The XDL Championship has been trying to find itself since its inception. Each year the venues are scattered across the states, but few have been in repeat locations. Even a brief partnership with the now defunct Hot Import Nights tour came and went. So this year the big news was a venue at Daytona International Speedway during Bike Week. This much was true, and the anticipation for a breakout event with big spectator attendance to give XDL some real weight was high. But alas, at the conclusion of the weekend, general disappointment was the sentiment regarding the poor attendance and unusually bad weather, but there was some unexpected buzz that's become the talk of the tournament.
Bill Dixon dips into a no-handed...
Bill Dixon dips into a no-handed wheelie en route to his FMF Cup victory.
The Tandem event is always...
The Tandem event is always a crowd pleaser at XDL.
Jesse Toler shows that Bill...
Jesse Toler shows that Bill Dixon isn't the only rider with switchback wheelies on lock.
Dena Sodano shows off her...
Dena Sodano shows off her skills in the Sartso Women's Cup.
SSB-sponsored rider Brian...
SSB-sponsored rider Brian Bubash smokes one on the way to his Freestyle Burnout win.
Who says you have to stretch...
Who says you have to stretch before you ride?
Dena Sodano showed a well-rounded and technical bag of tricks to easily take the win in the new Sartso Women's Cup competition. Her combo and circle wheelies solidified a first place finish, while also making her name the most common topic of discussion throughout the weekend.
"I had a great time at my first XDL in Daytona. It was definitely an eye-opener and gave me a chance to see how things work at the event. It brought to my attention what areas I need to work on as a rider and I was also able to watch first hand some of the best riders out there. The Sartso Women's Cup is an amazing opportunity for women to get involved in the sport. I hope more girls will take part at future XDLs.
-Dena Sodano
Another new addition to the XDL Championship for 2010 is the No-Handed Circle Challenge, where competitors must perform as many circles as possible on the rear wheel without touching the controls. Alex Flores was able to knock out 30 complete revolutions before tapping out. His effort surpassed all other competitors to give him the win.
In the premier event, the FMF Cup, favorite Bill Dixon took the top spot with his routine that consisted largely of backwards maneuvers. It's clear that his monopoly on the various switchback moves will soon end because a number of other competitors were executing similar moves.
Dan Jackson goes down hard...
Dan Jackson goes down hard during a weekend he'd like to forget.
Going into the second round at Lake Havasu, Arizona, Dixon has a slim points lead over Luke Emmons and Rick Hart. You can bet they'll be spending their down time between rounds polishing their routines in hopes of knocking Dixon from the top of the podium.
It's gonna take more than...
It's gonna take more than a little rain to keep Team Death Squad down.
Alex Flores rolls no-handed...
Alex Flores rolls no-handed circles on one of the tightest looking rides in the series.
Results
FMF Cup
1. Bill Dixon
2. Luke Emmons
3. Rick Hart
Sartso Women's Cup
1. Dena Sodano
2. Kelly Jennings
3. Britney Shara
Russ Brown Freestyle Burnout
Brian Bubash
Speed and Strength Sickest Trick
Bill Dixon
switchback scrape
K&N Circle Challenge
Jesse Toler