X Games Minneapolis
from what really was a return to the glory days
for the X Games. every other trick with his perfect extension.
1. SHERWOOD SWEEPS FMX
AND BEST TRICK “The level was intense. I had a couple of tricks
that could get me along the way, but I knew
Sheeny and Clint (Moore) had me beaten with
variety and quarter-pipe tricks, so they kept
me on my toes,” he admits. “At the same time,
when I finished my run I thought there wasn’t
anything I could do better, which was cool.
Performing a feat not seen since Travis
Pastrana in 2006, The Flaming Mullet - Levi
Sherwood - swept the floor of both the FMX
and FMX Best Trick contests. The double
golds capped off an absolutely flawless FMX
competition season, where he won Nitro World
Games and tore the Plaza De Toros to shreds
at Red Bull X-Fighters, in the weeks leading up
to X Games.
“Yeah, it feels pretty good,” he laughed
afterwards. “An X Games gold medal is
something you kinda shoot for your whole life,
so it’s kinda surreal to have done it - and to
take home two golds is just unreal. If you’d
told me a couple of years ago that I’d win an
X Games gold medal in Best Trick, I would’ve
told you you’re dreaming!”
The chilled-out Kiwi became the first rider
to ever land multiple Double Backflips in his
freestyle runs, and threw never-before-seen
combos (Nac to one-hander Double Flip, and
Can-Can Double Flip), while also executing
Still, Sherwood says nothing was a given.
“Looking back though I need to carry on a bit
more and play it up a bit. I just focus on my
riding, but that can make it boring without
having a gnarly back-story or talking up just
how hard my tricks are. That sort of thing
seems to be a focus of people’s runs now, so
that’s something to keep in mind for next time.”
As for the changed-up X Games venue and
format, Sherwood had nothing but praise.
“It was definitely the best one I’ve been to in
a long time. It was cool to have everything
indoors, and it’s not often you can get around
and watch all the events. Everyone was on
a good vibe which was a good change – the
past three years in Austin the weather stressed
people out a lot.” u
r Levi shared the
FMX podium with
the Aussie pairing of
Josh Sheehan (2nd)
and Clinton Moore
(3rd).
FMX Best Trick
was also an all-
antipodean affair
with Jackson Strong
in second and
another bronze for
Moore.