2008 will always be remembered amongst FMX fans as the year Red Bull X-Fighters truly became a fully fledged international tour. That was the year it went global. Expanding its line up of stops from three in 2007 to six. Taking in Mexico, making its first visit to South America with a trip to the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro before coming north of the border to Texas. Then across the Atlantic to the European legs of Spain, Germany and Poland. After Mat Rebeaud's devastating dominance in 2008, the international line-up of riders were competitive and much different as event nineteen marked the start of the 2009 season and a fresh new face joined the line up of riders competing in the monumental Plaza de Toros México. A 17-year-old from New Zealand, Levi Sherwood. As soon as he came out into that arena it soon became clear that he had something that would set the sport a light. His superb debut showing resulted in a worthy win and set the tone for what was going to continue to be a landmark season. After a closely fought contest in Calgary, Canada, the tour rode into Texas. The course built in Fort Worth for the twenty-first Red Bull X-Fighters certainly was known as one of their biggest courses created. With new tricks being performed, Cam Sinclair introduced the double back flip. He successfully pulled it off, being the first rider to do so in a competition run. Moving on to the next event in Madrid, Sinclair again attempted the double back flip but this time got it horribly wrong. He suffered severe head injuries, a ruptured liver, extensive internal bleeding, a broken shoulder and cheekbone, also had brain swelling causing him to be in a coma for seven days. With Sinclair in recovery, the 2009 tour ended with Red Bull X-Fighters twenty-third event and a first for London with a spectacular finale at the iconic Battersea Power Station.