Race Week Organisers have released the names of its first two competitors for the Red Bull FMX Battle taking place in Wanganui on December 28.

Australia’s current champion, Kain Saul (pictured above), and New Zealand’s top rider, Nick Franklin, will be taking part in the competition at the Cooks Garden.  The tension is rising as the best Freestyle Motocross (FMX) riders in Australasia get set to gather for the dramatic battle showdown.

Franklin is fired up and ready for the event in Wanganui.

“You can just feel the energy, the FMX industry is getting really excited.  It certainly won’t be easy to claim the title against riders like Kain Saul but in front of a home crowd I defiantly have to aim for the win!” says Franklin.

Franklin, who constantly travels as part of his career, has a reputation as a solid and innovative rider.  He has been a leading New Zealand athlete for many years, performing amazing stunts to fans in events such as the Red Bull X-Fighters where he recently performed demos in the World Series tour.

Franklin can pull off even the hardest stunts, or known as ‘FMX tricks’, with perfection and style, and will be using his high level of consistency to his strength in the Red Bull FMX Battle in Wanganui.

Saul, who is Australia’s current reigning champ, has his own feats under his belt.  Having recently done what was previously thought impossible – landing a back flip on a road-based Harley Davidson motorcycle – Saul is expected to give Franklin a run for his money.

This stunt was arguably one of the most dangerous of his career.  The XR1200 Harley Davidson weighs in at a massive 257kgs – around two and a half times the weight of his regular Yamaha YZ250F.  The consequences of getting a back flip of this nature wrong could have been fatal for Saul; however, he took the challenge and inherent risks in his strike proving himself a serious contender for the upcoming competition.

“It’s just in my nature to push beyond the limits and I am excited to be part of this event” said Saul when asked about the Red Bull FMX Battle.

Franklin and Saul, pushing the sport’s boundaries, are both respected riders within their industry.  Having both travelled with the Crusty Demons tour throughout the world, it is expected they will bring an international level of riding to the Wanganui event.

The fans can expect unpredictable twists and turns throughout the competition as anything can happen when you have world class riders such as New Zealand’s Franklin and Australia’s Saul competing against each other.

The competition is due to kick off at 6pm with gates opening at 5pm, and ticket information is available at www.raceweek.co.nz.