The Flip Carnival

Pune witnessed a unique stunt show recently, the Kingdom of Stunts

Words: Gasha Aeri
Photography: Bhuvan Chowdhary, Gasha Aeri

“For many, what we do falls outside the sphere of physics, but we never said that everything is for everyone,” they say. Who are they? They are a special species people like to call ‘stunters’. They don’t ride the bike astride it, neither do they ride with both the wheels on terra firma. What they do is enough to scare the living daylights out of many.

Pune had just recovered from the thrill of meeting freestyle biking guru, Chris Pfeiffer, when there came another treat for the bike enthusiasts of the city – a freestyle stunt show called the ‘Kingdom of Stunts’. What’s more, the show was a fine amalgamation of some of the finest FMX riders from Australia and the USA, BMX riders from Canada and street stunters from India.

On view were 360-degree flips on a motocross bike, a back flip on a mountain bike, a high-flying stunt called the ‘Superman’, even taking both hands off the handlebar while both the bike and rider were at least 50 metres up in the air (the Rock Solid), or swinging a leg over to the other side in the middle of a flight (the Can Can) – you name it and the riders had it for you. An excellent firework show added to the thrill and adrenaline rush the stunt show offered.
What can be said about Indian biking scenario in the time to come, “World, hold on, here we come!”