WATCH: Motocross racers show off fancy tricks at King of the Whip in North Riding

The whips some motocross riders did at the second annual King of the Whip contest were almost too amazing for words to describe.

One would have had to have been at Biker’s Warehouse, North Riding, on 24 February to appreciate the skill demonstrated first hand.

WATCH

A crowd of 3 000 people turned up to witness some of the craziest mid-air tricks (called whips) 25 of South Africa’s top motocross and freestyle motocross riders could do. Backflips, handstands, letting go with both hands, and other daredevil tricks made it an adrenaline-fuelled event.

The competition was held in stages called ‘jam sessions’ where groups of riders would ramp roughly 10m into the air, and be marked by judges according to style, amplitude and variation in the whips they did before landing on the ground up to 23m from the ramp.

Riders who scored enough points went to the elimination rounds.

In the end, after so many death-defying stunts were pulled off successfully, there could only be one King of the Whip.

“I crashed the day before and hurt my arm and knee, and I was late for practice and not sure if I would ride or not,” said the event winner, Dallan Goldman.

Goldman, who came third last year, explained that when he saw how much fun the other riders were having, he could not help but hit the ramp.

“I decided to just go have fun and not exert myself too much. I guess I was just lucky [to win]. I did a lot of flips and whip tricks for the crowd.”

Goldman said it is not easy doing the whips he and his competitors do, and it takes years of practice and ‘baby steps’ to reach their level.

Event organiser Ryan van der Spuy said the event was even bigger and better than last year.

“It was great to see so many people come show support, and see the riders also up their game from last year,” he said, adding that between the top 15 riders it was very hard to choose a winner.

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