A FLIPPING MIRACLE | Bikesportnz

New Zealand’s Levi Sherwood is a flipping miracle.

Dubbed “The Rubber Kid” by friends and rivals alike, the Manawatu 22-year-old is poised to become the freestyle motocross (FMX) world champion for a second time at the fifth and final round of the 2014 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour in South Africa on Saturday.

He was crowned Red Bull X-Fighters World Champion in 2012 and now he’s just days away from possibly repeating that incredible feat.

The unassuming rider from Palmerston North is at the pinnacle of his sport, a sponsor’s dream, a glossy magazine pin-up star worldwide and an international sporting hero worth millions of dollars. Another solid performance in Pretoria on Sunday morning (NZ time) will further confirm that lofty position.

Sherwood heads to Pretoria this weekend with a five-point lead in the series and a confident attitude to go with it, but, it should be said, with his ego firmly in check.

Sherwood knows the pressure will again be on him this weekend because, when he launches into his throttle-twisting, high-flying, back-flipping, body-contorting freestyle motocross antics, he’ll once more be taking his grandfather George along for the ride, not to mention the rest of his proud Kiwi family.

The 90-year-old George Sherwood, who lives in the quiet New Plymouth suburb of Westown, is very proud of what his grandson has achieved and, although he won’t be travelling to South Africa for the final, he’ll certainly be with Levi in spirit as he watches the competition on one or other of the Sky TV sports channels that will screen it.

It’s probably safe to say that, while Levi is hanging off the seat of his KTM motorcycle and sometimes letting go of his handlebars in Pretoria, George will be in an equally parlous or precarious state in New Plymouth, perched on the very edge of his sofa and fiercely gripping the armrests.

“I think South Africa is about 12 hours behind us and I’m not sure whether I’ll be getting up to see Levi in action, live … but 1am or 2am is not so bad is it? I’ll just be hoping he comes through the event and gets out the other side okay,” said the surprisingly-sprightly George.

“Levi has a pretty wise head on his shoulders and he thinks strategically. If he doesn’t need to risk it all, and third place is okay to win that title overall, then that’s what he’ll do.

“He doesn’t get his bike riding skills from me. The most I’ve ever done is once ride a 50cc bike from Shannon to Levin. The sport has been good for Levi though … he has already earned 20 times more than I have in my lifetime.”

Despite his age, George Sherwood is still very active – he has an impressive vegetable garden and is renowned nationally as an amateur rose hybridist.

He says “hard work never killed anybody” and believes that’s what has kept him going all these years and probably also what stands young Levi in such good stead.

George and his two sisters, aged 93 and 88, are “still going strong, none of us need walking sticks and we’re still driving. But all of my school friends and army buddies are underground (passed away) now.

“It is pretty nerve-wracking to see young Levi put his life on the line every time he rides. Levi knows that his career in this sport will be fairly short-lived. It’s a young man’s game. I just hope he knows when to quit before it’s too late and he hurts himself.”

Levi Sherwood grew up on two wheels and has spent the last 18 years following the footsteps of his father, Dave Sherwood, a professional speedway racer, as he established himself as the shooting star of the international freestyle motocross scene.

Initially set on a path in motocross racing, it didn’t take long for Levi to realise that he loved jumping and learning new tricks. Even though he is still racing the occasional motocross and supercross (stadium motocross) for fun, FMX is where his heart and soul is.

Sherwood finished third at the previous round of this year’s series in Munich, Germany, on July 19, which put a bit of a dent in his points lead.

However, he is still the favourite to take the title after posting a 1-1-3-3 scorecard in the four events so far in Mexico, Japan, Spain and Germany.

As Sherwood heads to Pretoria he enjoys a five-point lead over Australian Josh Sheehan, with Frenchman Tom Pages a massive 70 points further back. Pages was the world tour winner last year, while Sherwood finished fifth and Sheehan was placed ninth equal.

Whatever happens to Levi in Pretoria on Sunday morning (NZ time), the armrest of George’s sofa in New Plymouth is sure to take a battering.

The Red Bull X-Fighters in Pretoria screens live on Sky Sport 4 from midnight Saturday (August 23), with the action replayed on Sky Sport 1 at 11.30am Sunday.

Find BikesportNZ.com on Facebook HERE

Comments are closed.