UK rider and course designer Kye Forte, who organized the event, will also be taking part in the event, along with a number of UK and European riders. The total prize purse will be close to $20K.

Read the full press release below and then visit the official site at www.redbullempireofdirt.com for more.

cr. Chris Woodage

THE WORLD’S FIRST BMX DIRT SLOPESTYLE IS BACK!

2008 RED BULL EMPIRE OF DIRT RIDER LIST ANNOUNCED!
25 & 26 July, 2008
Newton Abbot, Devon, England
www.redbullempireofdirt.com

Today Red Bull & Kye Forte announced the much anticipated rider list for ‘Red Bull Empire of Dirt’. This year the competition promises to be hotter than ever with the world’s best riders battling it out to be the champion at the s.

Riders will be flying in from all over the globe – including the US, France, Spain and South Africa – to compete in the world’s first and only BMX dirt slopestyle event. Confirmed riders include Gary Young, Brian Foster, Chris Doyle, Corey Bohan and the UK’s very own Forte brothers – Kye and Leo. There are still a few names to announce so watch this space for more details.

The Red Bull Empire of Dirt is no ordinary BMX event; the course has been designed to allow the world’s best riders to push the boundaries of the sport and see how far they can go. A farm near Newton Abbot will set the stage for some of the most progressive riding ever seen on these shores.

Like a true slopestyle course, traditionally found in freestyle snowboarding, it has been designed to offer riders multiple lines. This truly gives the riders infinite ways to showcase their skills and create new, never seen before, trick combinations. This year the course offers even more options for street and dirt specialists alike.

Course designer and BMX legend Kye Forte comments: ‘Last year the rider list was incredible but this year the list, along with the course design, has stepped up to another level! With so many talented riders on the list it’s difficult to predict a winner. It really could be anyone’s.’

He continues: ‘I can’t wait to welcome the world’s best down to Devon. We’re only two months away and counting. The Red Bull Empire of Dirt is shaping up to be the best week of the year!’

Only the rider with the most talent in all styles will conquer the Empire of Dirt, and get their piece of the £10,000 (USD$19,500) prize purse.

RIDER LIST — RED BULL EMPIRE OF DIRT
25 & 26 July, 2008
Newton Abbot, Devon, England

RIDER – COUNTRY
Corey Bohan AUS
Sergio Layos ESP
Ruben Alcantarra ESP
Patrick Guimez FRA
Alex Dropsy FRA
Buddy Chelan RSA
Bas Keep UK
Jon Taylor UK
Josh Elkington UK
Kye Forte UK
Leo Forte UK
Liam Elthan UK
Martin Murray UK
Mitch Yeates UK
Owain Clegg UK
Scott Edgworth UK
Toby Forte UK
Russel Ward UK
Chris Doyle USA
Darin Read USA
Gary Young USA
Taj Mehilich USA
Geoff Slatterly USA
Chase Hawk USA
Mike Aitken USA
* More riders tbc

Full results are below plus check out some photos on RideBMX.com.  We’ll post photos as soon as we get ‘em.

One note — Gary Young apparently missed the finals and Mike Clark took his place ending up in sixth overall.  Not bad!

2008 Red Bull Elevation Final Results
1. Cam White ($10,000)
2. Ryan Nyquist ($6,000)
3. Corey Bohan ($4,000)
4. TJ Ellis ($3,500)
5. Chris Doyle ($2,500)
6. Mike “Hucker” Clark ($1,500)
7. Rob Darden ($1,000)
8. James Foster ($500)
9. Dennis Enarson ($500)
10. Anthony Napolitan ($500)
11. Dane Searls
12. Brian Foster

Best Trick: Ryan Nyquist, cannonball double barspin. ($5,000)

Corey Bohan, Cameron White and Ryan Nyquist topped the semifinal results at Red Bull Elevation on Saturday, with only 0.3 separating the three riders. The top 12 riders from the field of 30 advanced to Sunday’s finals.

Check out the full press release below to see how everyone ranked.

RED BULL ELEVATION
International BMX Dirt Jump Competition
May 10th, 2008

A take off without precedents

It’s impossible to imagine, but today Red Bull Elevation turned the Parque Metropolitano into a runway. Thirty bicycles rolled for more than three hours over tons of dirt that give shape to the most impressive BMX Dirt Jump track.

The best riders of the world jumped up to three meters of height with only one thing in mind: to perform the best and most perfect tricks such as tailwhips, barspins and frontflips.

After each contestant had four opportunities to take over the course, the judges (Tim ‘Fuzzy’ Hall, Nuno Oliveira, John Povah, Ryan Barrett and Matt Beringer) revealed the semifinal’s results:

Name / Score
1. Corey Bohan 91.1
2. Cam White 91.0
3. Ryan Nyquist 90.8
4. TJ Ellis 89.7
5. Chris Doyle 89.7
6. Gary Young 89.1
7. Rob Darden 89.1
8. James Foster 88.5
9. Dennis Enarson 87.3
10. Dane Searls 87.3
11. Anthony Napolitan 86.3
12. Brian Foster 85.7

13. Mike “Hucker” Clark 85.1
14. Josh Stead 84.9
15. Adam Baker 84.4
16. Colin MacKay 84.0
17. Héctor García 83.1
18. Markus Hampl 82.7
19. Adam Aloise 82.3
20. Ryan Jordan 82.1
21. Ricardo Laguna 81.7
22. Alistair Whitton 81.5
23. Romuald “Bibi” Noirot 81.5
24. Jed Milden 81.2
25. Heath Pinter 79.9
26. Luke Parslow 79.7
27. Erick Soto 79.5
28. Fernando Sabat 75.3
29. Matt Beyers 75.0
30. Kym Grosser 71.4

Just the best twelve riders passed to the big final, which promises to be breathtaking.

“The course was challenging and I feel good on it”, said the Red Bull Athlete Corey Bohan (Australia), who obtained the best score during the semifinal. On the other hand, ‘El Baisa’-who today experienced his first international Dirt Jump competition- mentioned that spite he didn’t qualify to the final, he is very happy of having participated in this event; “to ride on a course like this is a motivation for me to keep practicing BMX”, said the Mexican rider.

Tomorrow at noon everything will be ready for the finalists to challenge gravity and show what they are able to do on two wheels.

May 11th: live transmission on www.redbullelevation.com.mx

After Murray’s accident last June his home was put up for sale and the new owners will be leveling the dirt trails the home had. But they have agreed to allow the full ramp to be moved.

More details will be released later but check out the release that follows.

Sadly some of the best dirt trails in Riverside, Ca will soon be leveled and a mere memory. Though we could sit around for days discussing the details of the crazy Jams held there & the caliber of riders that have visited. Driving down Sunrise Hill Road will not be the same, when passing the yard that one displayed very prominent Full Ramp that once belonged to Stephen Murray. Just after Stephen’s accident the property was put up for sale. The new owners, have agreed to allow us time to have the ramp removed and or relocated.

The decision has been made to hold an auction. Though specifics, have not yet been finalized, a press release will be sent out within the next couple of weeks with all information. If you have ideas as to where you would like to see the ramp used or you are interested in the purchase of this piece of BMX History, please use the contact information provided below.

Kimarie Hunt
Cell: (714) 580-7736
Fax: (714) 849-2756
actionsports007@aol.com

We got the latest dispatch from Red Bull about the Elevation contest which goes down this weekend in Mexico.  This event is a favorite among riders and based on what we can see of the course, this year should be no different.

While this has been so popular, it’s interesting to note that a few big names will be making their first appearances this year.  Who might that be, you ask?  Well, only Ryan Guettler, Anthony Napolitan, Diogo Canina, Ricardo Laguna and Dennis Enarson.  Though Corey Bohan and Ryan Nyquist have spilt the last three titles (Nyquist two to Bohan’s one) it’s a good bet that one of those guys will win this year.

All the fun starts on May 9th with qualifiers on the 10th.  The finals will take place on the 11th and according to the website it will be webcast.

More on the contest below.

RED BULL ELEVATION 2008
Guadalajara, Jalisco – Mexico
May 9th, 10th and 11th

The track is almost ready!

Only an event like Red Bull Elevation could count on such a course: more than 80 trucks filled with dirt have arrived to the Metropolitan Park in Guadalajara in order to build the most impressive BMX track.

The fourth edition of Red Bull Elevation is about to begin, and the world’s best scenario is almost ready to receive the best riders worldwide.

The main element that will make more daring this track would be the continuous ramps section in the centre of it, where each rider will have to decide the direction they will take; if they loose their routine rhythm they will not be able to continue to the next ramp. ‘Only the best and the ones that dominate every type of ramps will win this event’, commented Jay Miron, event producer and track designer.

The riders will compete for a total prize of $35,000 dollars. Five international judges will be in charge of the evaluation of every participant’s style, technique and fluidity.

Judges:

Nuno Oliveira
Tim “Fuzzy” Hall
John Povah
Ryan Barrett
Matt Beringer

Red Bull Elevation:

Friday May 9:
9:00am    –    Registration
10:00am  –    Training

Saturday May 10:
10:00am  –    Training
12:00pm  –    Track repairs
1:00pm    –    Qualifiers
4:00pm    –    Announcement of the 12 finalists

Sunday May 11:
10:00am  –    Training
1:00pm   –    Track repairs
2:00pm   –    Final
5:00pm   –    Prize ceremony

For more information:
www.redbullelevation.com.mx
www.redbull.com.mx