88000 spectators flock to MASH

My best MASH "It was my best MASH! The excitement level of the fans, who cheered the athletes on to incredible feats. The unbelievable sporting ability on show at the contests. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere bringing together people of different generations. This year our action sports festival was a great success in every department and without a doubt one of the absolute highlights here at the Olympic Park in 2018," explained Marion Schöne, CEO of the Olympic Park Munich, on Sunday. "Now there can be no more doubts that MASH is the right path to follow. This event has proved very popular. I am delighted that thanks to the support of the city council and our sponsors we have been able to organise this event for the people of Munich – this year with completely free admission to all the events." From 22 to 24 June a total of 88,000 spectators visited the Olympic Park in Munich for the first ever edition of the brand new MASH event RED BULL ROLLER COASTER as well as the contests BMX PARK and WAKEBOARD PARK. The final of the RED BULL ROLLER COASTER delivered skateboarding at its very finest. The ten finalists, including America’s Fabina Delfino as the only female rider in the field, pulled out trick after trick in front of the huge crowd spread across the hill overlooking the Olympic Lake. During qualifying the 15 male and three female skaters and had already set the bar incredibly high, but the final of Saturday took things to a whole new level. Only a true all-rounder would a chance of claiming the title here – and in the end it was Jake Ilardi (USA) who showed nerves of steel with a sick final run which thrilled both the spectators and his fellow skaters. Speed, technical tricks and huge airtime were the key to success for Ilardi, who proved that he is the personification of a true all-terrain ripper. Second place at the premiere of the RED BULL ROLLER COASTER went to Spain’s Danny Leon, with America’s Curren Caples taking third. The extraordinary atmosphere at the BMX PARK drew not only some of the world’s best riders but also thousands of spectators to the Olympic Lake. Held on a 700m² floating BMX course in the middle of the lake, the contest brought together twelve of the top riders in the world for a sick Saturday session. In the end it was Russia’s Irek Rizaev who won a thrilling superfinal just ahead of BMX legend Daniel Dhers (Venezuela) and Britain’s Jack Clark in third. Among those throwing down hard in front of the enthusiastic fans were also German riders Tobias Freigang (Wachtendonk) and Paul Thölen (Viersen), who both put on a strong showing despite missing out on a podium place this year. Winner of the Best Trick Contest 2018 was Croatia’s Marin Rantes, who landed a 720 Tail Whip over the spine – a trick which only very few riders are able to pull. Raph Derom is certainly a man who will take away good memories of MASH and the Olympic Park. Derom won not only the Best Trick Contest but also the superfinal of the WAKEBOARD PARK event on Sunday on the brand new set-up on the Olympic Lake. The Canadian had been looking good all weekend and managed to perform when it mattered to defeat last year’s winner and fellow favourite Guenther Oka (USA) in second and America’s Blake Bishop in third. In front of a home crowd, Germany’s Nico von Lerchenfeld (Cologne) and Felix Georgii (Kranzegg) were unable to make it past the qualifying stage of the WAKEBOARD PARK event. The third German starter, Dominik Gührs, injured himself in training on Saturday and was unable to compete on Sunday. "Of course the sporting contests are the focus, but just as important to us are the side events like the MASH FEST, where the Olympic Park Munich presents the action sports lifestyle in an interactive, entertaining, interesting and informative way for all age groups. We are also pleased that this year once again we are able to offer skaters from Munich the chance to enjoy workshops and contests, including the world premiere of Red Bull Roller Coaster," says Marion Schöne. With its interactive zones, music, art, culture and infotainment, the MASH FEST was a central meeting point at the Olympic Park. Visitors had the opportunity to try out a range of action sports themselves, learn about the latest trends, get creative, listen to live music or simply relax in the chill out area. Last but my no means least, the DRONE PRIX MUNICH celebrated a successful premiere as the Guest Event at MASH. "The Drone Prix Munich was incredible. Everything was perfect. The weather was great, the atmosphere was brilliant and the performance level of the teams was spectacular. We are really happy to have held the season opener of the 2018 Drone Champions League here and would like to thank all the fans who cheered on our pilots," commented Herbert Weirather, founder of the Drone Champions League (DCL). In the overall standings of the DCL it is the British team NEXXBlades which lies in first place after the DRONE PRIX MUNICH, followed by RAIDEN Racing (Japan) and Rotorama (Czech Republic). Fotocredit: Fabian Stoffers