Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza: Photo Epic - Crankworx Rotorua 2017
The Rotorua crowd gathered to line the immaculately presented slopestyle course for the first FMB Diamond event of the year. After the bad weather at the start of the week, there was barely a cloud in the sky and people were happy to make the most of it. Originally, the event was to be held on Sunday, however due to the weather it was moved to Saturday which certainly made it better for anyone wanting to party afterwards.
The event of the saw a couple of notable omissions, Brett Rheeder and Thomas Genon, both out due to injury, leaving a little hole around the sharp end of the pack to allow some new blood to make its way into the top of the standings. All eyes were on Brandon Semenuk and Nicholi Rogatkin, for the battle that was sure to happen. Rumours were rife before the event that Nicholi had some new tricks up his sleeve. When it came to competition time, Brandon would crash out on the landing of his first run which left the door wide open for Nicholi to send his signature trick 'The Twister', or 1080, which always proves popular with judges and crowds. He walked away with a massive score of 95.66.
Semenuk was unable to bring it back in the second run, therefore it was looking like one of the first run contenders, such as Max Fredriksson, Tomas Lemoine, or Anton Thelander would have to throw down to stop Nicholi from taking his first win of series. Unfortunately for them, each came up short on their second run leaving Nicholi's first run score unbeaten securing him the win. Both Torquato Testa and the young Emil Johansson had super strong second runs improving on their first run scores and landing them second and third place respectively.
The whip-off winner, Reed Boggs out of Utah, turned up for his first shot at the big show, and improved his second run with a full pull from top to bottom. All the young riders and fresh blood coming through would have been something that Kelly would have been stoked on. There were new winners, fresh faces on the podium, and banger tricks being thrown down for the big man. That's what it's all about.
#mcgazzaforever
McGazza in the winner's circle.
Max Fredriksson, always a podium favorite, would end his day in 6th.
Anthony Messere was sitting in podium contention after his first run but would take one of the hardest slams of the day in the second round. The 20-year-old would eventually settle for 7th.
Whip Off winner, Reed Boggs, grabbed the alternate spot to get into the finals at the last minute to finish 14th.
Antoine Bizet flipping into the sunlight on the second jump.
Anton Thelander with a dumped three at the top of his first run.
Brandon Semenuk on his first run.
Caught before his drop in time, Brandon warms up on his bike and visualizes his run.
We imagine he was going through his trick list and visualizing the course and what he needed to do to get another win.
Flip-whip into the second run for Brandon Semenuk.
Backflip into the woods for Ryan Nyquist, still the slopestyle freshman, Ryan put down a killer run.
Nicholi on his victory lap.
Instead of a victory lap, Rogatkin took the opportunity to trick his way to victory.
Nicholi Rogatkin had the look of a man intent on accomplishing something today, and accomplish something he did.
First time in the big show for Reed Boggs, completing a full pull on his second run.
Yannick with a Superman off the boner log.
Yannick Granieri's no foot can off the boner log.
Nyquist opposite spins the boner log.
Nico Scholze boosting the big boner log half way through the course.
Creatively placed sun just on the take off the jump.
Rotorua hasn't been kind to Brandon Semenuk in year's past, and things would be no different in 2017.
Antonie Bizzet whipping his way through the mid course.
Anton Thelander always has some of the best style on track.
Mid course front flips from Torquato Testa on his way to second place.
Sam Pilgrim rounded out the top 10 today.
Yannick Graneri had couple solid run this afternoon.
Thelander spinning up onto the platform.
Emil with a backflip onto the SRAM sender.
The godfather of freestyle BMX, Ryan Nyquist threw down two impressive runs to finish just off the podium in 4th.
Anton Thelander flat drop back flips the SRAM sender.
Max Fredriksson with a 360 x-up off the SRAM drop.
Emil is definitely one to watch after today's result
Emil Johansson spins the big SRAM drop.
Nyquist opposite spins off the SRAM drop.
Emil is clearly one to watch in future rounds.
Nico Scholze and a stretched backflip tsunami.
Semenuk came out swinging hard but crashed on the finish jump. After Rogatkin threw down a 95.66 on his first run it was all over.
Torquato Testa on his way to second place.
It was a full house on the side of the course today.
Flip whip to barspin from Emil Johansson.
Nicholi Rogatkin on his final run, didn't just do a victory lap instead, going all out for the crowd.
Rogatkin on the final rotation of the twister.
Brett Tippie crowns the new Slopestyle Champ in Rotorua.
Nicholi Rogatkin was all smiles after the big show.
The champagne spraying on today's podium was interesting as only Nicholi could open his at the start.
Some of these guys are still too young to drink the champagne, but nothing says they can't spray it around.
The winning ride and a beverage to celebrate victory.
Sign my face was the request given to Nicholi for this autograph.
Nicholi Rogatkin taking names and tagging faces.
Nicholi Rogatkin, Torquato Testa, Emil Johansson take Rotorua.
MENTIONS: @davetrumpore / @FRNZ / @AJBarlas / @mdelorme
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13 Comments
- 29 1
jotxirrindulari
(Apr 1, 2017 at 9:13)
No picture of Tomas Lemoine ? He got probably the steeziest run of the day, and got 90.00 pts, he would deserve a pic or two here
- 7 0
DigRenno
(Apr 1, 2017 at 11:49)
@fitjoani: true!!!!! His runs were better than usual I thought!!!!! 
- 17 0
pipotte
(Apr 1, 2017 at 9:05)
Awesome pictures! Just not the right trick description for like 90% of this article!
- 8 0
ian1086
(Apr 1, 2017 at 21:24)
And some wrong names too...
- 10 0
garylucas
(Apr 1, 2017 at 12:29)
Ride In Peace Kelly. XXXXXXXX
- 5 1
RowanH
(Apr 1, 2017 at 15:30)
When I was a young fulla it would have blown my mind to see the worlds best in Rotorua (at that time John Tomac, Missy Giove....) it was the stuff of magazines, VHS and legends. Well done Rotorua for hosting such a massive event who would've thought ....
who would've thought ....- 6 0
troyleedesigns
(Apr 2, 2017 at 12:06)
"Rotorua hasn't been kind to Semenuk"....in other news, he won last year in Rotorua. We all need that kind of kindness I guess.
- 7 0
Golden-G
(Apr 1, 2017 at 8:12)
What?? No full pull on the boner log?
- 6 0
amjohnsonwv
FL (Apr 1, 2017 at 11:31)
"boosting the big boner log"
- 3 0
Pedalen
(Apr 1, 2017 at 8:28)
Kick-ass pics from Pinkbike, awesome behind-the-scene's vids from Cedric Gracia's Vlog. Can we move the next Crankworx for next weekend? Please?
- 3 0
preach
(Apr 1, 2017 at 8:11)
Yannick must've been using a Shinobi training app cause that was one heckuva kick
- 1 0
zonoskar
(Apr 3, 2017 at 3:53)
While the pics are excellent, I feel that pics don't do justice to the tricks these guys manage to pull off.
- 1 1
garylucas
(Apr 1, 2017 at 12:28)
A Srampodium. Excellent.
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