NOTJ
26. Mai 2026
Redemption attempts, massive progression, new stars and one of the most emotional stops of the season so far.
The third stop of the NIGHT of the JUMPs 2026 World Tour Championship brought another unforgettable night of freestyle action to the QUARTERBACK Immobilien ARENA in Leipzig.
After the chaos and surprises of Berlin and the high-pressure comeback story in Munich, Leipzig once again reshuffled the championship battle and pushed the level of progression even further.
In front of a loud German crowd, Luc Ackermann secured his second consecutive win and continued his comeback in the overall standings - but the event delivered far more than just another championship result.
From redemption attempts and world-class FMX runs to huge MTB progression and emotional performances, Leipzig once again proved why the 2026 season is shaping up to become one of the most intense in NIGHT of the JUMPs history.
Luc Ackermann Keeps the Pressure On
Luc Ackermann arrived in Leipzig with momentum after his comeback victory in Munich - and under enormous pressure to continue closing the gap in the championship standings.
The German FMX star responded with another dominant performance. In the final, Ackermann delivered a massive run featuring Double Backflips, Tsunami Flip combinations, technical variations and highly consistent execution, earning 91.50 points and securing his second consecutive victory of the season. With this result, Luc continues his comeback after the difficult season opener in Berlin, where he missed the final entirely. The championship fight is now fully alive again.
Current World Tour Championship standings after Leipzig:
And now the pressure heading into Nürnberg and Basel is becoming extreme.
If Luc Ackermann wins both remaining stops before the final while Marc Pinyol finishes second at each event, the two riders would enter the season final in Istanbul tied on points - setting up one of the biggest championship deciders in NIGHT of the JUMPs history.
At the same time, Davide Rossi sits right behind both of them, waiting for even the smallest mistake. One bad run, one missed landing or one failed qualification could completely reshuffle the championship once again.
The remaining stops of the 2026 season are shaping up to become absolutely brutal.
Hannes Ackermann’s Vault Redemption Attempt
One of the most emotional moments of the night came from Hannes Ackermann.
For years, one trick has followed him: the Vault.
After a serious crash on the trick nearly ended his career a decade ago, Hannes returned in Leipzig determined to finally land it under competition pressure. And he came incredibly close.
His qualification run was so strong that Marc Pinyol was forced to increase the difficulty of his own run in order to secure a spot in the final ahead of him. During the Double Up section, Hannes attempted the Vault once again but slightly slipped on the landing and could not fully ride out the trick.
Fortunately, the mistake remained small and the consequences minimal. Hannes walked away uninjured - but the redemption story is clearly not over yet.
Attention now shifts toward Nürnberg.
No Next Gen Ramp Changes the Dynamic
Leipzig featured a completely different FMX setup compared to previous stops, as no Next Gen Ramp was included in the course.
That single detail significantly changed the competitive dynamic between the riders.
Marc Pinyol usually gains a large portion of his points through highly technical Next Gen tricks, while Davide Rossi traditionally excels on more classic FMX ramp setups with his clean Frontflip combinations and flowing style.
Davide Rossi delivered one of his cleanest runs of the season, featuring highlights such as his Frontflip No Hander, Barhop No Hand and multiple technical Frontflip combinations, earning him another podium finish.
However, Marc Pinyol appeared extremely focused throughout the entire event. Without needing to concentrate on a world-record Backflip Flatdrop attempt, the Spaniard could fully focus on his competition runs - and once again secured second place in the final.
New Faces & Historic Moments
South African rider Dallan Goldman made his European and NIGHT of the JUMPs debut. Despite suffering a heavy crash during training, he still fought through the pain and delivered a solid qualification performance in front of the Leipzig crowd. He also impressed during the Best Whip contest, securing second place behind Matej Cesak.
Matej Cesak once again proved why he is considered one of the strongest whip riders in the world, taking the Best Whip victory in Leipzig.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Mikolaj Tempka celebrated a huge career moment by landing his first-ever Frontflip - not only in competition, but for the first time ever.
And once again, Libor Podmol proved why he remains one of the sport’s all-time legends, delivering another highly technical and stylish final run at 40 years old.
Eddy Frech Brings Simson Culture to Leipzig
The atmosphere inside the QUARTERBACK Immobilien ARENA exploded when Eddy Frech entered the course.
The German Simson icon successfully landed a Backflip on his East German Simson for the first time since Dresden 2025, creating one of the loudest crowd reactions of the entire evening.
Leipzig embraced the moment completely, turning the arena into pure two-stroke chaos.
Lennox Zimmermann Finally Lands the Double Flip 360
The MTB/BMX/Scooter competition once again pushed progression to another level.
After multiple attempts earlier in the season, Lennox Zimmermann finally landed his huge Double Flip 360 combination and secured the overall win in Leipzig, raising the level of technical riding once again.
Alejandro Bonafe continued his extremely consistent season. Despite crashing on his final trick attempt in the final, he still secured second place with a combination of Cashroll and Twister tricks - enough to defend his lead in the overall standings.
One of the biggest surprises of the night came from local newcomer Marek Sander. Competing at his first-ever NIGHT of the JUMPs event, he delivered an impressive run and secured third place in front of the home crowd.
Tom Pfeiffer struggled to fully complete his run and narrowly missed the podium, while Petr Castka could not find his usual consistency. Jimi Brandt also missed out after failing to land his Bikeflip in the final.
Freestyle Trampoline Continues to Push Limits
The athletes of the Freestyle Trampoline Association once again delivered some of the most visually spectacular moments of the event.
Lenni Leitner hyped the crowd with a massive Front Quad while athletes launched themselves toward the arena roof with multiple flips and rotations throughout the night.
Summer Break Begins – Nürnberg Up Next
Following Leipzig, NIGHT of the JUMPs now enters its summer break before returning on October 17th in Nürnberg for the fourth stop of the World Tour Championship.
With the championship battle tighter than ever, Nürnberg already promises another high-pressure showdown between Luc Ackermann, Marc Pinyol and Davide Rossi.
Press, Inquiries & Partnerships
Media, arenas, promoters, and brand partners interested in collaboration can reach out directly via: info@notj.de
Tour Dates:
Saturday, October 17th 2026 - Nürnberg, Germany - PSD Bank Arena
Saturday, December 5th 2026 - Basel, Switzerland - St. Jakob Halle
Saturday, December 19th 2026 - Istanbul, Turkey - Ülker Sports Arena
Saturday, March 24th 2027 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
Saturday, May 22nd 2027 - Berlin, Germany - Uber Arena
NXT:GEN Tour Dates:
June 19th - 21st 2026 - Westendorf, Austria - Bike & Fly Festival
June 27th - 28th 2026 - Dresden, Germany - SZ Fahrradfest
August 21st - 22nd 2026 - Dornbirn, Austria
Tickets for all Events:
