following their credo 'Hit it hard, not Kindergarten', Solingen-based actions sports punks Dan Dryers did a brilliant opening job. The Flatliners from Canada kept the speed going with a nice mixture of punk, reggae, rock and hardcore before Fat Mike and NOFX took the stage. From all over the country fans had come to Duisburg to enjoy the only NOFX gig in Germany in 2009. They did new songs from the new album “Coaster” as well as chanting along to “Separation of Church and Skate”, “Kill All The White Man” and “Bob”. In between songs Fat Mike and his men kept entertaining the crowd with not-safe-for-work antics earning a nice pogo pit and roaring cheers.

More to come! The next stop is the Summer Session featuring the Wakeboard World Series Finals 2009 and an international BMX Miniramp competition. Already confirmed wakeboard riders include the 2008 World Champion Tom Fooshee (USA), the actual World Champion Mike Ketellapper (NL Hup Holland!) and the actual German Champion Steffen Vollert. BMX will welcome the top three of the Summer Session 2008: 17-year-old, English champ Harry Main, the Dirt Session Champion Rob Darden from the USA and the German Champion Sergej Geier from Berlin. Next to the peak sports performances on an international top level there certainly will be three live shows by three rocking bands. US punk stars Rise Against have already confirmed their slot as headliner.

Pics by BdJ