Entries Tagged 'cycling' ↓

I’ve been following the evolution of bike acrobatics since first coaching at Woodward West Gymnastics and Action Sport camp.

But this is getting NUTS …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I saw the full film at the Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. It won the People’s Choice Award 2009, the most recent in the Kranked series.

Kranked – Revolve – radical-films.com

Artistic cycling is a form of competitive indoor cycling in which athletes perform tricks (called exercises) for points on specialized, fixed-gear bikes in a format similar to ballet or gymnastics. The exercises are performed before judges in six minute rounds by singles, pairs, four- or six-man teams. …

Wikipedia – Artistic cycling

To see an example, click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Here’s an example with 2 girls on 2 bikes.

(via tywkiwdbi)

In case you somehow missed this viral video …

Danny MacAskill, a trials bike stunt cyclist from Scotland, is a YouTube sensation for this edit called Inspired Bicycles.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It took 8hr to get the opening stunt on video, riding a spiky fence.

Thanks James. And HM.

The Minnesota state high school meet was held this past Thursday and Friday. That’s one part of the world where school gymnastics is still thriving.

Congratulations to everyone who participated.

Results are here.

Kathryn sent in an interesting personal story:

Alise Post from St Cloud Tech who took second team, fourth AA, third VT, second bars is also a BMX biker and was the 2006 National Champ in that sport. 

She’a a 2-time ABA National No.1 Pro Women title holder and a 2012 U.S. Olympic hopeful on her bike. Who can do a layout Tsukahara!

Gymnastics videos on this website.

related post – Alise Post – Gymnast, BMX Racer

UPDATE: apolytongp calls her the “real life Stick It girl” Hayley, from the movie. But without the “queen bee attitude”.

The top American Olympic gymnast in 1988, Phoebe Mills, is one of the coaches at the fantastic new 20,000-square-foot “Barn at Copper” in Colorado.

larger version

… “Woodward is the most progressive training environment on the planet for skateboard, BMX and in-line,” Woodward at Copper director Ben Brown said. “And we’re just going to continue that with the first-ever ski and snowboard version.” …

Woodward at Copper will offer a vast array of programs for all ability levels. It currently plans to open before the end of January with about a half-dozen trampolines, three pool- sized foam pits, a 35-foot big air ramp and a “jib park” with interchangeable features covered in a lubricated synthetic snow material. In addition to the resi mats, there is a large springboard gymnastics floor alongside the foam pits. A massive wooden bowl designed for skaters and freestyle bikers fills a corner of the building. …

Denver Post – Opening The Barn door

Woodward truly leads the Action Sport industry. Congratulations.

official website – Woodward at Copper

Dr. Jeni McNeal (in mountain bike helmet) at the Big Blue Adventure Race Lake Tahoe.

larger original – flickr

Jeni went over the handle bars recently. No doubt all that gymnastics landing training helped her soften the landing.

Trick biking is getting pretty nuts.

Daniel Dhers won the Dew Cup in both 2006 and 2007. And X-games gold in 2007 and 2008.

In Portland, on the Dew Tour, responding to a near impossible Quad tail whip by Mike Spinner, Daniel threw down this first run.

Click PLAY or watch Daniel on YouTube.

Daniel’s family lives in Argentina. But he trains at Woodward, Pennsylvania.

related video: BMX Daniel Dhers vs Mike Spinner

Of course another form (less entertaining) of BMX was introduced as an Olympic sport in 2008. Here are the medal winners:

full results

For BMX Racers, Olympic Debut Is a Surreal Experience – NY Times

by Rick McCharles

Congrats to the FARTs. (Funtastic Adventure Racing Team)

The team completed their biggest race to date — Ocean Blue, California — in 8hrs, 40min. The kayak section was HARSH. The mountain biking, at times, was pushing bikes up a CLIFF.

Morgen, Dave, Andy, Jeni – larger version

Here is Dr. Jeni McNeal, still able to do a handstand after 3 days hard racing and race training.

larger version

See all the photos on flickr.

See video and a photo highlights slideshow.

FART – official team website

The rider negotiates man-made and natural obstacles without their feet touching the ground. It originated in Spain …

Bike trials – Wikipedia

more videos – Tarty Bikes, UK

Thanks Dave Copeland.

In Orlando, Florida, Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba includes amazing BMX and bike trial stunts.

I’ve only seen La Nouba once. But am booked again to visit during Level 10 Jr. Olympics and College Bound. It’s an awesome show, one of my favourites.

Have you heard about this?

The Youth Olympic Games … will feature athletes between the ages of 14 and 18. The idea for such an event was envisioned in 2001 by International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge. On July 6, 2007, IOC members at the 119th IOC session in Guatemala City approved the creation of a youth version of the Olympic Games. …

Each participating country would send at least four athletes. The athlete will be chosen at least 18 months in advance, which suggests that some could be chosen as young as age 12. At least one IOC member criticized the plan …

Several other Olympic events for youth, like the European Youth Olympic Festival held every other year with summer and winter versions, and the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, have proven successful; the Youth Games would most likely be modeled after these. …

Wikipedia

Here’s a cute promo video featuring some youth athletes used as part of the successful Singapore bid.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Less cute, but far more informative is this Singapore 2010 Concept Video (3min) also used as part of the bid. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I love Singapore. And am confident they will be even better hosts for a big Games than Beijing in 2008.

6th World Congress on Biomechanics

(via Kat on Chalk Bucket)

Now …

Are youth Olympics a good idea?

The whole concept flies against some of the things said by FIG President Bruno Grandi over the past year.

Leave a comment if you have an opinion.

Recall that organizers of the 2007 Pan American Games banned blogging during the event:

To placate TV, athletes and coaches will not be allowed to blog from the Games. No MySpace. No Facebook. No YouTube. No Flickr.

loco – no blogging from Pan Am Games Rio

That stupid decision was so unenforceable that when I later (on Facebook) asked athletes about the regulations, they told me they had never even been informed of the ban.

The International Olympic Committee, by comparison, has taken, for them, a surprisingly enlightened position. Even I can live with these regulations:

GENEVA — Let the blogging begin.

The IOC has given athletes the right to blog at the Beijing Games this summer, a first for the Olympics, as long as they follow the many rules it set to protect copyright agreements, confidential information and security.

Blogging is a “legitimate form of personal expression,” the International Olympic Committee said.

The IOC said blogs by athletes “should take the form of a diary or journal” and should not contain any interviews with other competitors at the games. They also should not write about other athletes.

“It is required that, when accredited persons at the games post any Olympic content, it be confined solely to their own personal Olympic-related experience,” the IOC said.

The debate over blogging has been a difficult one for the IOC, which has been concerned that the online journals might infringe on copyright agreements or release confidential information during the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Olympics.

Bloggers are prevented from posting audio clips or videos of “any Olympic events, including sporting action, opening, closing and medal ceremonies or other activities which occur within any zone which requires an Olympic identity and accreditation card [or ticket] for entry.”

Still pictures are allowed as long as they do not show Olympic events. …

Athletes allowed to blog from Beijing, with restrictions – ESPN

More details after the link.

This will be the best Olympics ever for those of us who like the personal perspective delivered by athletes and coaches themselves.

(via Straight to the Bar)

I wonder what the Chinese organizers think of this decision. China bans many of the popular blogging sites. Olympians may need to email their photos and text out of the country to be uploaded by friends and family.

Reporters Without Borders

I’ve tried the “trampoline bike” at Woodward West Action Sports Camp.

Fun. But dangerous. (If you land on top of the bike on the trampoline.)

This looks a better, safer version:

photo by Bryce Shaw

Click PLAY or watch the video on YouTube.

More video and details on Jumpclub.

First time ever, Woodward West in California is offering a WINTER CAMP for skateboarding, BMX, in-line and mountain biking. Between Christmas and New Years.

Camp Woodward

Gymnasts can go off-season too, at a great price. Contact the camp for details.