In now its fourth year, Tyler Bereman’s Red Bull Imagination competition will be taken to a new level.
In the past, 10 invited riders would take to Fort Scott, Kansas to compete in the custom-built dirt bike playground mano-a-mano to see who could throw the biggest tricks and land the biggest jumps. This year riders were broken into two teams of five picked by Robbie Maddison and Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg. All five members would compete in competitions that best suit their skill set along with a full team effort to close out the competition.
This event has evolved as each year the riders make one-of-a-kind moments in freestyle dirt bike athletes.
In its creation, Bereman sees art.
“It’s turned into something that is so big, and they say Red Bull gives you wings,” Bereman told NBC Sports. “This event has actually spread its wings. We’re just scratching the surface on this. But the prep is now literally all year long prepping for a one-week event. It’s non-stop inspiration and in my eyes imagination. We’re all creating out of our imagination each year as it continues to evolve. The course has been absolutely insane. To be able to ride the craziest course that, in my eyes, has ever been built with all nine other of my best friends is something super special.”
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The five categories were chosen to tell “The Story of a Free Rider” and give each rider a chance to show off their greatest strengths.
Maddison, referred to as Maddo by his team and competition, is an X-Games gold medalist known for his back flips. He lined up next to Stenberg, known as Twitch to the competition, who is an established freestyle motocross and Off-Road Racer.
After two days of practice the team captains had the chance to build their teams.
“If this is going to be anything like High School, I’m going to be pretty bummed,” Patrick Evans said before going into the draft.
In his first try at the competition, Evans was chosen first overall to compete in the Speed and Style Competition against Josh Hill who recently returned to SuperMotocross competition with Team Tedder. Evans would not have to worry about his place in the schoolyard draft.
“I’m doing the speed style category against Josh Hill,” Evans said. “So that means we’re pretty much looking at a racetrack. The most fun thing for me to do is rip around the course. Actually try to go as fast as I can and get as much style and whips and tricks off jumps trying to hit it really fast like it’s a racetrack.
After the draft on the third day of practice Brian McCarty, while practicing his Big Dawg jump over the Fasthouse barn, suffered a major injury and had to leave the competition.
“Brian McCarty sustained significant injuries during the team practice and was treated at the University of Kansas Hospital,” Red Bull Motorsports reported through their Youtube Channel. “Fortunately, he is in stable condition and was communicating with his fellow riders the night before the competition.”
This left the teams uneven going into Saturday.
A coin flip was chosen to even the playing field. In the end, Stenberg won and stole Julian Vanstippen.
The teams line up as follows:
Team Twitch:
Julian Vanstippen: Big Dawg, Best Whip
Guillem Navas: Best Whip
Christian Dresser: Best Whip
Josh Hill: Speed and Style
Vicki Golden: Creative Line
Team Maddo:
Patrick Evans: Style + Speed, Best Whip
Tom Parson - Best Whip
Kohl Denney -Creative Line
Tyler Bereman - Big Dawgs, Best Whip
“The way that this team format is shaking out,” Bereman explained, “Is basically taking what we get to do all week with each other and the progression and bringing that into Saturday. (This allows) us to work together and to bring our strengths to each category and for your respective team. It allows these guys to bring what they’re good at to the table for their team to beat the others for bragging rights.”
It all ends with a team ride, lovely referred to as ‘synchronized dirt biking’ where the teams of four and five get to show off what they’ve know about the course together before performing expos on the other side of the event space. The addition of the teams to an already stacked event gives fans and competitors something to look forward to beginning October 8.