Freerider MX Magazine – hub for all freestyle, FMX, motocross, supercross, freestyle, dirt biking, race events, videos & news

Gallery – Nitro Circus Live chaos in Sydney

Monday, 17 May 2010 12:20

The Nitro Circus Live show erupts inside a packed-out Acer Arena in Sydney. ALL PHOTOS: SIMON MAKKER

If we thought the opening stops of the Nitro Circus Live tour in Brisbane were crazy, Sydney saw things spin out of control as riders and athletes crashed left, right and centre in front of a record audience.

Things got off to a hellish start in Friday’s practice when new recruit Matt Lewis (filling in for Robbie Marshall who was at a show in Gympie) crashed while leading a Backflip train. Lewis under-rotated and came up short on the portable downramp, breaking his collarbone and starting a chain reaction as Bilko and Clint Moore  steam-rolled into him and his bike. Moore escaped unscathed, but Bilko banged up his forearm and ribs.

No doubt the scary incident was playing in the backs of everyone’s minds when the show started, as BMXer Steve McCann cracked his wrist in a fall off the giganta-ramp, female skater Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins dislocated her jaw, Jim DeChamp knocked his head so bad he was asking people for spaghetti, and Rob Adelberg went down hard in the final Best Trick comp when he under-rotated a KOD flip. Adelberg’s crash was the biggest of the night and the show had to be stopped for 10 minutes while paramedics stabilised him and took him to hospital, where he was found to have a couple of busted ribs and a fractured jaw.

However, there was one bright light in the show, and that was wheelchair athlete Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham stomping his first-ever Backflip off of the giganta-ramp. Congrats man!

Travis Pastrana gets up close and personal with his fans in the VIP area before the show.

In stark contrast, Saturday’s show was the best yet, with no real incidents to speak of, a hugely vocal audience, and a seamless show from start to finish.

“I didn’t think the show could get any better than the final one we did in Brisbane, but everyone stepped up to a whole new level tonight,” Double Backflipper Cam Sinclair said in the dressing rooms after successfully notching Double Backies #30 and #31 over the weekend. “Tonight was by far the best show we’ve done. It just keeps improving.”

New recruits Jarryd McNeil (filling in for Matt Lewis) and Central Coast BMXer Jaie Toohey (replacing Steve McCann) stepped up to the plate in a big way. McNeil shocked not only the crowd, but Pastrana himself, with his ridiculous Turndown Whips that saw his wheels pointed back at the down-ramp, and Toohey looked as if he’d been with the crew for weeks, even though he’d only had an hour’s practice on the giganta-ramp.

The next stop of the tour is in Perth this weekend, and as the show keeps improving, WA locals can expect to see something bloody special when they rock up to the Burswood Dome on Saturday night.


Michael "Chucky" Norris had a huge couple of nights in front of his home crowd.


US freak Dusty Wygle Backflip Lazyboys a trike over the giganta-ramp.


Someone has introduced Travis to the M.I.N.E. game... stupid mistake, as Chucky finds out!.


Newcastle BMX inspiration Andy Buckworth boosts the giganta-ramp gap.


Bilko's 360s are getting flatter every time we see them! Here he follows Travis in the show's final trick train.


Bundaberg's Clinton Moore has well and truly mastered the Volt, landing five out of five so far on tour.


Dusty Wygle (centre) and Jolene Van Vugt meet a fan backstage.


Yeaaahhh, Mindawgg! Steve Mini hucks a huge Superflip Indy during the Best Trick section.