Red Bull District Ride 2006 in Catania, Italy

Paul Basagoitia takes the big win!



Paul Bas can prepare his garage for the FORD truck that he might take home from Nuremberg!



In mid July 2006 for the first time many international stars met up in Italy at one of the world’s biggest freeride events. 31 riders were invited for the Red Bull District Ride in Catania, Sicily.

The riders were impressed when they first saw the historic buildings and of course they were stoked about the urban course built into the old city. A freeride course in an urban ancient environment on the most southern island of Italy, it was unbelievable for the riders and they were amazed with the work that the builders put into the course and the great Italian atmosphere. The city of Catania is full of young people, but no one knew really what would happen in their city until the riders started training and were checking the course zone by zone. After Saturday evening when the first qualifying run was done and the riders were happy that they could clear the whole course without any problems, they tricked at almost every obstacle, but you could tell that this was just a warm up for Sunday.
The big question was who will make the top ten cut to the finals? And who will qualify for the second event in Nuremberg and join the already 13 guys that are coming due to last year’s result?



The Qualifying


It was tight between Saturday’s top 15. And some amazing riders weren’t yet among the top ten, so everyone knew, the level will go up on Sunday morning in the second qualifying.


Who would step it up first and try a big trick at the start drops. Cameron Zink cleared a smooth 360 at around 9.30am in the early morning practise. Pretty hard one when you think that the landing was wood of course and you can’t make a mistake. Guys like Aaron Chase and Cameron McCaul talked about flipping the middle drop and also Timo Pritzel said:” I would love to flip the first drop, but what if I over rotate? Timo is known for being one of the guys that can drop almost everything that is big, but until then, the freeride world hasn’t seen a 4metre (12ft.) drop being backflipped and especially not onto a wooden landing. Timo put his Dainese jacket on and went up there around 10am. Only a few people watched at that time including some policemen and security. After some minutes of concentration he rolled down and sent it over the middle drop with a huge backflip. Wow! He had a big smile in his face and said: “Damn, I was so nervous up there, but the flip drop felt amazing!” In practise Timo was the only one doing the backflip drop, but every rider knew that if they wanna make it to the finals, they had to step it up big times. And indeed, most riders were pushing it super hard.



The Spanish shooting star Andreu Lacondeguy was 11th in the first qualifying. The young gun from Barcelona who came into the event with a wildcard that he got from the BRAUN 26TRIX is definitely the best rookie of 2006. He went off in his second run with huge moves. His best tricks were the backflip drop after the start, a tailwhip at the jump box next to the mini ramp and another backflip at the step up just before the gap district. He improved his run big times and scored high points from the judges, so he was in first place after the qualifying.
Nine more riders joined Andreu to for the finals in a really high level second qualifier. A few of the riders had an amazing first run, so they made it with their first score into the finals like Niels Windfeldt, Darren Berrecloth, Darren Pokoj and Cameron McCaul. Each of them had a little trouble though. Niels Windfeldt, for example, was waiting for his bike for 2 days to arrive and just before the first qualifying on Saturday it arrived; his runs were impressive with 360 opposites thru the spines and huge superman tailwhips in the dirts.


Darren Berrecloth slipped on the flat street in a corner in his first run and fell with his hip on to the ledge of the curb, you could see in his face that it hurt, but Darren got up back on his bike and continued an amazing run. The judges only made deductions for his flow thru the run since he didn’t crash in a district. He must have watched all the runs on the big screen by the start because he decided to cruise in his 2nd qualifier on Sunday to safe some energy for the finals. When some people watched it, they thought Darren was out, but he knew exactly what he was doing.


Cameron McCaul didn’t even do his 2nd qualifier, also to safe some energy for the finals since he won the first qualifier and he knew that he is in already.
Darren Pokoj from Australia came pretty much out of nowhere this year, he already placed great at the Saalbach Slopestyle and here he made the cut into the finals. But Pokoj had bad luck after the first qualifier. After dinner he jumped some fence and twisted his ankle. The Aussie youngster was limping and had an ankle like a football. Darren was in pain, but the tough down under boy wanted to ride. He knew he can be in the finals, so Darren rode again really well with nose dive 360’s and other great technical tricks, then he flipped onto the step up box before the gap district and fell off the box on the ground. His ankle was in real pain, but Darren limped up the run in tower and still went over the dirts with a great nohander and another nosedive 360. His points from the first run were enough to make the cut for the finals. Darren’s performance was incredible since the doctors found out the next day that he broke his ankle and ripped some ligaments. Darren was able to ride the finals, but he won’t be able to ride for some weeks.



Last year’s winner out


The winner from last year’s event in Nuremberg Aaron Chase had his first contest after his injury. He rode well in his first run and placed 7th on Saturday’s qualifier, but on Sunday a lot of riders stepped it up, so Aaron couldn’t make it to the finals and placed 12th overall.



Another one that missed the finals by one point with a 13th place was Adam Hauck. Adam was supposed to arrive on Thursday. He won the wildcard this year at the Sea Otter dirt jump comp, so he got invited for the Red Bull District Ride in Catania. On his first trip out of North America, Adam missed his plane because of a Thunderstorm which made him miss the connection flight to Italy. Adam arrived finally on Saturday, 3 hours before the first qualifier and had just 3 runs of practise on the really demanding course. The wildcard winner of the Sea Otter dirt contest rode really well in his 2nd qualifier on Sunday. The New Jersey kid cleared great tailwhips in the quarter pipe and made a wall tap onto the volcano stomp which was really outstanding. We are looking forward to see him in Nuremberg as well.



The Finals - 1st Run


Sunday 6pm: 25,000 spectators were coming to watch the finals. The riders were lined up for the finals in the opposite order of the qualifying results: Niels Windfeldt, Darren Berrecloth, Darren Pokoj, Carlo Dieckmann, Cameron McCaul, Cameron Zink, Timo Pritzel, Paul Basagoitia, Lance McDermott and Andreu Lacondeguy.



The first final was on and the riders were pushing it big times. Cameron Zink over rotated on his 360° on the start drop and couldn’t continue his run because of a flat tire.



Andreu Lacondeguy – the best rookie of 2006


The highest points in the first run went to Andreu Lacondeguy. The 17year old Spanish boy threw down like no one else in the first run: backflip drop, wallride before the spines, 360 tabletop over the first spine and superman over the second, barspin off the bank over the stairs and table inverted one foot in the quarter-pipe, then wallride to table top and another wallride into the stairway district, then a table top drop of the latter bridge in the stairs. Then about 10 seconds flat riding to prepare for the curved wallride where showed an awesome 270° tabletop, then a couple of strong pedal strokes towards the fun box where he cleared a huge tailwhip, a few more pedals and a table top over the volcano, then more pedalling and as fast as he could for the step up box where he stuck a backflip. Then a short push up the start ramp (only the Atherton brothers rode up that ramp in their qualifying!) to prepare for the final dirt jumps. Andreu flipped huge over the first gap and 360 tabled over the 2nd set. The judges’ brain cells were working hard, but they were all sure that Andreu had the best first run and they thought: who should beat that one. No one in the first run that was for sure! The top 5 of the first run were ranked in the following order Andreu Lacondeguy, Paul Basagoitia, Timo Pritzel, Cameron McCaul and Lance McDermott. Paul Rak, the head judge from Whistler:” It is unbelievable how high the level of riding is. It seems like there many new riders that bring an amazing talent with them, like Lance McDermott or the Spanish brothers. It’s hard work judging, but it’s good times here in Sicily. I am happy to be here!”



The Finals – 2nd Run


Time was up for the 2nd run and the crowds were pumped, the DJ was spinning some great tunes and the riders were ready for the last big challenge of the day, the last run of the Red Bull District Ride 2006 in Catania was on! Every one still had the chance to beat Andreu’s run since the better of the two runs counted for the result.



Cameron McCaul stepped up his run and switched positions with Timo Pritzel, He backflipped out of the mini ramp, which no one else did. So Cam got 4th like at many big freeride comps in the past years.



3rd place: Lance McDermott – the new school UK rider


Here we go the top three runs of Catania: Lance McDermott who was in 5th after run#1 had more big tricks than any one. The British youngster with BMX background flipped the first drop like all the top 5 did. He left out the wallride and just jumped the gap, then went into the spines, cleared a 360 over the first one and a backflip over the 2nd spine, then a nose wheelie over the stairs before the quarter-pipe, then a flair in the quarter – Lance threw down with all he had – he went into the stairway district and, hit the two wallrides and then rode down the first set of stairs, jumped with his legs off his pedals and landed opposite (cross legged) and stuck a backflip over the box jump down the stairs changed his legs back to normal and rode as fast as possible into the curved wallride, jumped out with
a little table top and cleared a superman-tailwhip over the box, then a hand-plant over the volcano stomp, then onto the step up box. Lance walks up the in-run bridge and gets
ready for his two last jumps: tuck nohand and a frontflip at the last one… heavy discussions between the judges. Lance jumps up to 2nd place behind Andreu, but there is still Paul Basagoitia that can change it all.



1st place Paul Basagoitia – puts it all in one run


The pressure is on! Paul Bas is famous for throwing it down all in one run and going big in the moment when you have to in order to win a contest. The 20year old from Nevada compares contests with gambling when you put it all on one card and indeed “Bas” puts it all in one run. The music of “50 Cent” is running thru the speakers and Paul picks up the hip-hop rhythm that he loves. Everyone that knows Paul, also knows that he pushes it to the maximum in order to win a contest. The two times Crankworx Champ was 2nd last year in Nuremberg and he wants that Ford truck that is up for grabs in Nuremberg for the overall winner.


Here we go, Paul’s 2nd run: a perfect backflip down the start drop, wallride in the alley, nofooted cancan at the first spine and a 360nosedive and the 2nd spine, and he picks up the tunes again and again, moves his head to the rhythm of “50 Cent”, then jumps over the stairs before the quarter with a one footed tabletop, then a footplant in the quarter, you could tell that Paul had something else to show, but when, two more wall rides cleared smooth and went down into the stairway district drop and boom – tailwhip – no one has done any big tricks in that section, because it was really technical, a drop to a transfer landing, Wow! What’s next? Into the curved wallride and a 270 out, a couple of pedal strokes and a huge backflip over the box, then a footplant over the volcano stomp and up the step up box on to the bridge. He still has the rhythm of the tunes in him that are playing thru the speakers, he takes a sip of red Bull from the hot girl up on the bridge which was there during the finals for the riders to give them the last bit of energy they needed for the final dirt jumps. Ready? Here we go again: 360 nosedive over the first set and 360tailwhip over the second set. Yihaah! Paul Basagoitia was stoked and relieved. He
knew it will be really hard for anyone in the world to beat that run. The crowds were going nuts! Every one there loved him for that run and the excitement they got from
watching it, it was unbelievable. Andreu was the last rider up on the start. He was going for it again, but couldn’t step up his last run, he still got high points, but in the end both of his runs were lower than Paul’s 2nd run. So the winner of the Red Bull District Ride in Catania 2006 is Paul Basagoitia.



The top 3 were getting their trophy at the awards in the mini ramp. The Red Bull girls were dancing in the min ramp to the tunes of the DJ. The top ten shared prize money of 20, 000 Euros. So the party could start…




The final results


1. Paul Basagoitia (USA)

2. Andreu Lacondeguy (ESP)

3. Lance McDermott (UK)

4. Cameron McCaul (USA)

5. Timo Pritzel (GER)

6. Darren Pokoj (AUS)

7. Niels Windfeldt (NOR)

8. Carlo Dieckmann (GER)

9. Darren Berrecloth (CAN)

10. Cameron Zink (USA)

11. Kyle Strait (USA)

12. Aaron Chase (USA)

13. Adam Hauck (USA)

14. Amir Kabbani (GER)

15. Christopher Hatton (FRA)

16. Pascal Breitenstein (SUI)

17. Lluis Lacondeguy (ESP)

18. Mischa Breitenstein (SUI)

19. Gee Atherton (UK)

20. Sebastian Schlecht (GER)

21. Dan Atherton (UK)

22. Damjan Siriski (CZE)

23. Ryder Kasprick (CAN)

24. Eric Porter (USA)

25. Taulan Dernbach (GER)

26. Niki Leitner (AUT)

27. Chris Smith (UK)

28. Giacomo Bisi (ITA)

29. Alberto Accetulli (ITA)

30. Robert „Rob-J“ Jauch (GER)

31. Greg Watts (USA)




Dainese Dirt Contest


Apart from the Red Bull District Ride the riders had the chance to show their best tricks in the Dainese Dirt Contest which was happening on Saturday. The final 5 riders that were picked by the judges in the morning jam session showed up at the dirts right after the 1st qualifying run for the Red Bull District Ride. It was Darren Pokoj, the Lacondeguy brother Andreu and Lluis, Lance McDermott and Cameron McCaul. The riders had two runs and the judges picked the best run. Lance McDermott pulled off backflip lookdowns at the first and a frontflip at the second jump, no other rider could
beat that one. Andreu Landeguy tried a backflip tailwhip, but didn’t stick it, so the 1,000 Euros went to Lance and he also will get a Dainese one year contract.



The Party


Sunday evening, it was really time for the rider party. The guys have been disciplined over the whole weekend, every day wake up calls at around 7.00-7.30 am. The party was at an outside beach club called “Afrobar” and it started slow, but the later it got, the more people came, the volcano festival was on at that weekend, so people showed up later. It was good times, hot girls and of course some great tunes. Later on it was going off.



Who will be coming to Nuremberg?


Most riders have to head back to North America in order to ride Crankworx and then they will come back for Nuremberg to battle down the castle wall with more tricks than ever.
Paul Basagoitia is the closest to the pimped up Ford pick up truck. You better all come to Nuremberg in August 4/5th to see who will win the Red Bull District Ride and the truck. Due to the result in Catania the 12 best riders that weren’t invited yet to Nuremberg are listed together with already confirmed other riders:


Aaron Chase (USA)
Grant Fielder (UK)

Adam Hauck (USA)
Joscha Forstreuter (GER)

Amir Kabbani (GER)
Kyle Strait (USA)

Andreu Lacondeguy (ESP)
Lance McDermott (UK)

Cameron McCaul (USA)
Lluis Lacondeguy (ESP)

Cameron Zink (USA)
Mischa Breitenstein (SUI)

Carlo Dieckmann (GER)
Niels Windfeldt (NOR)

Cedric Gracia (FRA)
Pascal Breitenstein (SUI)

Christopher Hatton (FRA)
Paul Basagoitia (USA)

Darren Berrecloth (CAN)
Thomas Vanderham (CAN)

Darren Pokoj (AUS)
Timo Pritzel (GER)

Gareth Dyer (CAN)
Trond Hansen (NOR)

Gee Atherton (UK)



For further information: redbulldistrictride.com
Video clips of the riders’ final runs: freecaster.com