Foster Wins BMX Dirt at 2007 Toyota Challenge
Sep 23 2007 / Salt Lake City, UT
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Dew Tour Dirt contests have a tendency to go down to the wire, with plenty of jostling around in the leader board right until the last second. Since the best two of three runs are averaged for each rider, the standings going into the third round start jumping around like cheerleading squads on hot lava.The biggest surprise of the night came in Cameron White's first run – he threw out a barspin to tailwhip backflip attempt that was completely unexpected. There's only a small handful of riders who can even pull a straight spin to whip, so to go for it in a backflip is unheard of. He missed the landing, and everyone started wondering if he'd go for another one or play it safe for his second run.
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Meanwhile, Corey Bohan posted a high score in round one, but James Foster topped it with the triple whip/double whip sequence he fired out in Prelims. Current Tour leader Ryan Nyquist had trouble in his first run, as did Vans Invitational winner Dennis Enarson, who pulled the plug after a triple tailwhip attempt. Luke Parslow and Utah local Mike Aitken both posted big scores, but with totally different tricks. Parslow had the big flip variations, while Aitken slithered through unbelievably stylish 360 variations and a killer no-footed can-can to turndown. Steven McCann, who had just placed third in Vert, got off to a great start with a no-handed 720.
The second round brought more bad luck for Nyquist, who crashed on a 720, and Bohan couldn't repeat his first round performance, missing the pedals on a no-handed one-footer to tailwhip. McCann turned in another great run, as did Aitken and Parlsow. Dave Dillewaard broke into the 90s with an awesome tailwhip to barspin 360, but Foster took a hit on a tailwhip to tailwhip back attempt. Cam White decided to give the barspin to whip flip another shot and pulled it clean, posting the highest score of the night so far.
In the third round, McCann put up yet another great run with another no-handed 720 and a tailwhip to x-up, pushing him into the lead. Aitken followed with impossible 360 combos on every set, which then gave him the lead. The Salt Lake crowd was obviously pretty psyched on this, as it looked like the local kid was going to take the win. There were still eight riders left to run, though, so it was definitely still up for grabs.
Dillewaard unveiled a toboggan to turndown 360, and Enarson killed it with a flipwhip, double whip, and double whip 360. Bohan pulled the no-handed one-footer to whip, but crashed on an opposite 360 whip, so that left Parslow, White, and Foster as the only guys left with a legit chance at moving into the winner's circle. Parslow hit a huge flip whip on set one but it got a little away from him and he had to hit the brakes. White had the high score of the night, so another good score would move him into first. He hit hard with a flip whip, double whip, and frontflip, and took over the top spot. It would take a lot to move him out, and Foster was under a lot of pressure as the top qualifier to come through.
Foster threw out any plans of playing it safe and went for the glory, barspinning the drop-off, triple whipping the first set and double whipping the second. Just getting through to that point was nuts, and he just needed one more banger. He threw a barspin to x and nailed the tailwhip to tailwhip back on the last set, and everybody went completely nuts. White and Foster had both come through in the clutch with amazing runs, and it was up to the judges to decide who would come out on top. Foster ended up with the highest score of the night, and his very first Dew Tour win.
It was another great Dirt comp, and a telling preview to what's going to be an all-out barn burner in Orlando. The points are tight, everyone's hungry, and the new tricks just keep on coming. Hats off to the Dew Tour Dirt riders for bringing the heat in SLC.
-- From The Dew Tour Website
BMX Dirt Finals - Toyota Challenge
Sept. 21, 2007
1st - Foster, James - 93.25
2nd - White, Cameron - 92.92
3rd - Aitken, Mike - 90.50
4th - McCann, Steven - 90.50
5th - Parslow, Luke - 90.00
6th - Enarson, Dennis - 89.25
7th - Dillewaard, Dave - 89.08
8th - Bohan, Corey - 89.00
9th - Ellis, TJ - 88.17
10th - Marks, Joey - 87.75
11th - Nyquist, Ryan - 83.83
12th - Mackay, Colin - 83.25
*Ryan Nyquist still holds a strong lead in the total points standings for the Dew Cup over White, 282-232. With the win Foster is third in the standings with 222 points.
Prelim Results
Foster, White Lead BMX Dirt Prelims in SLCJames Foster edged Cameron White to take the top qualifying spot in BMX Dirt Thursday at the Toyota Challenge in Salt Lake City. Luke Parslow, Ryan Nyquist and Corey Bohan rounded out the top five, with last month's Vans Invitational winner Dennis Enarson taking the sixth spot.
Competition was fierce for the final spot to make the finals, with last year's Dew Cup winner Anthony Napolitan tying with Joey Marks with an 86.67, but Marks getting the edge thanks to the best scores otherwise. Also missing the cut were Diogo Canina and Cory Nastazio, both of whom were less than one point behind. Ryan Guettler and Morgan Wade were also surprise eliminations.
Find out what you're missing if you're not in Salt Lake City! Read about day one in SLC!.
Here are the full results from Prelims (top 12 make the cut):
BMX Dirt Prelims - Toyota Challenge
Sept. 20, 2007
1st - Foster, James - 91.67
2nd - White, Cameron - 91.17
3rd - Parslow, Luke - 90.00
4th - Nyquist, Ryan - 90.00
5th - Bohan, Corey - 89.00
6th - Enarson, Dennis - 88.83
7th - Dillewaard, Dave - 88.33
8th - Ellis, TJ - 87.67
9th - Aitken, Mike - 87.33
10th - McCann, Steven - 87.17
11th - Mackay, Colin - 86.83
12th - Marks, Joey - 86.67
13th - Napolitan, Anthony - 86.67
14th - Canina, Diogo - 86.33
15th - Nastazio, Cory - 86.00
16th - Wirch, Scott - 85.67
17th - Darden, Rob - 85.33
18th - Wade, Morgan - 84.50
19th - Doyle, Chris - 83.00
20th - Laguna, Ricardo - 82.50
21st - Gerber, Chris - 81.00
22nd - Dosch, Brandon - 78.67
23rd - Stead, Josh - 76.00
24th - Hall, Tim - 74.67
25th - Guettler, Ryan - 74.67
26th - Clark, Michael - 73.50
27th - Cooke, Allan - 70.00
28th - Lavin, TJ - 66.67
