CFB Round 3 - The Finals
Joliet, IL
June 21, 2002
Story by Art Thomason
Photos Autumn R.
Matt in the Golden Jacket
This contest marked the end of the third season of the CFB
Series and things just keep getting better. The lot in Joliet was one of the
best we have ever had and thanks to big sponsors like Best Buy, the prize money
is not too shabby either. To top things off, the winner of the year-end title
was promised $5,000 along with the now famous golden straight jacket. Needless
to say, the 2002 CFB finals was one heck of a contest.
Matt Wilhelm was in the lead for year-end title, but if Nathan took first, it
would be really close. Matt was on a mission to seal it up. Wilhelm hit his back
peg ride bike flip to wheelchair to hitchhiker into some of the fastest front
wheel spins in the business. No Wilhelm run would be complete without the
blender to upside-down pedaling megaspin. Matt tried a coasting back wheel 360
body varial at the end of his run, but couldn't pull it off. The touch put him
in 4th place. Japan's York Uno did a high speed spinning no-handed crackpacker
and hiker whips into a plethora of brakeless switches for 3rd place.
The top two riders were separated by the smallest margin in CFB history. It took
five tie-breakers to decide a winner; now that is tight! After it was all said
and done, Nathan Penonzek ended up with 2nd place.
After the year-end points were tabulated, Matt Wilhelm was awarded the CFB
year-end title golden straightjacket and $5,000. But it doesn't stop there for
Matt; he also won the HSA title belt (it includes the EXPN comps and the CFBs).
Congrats Matt!