NIGHT of the JUMPs 2012

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Wednesday, 11 January 2012 09:20

In 2012, NIGHT of the JUMPs enters the twelfth year of its successful run.

From a sporting perspective, this most extreme series sets the global standard for freestyle motocross. Last year, it staged not only the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship but also the UEM European Freestyle MX Championships. So in the context of the NIGHT of the Jumps, we saw not only the official FMX World Champion but also the FMX European Champion crowned. The NOTJ world ranking continues to be definitive and authoritative for the sport. Over recent years, new world records have been set in the high jump, and the programme has included the youngest rider ever to perform a backflip. 2012 is guaranteed to produce more record achievements that will have the fans on the edge of their seats.

As in 2011, the curtain-raiser to the biggest NIGHT of the JUMPs season so far will be the first two rounds of the UEM European Freestyle MX Championships which are to be staged over the weekend of 20th/21st January in the Austrian city of Linz.

Six weeks later, all eyes are on Turin (Italy) where, just as in the previous season, the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship kicks off. This time, however, there will be two opportunities to accumulate points towards the title (2nd/3rd March).

The FMX elite barely have time to catch their breath before they are back in action a fortnight later in Berlin. At the o2 World arena in the German capital, we will see a new item on the NIGHT of the JUMPs programme, with the introduction of the Best Trick contest. Fans are likely to be treated to the first double backflip in German airspace and a debut performance of ‘The Volt’ in the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship. The riders then have a four-week break to further refine their bag of tricks before NIGHT of the JUMPs makes its next port of call in Basle (Switzerland).

This is followed on 28th April by the ‘International Event’ in Munich, the only fixture to be designated such on the NIGHT of the JUMPs calendar. The next meeting is at the SAP Arena in Mannheim on 12th May, when the destination of the UEM European Freestyle MX Championship will be decided.

Two more cities will be hosting the series before it takes its usual summer break, both in Russia and both newcomers to the scene. What’s more, this will be the first time that any country has staged four rounds of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship. NIGHT of the JUMPs will first visit St Petersburg before moving on to Togliatti.

With the first ten rounds of the FMX World Championship out of the way, NIGHT of the JUMPs winds down for the summer months. It makes its return on 6th October in Cologne where, in the context of Europe’s largest motorcycle show (InterMOT), the top riders will be once again challenging for the world title. Two weeks later (20th October), NIGHT of the JUMPs makes its sixth visit to the Latvian capital of Riga. Poland is also becoming a regular fixture on the calendar – the Gdansk ERGO Arena stages rounds 12 and 13 of the championship on the weekend of 24th/25th November.

After missing out in 2011, Brazil has once again been chosen to host a world championship event. This has been booked for 8th December, but no decision has yet been made concerning the venue. The grand finale of the FIM Freestyle MX World Championship, which was such a success in Sofia in 2011, will again be held in the Bulgarian capital. Negotiations are ongoing with other cities on three different continents for potential events to be held in the second half of the season.

The line-up for the 2012 NIGHT of the JUMPs season leaves nothing to be desired. With Javier Villegas, Remi Bizouard, Libor Podmol, Josh Sheehan and Jose Miralles, the series has already signed up the best riders of last season and the last three World Champions. Fans are thus guaranteed tricks such as 360s, Lazyboy Flips, Ruler and Cliffhanger Flips. In addition, we also have rising stars Maikel Melero and David Rinaldo who pulled off a few surprise results in 2011 and will certainly be bringing their Doublegrab Backflips to the feast. And at last, three-time German champion Hannes Ackermann has been given a tour ticket for the complete NIGHT of the JUMPs season.

Czech Red Bull FMX prodigy Petr Pilat will also be showing off his repertoire of backflips. Massimo Bianconcini and Alastair Sayer will focus on the trophy in the Maxxis Highest Air contest. The line-up on any given night will be supplemented by two wild card riders from the host nation.

NIGHT of the JUMPs made its debut back in 2001 at Arena Riesa. Over the past eleven years, this ‘sportainment’ touring series has developed into the benchmark for excellence in freestyle motocross. It is only at the NIGHT of the JUMPs that fans get to see World and European champions crowned. This is where the heroes of freestyle motocross first come to prominence, attain superstar status and write their names into the annals of the sport. 2012 will see new legends born as fans experience all the thrills and spills – no other motor sport allows spectators to get as close to the action as NIGHT of the JUMPs.

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