4x World Cup racer Joost Wichman and his mate Desmond Tessemaker (Tessemaker is Dutch for “Teasmade” he actually invented the hot beverage wake up machine…fact) organised an end of season jam at Bensink. Interestingly enough the event looked like it had a fizzy drink sponsor rather than the expected teabag supplier.

The first Bensink Speed & Style Jam Season Closener

Fueled by Rockstar

A review of the first Bensink Speed & Style Jam Season Closener, fueled by Rockstar! No stress, just fun in the Bensink “yard’!

It’s autumn again and the gravity season is coming to an end. All the main races and contests are behind us. So it’s time to relax and ride with your friends. No stress, just fun.

That’s why Desmond Tessemaker and I decided to organize a season closener.

Professionals, riders for fun and a bunch of kids were invited to the first Speed & Style Jam at October the 4th, in ‘the yard’ at the Bensink BMX Gates compound. The weather was good, fortunately, because the day before it was raining hard during the Dutch Championships FourCross.

What more can you ask for: the sun was shining, awesome dirts, nice music and free Rockstar drinks.

Riders and spectators from across the Netherlands came to Bensink, to close the season under relaxed circumstances. About 100 BMX and MTB-riders enjoyed the dirts and the speedline, which Desmond and I built and shaped in the weeks before the event.

After a good warm-up, the big tricks were shown. Backflips, 720’s, frontflips, you name it. I made some efforts to land a 360…but it’s better that I stick to racing. Desmond, Bart Mol and Derio (winner of the Style Award) made one big trick after another. Even Mister Johannes Fischbach was impressed.

Frank ‘the Tank’ Heijne and I were battling to set the fastest time on the speedline. It was good to she that all the dirt riders also tried to set a fast time. In the end Frank won, but it seemed he had bribed the time officials with a few euro’s just to get a hold of the prizes…;).

For the kids there were also a lot of prices as well, from Rockstar, SRAM, Giant, RSP, Adidas eyewear and Schwalbe. It funny to see what kids do for just some goodies.

Photos: Dennis Katinas

After the contests were everybody kept on riding and enjoyed the beats of the music. We even had to use the artificial lightning. At 1930 we ate and drink something, before everyone headed home.

The first Bensink Speed & Style Jam Season Closener (fueled by Rockstar) was an awesome and succesfull event. Next year it will be back, only BIGGER, BETTER, FASTER! This was just a try out…

See you in 2010!

Thanx to: Bensink, Rockstar, SRAM, Adidas Eyewear, RSP, Schwalbe, Giant en Theissen

Cheers

Joost & Desmond