The fighters strike back

For the past decade, the Red Bull X-Fighters have helped drive the success of this adrenaline-filled series. From the bullfight arenas in Spain and Mexico, the Rodeo in Texas, the Samba squares in Rio de Janeiro to the modern city of Dubai, the Red Bull X-Fighters series has stamped its identity all over the world. Eleven years has been a long time, but over this period organisers Red Bull have drafted in amendments to rules and regulations to keep up with the requirements of the championship and bring the competition closer to the public. The first stop on the 2012 Red Bull X-Fighters calendar will be held at The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence this weekend and it will be a sight to behold for freestyle motocross fans when 12 of the finest riders display their skills on Thursday and Friday. The 2012 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour will end in Australia after making stops in the US, Turkey, Spain and Germany. Leading the line-up of 12 top-class riders is Dany Torres of Spain, the defending champion in Dubai, along with Switzerland's Matt Rebeaud, who is marking a return to competition after a three-year break following a leg injury. Rebeaud was the 2008 Red Bull X-Fighters Champion as well as X-Games Champion. Another returning rider is last year's Dubai finalist Andre Villa of Norway, who hopes to compete for top honours after a bad fall in Poland last year. Levi Sherwood, or the ‘Rubber Kid', will be another one to watch, along with Australian rider Josh Shehan, known for his double backflip, and Spanish rider Edgard Toronteras, the legend of freestyle motor biking and winner of the first Red Bull X-Fighters competition in Finland in 2011. Held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, this Dubai leg is supported by du with the cooperation of Mini, Swatch, Sky Dive Dubai, The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Sports Council and MBC Action. Tickets are available on www.redbullxfighters.com, www.timeouttickets.com and across all Virgin Megastores in the UAE. From gulfnews