Leygonie edges Loubser to win pro title at BMX Freestyle SA Champs

In a final run that included a huge superman tailwhip over the big box jump, big airs in the bowl, a corked backflip, a tailwhip and a barspin to barspin back on the quarter pipe, earned Vincent Leygonie the pro men’s title at last Saturday’s inaugural BMX Freestyle SA Championships.

The event took place at the 2023 Park Lines BMX tournament at Stoneridge Skatepark in Edenvale, Joburg.

Over 50 riders competed in the amateur and pro divisions as the judges considered use-of-park, amplitude, execution, trick variation and difficulty when scoring riders’ runs.

Jenna Byrnes, as the only female in the women’s pro category, was crowned SA champion, but there was a lot more competition in the men’s pro division.

Leygonie finished with 82.60 points, just ahead of Murray Loubser (80.40) and Dylan van Belkum who was third (77.20).

Rounding out the top five were Malcolm Peters (74.20) and Doran Mathewson (73.10).

Loubser won the prize for the best trick, a “360 to nose manual to 360 out”.

Amateurs

In the amateur division, eight riders advanced to the finals, and in the end, last year’s third-place finisher, Dylan Lamb, came out on top, with 70.85 points.

Mathys Putter was second with 70.30 points and Duan Stapelberg third with 59.20 points.

Park Lines organiser, Ryan van der Spuy said the tournament was a “big step forward for the sport in South Africa, to have an officially sanctioned event where riders are now recognised through the commission and awarded official UCI points and South African ranking.”