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After many, successful Academy programs hosted in Austria within the last 10 years this year's goal was to take the program a step further and evolve it into a globally executed project. This March the first global Red Bull Photography Academy 2018 got hosted in the vibrant, metropole of Tokyo, facing not only cramped subways but four seasons in one week as well.

We’re delighted to be landing in Japan just in time to catch the cherry blossom season. Hiroshima looks magical and the historic location of the event makes this FISE stop feel extra special. We kicked off with the Women’s UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup Semi Final. Riders have 2 runs of 60 seconds to wow the judges but it's only the best run that counts. With BMX Freestyle Park being added as a competition in 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, riders are trying to push forward and progress their sport more than ever and some of the riding was insane. The line-up for the women’s event was amazing with riders representing from all over the world, but no one could stop last year’s winner 16-year-old Hannah Roberts taking first place. Be sure to tune in tomorrow at 11.10 to see if anyone can stop Hannah adding another gold medal to her growing collection.

UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup Semi Final Women:

1 - Hannah Roberts - USA - 73.80 PTS
2 - Lara Lessmann - Germany - 70.00 PTS
3 - Nikita Ducarroz - Switzerland - 68.60 PTS

Due to yesterdays weather preventing qualification, today was a massive semi-final for the Men’s UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup with almost 90 riders trying to take one of the 12 places in the final tomorrow. The Freestyle Park for this stop is not a conventional FISE park as it has no box jump

Final results 2018 UCI BMX Park World Cup Hiroshima, Japan.

1. Brandon Loupos
2. Kenneth Tencio
3. Daniel Dhers
4. Jeremy Malott
5. Nick Bruce
6. Alex Coleborn
7. Justin Dowell
8. Pat Casey
9. Rim Nakamura
10. Jack Clark
11. Daniel Wedemiejer
12. Joel Bondu

Best Trick: Justin Dowell Twix to tailwhip

Pic by Bart de Jong/FATBMX

Final Results Women UCI BMX Park World Cup Japan.
1. Hannah Roberts
2. Angie Marino
3. Lara Lessmann
4. Nina Buitrago
5. Nikita Ducarroz
6. Charlotte Worthington
7. Teresa Fernandez

The top 8 made it to the finals. The level is going up and up. UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup Semi Final results:
1 Hannah ROBERTS 73.80 pts
2 Lara LESSMANN 70.00 pts
3 Nikita DUCARROZ 68.60 pts
4 Oike MINATO 66.20 pts
5 Charlotte WORTHINGTON 63.80 pts
6 Angie MARINO 59.00 pts
7 Nina BUITRAGO 58.80 pts

RIM BMX Red Bull Japan edit. A day in the life of. Experience the world of Red Bull like you have never seen it before. With the best action sports clips on the web and original series, prepare for your "stoke factor" to be at an all time high.

The 2018 season will get a rad opening in Japan. From April 6th to 8th, Hiroshima’s former Municipal Stadium will be home to the FISE action sports and peace festival. FISE World Series 2017 concluded just one month ago in Chengdu, China, but it is already time to prepare next season’s grand opening. Action sports festivals such as FISE are experiencing worldwide growth, especially amongst young people.

Within this new context, FISE Hiroshima can be regarded as a significant step forward in generating awareness of, and interest in, youth-focused events like Skateboarding and BMX Freestyle throughout Japan. The festival will feature a strong focus on events that can be enjoyed casually by young people and women throughout the city.

My 2017: Minato Oike
Hometown: Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
Sponsors: SLOPESHOT, SUBDUED, POi designs and more

Do you remember the first BMX event you went to this year and how did it go?
Minato Oike: Hi-5 BMX Contest Open class 5th in Japan

How many weekends/days were you away from home and at a BMX jam/contest or on tour?
Minato Oike: I spent eleven BMX contest weekends in this year.

Name: Kanya Ohnishi
Age: 33
Hometown: Hida Takayama 飛騨高山 Japan
Hook-ups/Sponsors: HOFFMANBIKES/Motocrossinternational,  114sports

The favorite list:

-Spot to ride: Ryokuchi 宮川緑地公園
-BMX video: Props
-Food: Sushi hamburger
-Person on Instagram: @mrbean
-Travel destination: Australia
-Riders to ride with: @westbmx @rim bmx
-Car: Daihatsu Hijet
-Colour: green
-Bike company: HOFFMANBIKES
-BMX contest: JFBF
-Bike shop: 114sports

Name: Yuma Oshimo
Age: 16
Hometown: Yokohama, Japan
Hook-ups/Sponsors: DURCUSONE, ZEN Distribution, Bern helmets Japan, Credit Racing, Flourish bmx shop, Ad Planning, 930 bmx

The favorite list:

-Spot to ride: Skate Park. Dirt Jump
-BMX video: Simone's edit
-Trick: Fakie
-Food: Japanese "Oyakodon"
-Twitter to follow: @yuma_htybmx
-Person on Instagram: @yuma_oshimo

-Riders to ride with: Many Japanese riders
-Car: I don't have one