Munich welcomed the worlds best freeriders as the 2008 Nissan Qashqai Challenge reached the first of the two final events and with the qualification rounds over, only the best riders remained in the competition for the fat paycheck and eternal fame that will surely follow.

The course, as we’ve come to expect, demanded total commitment and precision from the riders. Two doubles in the upper section fed into a
right-hand berm that sent the riders down a grassy slope, popping out of the trees and off a big drop into the lower section towards two huge final jumps.

Martin Soederstrom blew his rivals away though, and in front of the biggest crowd so far – some 25,000 – treated everyone to an impressive display of tricks. In his final run he pulled a clean truck-driver into a 360 tailwhip to pedals, tabletop off the drop, and was the only rider to tailwhip over the big 9 meter double, capping the run with a clean nose dive 360.

Top qualifier Trond Hanson was close with a 360 X-up into a tailwhip followed with a moto-whip off the drop, clean 360 over the big double and into an opposite 360 to
finish. Brandon Semenuk solidified his third place performance with a
tailwhip into a 360 truck-driver, followed by a no-foot can-can off the drop, to a seat grab Indian air and riding out of a double tailwhip over the last jump.

Lance McDermott and Paul Basagotia rounded out the top five and stayed in
contention for the overall title. All twelve finalists rode incredibly well, and
at one point in the second round the top four riders were separated by only
four points. In the end, the riders all agreed with the final results.

The final round moves to London, wit the Tate Modern Gallery forming a backdrop, on 24 May.

Results

• 1 Martin Soederstroem
• 2 Trond Hansen
• 3 Brandon Semenuk
• 4 Lance McDermott
• 5 Paul Basagoitia
• 6 Benny Korthaus
• 7 Phil Sundbaum
• 8 Jamie Goldman
• 9 Amir Kabbani
• 10 Kurtis Sorge
• 11 Sam Pilgrim
• 12 Andreu LacondeguyGeneral admission to all the Nissan Qashqai Challenge events is free.