Luc Ackermann caps off a perfect end to the season - Youngest FMX World Champion of all time and NIGHT of the JUMPs World Tour Champion

 

Sofia, December 14, 2019:  The season finale of NIGHT of the JUMPs came to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday night.  Ten of the world’s best Freestyle Motocross athletes from seven nations and three continents fought for the last points of the year inside the Armeec Arena in Sofia.  After four years, the people of the Bulgarian capital could finally experience the biggest Freestyle Motocross spectacle live again.  It was in 2015 when the longest running FMX sport series visited Sofia, and in 2019 the fans experienced the gripping final fight, firsthand.

Three out of the top 4 riders from NIGHT of the JUMPs were on hand to ride the event with Adam Jones (USA), Pat Bowden (AUS) and Luc Ackermann (GER) ready to ride.  Only the five-time World Champion, Maikel Melero (ESP), was unable to compete after his recent shoulder surgery but was able to return as a special guest Judge in Sofia.  The three main players left no doubt in anyone’s minds during the qualification round as to who was going to be battling for the victory. 

Jones with his signature style on the bike showed everyone how to do text-book Cliffhanger and Deadbody Flips, while Pat Bowden extended his Cliffhanger Flip even further and threw in his 360 Nac-Nac over the Superkicker to secure second place in the preliminary round.  It was again the young German who would lead the field in qualifying with his 360, Flair, Front Flip and Double Flip to land over 50 points in front of the next best rider.  Petr Pilat (CZE) with his flair, Leo Fini (ITA) with his style and Filip Podmol (CZE) with his best qualification run of his career including his new One-Hand Indy Flip completed the final 6 going into the final.

Despite having his baggage including his suspension go missing on his flight to Sofia and missing most of the training time, Marc Pinyol (ESP) didn’t make it through to the Top 6 Final, but still showed the other riders his whips are on another level when he turned his Kawasaki back-to-front in the Best Whip competition in front of a charging Filip Podmol in second place.  The Italian team of Leo Fini and Davide Rossi showed near perfection in their Synchro competition but were just pipped at the post by Adam Jones and Filip Podmol on Team Yamaha 2-stroke with their huge synchronised Ruler Flips and Switchblade Flips.

Opening the Final 6, Leo Fini returned for his last run of the 2019 season and the atmosphere among the near 10,000 visitors was electric.  For the battle of third position overall between Podmol, Jones and Bowden was going to come down to the wire.  Jones put together a huge run, however Podmol missed a trick and slipped to 6th on the night and missing a chance at taking third overall in the season.  While Jones waited nervously, Pat Bowden stepped up the battle of the style kings with his Front Flip to narrowly secure second place.  Luc Ackermann had the honours of the final run of the season, and he left no doubt amongst the crowds and judges who the champion of 2019 was, with his Flair, 360, Ruler Flip, Hart Flip, Front Flip and topped it off with the Double Backflip.  The arena erupted to celebrate with the German Wunderkind as he took the overall victory ahead of Melero and Bowden.

With six out of seven possible wins, the FMX Terminator, Luc Ackermann has been crowned the FIM Freestyle Motocross World Champion.  He is the youngest Freestyle Motocross World Champion of all time and has impressively broken through Maikel Melero’s five-year dominance.  With his victory in Sofia, the 21-year-old German also was crowned the NIGHT of the JUMPs World Tour Champion 2019.

“I’m just overjoyed.  I’ve dreamed of the World Championship title for so long and worked so hard for it.  Winning the NIGHT of the JUMPs Tour Championship on top here in Sofia makes the perfect season” Luc Ackermann said.

One of the most exciting seasons of NIGHT of the JUMPs has come to an end.  The riders will now have two months to relax and work on new tricks as they return for the next event on 21/22 February, 2020 where NIGHT of the JUMPs will take over Berlin to celebrate its 20th anniversary with even more FMX fireworks to be expected.

 

Video link Best Tricks NOTJ Sofia 2019:

https://youtu.be/W_EM6ta8Y24

 

FACTS

NIGHT of the JUMPs

Sofia, 14. December 2019

 

Results NIGHT of the JUMPs – Final

1. Luc Ackermann                             GER        DMSB                   Husqvarna           372 Points

2. Pat Bowden                                   AUS        MA                       Yamaha                350 Points

3. Adam Jones                                   USA        AMA                     Yamaha                322 Points

4. Petr Pilat                                       CZE         ACCR                    KTM                      312 Points

5. Leonardo Fini                                ITA         AMF                     KTM                      288 Points

6. Filip Podmol                                  CZE         ACCR                    Yamaha                268 Points

 

Results Qualification

1. Luc Ackermann                             GER        DMSB                   Husqvarna           373 Points

2. Pat Bowden                                   AUS        MA                       Yamaha                322 Points

3. Filip Podmol                                  CZE         ACCR                    Yamaha                306 Points

4. Adam Jones                                   USA        AMA                     Yamaha                304 Points

5. Petr Pilat                                       CZE         ACCR                    KTM                      302 Points

6. Leonardo Fini                                ITA         AMF                     KTM                      273 Points

7. Brice Izzo                                       FRA        FFM                      Husqvarna           235 Points

8. Davide Rossi                                 ITA         OSK                       Kawasaki              225 Points

9. Marc Pinyol                                 ESP        RFME                   Kawasaki              220 Points

10. Hannes Ackermann                   GER        DMSB                   KTM                      209 Points

 

 

 

 

FIM Freestyle MX World Championship 2019

Ranking (after final contest)

1. Luc Ackermann                             GER        DMSB                   Husqvarna           120 Points

2. Maikel Melero                              ESP         RFME                    KTM                      108 Points

3. Pat Bowden                                   AUS        MA                       Yamaha                74 Points

4. Adam Jones                                   USA        AMA                     Yamaha                68 Points

5. Filip Podmol                                  CZE         ACCR                    Yamaha                61 Points

6. Kai Haase                                      GER        DMSB                   Suzuki                  53 Points

7. Libor Podmol                                CZE         ACCR                    Husqvarna           42 Points

8. Javier Villegas                               CHL        FMC                      Suzuki                  41 Points

9. Rob Adelberg                                AUS        MA                       Yamaha                40 Points

10. Hannes Ackermann                   GER        DMSB                   KTM                      38 Points

11. Leonardo Fini                              ITA         PZM                      KTM                      36 Points

12. Brice Izzo                                     FRA        FFM                      Husqvarna           35 Points

13. Petr Pilat                                     CZE         ACCR                    KTM                      29 Points

14. Edgar Torronteras                      ESP         RFME                    Yamaha                20 Points

15. Hitoshi Takahashi                    JAP         MFR                     Yamaha                16 Points

16. Jeremy Rouanet                         FRA        FFM                      Yamaha                12 Points

17. Fred Kyrillos                                BRA        CBM                     Honda                  12 Points

18. Mat Rebeaud                              SUI         FMS                      Alta                         7 Points

 

 

NIGHTof the JUMPs World Tour Champion 2019

Ranking (after final contest)

1. Luc Ackermann                             GER        DMSB                   Husqvarna           140 Points

2. Maikel Melero                              ESP         RFME                    KTM                      108 Points

3. Pat Bowden                                   AUS        MA                       Yamaha                92 Points

4. Adam Jones                                   USA        AMA                     Yamaha                84 Points

5. Filip Podmol                                  CZE         ACCR                    Yamaha                71 Points

6. Kai Haase                                      GER        DMSB                   Suzuki                  53 Points

7. Leonardo Fini                                ITA         PZM                      KTM                      48 Points

8. Hannes Ackermann                      GER        DMSB                   KTM                      44 Points

9. Brice Izzo                                       FRA        FFM                      Husqvarna           44 Points

10. Petr Pilat                                     CZE         ACCR                    KTM                      43 Points

11. Libor Podmol                              CZE         ACCR                    Husqvarna           42 Points

12. Javier Villegas                                            CHL        FMC                      Suzuki                  41 Points

13. Rob Adelberg                              AUS        MA                       Yamaha                40 Points

14. Edgar Torronteras                      ESP         RFME                    Yamaha                20 Points

15. Hitoshi Takahashi                    JAP         MFR                     Yamaha                16 Points

16. Jeremy Rouanet                         FRA        FFM                      Yamaha                12 Points

17. Fred Kyrillos                                BRA        CBM                     Honda                  12 Points

18. Davide Rossi                               ITA         OSK                       Kawasaki                8 Points

19. Marc Pinyol                               ESP        RFME                   Kawasaki                7 Points

20. Mat Rebeaud                              SUI         FMS                      Alta                         7 Points

 

More info, photos and videos at www.NIGHToftheJUMPs.com.

 

NIGHT of the JUMPs Press-Office

Berlinièros PR                                                                               

Oliver Franke                                                                                

Franklinstr. 21 – 10587 Berlin - Germany                                                

T: +49 (0)30 3974 3665 - F: +49 (0)30 3974 5942                                                                 

Mail: oliver.franke@berlinieros.de