Hometown hero Taka Higashino of Japan has won the first Red Bull X-Fighters event of his career, upsetting series leader Tom Pages of France.

In a thrilling final in front of Osaka Castle watched by 11,000 fans and a global television audience, Higashino pulled off a spectacular upset victory giving his home country a fascinating first taste of FMX.

On an evening that put a spotlight on Japanese traditions, Higashino had the excited crowd behind him every jump of the way through the quarter-finals to the semi-finals and into the final against Pages.

Higashino, who grew up just 15 minutes from the venue, is honoured to win the Osaka X-Fighters event after leaving his home country seven years ago to chase his dreams in California.

“I can’t believe it,” Higashino said. “Tom and I had a great final. I didn’t think that I had won. It is an honor win here.”

America’s Adam Jones took third place rounding out the podium. Following Jones was Australia’s Rob Adelberg in fourth with New Zealand’s Levi Sherwood in fifth. Fellow Aussie Josh Sheehan took ninth in the event.

Pages maintains a 60-point lead over Adelberg in the overall standings followed by Dany Torres, Sherwood and Higashino who hold third, fourth and fifth spots respectively.

The six-round 2013 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour will head to Madrid next month for the penultimate round of the series on 19 July.

2013 Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour
Round four – Osaka Japan

Overall results:
1. Taka Higashino
2. Tom Pages
3. Adam Jones
4. Rob Adelberg (AUS)
5. Levi Sherwood
6. Dany Torres
7. Javier Villegas
8. David Rinaldo
9. Josh Sheehan (AUS)
10. Daisuke Suzuki