X-Fighters Return to Osaka
X-Fighters 2014
www.fullnoise.com.au Freestyle News
Back by popular demand, The Red
Bull X-Fighters World Tour returns to Osaka, Japan for a second year after
Japan’s Taka Higashino won the first-ever stop in Asia a year ago in front of
an enthralled hometown crowd and intrigued global audience.
Taka Higashino will have
his work cut out for him trying to win on his home turf when the Red Bull
X-Fighters World Tour returns to his hometown in Osaka on May 25.
New Zealand’s Levi Sherwood has the momentum on his side after
winning the season-opener in Mexico City in style while defending champion Thomas Pagès of France will be looking to revive
his title hopes after a disappointing fifth place in the first of five 2014
stops.
Five up-and-coming riders from Japan will battle it out in the Wildcard
Qualifying round on Saturday, May 24, in the hopes of advancing to the final on
the biggest freestyle motocross (FMX) track in Asia.
Higashino beat Pagès in an epic freestyle battle in last year’s final in Osaka
in front of the spectacular Osaka Castle in the city’s famous Nishinomaru
Garden. The world’s top FMX riders will be performing mind-boggling tricks off
their bikes while jumping distances of up to 30 meters in distance and 15
meters high in front of the enthusiastic and knowledgeable Japanese FMX fans.
The riders will get an extra charge from the crowds in the grandstand seating
set up directly around the Osaka track – a unique feature and the closest
spectators get to a track anywhere.
The return of Red Bull X-Fighters to Osaka pays tribute to the rising popularity of FMX in Eastern Asia and it promises to be a high-stakes battle with two former and the reigning world tour champion are looking for the victory: Dany Torres of Spain (2011), Sherwood (2012) and Pagès (2013). Sherwood in particular savored the victory in Mexico City, his first win since
taking first in Sydney at the end of his 2012 championship year.
Pagès, who won two rounds in 2013 and was on the podium at all five stops,
suddenly seemed beatable in Mexico City when he was knocked out in the
quarter-final round by Adam Jones of the United States. The Frenchman, who
wasn't able to train before the season opener as much as he would liked due to
bad weather in France, also struggled with some of his tricks due to the high
altitude of Mexico City.
In Saturday’s Wildcard Qualifying, Japanese riders Daice Daisuke, Bupper Shinichi,
Gonta “little Daice” Suzuki, Kuimura Kota and Watanabe Genki will be trying to earn a spot in the
final round. They are the same five riders who delighted the Osaka crowd a year
ago in the National Qualifier.
2014 World Tour standings: v 1. Levi Sherwood (NZL) 100 points,
2. Josh Sheehan (AUS) 80,
3. Dany Torres (ESP) 65,
4. Adam Jones (USA) 55,
5. Thomas Pagès (FRA) 45,
6. Rob Adelberg (AUS) 35,
7. Javier Villegas (CHI) 30,
8. Maikel Melero (ESP) 25,
9. Libor Podmol (CZE) 20,
10. Remi Bizouard (FRA) 15
Top Image: Red Bull
X-Fighters returns to Osaka
Credit: Supplied