Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nickname | Taka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Japanese | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1985-03-13) 13 March 1985 (age 39) Osaka, Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation | Freestyle motocross rider | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years active | 2003-present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country | Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Motocross Freestyle motocross | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Updated on 13 August 2018 |
Takayuki "Taka" Higashino (東野 貴行, Higashino Takayuki, born 13 March 1985) is a Japanese freestyle motocross rider who has competed in international events including the X-Games, being the first Japanese medalist in the X-Games. He has three X-Games Gold Medals in Freestyle Moto. The only other rider to win more than three Golds in FMX along with Travis Pastrana. A pioneer for the growth of the sport, he is known for inventing the body varial trick the “California Roll/Cali Roll” or sometimes nicknamed the “Taka Roll” which is a slightly different version of the Special Flip.
Higashino began riding motocross when he was seven, and attended many races during his teens. He turned professional at age 18, and moved to the United States in 2006 to compete. He appeared in his first X Games contest in 2007. His motocross career took off in 2010, when he finished first at the Dew Tour Salt Lake City FMX Contest, Red Bull XRAY, and earned a bronze medal for his FMX Best Trick performance at X Games XVI. That year, Transworld Motocross named Higashino the Breakout FMX Rider of the Year.
In 2011, Higashino took first place at the ASA World Championships of FMX and competed in his fifth consecutive X Games competition. He also performed on the Nuclear Cowboyz Freestyle Chaos tour, an American motocross exhibition, and will ride on the tour again in 2012. At X Games XVIII in 2012, he won gold in Moto X Freestyle and claimed second in Moto X Best Trick.
Career highlights
Winner, 2013 Red Bull X-Fighters Osaka, FMX
Gold, X Games Los Angeles 2013 Moto X Freestyle
Gold, X Games Foz do Iguaçu 2013, Moto X Freestyle
Gold, 2012 X Games Los Angeles 2012, Moto X Freestyle
Winner, 2011 ASA World Championships of FMX
Winner, 2010 Dew Tour Salt Lake City FMX Contest
Winner, 2010 Red Bull XRAY
Silver, 2012 X Games, FMX Best Trick
Bronze, 2010 X Games, FMX Best Trick
References
- According to a report from Yomiuri TV programme, "Gutto! Chikyubin" , in Japanese, Sep 18, 2011.
- "Taka Higashino wins first-ever Dew Tour contest - ESPN". Archived from the original on 23 September 2010.
- "Taka Higashino wins Robbie Madison's Red Bull XRAY in Australia. - ESPN". Archived from the original on 18 September 2010.
- "Taka Higashino FMX Best Trick Bronze - ESPN Video - ESPN". Archived from the original on 3 August 2010.
- "Adventure Archives".
- "Adventure Archives".
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - From Number, "RED BULL X-FIGHTERS OSAKA 2013 REPORT", in Japanese, 2013.
External links
- TAKA FMX (personal blog, in Japanese)
- Taka Higashino at the X Games (archive)
- Taka Higashino on Instagram