“ We had a fair idea the
Triple Backflip video would
go huge, but none of us
thought more than double
New Zealand’s population
would watch it ”
because it was windy I took a
lot of stacks. I broke heaps of
bike parts and ended up having
to borrow some kid’s BMX bars
from the crowd that were an inch
lower and narrower, and on that
last jump my pedals were all
bent too.
Some of those crashes you
took were pretty gnarly.
Yeah, but those step-up jumps
are good for that. I never came
onto the landing too hard, as
it was more like a rainbow arc.
I think most people in that
situation would’ve been OK; I
don’t think I’m that unique that
I can take bigger crashes than
anyone else.
The video of your Triple is still
the most viewed BMX clip on
the internet. Man, the views
went crazy after you landed it.
Yeah, it reached like nine million
people in two weeks, which was
massive. I think Danny MacAskill
has more views than me, but
the next biggest BMX clip after
mine is about two or three million
views. Before the event we had
a fair idea it’d go huge, but none
of us thought more than double
New Zealand’s population would
watch it!
So why haven’t you attempted
or landed the Triple again, or
tried to get it consistent like
your Nitro Circus buddy James
Foster does?
Basically I haven’t had the
jumps or facilities to do it. There
have been many days that I’ve
woken up wanting that feeling of
sending a Triple again, and that’s
why I’ve built the dirt jumps out
at Nick’s house: when I wake up
wanting one I can just go out
and do it.
But I’ve got so much respect
for James. The Nitro ramp isn’t
designed right for Triples, but he
just sends it every show and it’s
epic. His bike is tiny and he’s a
fair bit shorter than me, so his
center of gravity is smaller. I’ve
actually told him that if he lands
three in a row I’ll join in for a
Triple Flip train at the next show.
Actually two mountain bike
riders from Nitro Circus, Gavin
Godfrey and Ethan Roberts,
went out and privately landed
Triple Flips in June. I was so
stoked to hear that.
Wow that’s gnarly! Speaking of
Nitro, when did you get invited
to join the live tour?
Last year for the New Zealand
tour. They wanted a Kiwi and I
auditioned for it and got on really
well with everyone. I’ve done 65
shows for them now, and have
pretty much become one of the
family. u
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