Yee-Haw! A sold-out crowd of 21,000 spectators celebrated a stunning victory by Australian-native Robbie Maddison at Stampede Park in Calgary on Saturday evening. At the second stop of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour 2009, Maddison managed to stay in front of the competition and remained calm in order to celebrate victory on the dirt. Japan’s Eigo Sato was beaten in the final. Reigning champion, Mat Rebeaud from Switzerland took third place.
“I can’t believe it. It’s a dream come true. The hard work paid off. The whole day was totally insane. I had a feeling from the start that I had a chance to win today and after winning the quarter-final against Nate Adams I knew I could go all the way,” said the beaming Australian. Adams put all his eggs in one basket and was hoping to snatch the win with a 360 – a complete turn in mid-air. But Maddison prevailed with a superior all-round performance.
Known as simply "The Greatest Show on Earth", the Stampede welcomed a worthy tenant when Red Bull X-Fighters and the international freestyle motocross elite came to town. With record-breaking crowds and no shortage of thrills and spills, the annual Calgary Stampede has plenty in common with X-Fighters, and the world’s best FMX fighters were champing at the bit to throw down a high-octane rodeo of their own!
Local hero Jeff Fehr ended up in ninth place. The crowd favourite arrived wearing a Calgary Flames jersey. NHL superstar Dion Phaneuf, who was serving as a show judge, personally presented Fehr with a team jersey.
“This has been absolutely insane,” said Jeff Fehr. “Twelve of the best riders from around the world just going head to head trying to beat each other out…it’s definitely been tough, but fun. I’m so pumped Canada is loving Red Bull X-Fighters, and I hope it’s the start of the fire that keeps burning everywhere throughout the country for FMX.”
Levi Sherwood, also known as “rubber kid”, had a disappointing performance in only his second outing on the international FMX stage. At just 17 years old, the winner in Mexico City had to settle for seventh place. The four-stroke bike of the promising youngster was at a clear disadvantage compared to the superior two-stroke bikes of the other riders.
Benoit Milot of Quebec - Canada’s second rider - battled it out for the last two remaining semi-final spots, but didn’t have the horsepower to put him in the top six. He took home 10th place in his debut ride in the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour.
In the overall standings Eigo Sato (JAP/160 Points) is in first place, in front of Levi Sherwood (NZL/130 Points) in second and Mat Rebeaud (SUI/130 Points) in third.
Ever since the World Tour was launched in 2007, the sporting event has caused a sensation with breathtaking back flips and dangerous tricks at iconic stops around the world. Red Bull X-Fighters events have taken place in such spectacular venues as bullfighting arenas in Mexico City (MEX) and Madrid (ESP) or the Sambadrom in the mega-metropolis of Rio de Janeiro.
RED BULL X-FIGHTERS WORLD TOUR DATES
| March 27 | Plaza de Toros | Madrid, MEX |
| May 30 | Calgary Stampede Park | Calgary, CAN |
| June 27 | Stockyard | Forth Worth, USA |
| July 16 & 17 | Plaza de Toros de las Ventas | Madrid, SPA |
| August 22 | Battersea Power Station | London, UK |
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