Ryan Nyquist picked up where he left off from last season and four other Greenville freestyle BMXers started off strong during the first leg of the AST Dew Tour the weekend of June 22 in Baltimore.

Nyquist, the defending Dew Cup dirt champion, dug deep into his bag of tricks during the Panasonic Open, pulling out a pair of stunts that had never been completed in tour history. He nailed both of them, and left the first dirt contest of the season with his third win in the tour's last six dirt competitions.

Jacob Dyke/RIDEbmx.com (ENLARGE)

Greenville's Ryan Nyquist performs a double barspin cannonball during his final dirt run at the AST Dew Tour's Panasonic Open June 22.

The 29-year-old passed California's James Foster and Australian Cameron White for the victory, which Nyquist says he hopes will be a springboard to another title.

"I found out last year that it is important to get off to a good start with this tour," Nyquist said.

Nyquist set the tone early by posting the event's highest score during his first run. The Haro Bikes representative executed a flawless truckdriver over the first jump before riding into a suicide no-handed 360 over the second and capping the run with a never-before-completed double barspin 720.

After a second run during which he lost control of the handlebars on the second jump, Nyquist needed another high score during his final ride to raise his overall score. He delivered with a barspin to double barspin backflip before dropping many jaws in the Camden Yards crowd with a double barspin cannonball. The final trick, which Nyquist dubbed a "powerball," was also the first of its kind in Dew Tour competition.

"Definitely a lot of pressure," Nyquist said. "It was pretty intense up there for me. I can't even count the number of times I've blown the chance to lock it in before I had to take the third run."

Only one other local rider placed in the top 10 for dirt. Colin Mackay finished 10th.

Prior to the start of dirt action, Stephen Murray, who suffered a career-ending neck injury at last year's Panasonic Open, was honored by the crowd and his fellow riders. A song titled "Soldier" recorded by riders T.J. Lavin and Simon Tabron to benefit Murray's family was played, and there was also a brief interview with the 28-year-old Murray.

The AST Dew Tour also allowed Stay Strong apparel to be sold at the event. Revenue from the sales supports Murray and his family.

BMX Park

Greenville was represented well in the BMX freestyle park contest with five riders placing in the top 10.

Venezuelan Daniel Dhers emerged with the victory, rallying from 11th place during his final run of the day. Dhers, the defending Dew Cup park champion, posted a high score of 93.33 to edge the Greenville duo of Ryan Guettler (92.5) and Mike Spinner (92.33).

The 23-year-old Dhers struggled throughout his first run and fell into an early hole, but he pieced together a second ride which included a no-handed flatspin 720, three double tailwhips, a 720 over the spine and a no-fiooted can-can tailwhip to earn the highest score.

Dhers also won last year's Panasonic Open park event.

Other locals who placed in the top 10 were Nyquist (5th), Marcus Tooker (8th) and Rob Darden (10th).

BMX Vert

It was more of the same during the vert contest at the Panasonic Open.

England's Jamie Bestwick rolled past California's Chad Kagy and Tabron, another Englishman, for his 12th win in 16 vert events since the tour started in 2004.

Bestwick, the three-time defending vert champion, sealed his victory with an alley-oop which highlighted a first run worthy of a score of 96. Kagy finished with a 93.17 and Tabron earned a 92.

No local rider placed in the top 10 for vert.

Up Next

The Dew Tour continues this month with the Right Guard Open in Cleveland.

The event will be held July 18-20 at the North Coast Harbor. Last year's winners at the Right Guard Open were Nyquist (dirt), Dhers (park) and Tabron (vert).