#tbt 2014 ‘Calgary Whip Champion’ Colton Facciotti

By Billy Rainford

We’ve got two track on the Rockstar Energy MX National schedule that lend themselves nicely to this very unofficial and rather impromptu ‘Whip Contest’ we decided to start a couple years ago. We stood beside the big International Jump on the Wild Rose MX track in Calgary, Alberta, during free practice and started pointing our cameras at the riders as they got more comfortable over the big huck.

We decided jumps would only count during open practice so we didn’t interfere with anyone’s serious qualifying times. So, to be officially entered into this totally unofficial contest, only those jumps count. Yep, I just fired rules at you!

Anyway, we just had the 2015 version of the ‘Calgary Whip Contest‘ and we’re waiting for Deloitte and Touche to complete the tabulation of votes before we announce this year’s winner. So far, it looks like a dog-fight between #195 Scott Champion and #55 Keylan Meston, with #49 Brock Hoyer‘s ‘Heel Clicker’ coming in a sentimental and sarcastic 3rd place.

Here’s 2014 #45 Honda Canada TLD GDR rider Colton Facciotti getting into it last spring. His whips were nice again this year, but he would have had to been hanging over the side like in this photo to compete with Scott and Keylon this year. Once he sees just how important winning these things has become in 2015, I’m sure we’ll see him re-up his game in 2016.

Colton Facciotti's 2014 Calgary Whip Contest-winning whip. - Bigwave photo

Colton Facciotti’s 2014 Calgary Whip Contest’s winning whip. – Bigwave photo