Nine Knights Slopestyle Contest Finals

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The Nine Knights crew recaps the contest day below
Innsbruck (AUT), August 25, 2012 – The sun was beaming as crowds of spectators were admiring the trick fireworks that the Knights at the Wildkogel were throwing down. Some of the world’s best mountain bikers had travelled from ten different nations to the „Wildkogel-Arena Neukirchen Bramberg“ and were set on really sending it one more time for the contest day. At the end of the day, there were several winners; Yannick Granieri (FRA) bagged Best Trick with a huge backflip doublewhip, Martin Söderström (SWE) rode the Best Line, Louis Reboul (FRA) had the Best Whip and host Andi Wittmann shares first place for Best Air with Kurt Sorge (CAN). In a few days the second action clip goes live, so be prepared to be amazed.

After the contest had to be slightly postponed because of strong winds and fog, the sun fought its way through the clouds around noon and spectators witnessed a freeride mountain bike supersession on the highest level. The contest took place in a jam format, the judges considered every run for four categories: Best Air, Best Trick, Best Whip and Best Line.

His flip double whip won Yannick Granieri a deserved first place but it was a rather close victory. Norwegian Olav Fjaere almost celebrated a world premiere by just barely missing landing the very first flip triple whip. Even without a clean landing, this trick was nothing short of a sensation but no match for the Frenchman’s clean execution.

Several riders had more than decent airtime on the big kicker, but nobody had more air under their tires than host Andi Wittmann and Kurt Sorge. They both cleared almost nine meters from the ground and made it impossible for the judges to pick the higher jump. Both definitely earned the number one spot.

The prize for the best line went to the rider who best used the course and showed the best run overall. Martin Soderstrom clearly deserved the title for this one. He was one of the very few who showed a trick on the second hit, in this case a barspin. The Swede dropped off the castle with a 360 table and launched an impressive 360 tuck to tailwhip off the big kicker.

Louis Reboul is one of the riders who secured a spot on the rider’s list with his submission to the Contour Wanna be a Knight contest. All newcomer knights delivered a solid performance at the contest and Louis promptly whipped himself into first place.
Credit
Piotrek Staron
Nine Knights Slopestyle Finals
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