'Rubber Kid' Soars to Victory
By TMX Archives on 31st Mar 09
A sell-out crowd of 43,000 FMX fans packed Mexico City's famous Plaza de Toros on Friday night to experience a true sensation at the first stop of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour 2009. Freestyle motocross riders from eleven nations did battle in the biggest bullfighting ring in the world, with the winner, 17 year-old debutant Levi Sherwood, completing a lap of honour around the stadium carried on the fans' shoulders. Second place went to a competitor almost twice his age, Japan's Eigo Sato.
MEXICO CITY (MEX). For the fifth time since 2005, the world's best FMXriders defied gravity and clashed horns in the legendary Plaza de Torosin Mexico City. The bullfighting theme was present in all aspects ofthe event, with riders greeted to the arena with drums and fanfares asis the tradition at a corrida, and waving white handkerchiefs in theair to show their satisfaction at the spectacular jumps performed.
New Zealand rookie Levi Sherwood was most successful in taming thefearsome course comprising a range of kickers and huge landing hill.The 17-year-old, competing in his first ever event on the internationalFMX circuit, managed to come through the quarter and semi finals aswell as the final itself without picking up any injuries and broughtthe capacity crowd in the Mexican capital to their feet with stunningtricks.
His opponent in the final, Eigo Sato from Japan, could do no more thanadmit defeat and pay tribute to his slayer. The remaining riders simplylooked on with astonishment. "I'm better because, at my age, I am ableto put my body through even more. Winning here is the best day of mylife,” commented "Rubber Kid” after securing a famous victory. Thirdplace went to Levi's "mentor”, defending champion Mat Rebeaud, whomSherwood, his "apprentice”, had beaten at the semi-final stage.
Final Result Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour Mexico City 2009
1. Levi Sherwood (NZL/100 points); 2. Eigo Sato (JPN/80 points); 3. MatRebeaud (SUI/65 points); remaining positions: 4. Cameron Sinclair(AUS), 5. Thomas Pages (FRA); 6. Andre Villa (NOR), 7. Adam Jones(USA), 8. Jeff Fehr (CAN), 9. Dany Torres (ESP), 10. Petr Pilat (CZE),11. Johan Nungaray (MEX)
Facts:
• Red Bull X-Fighters is the biggest FMX series in the world, withthe 2009 Tour taking in Mexico City (MEX), Calgary (CAN/May), FortWorth (USA/June), Madrid (ESP/July) and LONDON (GBR/August).
• Freestyle motocross events are judged by a team of experts, withpoints awarded to the riders according to the degree of difficulty andexecution of the tricks performed in the air.