All the thrill-seekers in the Russian capital have flocked to Gorky Park as the venue plays host to the sixth annual Adrenaline Games.
Trey Jones is one of four American BMX riders who have joined local Adrenaline Junkies in Russia’s capital, going head to head in a weekend- long competition.
The event covers pretty much anything on wheels, but it is the popularity of BMX riding in Moscow that’s resonated with some of the sports headliners.
“In America if people don’t know what BMX is, they won’t even watch,” Jones told RT. “Most of these people don’t even know what BMX is but they still watch.”
It has not always been like this. Although this event is in its sixth year, such sports are still relatively new in Russia.
Homegrown riders are noticing a change and think Russians will shortly be jumping into the top spots.
“We can now compete against many of the overseas riders, and although on the whole we are a bit behind, we should catch up soon, the gap’s not that big anymore,” Alexey Proshin, the champion of Russia on BMX flatland, told RT.
As with most sports the key to their growth appears to be getting more young people involved.Events like this offer the adrenalin-orientated a chance to get stuck in.
Some of the participants at the Adrenaline Games may have even taken their victory celebrations a bit too far – at least for the police’s liking.
Around 250 inline skaters tried to barricade a street in central Moscow after the event. According to police, they were just having fun and had no political protest in mind.
The skaters had been drinking in a nearby cafe before coming out in a large group. They were making plenty of noise and began kicking road-signs and moving traffic barriers.
Police arrested two men. The rest were separated into smaller groups and told to go home.