The fourth and final stop of the 2019 Vans BMX Pro Cup in Huntington Beach, CA, can be summed up best with the very phrase written on the trophies “ride fast and blast.” Sprinting across the deck was common, pedaling on the flat was rare, inverts and cancan tire grabs were the norm, and flairs and flips were few and far between. It was truly a global event for the bowl riders with a heavy Australia contingent, practically every country in South America, as well as riders from Canada, Spain, Germany, Russia, and Japan.
The traveling series kicked the year off in Sydney, Australia, followed by stops in Stuttgart, Germany, Mexico City, Mexico, and then on to the World Championships in Huntington Beach at Vans’ very own Off The Wall skatepark. Riders collected points at each stop tallying up for the coveted Pro Cup World Champion title. This year belonged to Australia, with Jason Watts taking the title for Men’s and Natalya Diehm clinching it for the Women’s. With wins in both Germany and Mexico, and a solid third in HB, Watts walked away with a trophy almost as tall as him. While Natalya’s overall consistent riding throughout the year placed her on top.
Beyond the overall titles, Huntington Beach saw local boy Kris Fox win his first Pro Cup. Kris’ warp speed lines, huge airs, and massive transfers earned him the top spot in both Qualifying and Finals. Speaking of huge airs and transfers, Perris Benegas borrowed a few pages from the Kris Fox book and it paid off with a first place in Qualifying followed by the top spot in Finals, as well. Kris and Perris also won the Best Line award in their respective classes too. Women’s High Air had Macarena Perez and Teresa Azcoaga battle it out with repeated airs hovering over six feet out of the deep bowl, but Macarena ended up inching out over Teresa at about seven feet for the win. Raddest Trick was a whirlwind of action, with Pat Casey stomping a 540 double whip, Dennis Enarson putting on a demo on the Vans logo, Peraza planting a footjam whip on the logo, Felipe Manerim sending trucks to flat and Morgan Wade inspired flairs, but in the end, Gary Young’s alley 360 whip transfer was deemed the Raddest Trick.
That’s a wrap for the 2019 Pro Cup. Congrats to all the riders and a huge shout out to Vans for making such an incredible event and giving cool opportunities to so many riders. Can’t wait until next year.
Huntington Beach Finals Podium:
Mens:
1. Kris Fox, USA
2. Corey Walsh , CAN
3. Jason Watts, AUS
Womens:
1. Perris Benegas, USA
2. Nikita Duccaroz, USA
3. Macarena Perez, CHI
Your Vans BMX Pro Cup World Champion, Jason Watts, getting folded. 
Watts, one-footed table into the curve wall. 
The decade flyout to manual combos is a Jason Watts trademark. 
Alley-oops all over the place. 
Jason’s dropped several tricks during the Raddest Trick comp, including this decade to lookback air. 
Fast and loose seal of approval. 
Perris Benegas, toboggan at height. 
Parris, lazy one-handed table. 
Perris had these pocket airs wired. 
So much style in Perris’ tables. 
Perris Benegas. 
Perris Benegas. 
Nikita Duccaroz with the textbook table. 
Nikita, one-footed X-up. 
Nikite hitting the back bowl with her NorCal homies in her corner. 
Teresa Azcoaga. 
Teresa Azcoaga. 
Teresa Azcoaga. 
After breaking her elbow in Germany earlier this year, Nina has only been riding for about a week prior to the HB comp, but you wouldn’t have known it because she shredded her way into fourth place in the Finals. 
Nina getting some in the back bowl. 
I’m fairly certain Nina was the only person to do a smith grind all weekend—Nina’s street roots always shine through. 
Legends interviewing legends. 
Natalya Diehm, no-hander en route to Women’s World Champ status. 
Natasha Wetzel. 
Macarena Perez. 
Macarena Perez winning the Women High Air comp. 
Nina and Macarena. 
Macarena Perez, stoked. 
Hucker’s pocket airs were outrageous. 
Hucker, fufanu awareness. 
Crandal and Hucker on the mic, with Larry of the bike… 
Parker Heath doesn’t know how to not look good. 
Parker above the pocket. 
Michael Mogollon. 
Michael Mogollon. 
Michael Mogollon. 
Cauan Madona getting all sorts of twisted up. 
Sergio Layos going the distance with the turndown. 
Sergio coming back the other way with the on-footed flattie. 
One of the few flairs from the weekend, from Sergio no less. 
Cody Pollard, going to straight up. 
Dennis Enarson. 
Dennis, barspin multiplicity. 
Vans on Vans… Dennis, cancan footplant. 
Wallride on the logo to barspin. 
Find tallest obstacle on the course and Dennis will footjam to fakie on it. 
Dennis keeps ’em coming with an x-up downside footplant. 
Canadian footjam… only Dennis. 
Wallride to whip. 
Handplant. 
Dennis, the proud new owner of the Vans logo at the Off The Wall park. 
Felipe Manerim, manual around the bowl to whip. 
Felipe Manerim, truckdriver. 
Crazy Larry, sending a double whip from the hip to the little tranny on the backside of that quarter. He tagged the top a bit, but who the fuck cares—shit was nuts! 
Larry Edgar, to the moon and cranked, as always. 
Chris James went higher doing flairs than riders went all weekend. 
Chris James. 
Chris James with a proper looking Indian air seatgrab. 
Chris James. 
Chris James. 
Chris James, putting on a show for the neighborhood on the other side of those trees. 
After a series of multiple pocket airs, Corey Walsh somehow ended up here. 
Walsh, from the hip… 
All hail fast and loose. 
Walsh, one of multiple bike tweaks in a single air. 
Paul Thoelen, no-hander over the middle section. 
At 16 years old, Josh Dove, has a very bright future. 
Josh Dove, maybe it’s in the name? 
Josh Dove. 
Josh Dove. 
Damn Dove! 
Jason Watts, 360 lookback during Raddest Trick. 
Watts, contorted 360. 
Gary Young knows how to make an entrance. 
Gary Young. 
Gary Young. 
Gary Young. 
Gary, winning Raddest Trick with a massive alley-oop 360 whip. 
Gary, always stoked. 
Jose Torres. 
Jose Torres. 
Jose Torres. 
Jose Torres, pegs to bar. 
Pat Casey. 
Pat Casey, folded. 
Pat, 540 double whip during Raddest Trick. 
Matt Cordova’s runs were a photographer’s dream come true—nothing but photogenic tricks tweaked to perfection. 
Cordova, against the grain table. 
Matt, tweaking the seat. 
Matt Cordova. 
Matt Cordova. 
Matt Cordova. 
Matt Cordova. 
Matt Cordova. 
Matt Cordova. 
Kevin Peraza. 
Kevin Peraza. 
Kevin Peraza. 
Kevin Peraza. 
Kevin Peraza. 
Kevin Peraza. 
Kevin Peraza’s footjam whip was definitely a rad trick. 
Kevin Peraza, the trick after the raddest trick. 
Kris Fox, getting the domination started. 
Kris, generating every ounce of possible speed. 
Kris Fox. 
Kris, hip to hip. 
Kris Fox. 
Kris Fox, done. 
Women’s top three; Benegas, Duccaroz, Peraz. 
Fast and Loose crew hyped for Kris Fox. 
Kris Fox. 
Top Three Mens: Fox, Walsh, Watts. 
Fox, victory dump. 
Jason Watts and Natalya Diehm, 2019 Pro Cup World Champions.
