70,000 action sports fans celebrate MASH 2022

From 24 to 26 June, the Olympic Park was the meeting place of international action sports for the seventh time. The programme included top-class skateboarding, wakeboarding and BMX sports. Not only the best male athletes, but for the first time also female athletes in all three sports unpacked their most spectacular tricks. And of course, the MASH FEST with its interactive zones, music, art, design and infotainment completed the action sports festival.

BMX Contests

For the five BMX riders, the mini ramp landscape was a rather unfamiliar terrain, as they usually ride BMX Park. But that didn't stop them from pulling out their best tricks in front of the fans on Saturday and delivering a great contest. However, Lizsurley Villegas from Colombia mastered the new, playful set-up best and won the final quite clearly. Second place went to two-time European runner-up Lara Lessmann (Berlin), who once again lived up to her reputation of riding one of the most beautiful styles. Third place went to Queen Villegas, who, together with her twin sister Lizsurley, is one of the up-and-comers on the scene. For the second German competitor Kim Lea Müller (Oldenburg), the women's final did not go so well, but she came up trumps all the more in the best trick and won with a truck driver on the spine, a trick she had never shown before.
In the men's finals on Sunday, Kieran Reilly, who had already won Best Trick the day before, struck again. The British trick machine dominated the contest, sending Venezuelan BMX legend Daniel Dhers into second place at the end. Having just made it to the final, Dhers decided the first run in his favour, but then things didn't go so well. This left the door open for Reilly to win. Even compatriot Tom Justice, who took third place, was no match for his wealth of tricks - even though he put in a good performance with his varied runs. Fourth place went to the young German newcomer Florian Dean from Oldenburg, who showed the fans his potential, entered the final with a strong performance and had a real chance there. But he could not keep up the high level he had shown in the first runs.

Skateboard Contests

Compared to the elimination, the finalists had all shifted up two gears. The skateboarders offered the fans a spectacular contest on the lawn steps at the Olympic Lake on Saturday. First and foremost, the showman Jaime Mateu from Spain. He absolutely lived up to his role as favourite, winning not only the finals but also the Best Trick with his dynamic and risky tricks. Lenny Janssen from Düsseldorf came second. He managed a perfect, stylish run, but he was no match for Jaime. Third place went to Tyler Edtmayer from Lenggries, who had qualified in second place. Unfortunately, he couldn't improve in the final after a good first run.
It was super exciting: the favourites Lilly Stoephasius (Berlin) and Lola Tambling (GBR) had a real head-to-head race in the women's skateboard finals. Both did not give each other anything on the miniramp. The British rider even included the "frontside feeble over the doorway" in her first run, with which she had won the best trick the day before, which was quite risky. But in the end, the best German skateboarder in the park discipline and Olympic participant Lilly Stoephasius was convincing and secured the victory of the MASH contest in her second run - in the third run, both Lola and Lilly had fallen. Third place in the skateboard finals went to Alisa Fessl from Austria, who showed a good mix of tricks, but her runs did not quite match the performance of Lilly and Lola.

Wakeboard Contests

On Friday, the set-up of the wakeboard contest at MASH was "prepared" in the best possible way. The weathe god also made sure that the Olympic Lake was filled up with the best Munich rainwater. But even though the weather didn't really cooperate, both the new Rookie Contest and the Team Contest could take place. The latter was won by the Italian top wakeboarder Claudia Pagnini together with Loic Deschaux (FRA) and Timo Kappl (AUT) ahead of the team of Julia Rick (Cologne), who had started together with John Dreiling (USA) and Felix Georgii (Kranzegg). In the first rookie contest, Katinka Buiting (NED) and Elena Bodi (ESP) won a wildcard for the finals. Max Cuckney (GBR) and Gavin Stuckey (USA) did the same in the boys' competition.
In bright sunshine and in front of thousands of fans, the action got underway on Sunday. First, the female wakeboarders competed in their finals on the signature obstacles of the Victress Series. After exciting runs with spectacular tricks, the American Anna Nikstad took the victory with an impressive second run. This was somewhat surprising, as Claudia Pagnini, who has celebrated several successes in the last two years, was considered the favourite for Munich, but then "only" made it to second place. The winner from 2019 Julia Rick (Cologne) secured third place this year.
This time it (finally) worked out: Nico von Lerchenfeld (Cologne), who always performed well in the last MASH years, won the men's wakeboard contest. A great success for one of the most successful German wakeboarders, who hasn't won a contest in a while. And the Cologne native had reason to be doubly happy, because his "foster son", the only 17-year-old Loic Deschaux (FRA), was able to secure second place. One of the best MASH stories, however, was written by Gavin Stuckey. First, the 16-year-old from Florida got a wildcard in the rookie competition, then showed a spectacular performance in the finals and finally ended up in third place.

For more information, visit the MASH website at www.munich-mash.com

Photos from MASH 2022 can be found here https://media.munich-mash.com/