ESPN'S
B3 MAKES A COMEBACK FOR YEAR THREE
World's Best Returns to Louisville for Some Medals and Fireworks
Louisville, KY- Competition got underway today as Louisville welcomed the
ESPN B3 for the third year in a row at Waterfront Park. In conjunction with
Thunder Over Louisville, Bikes, Boards and Blades kicked off the Kentucky
Derby festivities on the waterfront today. ESPN's B3 competition annually
gathers 250 of the world's best action sports athletes competing in
Skateboarding, Aggressive In-Line Skating, and Bicycle Stunt More than 6500
spectators braved the weather today to arrive at the event's new home at
Waterfront Park's Phase II, east of the Old Railroad Bridge. With the
competitive season now in full swing B3 Louisville promises one of the
largest prize purses in action sports competitions and a chance to qualify
for the 7th annual ESPN X Games to be held in Philadelphia, PA this August.
Known far-and-wide as one of the premiere competitions in the industry, as
well as a place for up-and-comers to make their mark, ESPN continued its
tradition of bringing the best in action sports to Louisville with the first
of three days of B3 action on Friday. With hopes of taking home a chunk of
the prize purse worth over $100,000, athletes spent the day vying for the
crown of Bicycle Stunt Flatland. Matt Wilhelm of Lisle, IL, rode away with
the title today with a flawless performance using a flashy, energetic style
that set him apart from the rest of the competitors. Wilhelm led the
preliminary round after two solid runs, maintaining his lead throughout the
final. Martti Kuoppa of Helsinki, Finland kept the pressure on Wilhelm as
he narrowed the lead to a slim, nail-biting tie-breaker. Third place was
captured by Dan Rigby of Spruce Grove, British Columbia.
The Bicycle Vert Preliminary, which was scheduled to be held today, was
rescheduled for
Saturday 11am-12:30 due to inclement weather.
ESPN's B3 was conceived in 1997 after the growth and success of the ESPN X
Games. The event which is in its' fifth year has grown to become a proving
ground for professional action sport athletes. This B3 is the third year
ESPN is teaming with the Kentucky Derby Festival in conjunction with Thunder
Over Louisville, the country's largest display of fireworks. ESPN and ESPN2
will combine to televise approximately 55 hours of programming, including
re-airs, encore presentations and 8 hours of original programming of B3.
For more event information, log on to www.expn.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 20 RESULTS
BICYCLE STUNT
Men's Flatland Final
Athlete Hometown Score
| 1. Matt Wilhelm Lisle, IL | 98.00 |
| 2. Martti Kuoppa Helsinki, Finland | 97.67 |
| 3. Dan Rigby Spruce Grove, Alberta | 96.25 |
| 4. Nathan Penonzek Vancouver, BC | 94.25 |
| 5. Takashi Ito Akiruno, Japan | 93.75 |
| 6. Trevor Meyer Chaska, MN | 92.50 |
| 7. York Uno Kanazawa, Japan | 91.50 |
| 8. Aaron Behnke Carrboro, NC | 90.50 |
| 9. Alex Jumelin Paris, France | 89.75 |
| 10. Scott Powell Westlake, OH | 89.00 |
| 11. Cory Stratychuk Coquitlam, BC |
86.75 |
Originally printed at http://www.extremz.com/main/B3Day1.htm