Lift Off: Oakley’s Freestyle Motocross Athletes Blast Onto X Games 16 Podiums
Everyone knows that in the Moto world, the Big O is a big deal.
Even non-Oakley-sponsored Freestyle Motocross athletes were rocking Oakley goggles this past week at X Games 16. But the stunning performances by our own team riders…that was what really turned heads.
Kiwi (that means New Zealander) Levi Sherwood, the youngest and one of the most promising members of Oakley’s FMX team, continued his rise to fame as he took on Travis Pastrana himself at the Moto X Freestyle contest. Shocking X fans everywhere, he was just a single point behind Pastrana going into their final runs. In fact, his tricks, overall, were arguably better. But Pastrana’s trademark intensity and explosiveness (not to mention, a double back flip…just for fun) edged Levi out at the end of the night. He lost by just one point. Nothing to be sad about – as taking a solid second to the sport’s biggest name and most off-the-wall performer is an amazing feat.
“He beat us fair and square,” Levi said. “Whoever does a double flip in their run, he’s pretty crazy.”
Everyone agrees. Levi finished just barely went down to the multi-sport star. He also turned a lot of heads and earned massive respect from the likes of riders like the Metal Mulisha’s Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg.
“Honestly, I thought Levi had way better tricks…Pastrana was just a little more exciting to watch,” Stenberg said. “But I think Levi’s going to be untouchable next year — that kid’s freakin’ badass.”
We definitely agree with that assessment. Levi is definitely on his way up, and the Big O is psyched to be part of the ride. But there was more of the O kicking arse and taking names in FMX during the weekend.
A crowd favorite and just an ultra-amped spectacle in general, the FMX Best Trick contest saw some of the gnarliest riders in the sport take the stage. Both Levi Sherwood and Cam Sinclair represented the O – but it was the airborne insanity of Sinclair that got the entire Staples Center up and deafeningly loud with screams of excitement.
Cam returned to the big stage after rebounding from a nightmarish crash in 2009 that almost cost him his life. He gunned it and busted out a tantalizing double back flip, setting off an audience explosion. He not only landed the Gold: He also pulled off a trick that was reminiscent of one of the biggest moments in X history…Travis Pastrana’s double back flip in 2006. No contest.
Cutting to FMX Step Up, Oakley’s high-flying Ronnie Renner jumped his way to an intense elimination round after both he and fellow finalist Matt Buyten both hit the bar at 32’6”. Renner, the defending Gold-medalist, couldn’t clear the bar during the face-off style elimination, leaving him with the silver medal to round out the FMX team’s medal count.
The weekend capped off with X Games 16’s grand finale event: Freestyle Motocross Speed and Style. With almost all of Oakley’s FMX athletes present and competing for a chance for victory in the finals, the only one that pushed through as a finalist was none other than the ‘Godfather of Freestyle Motocross’ himself: Mike Metzger.
The only issue ended up being…he had to go up against Travis Pastrana in the first heat of the finals. Sufficed to say, Pastrana was amazing in his run, knocking Metzger out of the contest. He bowed out to the thunderous cheers of FMX fans that have always respected his legacy.
Whether it was amazing Medal performances or just the presence of big Oakley FMX personalities on or off their bikes (Blake “Bilko” Williams, Mike Mason, Dany Torres, etc.) and making their presence known, X Games 16 definitely screamed Oakley when it came to Freestyle MX.
Congratulations to all of our riders!
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