Jamie Bestwick: Who’s Up for the Toyota Challenge
By Jamie Bestwick,
While the vert riders took a quick break in Portland, the dirt guys are fired up for the highly anticipated Toyota Challenge stop in Salt Lake City. With a stacked field of riders, a last chance qualifier and a freshly designed course, this contest has all the hallmarks of being the standout contest of 2011. So who’s moving and a shaking!
Dennis Enarson
Movers
Brandon Dosch
Dennis Enarson, Kyle Baldock and Brandon Dosch are all looking to lead the charge knowing that this could be a decisive stop going into the finals in Las Vegas.
Kyle Baldock
A big win in SLC for any of these guys will leave them in the driving seat but they are going to come under serious competition from…
The Shakers
Brett Banasiewicz
Chris Doyle, Ben Wallace and Brett Banasiewicz. It was a case of one too many front flips from the Mad Dog in Portland as he suffered a heavy blow to his charge to redeem last years Dew Cup loss, but coming to Salt Lake he has more than one score to settle with this contest and he may need to bring his magic tricks too!
Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace was on fire in PDX, but a couple loose tricks in his finals runs may have kept him a place or two down the standings. Look for that to change in SLC as he makes a quest to be the first British Dirt Dew Cup owner.
Chris Doyle
Sitting right behind the leaders and in a season where the emphasis is swaying towards the true trail style of riding, Mr. Doyle is more than happy to show everyone how the more stylish side of BMX lives. No stranger to big transfers and technical jumps, Chris seems to be in his element against a heavy onslaught of foam pit assassins!
Vert is back in town!
The Toyota Challenge has always been a favored stop by all the vert guys for a very good reason. The higher altitude results in thinner air, the thinner air results in more speed, more speed results in bigger airs and bigger airs result in thousands of fans going absolutely bonkers!
Get it?
We do that’s why the vert riders love coming back to SLC. Last year’s format change to the competition resulted in one of the best ever BMX vert contests at the Dew Tour. After a brief break the top guys are ready to battle it out for the top spots. Who to watch out for
Never one to disappoint, Stevie will be hard charging in SLC looking to make up ground and maybe take home his first ever stop win. Once hailed as the triple threat, he has the eye of the tiger set on vert and with his heavy vert training schedule at Woodward Camp he is looking to upset the standings in a very strong field of competitors.
If someone would have told me that the first double tailwhip 540 will be pulled on a dimly lit vert ramp at night, on a beach by a young Australian kid, I would have said they were taking the wrong medication! As it happens we were all on happy pills as in Ocean City at the 1st Dew Tour stop of the season as Vince did just this! A tremendous night for the progression of vert. Look for Vince to up the ante again in SLC.
Simon knows all about the highs and lows of BMX and a great ride in Ocean City then resulted in a broken collarbone a week later. Will he be up and running? Anyone who has been privileged enough to watch him ride over the years will know he is one tough customer and early indications are that this recent break is a thing of the past. 900’s will be spinning! Oh yes they will!
With a couple of heavy hitters on the sideline (Jay Eggleston and Chad Kagy), it will make for an interesting weekend on vert. Just be sure to look out for an up and coming young pup by the name of Bestwick on vert. He’s half decent and could make a name for himself!
Be sure to check out all the coverage on allisports and NBC and USA this coming weekend. Also follow on twitter @thedewtour @allisports or @jamiebestwick for all the happenings at the Toyota Challenge
. Cheers.
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