Following on from updates of Day 1 & 2 of the Backyard Battle 2011, here we’ve got the latest from Day 3 and James Woods is killing it once again! After an great showing in qualifying James Woods went on to destroy the rest of the field and take top spot.

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New comer, British freeskier James Woods, won the rail jam at Håtveit’s comp in a head to head final between Finnish rider Oskari Raitanen. The knockout competition was adrenalin packed as a line up of eight riders battled it out in Håtveit’s backyard on Tuesday evening to secure the first top podium place of Backyard Battle 2011. There was no doubting that competitiveness was in the air at Sudndalen, Norway where eight qualified riders laid down some epic tricks in a head to head knockout rail jam at Andreas Håtveit’s third Backyard Battle comp.

An amazing adrenalin atmosphere was generated with fast paced lapping and the riders up-ing the game increasingly as the knockout comp narrowed down to an exhilarating final between Brit James Woods and Finn Oskari Raitanen. Raitanen was nursing a hip injury sustained in yesterday’s qualification session which much have hindered his runs, though that was not noticed by the cheering crowd who were wowed by his fast switches. In the end James Woods claimed the top spot with some crowd pleasing 450s off the rail-to-gap and laying down technically assured 270 on, pretzel 270 off on the down rails.

Andreas Håtveit‘s said:
“It was an awesome night, everyone threw down sick and we all saw some epic railing. I introduced a new format which had never been done before so I was excited to see how it
was going to work out. It was a 6 minute session for each head to head battle which really upped the pace. The guys were killing it because the laps were so fast and the night just
got more and more exciting and they were pushing each other and feeding off each others stuff. Niklas Ericsson was doing some sick stuff like cool 450s and

switching back and forth but in the end I kind of expected Woodsy and Oskari to get to the finals though it was hard to judge because they have totally different styles, but in the end Woodsy came out on top, which was awesome.”

Winner James Woods said:
“I was so excited by the course, there were so many different features that I could make up my own lines and mix up as I wanted. The format of a knockout head to head in 6
minute sessions was just the best I have ever ridden. It was so quick and the adrenalin was pumping that I just threw down everything I had into each run, I think that speed just
drove me on and on.”

Knock Out Results
(name in bold indicates winner)
Quarter Finals:
James Woods vs Klaus Finne
Oskari Raitanen v Benjamin Forthun
Jeremy Pancras v Sigbjørn Tveit
Niklas Ericsson v Elvis Harshiem

Semi Finals
James Woods v Jeremy Pancras
Oskari Raitanen v Niklas Ericsson

Third Place Battle
Jeremy Pancras v Niklas Ericsson

Final
James Woods v Oskari Raitanen

Judges:
Jossi Wells, PC Fosse, Gaute Silseth