Nick Franklin claims FMX

Battle Title

The champion title for New Zealand’s first ever FMX battle-style competition has been won by Kiwi rider Nick Franklin.  Wanganui hosted the event as part of its annual Race Week, and it has been said to be the coolest Australasian competition of the year.  The fight was tough as Red Bull rider, Franklin, and Australian rider, Kain Saul, battled it out in the final on Monday evening.  Saul, who is Australia’s current reigning champ, fought hard against Franklin in the final head-to-head battle, but Franklins smooth fluent style and technical tricks saw him claim the New Zealand number one spot in the sport of Freestyle Motocross (FMX).

 
“It was by far the best competition that’s been in New Zealand; it was very professional and awesome to be part of”, commented Franklin at the end of the night.
 
The FMX Battle was the first of its type and attracted a high level of local support.  The 5000 spectators packed out the Cooks Garden grandstand for the evening’s entertainment and were treated to a world class FMX show.
 
The weather threatened to stop the show a number of times but held off enough for all the riders to compete.
 
Mary Perkins, ex-rider and Managing Director of Encounter FMX shows, put together the choreographed competition. The industry’s leading magazine, ‘Freerider MX’, had their chief editor Simon Makker on hand to capture the action.  Makker commented after the event “Mary Perkins and her team did an incredible job considering it was their first-ever (competition) event”
 
Riders now eagerly await confirmed dates for next year’s event.  Australian rider Steve Sommerfeld commented after taking part in the event, “You'll definitely see me there and I bet every other rider who was there will be back.”
 
Results:
1st Nick Franklin
2nd Kain Saul (Australia)
3rd Steve Sommerfeld (Australia)
4th Josh Thomson
5th Liston Borrie
6th Ryan Laskey
7th Mitch McHardy
8th Cullam Shaw
9th Trent Garton (DNF)