Swatch Rocket Air - Riders Announcement

Apr 25, 2016
by Flying Metal  
For seven years in a row, riders have called the Swatch Rocket Air one of their favourite bike events of the season. This weekend things are about to get extra wild as the ice rink of Thun turns into a rainforest to fit this year’s theme “Welcome to the Jungle.” As the only FMB Gold Event in Switzerland, it’s attracting famous riders from all over the world and will be sure to captivate the audience.

Mountain bikers and fans alike can look forward to a jungle oasis as the ice rink of Thun transforms to take its theme “Welcome to the Jungle.” Along with the theme, fans can expect some changes to the course as well. The long-serving “whale tail” obstacle will be replaced by a more progressive flat drop feature. The tower, with a height of seven meters, is undoubtedly going to be a challenge for the riders. Replicating the Maya Tower, the drop is sure to be eye-catching for the audience as well. Extended with a “rainbow wall ride,” the quarter pipe is also getting a new feature for the riders to be creative with and show their tricks.

Building progress Swatch Rocket Air 2016

Meanwhile the Flying Metal Crew builds up the jungle lines


The 26-year-old Canadian, Drew Bezanson is really looking forward to the Swatch Rocket Air: “The course looks fantastic, I am really looking forward to riding it." Until now, the Canadian has shown his BMX tricks at a high level, and even higher heights, while winning some of the most prestigious BMX contests around the globe. For the first time in the competitive world, Bezanson will be trading his BMX for a mountain bike, making his debut at the Swatch Rocket Air. Although the Canadian admits it hasn’t been easy, he assured us that he has been training a lot on his mountain bike and will be able to adapt some of his BMX tricks. In the Team Battle he will be competing against household names in the mountain bike slopestyle scene. Opponents like Nicholi Rogatkin, Peter Henke and Sam Pilgrim are not going to be easy to beat. For the theme “Welcome to the Jungle,” Bezanson is still looking for a costume. Who knows what we can expect but maybe a Canadian monkey?

Riderlist Swatch Rocket Air 2016
Rogatkin Nicholi USA
Genon Thomas BEL
Pilgrim Sam GBR
Lemoine Tomas FRA
Zejda Tomas CZE
Gani Mehdi FRA
Testa Torquato ITA
Godziek Szymon POL
Fredriksson Max SWE
Thelander Anton SWE
Jones Matt GBR
Vencl Jakub CZE
Chubey Mitch CAN
Caverzasi Diego ITA
Henke Peter GER
Hunziker Ramon CHE
Bezanson Drew CAN
Nyquist Ryan USA
Alekhin Pavel RUS
Lamirande Bobby CAN
Aguado Alba Bienvenido ESP
Barroso Nuno POR
Pagés Simon FRA

Startlist Teambattle
Swatch Rocket Air image

Swatch Rocket Air image
The Teambattle will be one of the highlights again

In addition to the slopestyle contest, there will also be some familiar faces from other disciplines competing on the modular pump track. The Pump Battle World Series recently stopped in Zürich and will also be in Thun for the Swatch Rocket Air. Riders like Noel Niederberger, Simon Waldburger and the German Four-Cross Champion, Daniel Anger will ride the track. But of course, the pump track is not only for the professional riders. Everybody is invited to join in and compare their times with international competitors using the online ranking system. With a time of 7.815 seconds, the current Swiss record is not far off the current Pump Battle Series world record. Come out and watch to see if one of the riders can break the record!

To complete the event line up, none other than the current BMX Flatland World Champion, Viki Gomez of Spain will turn the front of the ice rink into an arena of bike acrobatics at the highest level.

More Infos: www.rocketair.ch, www.flyingmetal.ch / @flyingmetal

Author Info:
flyingmetal avatar

Member since Sep 2, 2013
65 articles

43 Comments
  • 46 1
 Drew bezanson should be good
  • 8 3
 Same with Nyquist.
  • 3 1
 Gonna be interesting to see how those guys compare to Rogatkin.
  • 4 1
 @Joebro1995: word up! I wana see my new iddle rogatkin., safe landings too brotherin!
  • 2 0
 @drummuy04: That's who I'll be pulling for on this list. For sure.
  • 4 0
 @onemanarmy: PAVEL!!!!!
  • 26 5
 It's good that Semenuk lets the other guys have a chance in the limelight
  • 27 1
 I'm pretty sure semenuk doesn't even like to do this shit, he just wants to film bike parts. However, his sponsor money aka his mortgage is very much tied to his earnings through crankworx competitions and such. His first few big years he did just about as many of these competitions as you could do, but he's pretty much backed down to only doing crankworx now.
  • 15 7
 don't get me wrong, semenuk is a great rider and certainly has an incredible balance of tricks and freeride/technical chops, but these guys are some of the best dirt jumpers (as he is too) and bmx riders in the world. I know Semenuk could probably ride pro bmx, but if you throw him in against guys like Bezanson, Nyquist, Rogatkin, etc in a contest of tricks off perfect airs or in a park, he's not going to have an easy time, and likely wouldn't win.

Again, there's tons of great riders who completely dominate what they focus on, but that doesn't mean they are better than everyone else at everything. Maybe I'm weird, but the fanboyism is mildly disrespectful towards guys who clearly work their ass off at being the best at what they do as well. Semenuk doesn't do this stuff anymore, and it's not his specialty. He wouldn't just waltz in and show these guys up. The same can be said to everyone who's saying Bezanson is going to do that.
  • 1 0
 You gotta admit that Semenuk would do quite well. He rides bmx a few times and even on some of his less known videos you can see him getting very technical. No disrespect to the guys making the transition from to bmx to mtb but they sure would have a hard time with guys like Semenuk, Rheeder and some other technical mtb riders. Even the Portuguese guy Nuno Pintas will give a run for their money due his super technical tricks without a single flip.
  • 21 2
 BOBBY LAMIRANDE yes !!!!!! Do you remember his QUADRUPLE truckdriver last year ???? go go GO!!!!!
  • 3 0
 That was the dopest trick, hoping he pulls it out this year!
  • 9 0
 I thought Levi Strauss was an American!
  • 2 0
 One would think. LOL!
  • 8 1
 Go Torquato!! And stoked to wee Chubey out ripping! Be interesting to see Nyquist in action too.
  • 8 1
 Rogatkin';s going to kill it
  • 1 0
 usual ! Big Grin
  • 2 1
 Roll-gatkin!
  • 4 0
 To prevent Rogatkin from winning (obviously) make the jumps smaller, harder to build up speed & less airtime so he can't do his unbeatable signature tricks... unless it's miniflip-esque cashrolls and 1080's!
  • 5 0
 Kind of how they killed the US team at the olympics in snowboard half pipe....
  • 1 0
 What's up with Canada and US having such small rosters for the team battle?

Some of the big names just not wanting to do this event? No McCauls. No Watts. Rheeder. Peat. Soderstrom. Semenuk. No R-Dog. Storch. Zink.

Etc.


With the line up I'm seeing... I'm heavily pulling for Ryan. Be rad to see him get a win.
  • 1 0
 1st- Nicholi Rogatkin
2nd- Thomas Genon
3rd- Nuno "Pintas" Barroso
4th- Sam Pilgrim
5th- Torquato Testa
You saw it here first.

Team southwest!!!! They are going to win the team battle again this year!!
  • 1 0
 Interesting list. We'll have to see if Rogatkin can be smooth enough but without the top couple guys there I think he'll be able to pull this one off. I think he'll Win. I like seeing Thomas Genon high on that list too. I think he'll do well. I think Nyquist will be up there in the top 5 too. I'd expect Godz to do well too.
  • 2 0
 all of the Canadian hommies are heading over! wicked boys!
  • 1 0
 ААА! Давай Павел,зажги! Вся Россия за тебя!
  • 2 0
 Go Gemma!
  • 1 0
 Pavel is the man ! i know rogatkin he will Kill it
  • 2 0
 BAM WHAT A LINE UP!
  • 1 0
 Is Sam Reynolds I njured?
  • 2 0
 pretty sure he's in California at cruzfest
  • 13 0
 Nope! All good I just didnt feel like going this time! Hard to be stoked on small jumps after FEST to be honest!!
  • 1 0
 Any one know if this will be streaming anywhere?
  • 3 0
 www.rocketair.ch
  • 1 0
 Saturday 8pm CET on rocketair.ch
  • 1 0
 Thanks guys
  • 1 0
 Come on Daryl!!!
  • 1 0
 Forza Ragazzi
  • 1 0
 Forza ragazzi!!!
  • 4 5
 No Trek SuperBoys? What a shame
  • 18 0
 bezanson will be on a trek and i'm betting he will place high
  • 8 1
 @jackmasta: when I say Trek SuperBoys I am shure you know who I am talking about
  • 2 0
 @mudmandhbrazil: yeh they are like the monster girls but treks male version.
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