“The atmosphere in the arena is absolutely amazing. Everyone is there to have a good time and watch some unbelievable stunts. I can’t even imagine how the contestants pull off half of what they do. It’s just an incredible experience,” says Mike Williams, who went along to last year’s event. The sport of freestyle motocross has progressed at a rapid pace over the last decade. It began when thrill seekers started to copy BMX tricks on motocross bikes. The first successful backflip on a motocross bike was performed by Bob Kohl in 1993. Carey Hart was the first person to attempt a backflip on a full-sized motocross bike, although he crashed shortly after landing, which created speculation about whether he had actually landed the trick. It wasn’t until 2002 that Caleb Wyatt managed to pull it off without crashing. Once the art of the backflip had been perfected, the sport was pushed further with bikers doing no footers and one-handed backflips. Travis Pastrana came along and changed the face of the sport by attempting the inconceivable: a double backflip. He perfected the astonishing stunt in 2006, and the sport has grown in strength from there. The very first NIGHT of the JUMPs was held back in 2001, at the Arena Riesa in Germany. It quickly became the ultimate place to show off freestyle motocross skills and thrills, as competitors battled it out to be crowned European and World Champion. • The next NIGHT of the JUMPs will take place on 10 May 2014, at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany. Advance ticket sales have already commenced. Flights to Germany can be booked from Emirates Airlines and more information about the event can be found here.
94 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #28