Freestyle Motocross


Saturday 7:30PM -

The student became the teacher in Ottawa as 18-year-old Jack Rowe bumped his older brother out of the hot seat to claim victory in the Freestyle Final tonight.

The FMX tour stop in Ottawa was almost called due to weather despite the fact that the competition was being held in Scotiabank Place, the home of the NHL's Ottawa Senators. But once the ice was covered inside, the snow began to melt outside as the freestyle action heated up.

Qualifying began with Clint Esposito drawing the tough first spot. He had mechanical difficulties and scored only a 70.0. But they say from adversity comes opportunity and the other riders took advantage of the low initial score. Scott Hanlin and Ryan Logan moved the bar up into the mid-70's. But Casey Higgins, the veteran on the big 4-stroke Yamaha 450 grabbed the lead with an 89.0 to round out the first group of riders.

The Ride and Grind BMX stunt team wowed the crowd and let the remaining riders concentrate on their runs. The time paid off as all scored well. The tall man from Vermont, 6 foot 4 inch Shawn Connors grabbed an 87.9 to kick off the second qualifying group. Paul Smith, the seasoned rider originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia and the only Canadian rider had the crowd on his side with an 88.5. Jason Rowe moved the judging meter up a few ticks to 88.9. Jack Rowe broke through the 90 point scoring barrier with 91.0. But JJ Romans blew the crowd and the judges away with back flip variations amid a variety of tricks to top out qualifying with a 91.5.

With the stage set for the final four, the second half started with a blast as Jennifer Schneider proved why she is called the Cannon Lady. Flying 120 feet and 60 feet above the arena floor, she completed a 70 kilometer an hour flight to the net.

The Ogio Team competition played freestyle in stereo as three teams competed for the winner's plaques. Ryan Logan was scheduled to team with Scott Hanlin, but came out riding a BMX bike with lanky Shawn Connors on the back. Connors had substituted as Logan's team partner. Once they saddled up on their dirt bikes and ran a train routine with one following the other, they scored an 80. Casey Higgins and JJ Romans ran an opposite strategy and mirrored each other on the ramps on each side of the track to ramp up to an 89. Before the intermission, Jason Rowe had hinted to the crowd that they would be in for a treat and delivered, team with his brother Jack for a 91 and the win.

However, the finals pitted the two brothers against one another with the hot seat on the line. Jason Rowe hit the ramps first and scored a 91. He snuggled into the hot seat with the three trophy girls. Higgins filled his 80 seconds with a wide variety of tricks but the 90.5 just wasn't enough to dislodge the elder Rowe from the hot seat. Prior to his run, Jack Rowe circled like a shark pointing at Jason and throwing down the challenge. Like the Torco Racing fuels slogan says, it isn't bragging if you can back it up and Jack Rowe did just that. Nailing a 92.5, he gave his brother a good-natured back slap and took over the hot seat. Only JJ Romans remained to spoil the evening. Hitting no handed and no footed back flips should have been enough. But missing a couple of tricks led JJ to say he was disappointed with his run and that Jack had won. His prophecy was fulfilled when he scored a 92. With a .5 margin, Jack Rowe was tonight's Freestyle Finals champion.

Doug de Nance, announcer/fan