The flip had claimed many casualties and some were beginning to feel that it might be a trick that could not be mastered consistently. But then, it happened. Caleb Wyatt, a true underdog, stomped the first-ever backflip at his home in Oregon. Soon after Caleb pulled it, Metzger devoted himself to perfecting this elusive trick and stuck it perfectly. And unlike Caleb's flip that was on dirt, Metzger's was from a ramp to dirt. Metz flipped consistently everyday after that until he was ready to take on the competition. Little did he know, however, that by that time, Travis Pastrana had backflips wired as well.

The first showdown took place the following year at the 2002 Gravity Games. Metz and Travis went back and forth with the flip, making it look easy until Travis finally rode away with the win pulling six flips in one run. The flip had been mastered and many other riders were soon to follow.

A second showdown of sorts was shaping up by way of the 2002 Summer X Games. Pastrana was unable to ride due to another injury, whichy left the door wide open for "The Godfather. In his final run, with millions of friends and fans anxiously watching... Metz pulled off the impossible! He flipped the first of two jumps in a row. The first gap was 45' and he hit it in first gear. Then he shifted into second while upside down and thew a textbook backflip over the second gap which was 75'. History had been made.

Since then, Moto has been a game of flips. With way more than a handful of guys flipping, top guys needed something new to stand out. Nate Adams, Brian Deegan, and Travis were all pulling 75' flips now off ramps to dirt. But in the 2003 X Games, history was made again. Deegan and Travis both pulled off a trick thought to be impossible: a backflip 360. Six years ago, if you were to ask a Freestyle Moto rider if he could do a seat grab, he would have laughed at you. Now, Pastrana and Ox are doing seat grab 360s. At the 2004 X Games, Chuck Carothers threw a body varial to win the Best Trick gold. This kind of progression never would have happened prior to 2002, but thanks to Carey Hart, who had the foresight to build the first foam pit, guys can learn dangerous tricks without killing themselves in the process. This is not to say that all the riders unilaterally support this kind of progression. Travis Pastrana, who has been working on a double back flip into a foam pit says, "It kind of sucks because the crazy guys, the original guys, would have done these crazy tricks on dirt eventually anyway. But for some of the younger guys who are really skilled, but not as insane, it helps them to learn it into the foam pit and then school us!"

This sport is progressing so fast you don't even have time to blink. So as you sit in the stands and prepare to watch the World Championships of Freestyle Motocross, don't move, don't look away, and don't blink. The way things have been going the past few years, there's no telling what you might miss!

Enjoy the show,
Dane Herron

Dane Herron is a professional dirt bike rider. He designs Freestyle Moto courses all over the world including the LG Action Sports Championships as well as the winter and summer X Games.

« Previous