Dubai: New Zealand's Levi Sherwood won the 2012 season opener of the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour before a packed audience at JBR The Walk in Dubai late on Friday.
Held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, Sherwood came up with a brilliant performance in the presence of Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture, and Shaikh Rashid Bin Saud Al Mualla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain.
Kicking off the six-month long season with its six stops on four continents, Dubai gave Sherwood his fourth career victory and first since triumphing in London in 2010. Australia's Rob Adelberg was a surprise second while Javier Villegas of Chile marked his first podium finish with third place.
It was a night filled with upsets as defending World Tour champion Dany Torres of Spain and Norway's Andre Villa, a leading title contender, were both knocked out in the quarter-finals, finishing eighth and fifth, respectively.
"It means a lot," said a beaming Sherwood, 20, after celebrating with the spirited crowd that savoured the spectacle with riders jumping up to 12 metres high and 20 metres in distance on their bikes. "I didn't have much confidence coming into it," added the affable New Zealander.
Villegas was thrilled to get on the podium. "After years of sacrifice, I finally made it," he said. "I'm not going to stop here. I want to be on the podium all season."
Results
1. Levi Sherwood (NZL), 2. Rob Adelberg (AUS), 3. Javier Villegas (CHL), 4. Josh Sheehan (AUS), 5. Andre Villa (NOR), 6. Todd Potter (USA), 7. Edgar Torronteras (ESP), 8. Dany Torres (ESP), 9. Mat Rebeaud (SUI), 10. Eigo Sato (JPN).
