Darren Berrecloth Sweeps Awards

Dana Point, Calif. — (April 19, 2005) — The Second Annual BIKE Magazine Reader Poll and Video Awards attracted nearly 1,000 mountain bike industry leaders and athletes who came to honor the sport’s best riders and filmmakers. The event was held on Saturday, April 16, in Monterey, California."What the sport’s premier athletes are doing right now is incredible. The riders and films are progressing mountain biking so far, so fast,” said Dain Zaffke, BIKE’s Assistant Editor. “The Reader Poll and Video Awards are a great opportunity for the entire sport to not only acknowledge and congratulate them, but encourage them as well.”

BIKE Managing Editor Lou Mazzante welcomed the crowd and thanked Red Bull and New Belgium Brewery for making sure the V.I.P.’s and nominees had free-flowing drinks all night. Thanks also went out to other partners Fox Racing, Fox Shox, Specialized, Magura, Panaracer, Oakley, Da Kine, Kryptonite and the Ultimate Freeride Challenge, for helping make the event the industry’s definitive awards show.

The Reader Poll Awards honored the top five male and top three female athletes, as voted on by BIKE readers. Darren Berrecloth and Marla Streb took First Place in the Reader Poll, which received a total of 1,000 online votes and mail-in ballots from the March 2005 issue of BIKE.


The big winner of the night for the Video Awards was The Collective, which took home Best Singletrack, Best Line, Best Cinematography and the coveted Movie of the Year award. “The Collective is stoked to be recognized at an event of this prestige,” said The Collective Producer Jamie Houssian. “It was particularly cool to be recognized both for the work behind and in front of the camera.” Freeride Entertainment’s New World Disorder 5: Disorderly Conduct, with three out of four nominees for Best Performance, won that category for Darren Berrecloth’s big, progressive riding. NWD5 also took home Best Air (Berrecloth), and Breakthrough Performer, which was given to Paul Basagoitia, one of the year’s most talked about new riders.

BIKE, known for publishing riding’s best photos, was excited to have Photo Editor David Reddick present the Photo of the Year Award, which went to Eric Berger for his photo of Gareth Dyer in Kamloops, British Columbia.

The 2004 Ultimate Freeride Challenge winner was announced as well. Kurt Sorge, 16, from Nelson, BC, secured a sponsorship deal with Race Face, Giant and Manitou, worth more than $25,000.

"The Bike Awards is the perfect event to announce the Ultimate Freeride Challenge,” said Marshall Rutman, UFC Marketing Manager. “Our UFC winner is determined by online voting, same as BIKE's awards, so there's definitely a consistency there. We both obviously care a lot about what our consumers have to say and that shared philosophy makes these two events a really great fit.”

RESULTS:

READER POLL

BEST MALE:
1. Darren Berrecloth
2. Cedric Gracia
3. Kyle Strait
4. Steve Romaniuk
5. Wade Simmons


BEST FEMALE:
1. Marla Streb
2. Ann Caroline-Chausson
3. April Lawyer


VIDEO AWARDS

BEST AIR
Darren Berrecloth
NWD 5: Disorderly Conduct--Freeride Entertainment

BEST SINGLETRACK
Andrew Shandro & Dave Watson
The Collective--Jamie Houssian & Darcy Wittenburg


WORST CRASH
Jim DeChamp
Red Bull Bike Battle 2003--DH Productions

BEST URBAN ASSAULT
Jeff Lenosky
Chain Reaction 5--DH Productions

BEST LINE
Darren Berrecloth
The Collective--Jamie Houssian & Darcy Wittenburg

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER
Paul Basagoitia
NWD 5: Disorderly Conduct--Freeride Entertainment

BEST PERFORMANCE
Darren Berrecloth
NWD 5: Disorderly Conduct--Freeride Entertainment

BREAKOUT PRODUCER
Ryan Gibb
Suspect--Protostar Productions

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Collective--Jamie Houssian & Darcy Wittenburg

MOVIE OF THE YEAR
The Collective--Jamie Houssian & Darcy Wittenburg

PHOTO OF THE YEAR
Photo: Eric Berger
Rider: Gareth Dyer
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia

About BIKE magazine:
BIKE magazine is the official sponsor of the Granny Gear 24-Hour Race Series, the IMBA Epic Rides, Pedro’s Mountain Bike Festivals, the Red Bull Rampage and provides events with promotional support and schwag.

BIKE is also the creator of the Heavy Pedal Tour, the BIKE Buyer’s Guide and the BIKE Photo Annual (which has been moved to our August issue for 2004 to hit the heart of the season).