Team Australia wins the first World Team Championship at NIGHT of the JUMPs

Oberhausen, 9th December, 2017: Saturday night in Oberhausen was rocked to its
core when NIGHT of the JUMPs stormed the König-Pilsener- ARENA with a world
premiere. For the first time, the world’s longest running Freestyle Motocross sports
series hosted a Freestyle of Nations competition. Three nations competed against
each other in the World Team Challenge, collecting points in the MAXXIS Best
Whip, Synchro, Rockwell Best Trick and Freestyle Competitions.
After the first IFMXF World Cup in 2002, the NIGHT of the JUMPs celebrated a
grandiose return to Oberhausen. The comeback featured the World Premiere of the
Team Championship, with some of the best action sports athletes from around the
world flown in to compete. Team Australia featured Pat Bowden (Brisbane) and
Ryan Brown (Melbourne) but was completed with the Chilean rider, Javier Villegas.
Team Czech Republic was composed of Libor Podmol (FMX World Champion, 2010),
Martin Koren and Matej Cesak.
The host nation, Team Germany was led by the four-time World Record holder and
youngest NIGHT of the JUMPs winner of all time, Luc Ackermann. Luc received
support from his older brother Hannes and also Christian Kleiner who made his
debut on the NIGHT of the JUMPs track.
In Maxxis Best Whip, the whipmaster Pat Bowden from Australia was able to take
full points for his team. The jump-off was against Luc Ackermann and Matej Cesak,
who both fired out unreal whips, but the Australian had them both covered.
Team Germany was able to fight back in the synchro contest. Luc and Hannes
Ackermann received the loudest cheers on the richter scale from the home town
German crowd.
In the Rockwell Best Trick contest, each nation sent out their best riders. Libor
Podmol represented the Czech Republic with a huge Cliffhanger Backflip to No Hand
Lander, while Pat Bowden brought one of the most technical tricks in the sport of
FMX, the Rock Solid Backflip. But this wouldn’t be enough for the victory over Luc
Ackermann who unleashed with the best extended Surfer Tsunami Backflip of his
career.
The overall decision came down to the Freestyle Runs. Here, Team Australia/Chile
delivered the best runs. Villegas stunned everyone with tricks like the Rowedova
and Lazyboy Flip, Ryan Brown had the biggest Ruler Flip of the night and also his

signature Switchblade flip, while Pat Bowden showed his Nac 360, Rock Solid Flip
and Hart Flip.
Team Germany’s chances started well, with Christian Kleiner piecing together an
impressive run for his first ever ride at NIGHT of the JUMPs. Unfortunately, due to a
possible mechanical issue on his last trick, he crashed against the wall and had to
go to hospital. The decimated German team managed to continue and seal second
place in front of a very solid and composed team Czech Republic who were always
so close to taking the win. In the end, it was Pat Bowden, Javier Villegas and Ryan
Brown who would win the first Team Challenge of the Freestyle of Nations. Other
competitions will follow next year as part of the World Tour.
The NIGHT of the JUMPs World Tour 2017 has now come to an end. January 27th,
2018 will see the new season kick-off with the NIGHT of the JUMPs World
Championship in Basel’s St. Jakobshalle. German fans won’t have to wait long until
they get another dose of FMX when the World Championships will return to Berlin
on the 16th and 17th of February, 2018 in the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
FACTS
NIGHT of the JUMPs – Freestyle of Nations
Oberhausen, 9. December 2017
Results Overall
1. Team Australia Bowden, Villegas Brown 695 Points
2. Team Germany L. Ackermann, Kleiner, H. Ackermann 643 Points
3. Team Czech Republic Podmol, Koren, Cesak 598 Points
Results Freestyle Final
1. Libor Podmol Team CZE 185 Points
1. Luc Ackermann Team GER 170 Points
2. Pat Bowden Team AUS 160 Points
Results Freestyle Run Round 1
1. Ryan Brown Team AUS 88 Points
2. Matej Cesak Team CZE 65 Points
3. Christian Kleiner Team GER 50 Points
Results Freestyle Run Round 2
1. Javier Villegas Team AUS 82 Points
2. Martin Koren Team CZE 72 Points
3. Hannes Ackermann Team GER 56 Points
Results Maxxis Best Whip Contest
1. Pat Bowden Team AUS 100 Points
2. Luc Ackermann Team GER 75 Points
3. Matej Cesak Team CZE 50 Points
Results Rockwell Best Trick Contest
1. Luc Ackermann Team GER Surfer Tsunami 99 Points
2. Pat Bowden Team AUS Rock Solid Flip 94 Points
3. Libor Podmol Team CZE Cliffhanger Flip NHL 90 Points

More information, pictures, videos at: www.NIGHToftheJUMPs.com