The Animal WD-40 Action Sports Tour mixes the incredible skill, control and balance of World Champion trials rider Martyn Ashton, with the spectacular aerial style of one of the world’s most exciting jump riders Blake Samson. Keeping the riders under control is ringleader and MC James Thorne. Plus keep your eyes peeled for free runner gymnast Luke ‘Mad-Gun’ Madigan as he flies across the tour set-up along with special guest riders throughout the year.
Animal’s amazing mobile rig has expanded in 2013 to scare both the crowd and the athletes, this will be kept running super smooth and clean by our title sponsors WD-40, with new team members Skullcandy making sure the speakers are pumping out awesome music.
The Action Sports Tour crew are going to be the coolest/cleanest/loudest ever!
As well as the bonkers riding there will be opportunities to win some limited edition Action Sports Tour gear, plus loads of Animal, WD-40 and Skullcandy goodies. Make sure you follow Animal on Facebook and the team Twitter to get all the latest news.
Since inception in 2002, we’ve performed in front of over 600,000 people, undertaken over 2,000 shows and travelled over 300,000 miles to events such as Goodwood Festival of Speed, T in the Park and British Formula 1.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
The Animal WD-40 Action Sports Tour features Martyn and Blake, two of the world’s best mountain bike riders, Luke an incredible free runner and the countries hottest young scooter riders.
Behind the scenes there is a crack team making everything happen; James the MC bringing the Tour to life on the mic, Robin the Tour manager keeping everyone in check and capturing the images and finally the promo crew looking hot and running the comps.
The show runs like a traveling circus and lives like a big family for the 50 days of the tour. When the shows started in 2002 the set up took 45 minutes for two people, the show has grown every year since and it now takes our six person crew three hours to build.
Check out the team and the rig below…

Martyn Ashton
Trails Rider
Martyn is one of the countries highest profile riders & the godfather of bicycle trials. In his 17 years as a pro has been British Champion, World Champion & held the Guinness World Record for high jump.
Martyn is a true legend of the sport, his genre is bike trials but he commands respect from all disciplines of the sport. His incredible talent, infectious enthusiasm and down to earth nature make him popular with everyone he meets.

Blake Samson
Dirt Jumper
Zimbabwean born dirt jumper Blake Samson fully earned his place on the Bike Tour in 2009 as he whipped up a frenzy with his super extended tricks and riding passion.
He has trained hard and for 2013 will be cutting loose with the biggest, baddest moves he has dialed in at competitions around the world – it is a huge year for Blake and the Tour!

Luke Madigan
Free Runner
Luke’s acrobatic skills exploded on to the show in 2012 with such an impact that we new for 2013 not only did we want him back, we would challenge his creative free-running discipline even further with a new landscape to push his strength and courage to the max.
Luke’s originality, speed and fluidity in the show have already proved astounding, watching it progress as the tour rolls out this year is going to be very exciting to watch.

Guest Athlete
BMX / Scooter
The tour will be showcasing the countries best scooter and BMX riders in a sport that have both exploded through the world’s youth population. Put one in the hands of a teenage pro and you have a mind bending concoction of backflips, frontflips and spins that in its introduction to the show has astounded the other athletes and the crowd.

James Thorne
The MC
It’s usually the riders that are the sole stars of the show but anyone who’s seen the Bike Tour and witnessed James our MC in action knows that with his microphone turned to up to 11 he is a fundamental part of the show!

Robin Kitchin
Tour Manager
Robin is the one at the Action Sports Tour either DJ’ing from the Skullcandy decks or leaping around the rig with his camera capturing all the action. As Tour manager Robin works with the athletes to create equipment to constantly test their potential and then searches out the best events across the country to showcase the skills on tap.

Roll-In & BMT
The Roll-In height has been extended for 2013 to provide even more speed for the Jump Box; ascending it will be a challenge, descending it will be terrifying, but the affect will catapult the riders to the next level of extreme!
This new elevated platform will also provide Martyn’s launch point for the Bar of Mental Torment, a balance beam that will now be higher and longer making this element of his show even more ridiculous to both attempt and behold.

Hangman Bars & Jumpbox
The Hangman bars showcase Martyn and Luke’s incredible control and skill, accessed from either the jump up ramp or from the BMT, these bars provide a lethal playground for the guys to test the shows mind blowing insurance policy.
Below the bars sits the Jump Box, which has also been extended for 2013 to cope with the riders new turbo speeds. This has been done by adding a resi style landing to the box, which will enable Blake to attempt his biggest banger tricks with a broad grin on his handsome Zimbabwean face.

Quarter, Ladder & The Cage
At the bottom end of the show sits this medley of disaster; the quarter pipe provides a skate park style transition to the jump box run where the athletes will show how someone ‘extreme’ turns around! The ladder provides not only a great introduction to the world of trials riding, but will for 2013 also support a new piece of equipment that will test the long jump capabilities of man against bike.
Finally, The Cage has been introduced to demonstrate a free runners cat like agility, ninja balance and super human strength. If you’re down this end of the show you may need some rad deflectors to survive the onslaught of action.
The Latest From The Animal WD-40 Action Sports Tour Blog
Truckfest has become Europe’s Premier trucking event with over 100,000 jaws dropping at the site of huge customised rigs, giant American behemoths, all mixed up with monster trucks, celebrities and bank holiday sunshine. The perfect place for the tour, Martyn Ashton certainly thought so and filled us in on the weekends antics: ”Truckfest has become an event the whole team always look forward to; big crowds and Mercedes Benz hospitality as the show sits in the centre of their huge… Read More
Silverstone is not only the home of British motor sport but also becoming a very welcoming home to the Animal WD-40 Action Sports Tour. For our fourth visit we were invited to perform at the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship, in front of an enthusiastic, if wet, Silverstone crowd. Heavy rain and high winds tried to play havoc but it wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits of Audi, Luke Madigan, ADR, Blake Samson, Aston Martin, and Ashton Martyn; who came… Read More
Friday 5th – Monday 8th April saw the launch of the Animal WD-40 Action Sports Tour at Thorpe Park. Designed to both challenge the skills of the shows incredible athletes and crowds alike, we’re stoked to see the tour finally here! WD-40 have stepped up for 2013 as title sponsors alongside Animal and in so doing have enabled the show to develop the rig and invite the countries best action sport athletes to guest ride with our legendary crew. For… Read More
| January | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12–15 Jan | London Bike Show ExCel, London |
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| March | |||
| 9–10 Mar | Irish Cycling Show City West, Dublin |
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| April | |||
| 5–8 Apr | Thorpe Park London |
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| 13–14 Apr | World Endurance Championship Silverstone |
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| May | |||
| 5–6 May | Truck Fest Peterborough Show Ground |
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| 18–19 May | Landrover Owners Club Harrogate |
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| 25–26 May | Bournemouth 7’s Chapel Gate, Bournemouth |
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| 31 May | The Family Adventure Festival BIC, Bournemouth |
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| June | |||
| 1–2 Jun | The Family Adventure Festival BIC, Bournemouth |
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| 8 Jun | Bury St Edmund’s Store Bury St Edmunds Animal Store |
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| 28–30 Jun | Formula 1 British Grand Prix Silverstone |
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| July | |||
| 6–7 Jul | Paddle Round the Pier Hove Lawns, Brighton Seafront |
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| 13–14 Jul | NASS Royal Bath & West Showground |
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| 20–21 Jul | Royal Air Tattoo Fairford |
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| 27–28 Jul | Orbital Festival Goodwood |
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| August | |||
| 2–4 Aug | Early Riser Festival New Forest |
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| 10 Aug | Plymouth City Centre Piazza, Plymouth |
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| 15 Aug | Falmouth Week Falmouth |
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| October | |||
| 6–7 Oct | British Touring Car Silverstone |
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*Keep your eyes peeled for new dates.
The latest photos from the Animal WD-40 Action Sports Tour

The UK action sports lifestyle brand. Designing & developing authentic surf, snow, bike and boardsport inspired clothing, accessories, watches and technical products. Animal supports events and sponsored riders from grass roots through to pro level.

WD-40 Multi-Use Product is the No.1 problem solver for maintenance tasks in the UK and has been helping to keep bikes and equipment in tip top condition for 60 years. Taking care of everything from lubricating nuts and bolts to removing dirt and grime from metal frames, gears and cables.

Skullcandy became one of the world’s most distinct audio brands by bringing color, character and performance to an otherwise monochromatic space; helping to revolutionize the audio arena by introducing headphones, earbuds and other audio and wireless lifestyle products that possess unmistakable style and exceptional performance.