Two days of Freestyle Motocross action came to a dramatic end on Saturday night in the German Capital in front of 17,000 spectators over the 2 days with Maikel Melero continuing his record winning streak at NIGHT of the JUMPs.
The German riders opened the night motivated by bad luck from the day before with one making it to the final. Hannes Ackermann showed a solid run despite his ongoing shoulder injury inhibiting his normal performance. However it was the younger brother, Luc Ackermann who helped the Berlin crowd erupt early when he brought some of the biggest tricks in the game to his run including the Surfer take off to Tsunami Flip, the 360 and Flair to make it to fourth place and make it to the finals.
Remi Bizouard, Rob Adelberg, David Rinaldo, Maikel Melero and Petr Pilat would repeat their performances to make it to the Top 6 as they did the day before. However it was Melero’s Flip-Deadsailor in his run that would surprise the judges and had him sitting in fifth place. A position the Spaniard didn’t expect after his previous nights win. Also the second Australian finalist from the previous day, Pat Bowden missed the final in seventh place. However he would not have been able to continue due to suffering a shoulder injury on the landing of his first ever California Roll in competition. A bitter-sweet ending for the Aussie.
Due to the injury to the LifeProof Best Whip winner the previous night, Luc Ackermann who is Bowden’s training partner, would go on to take the win. The German whipped it hard on home soil narrowly in front of Remi Bizouard.
The final rounds began with Petr Pilat showing a near perfect run filled with a variety of Backflip Combo’s and also throwing in the Barhop to Steriliser landing. Petr was the first rider on the Hot Seat but he wouldn’t stay there for long, with Maikel Melero requiring him to vacate his position immediately. Melero showed a flawless run with the Egg Roll, Double Grab Flip, Nac-Nac Flair and California roll to finish with a near unbeatable 463 points.
The 18 year old German started his run like a bull at a gate, showing the Flair, Surfer Tsunami Flip, 360, Seat Grab Flip and One-hand take off Tsunami and California Roll in the Double Up. He finished in fourth and narrowly missed the podium. This was also due to David Rinaldo showing a great run but missing his Backflip Combo in the Double Up which really hurt his score putting him back to 6th place.
Neither Rob Adelberg nor Remi Bizouard with their Egg Roll tricks and Body Varials were able to take down Maikel Melero. Both were satisfied with their positions and recognised that Melero was on the next level with his addition of 2 quarter pipes. The young Spaniard won not only his fourth World Championship win in a row in 2016, but he also continued his record setting ways with 8 NIGHT of the JUMPs events wins in a row.
In the World Championship overall standings, the Spaniard leads with the maximum points possible of 80 points. In second place, Remi Bizouard follows with 70 points. The best German result so far is Luc Ackermann in 6th place and 39 points.
In the Maxxis Highest Air competition, Massimo Bianconcini again triumphed over the Spaniard Jose Miralles who was unable to make it past the power of Massimo’s 4 stroke KTM for 2 straight wins in Berlin.
There is little time for training between events with the next World Championship event taking place on March 4th with the Swedish premiere in the Friends Arena in Stockholm. The Berlin fans can look forward to the 4th and 5th of February 2017 for the next round when the NIGHT of the JUMPs will return to the German capital.
FACTS
NIGHT of the JUMPs/FIM Freestyle MX World Championship
Berlin, 27th February 2016 – Round 4
Results NIGHT of the JUMPs – Final
1. Maikel MeleroESPRFMEYamaha463 Points
2. Remi BizouardFRAFFMKawasaki442 Points
3. Rob AdelbergAUSMAYamaha436 Points
4. Luc AckermannGERDMSBHusqvarna420 Points
5. David RinaldoFRAFFMYamaha390 Points
6. Petr PilatCZEACCRKTM382 Points
Results Qualification
1. Remi BizouardFRAFFMKawasaki384 Points
2. Rob AdelbergAUSMAYamaha376 Points
3. David RinaldoFRAFFMYamaha375 Points
4. Luc AckermannGERDMSBHusqvarna369 Points
5. Maikel MeleroESPRFMEYamaha369 Points
6. Petr PilatCZEACCRKTM364 Points
7. Pat BowdenAUSMAYamaha346 Points
7. Jose MirallesESPRFMEKTM330 Points
8. Brice IzzoFRAFFMYamaha324 Points
10. Hannes AckermannGERDMSBKTM314 Points
Results Lifeproof Best Whip Contest
1. Luc AckermannGERDMSBHusqvarna
2. Remi BizouardFRAFFMKawasaki
Maxxis Highest-Air
1. Massimo BianconciniITAPZMKTM9,00 Meter
2. Jose MirallesESPRFMEKTM8,50 Meter
3. Luc AckermannGERDMSBHusqvarna6,50 Meter
FIM Freestyle MX World Championship
Ranking (after 4th contest)
1. Maikel MeleroESPRFMEYamaha80 Points
2. Remi BizouardFRAFFMKawasaki70 Points
3. David RinaldoFRAFFMYamaha62 Points
4. Rob AdelbergAUSMAYamaha56 Points
5. Petr PilatCZEACCRKTM48 Points
6. Luc AckermannGERDMSBHusqvarna39 Points
7. Pat BowdenAUSMAYamaha35 Points
8. Jose MirallesESPRFMEKTM35 Points
9. Brice IzzoFRAFFMYamaha21 Points
10. Marc PinyolESPRFMEYamaha16 Points
11. Hannes AckermannGERDMSBKTM12 Points
12. Thomas WirnsbergerAUTOSKSuzuki11 Points
Text and pictures www.nightofthejumps.com