Blake Williams second in X-Fighters
Met his match in the Madrid final against local hero Dany Torres, but it was still a brilliant performance from the AustralianDany Torres grabbed the metaphorical bull by the horns with a brilliant victory over Aussie Blake ‘Bilko’ Williams in the latest chapter of the 2011 Red Bull X-Fighters at the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas in Madrid on Friday, July 15.
In the final, Torres sent the giant crowd watching in Spain’s biggest bullfighting arena (62m diameter) into fits of euphoria with his scintillating jumps of up to 15m high and 32m long.
“It’s the best day of my life,” the 24-year-old beamed.
Backflips, no-hand landings and 360-degree turns sent shivers through the crowd and led to a series of spontaneous waves around the stadium. David Rinaldo of France and Chile’s Javier Villegas pressed a bit too hard and saw their hopes of greater glory crushed in spectacular crashes – with fortunately neither seriously hurt.
“You’ve got to push to the boundaries of physics go do these jumps,” said Williams, whose countryman Robbie Maddison was a disappointing eighth out of 11 riders.
With two rounds remaining – including the final at Cockatoo Island on Sydney Harbour -- Norway’s Andre Villa has now into the overall lead, 5pts ahead of American Nate Adams, who was sidelined from Madrid with an injury.
Torres, Williams and Maddison are third, fourth and fifth.
Final Result Red Bull X-Fighters Madrid 2011
1. Dany Torres (ESP)
2. Blake Williams (AUS)
3. Josh Sheehan (AUS)
4. Maikel Melero (ESP)
5. Andre Villa (NOR)
6. Adam Jones (USA)
7. Javier Villegas (CHL)
8. Robbie Maddison (AUS)
9. Alastair Sayer (BOT)
10. Nick Franklin (NZL)
11. David Rinaldo (FRA)
Overall results (after four of six rounds):
1. Villa (NOR/270 points)
2. Adams (USA/265)
3. Torres (ESP/245)
4. Williams (AUS/215)
5. Robbie Maddison (AUS)
6. Josh Sheehan (AUS/130)
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