Once again, we were invited to attend the Nitro World Games in Salt Lake City. We watched some of the best action sports athletes from around the world compete in skate, scooter, BMX, and FMX disciplines. No other sporting event captures so much excitement and puts the crowd on the edge of their seats, unblinking, jaws dropping. Whether it’s skaters and scooters spinning through the air, or BMX and FMX riders landing forward flips, there is nothing else like it. And through it all, I’ve noticed a few things I wanted to share.
First and foremost, the Nitro World Games is a family event. I can’t speak for those watching at home, but the live audience is full of moms and dads with kids of all ages. With so many kids glued to game consoles, it’s nice to see them getting out, and watching real athletes throw down some big tricks. But it’s not just the audience. After each run, you’ll see competitors exchange high fives, fist bumps, and hugs. This is a great example of true sportsmanship on an international level. And if you don’t think Travis Pastrana treats everyone like family, just watch how animated he gets when someone pulls off a sick run. No one is more excited than he is.
Next, Ryan Williams is an inspiration to just about every kid with a scooter or BMX bike. Last year, he took first in BMX Best Tricks. Not content with just one first place, he won that again this year, plus Scooter Best Tricks. Over two years, he’s taken three firsts. He set a goal for winning both, and he did. That’s because when he shows up, you can expect to see something totally new, and probably another record broken. I’m already looking forward to the 2018 Games, just to see what he brings for his winning runs. For the sake of his competition, let’s hope he doesn’t pick up a skateboard between now and then.
Third, action sports are safer than they look. I’m not actually suggesting we should all launch ourselves off a big ramp without a second thought. For most of us, that would no doubt result in injury. But after watching scooter riders and skaters crash repeatedly, then get up and walk it off, it’s clear that safety in ramp design and materials is a priority. And the same goes for the FMX ramps. When you launch a motorcycle 75-100 feet across a stadium, there is a certain amount of risk. Again, ramp design and materials, along with plenty of math (physics, actually) have resulted in most athletes walking away from a crash.
Finally, the Nitro World Games is still about progression. What was once “impossible” is now almost routine. Thanks to those advances in safety, riders go bigger, and farther. Tricks get more complex, with variations being added all the time. It’s exciting to watch, and like everyone else, I look forward to seeing where Travis and the Nitro Circus crew will take the games next year. In the meantime, this year’s results are listed below.
FMX: Presented by VALVOLINE
Place Name Score
#1 Levi Sherwood (NZ) 71.63
#2 Javier Villegas (CHI) 67.65
#3 Josh Sheehan (AUS) 67.57
FMX BEST TRICK
Place Name (Country) Score
#1 Harry Bink (AUS) 9.02
#2 Will Van Den Putte (BEL) 8.99
#3 Pat Bowden (AUS) 8.88
BMX Best Tricks: Presented by BE THE MATCH
Place Name Score
#1 Ryan Williams (AUS) 18.70
#2 Brandon Loupos (AUS) 18.22
#3 Jaie Toohey (AUS) 16.58
BMX Triple Hit
Place Name Score
#1 Colton Walker (USA) 9.50
#2 Nick Bruce (USA) 9.42
#3 Brian Fox (USA) 9.36
Skate Best Trick: Presented by YOKOHAMA
Place Name Score
#1 Elliot Sloan (USA) 7.52
#2 Beaver Fleming (USA) 7.15
#3 Andy MacDonald (USA) 7.09
Scooter Best Tricks
Place Name Score
#1 Ryan Williams (AUS) 17.12
#2 Tyler Chaffin (USA) 16.88
#3 Cody Flom (USA) 16.50
Special thanks to additional Nitro World Games sponsors Monster Energy, DuPont Kevlar, Oberto, Polaris Slingshot, Hyper Bicycles, Wienerschnitzel, Anderson Hitches and Vivid Seats.