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BMX competition a real riot

Durban - The BMX Riot Jam competition will be one of the focal points for extreme sports enthusiasts at the upcoming Mr Price Pro Ballito Beach Festival, which will be held in association with the KwaDukuza Municipality at Willards Beach between 4-10 July. BMX Riot Jam 10, which runs from July 7-10 at the purpose-built arena, will offer riders the chance to claim a share of the R25 000 prize money on offer.

With the BMX Riot Jam event having grown each year since its inception in 2003, event organizer Greg Illingworth said that "each Riot Jam has out done the previous one, and with fantastic sponsors like Mr Price on board this year, we are sure that it is going to be the biggest Riot Jam yet!" Over twenty professional and 60 amateur riders are expected to enter, with massive crowds expected to attend the keenly-anticipated event. According to Illingworth, "in previous years at the Mr Price Pro in Ballito the public's response was overwhelmingly positive and this has really contributed to the growth of the event".

Contestants will compete in park Pro, park Amateur, best trick, and highest bunny. Pro riders to look out for would be Chris Barnes (Durban), Malcolm Peters (Cape Town), Greg Illingworth (Johannesburg), Paul Soderlund (Johannesburg), Colin Loudon (Durban), Stuart Loudon (Durban), and David Boyter (Durban). Amateur riders in contention include Peter Bentley (Durban) and Daniel Roffey (Johannesburg). There will also be 'best trick' and 'highest bunny hop' contests, which will no doubt be hotly contested. Chris Barnes broke the SA bunny hop record at Riot Jam 9 with a jump of 119cm, and he will be back this year to try and repeat his record-breaking antics.

The Riot Jam arena will be open to the public on Thursday 7 July, with official practices for both professional and amateur riders occurring on Friday 8 July. The contest will kick off on Saturday 9 July, with the finals scheduled for Sunday July 10.

The anticipation for this contest among the riders is really starting to build up, with Malcolm Peters saying "I can't wait to get down there and unleash my new stunts. I've been working hard all year on new tricks. I'll be ready for the Riot Jam." Durban local Colin Loudon said "It's not often KZN gets big BMX contests so I'm super amped. The Riot Jams are always fun and the riding is insane."

The Mr Price Pro Ballito surfing competition, which will also run during Festival between July 4 - 10, will offer festival goers the chance to watch the world's top surfers, as well as defending champ Jordy Smith, 'Go Ballistic' while competing for a share of the R1,7 million on offer. The festival will also feature two free music concerts with South Africa's top bands on July 8-9. 
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