Welcome to the MonsterArmy

Louie Vito. It’s a name you’ll be hearing a lot more, so get used to it. Vito will be appearing this season on ABC’s primetime hit show Dancing With The Stars, which premiers September, 21^st. His decision to forge into uncharted waters—a pro snowboarder dancing on TV—has drawn a bit of scrutiny from the snowboard community, but Louie’s not looking back, he has other things to focus on right now. In addition to his DWTS obligations, he’s making a push for the US Team and the winter Olympics in Vancouver this winter. In preparation for the upcoming contest season, Vito has been in down under for the last month working out new tricks. Last week at the New Zealand Open event, Vito revealed his newest trick—one never before done in competition—the frontside double-cork 1080º, ushering in what is sure to become the year of the double-cork spin. So yeah, Louie Vito has a lot going on. In a quick interview from New Zealand, he filled in some blanks. —Joel Muzzey

What are you calling that new double-cork? Or are there two new ones?

Danny [Kass] calls it the Double-Louie or the Screwy Louie, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t another double I may have for the first qualifier.

When did you learn it?

I learned it at Mount Hood. I was stoked because I didn’t have a foam pit or an airbag to learn them in, so I just had to just go for it and hope I made it around first try.

Were you stressed to throw it out there in the contest setting?
I like contest settings. You have the pressure of having to do it right then and there and your adrenaline gets going, but mostly I was just stoked to do it down here in New Zealand in cold, winter conditions.

Do you think a new trick like this will change your season?

First time done in a contest and the first person to do it. It was cool because it made people throw theirs [double-cork tricks] too and not save anything for next winter. Even though it’s a good trick to have, I think everyone who has it will still need to step up. Other people are going to learn them. That’s what makes the Olympic years so sick—people keeping pushing the level of riding and going further than anyone expected.

What does it feel like to double-cork in the pipe?
It was actually better than I thought—definitely scary! The main thing is making sure you’re fully committed and you don’t open up in between the flips. It’s cool because it feels different than it actually looks. I thought it might be more of a hucky trick but I think of it as if I’m doing a normal frontside seven.

How did you get the Dancing With The Stars thing going?
They contacted this agent and were looking for someone like me. I just had meniscus surgery last summer and was like, “Eh, what the hell? Let’s entertain this idea.”  I went down to the interview and it went well, but I didn’t get it for that season. I think Misty May or someone got it instead. I didn’t really expect them to hit me back so soon. So I just said “Yes, yes, yes,” until I actually had it on paper, then went over everything and made a decision.

Were you scared the snowboard community would hate this?
Of course. I mean you get sh—t from people just for signing with an energy drink sponsor, or even just doing contests. I have haters and will always have haters, no matter what I do. But I don’t snowboard for anyone except myself. I don’t snowboard so everyone will like me. I just want to be me and that’s the best I can do, love it or hate it. Am I going to argue with someone that things [in snowboarding] should be done this way or that?  At the end of the day, I have to do what I think is best for me. It’s hard to deny this show has cred—22 million viewers a week!  At the end of the day, snowboarding is evolving into the mainstream one way or another, but what I do isn’t going to make the next snowboarder look a certain way. Snowboarding is my life more than a job or an image, I do it because I love it and nothing is going to stop me from having that be number one in my life. This [show] is a once in a lifetime opportunity and no matter how many people hate, most don’t have the balls to step up. I just hope I can wow the ladies!

Did anyone try to stop you from doing it?
No one really did. As long as it didn’t conflict with snowboarding, people were pretty hyped. I’m not gonna lie, I was a little surprised. Even other snowboarders were backing it, which was way different than what I thought would happen.

Are you gonna make loot doing the show?
Yeah, you get some money for doing the show, too. I’m not saying I’m doing it for the money, though. It just seems like a crazy experience and a good way to learn how to dance.

What are you looking forward to most about doing the show?
It’s going to be a whole new world. I mean, I can dance, or I think I can, but not like this kind of dance. It’s a new experience and challenge, but if I can do something that I don’t really have experience and confidence with in front of all those people and everyone watching, then doing a contest run or shooting a trick, which I know how to do and am confident in, that should be easy.

What are you dreading the most?
I tried to make a point that they aren’t going to make me wear any tights or sequins or anything. I’m sure I will wear something that I wouldn’t normally wear, but I kinda knew I couldn’t wear tee shirts and baggy jeans. Also those Latin dances have a lot of hip movement.

What do you have to say to your snowboard fans out there?
I think everybody out there should just sit back and enjoy it. Snowboard fans, go out and learn some Double-Louie flip or breakdance …

Source: TransworldSnowboarding.com

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel and Suzuki’s Chad Reed are the big overall winners as Monster pays out $40,000 over three races!

 

Monster Energy/Cernic’s/Kawasaki’s Heidi Cooke goes undefeated on the Monster Energy Canadian MX Nationals pro women’s tour this year

    

Sparks, Nev. – The MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour wrapped-up its fifth and final stop of the 2009 season today in the greater Reno area of Sparks, Nev., where the world’s top pro riders hit the waters of Sparks Marina for the closing-rounds of action.   
 
Monster Energy’s Harley Clifford and Danny Harf battled it in the 4 man finals.  In the end, Harley finished in 3rd and Danny in 4th. 
 
Although Harley Clifford didn’t win the final stop of the season, the 15-year-old rookie phenom’s third-place finish today earned him enough points to win the overall Pro Tour title. Clifford now becomes only the second rider ever to win the overall title in his rookie year, behind wakeboarding legend Parks Bonifay, who won it in 1996. Clifford totaled 450 points throughout the five-stop season. 
 
In the Jr. Pro Men’s division, Monster Energy’s Bob Soven, Steel Lafferty, Daniel Powers, and Aussie Mitch Langfield battled it out on the water in a four-man final today for the top spot in the contest. All four amateur rippers threw down impressive runs, but top-seed Bob Soven emerged as the winner at Sparks Marina.
 
With today’s victory, Monster Energy’s Soven claims his fifth consecutive win of the season, sweeping the five-stop tour to become the first amateur rider ever to sweep the Jr. Pro Men’s division.
 
Monster Energy’s Melissa Marquardt finished in a very respectable 4th place in the Pro Women’s division. 
 

 

Jamie Bestwick and Pierre Luc Gagnon reign supreme on the vert ramp while Dave Mirra comes up big in BMX Park with a 2nd place effort

Frenchman returns to top step of podium with second win of year; Philippaerts back on form with a podium in MX1

 

Monster’s Cory Lopez leads Team USA to historic win in the ISA World Surfing Games; Monster’s Paulin wins MX2 class @ Czech Republic MXGP; multiple Monster titles are won at Loretta Lynn’s Amateur MX National championships!

Third Stop of the 2009 Dew Tour Kicks Off in Portland, Ore., Aug. 13-16 at the Rose Quarter

Pierre Luc competitiveness has wonhim plenty of medals over the years, but this time he skated with a fire and determination rarely seen. After falling on his first two runs, PLG, known for his controlled and perfectly executed technical maneuver’s, let it all hang out. Turning it up to eleven, he threw down so furiously, teammate Alex Perelson shook his head in disbelief, exclaiming, “I expected him to win, but not like this!” Pierre had found another gear and the tricks he dropped in the waning minutes of X Games 15 vert finals were simply awe inducing. Here’s a brief recap from the man himself.

That was one of the best vert finals I’ve ever seen. How much did winning X Games this year mean to you?

The fact that I pulled out of Big Air made winning this one mean a lot more to me this year—and I’ve never had back to back gold medals at X Games. I think Bucky was the only vert skater to do that—so now we’re tied. Because of the intense contest schedule and some minor injuries I just haven’t had the time to train properly for Big Air too, so it was my strategy to just focus on vert—and luckily it paid off!

You said you had a bad case of nerves this year. Why?

Pulling out of Big Air, ha ha. I just couldn’t screw up or my strategy would have been worthless. And when you skate the B.A. event, even if you medal with a bronze or silver, it takes some pressure off you before the main event. By the time vert comes around you’re in contest mode.

Was it simply lack of practice time on Big Air, or is there more to it?

No, I also just didn’t want to be all banged up and sore for Vert. And when you skate MegaRamp all your spins have to be really slowed down—then when you skate the vert ramp the next day it feels tiny. It would actually be much better the other way around—Vert one day and Big Air the next.

The X Games ramp is surprisingly standard—how do you feel about that?

If the format is boring you need a unique ramp. The jam format at X Games is exciting so the ramp doesn’t need to be totally crazy, but somewhere between their standard ramp and the Maloof Money Cup ramp would be cooler for next year.

You fell in your first two runs of finals, WTF?

There was too long of a break between practice and finals and I just got cold. There’s a fine line between staying warm and skating too much and wearing out your legs. I just totally lost my rhythm and it took me a minute to get it back. The second slam, when I kind of crashed off the side of the ramp after my rodeo really got me back in it. It made me mad—and I was like “Now I have to do this!” That’s when I rolled in switch and did that big switch heel frontside 360—then it was game on.

You took some inspiration from P-Rod’s come from behind win in street finals?

Yeah, Paul Rodriguez was behind and then he came back so I was in that same position. I thought about that and it was inspirational. I thought if he could do it, I could do it—I got back in the zone and made it happen.

Tell me about Alex Perelson’s uncanny prediction.

Okay, so we had a big break between prelims and finals, like a few hours. Alex Perelson, Danny Mayer, Rob Lorifice and myself are just killing time and Alex grabs a heat sheet and starts filling things in everywhere. When he was finished, he’d written down the final standing’s, as they would play out later that day exactly. Even down to himself getting fifth place—it was really crazy.  I called him that night and was like, “Do you realize you got it all right, like some genius?”

And you owe him 100 bucks?

He pretty much got every skater to agree to give him 100 dollars if they won vert—so he calls me afterward while I’m at dinner with Monster and goes “When can I get my hundred dollars?” He wanted to collectit that night, ha ha.

Bucky won in Boston at the Dew tour last week, and you beat him this week … it’s a crazy back and forth.

Yeah, Bucky has some incredible lines and some really original tricks like the McEgg, his egg plant 540. I knew I had to do something new if I wanted to win this year. That’s why I threw the kickflip body varial Mctwist—I’ve been working on that trick for a year now and it’s the first time I’ve thrown it in the middle of a full run.

Did you “Unleash The Beast” or what?

I threw seven’s, a bunch of fives, my tre#769; flip to fakie, and the kickflip body varial Mctwist—so I guess I did kind of unleash the beast, ha ha. I just knew I couldn’t win doing last year’s run. And also so the judges don’t judge me against myself, it was important to keep it fresh—like rolling in switch. And that’s really what it’s about, doing new tricks and keeping vert exciting.  

“I kind of got a little arm pump, but I feel pretty good,” said very focused Josh Hansen after winning the opening six-lap Super X heat race at Summer X Games 15. “It was sick to be out front. It’s a good feeling. I needed to do this, you know? It’s expected in my mind to do it, but it’s also a good feeling because I haven’t been there for a little bit. Now it’s time for 20 laps and, hopefully, I’ll be holding a Gold Medal at the end of the day.”


60 minutes later, Hansen, in his one-off, “one-shot wonder” appearance for Mitch Payton’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki outfit, lined up behind the starting gate for the Summer X Games 15 Super X final. When the gate dropped and the pack skated around the Teflon smooth and slick first corner, Hansen and the big Kawasaki were in fourth place and charging. Soon, Hansen was up to second and giving chase to a flying Kevin Windham. Then it happened. Just short of the halfway mark, Hansen caught Windham, deftly ducked under him and, with the barking Pro Circuit-tuned KX450F motor declaring so, took control of the lead. From that very point forward, Hansen pulled away to score a popular victory in the sold-out Home Depot Center. And for the second time in two years, Hansen had an X Games Gold Medal slung around his neck. For Hansen, the Pro Circuit rider at the X Games was a golden opportunity and one Hansen - perhaps more so than any other race in his career - sunk his entire heart and soul into. Later that night in a sushi restaurant on the 18th floor of a downtown Los Angeles high rise, Josh Hansen, Gold Medal held firmly in his hands, reflected back upon the race that just might put him back on the radar and on the roster of a prolific race team in 2010.

Okay my friend, a few hours have now passed since you crossed the finish line back at the Home Depot Center. We’re sitting here in a restaurant overlooking downtown Los Angeles and all is well with the world. What’s going through your mind right now?

You know what? I’m more than happy. I needed to do business here, but there was also a lot of pressure coming into this because I had the whole “me riding a Mitch bike” thing and all that. So, I’m glad. I think a lot of people thought I’d crack under the pressure or maybe not make the most of things. I’m glad. I’ve really been working hard – if people believe it or not – and I’ve been trying to get my life together. I don’t know. It’s all good, you know? It’s a good point for me and I really, really just want to stay on a positive track from here on out.

A lot of people close to the sport took notice of just how focused you looked all day. In between the heat race and main event you took a short nap on a concrete barrier up in the staging area. Were you sleeping or sort of meditating?

You know what? I was just relaxing. I was just trying to take my mind off shit. I just wanted to be by myself. I just wanted to hang out and be by myself. I was just cruising.

Let me stop you right there: Did you know all along you were going to win?

Yeah, well, I came here to win, for sure. I know [James] Stewart might have crashed or what-not (Note: In Supermoto practice), but I really thought I had a good shot. Maybe if I didn’t beat Stewart, I really felt like I could like maybe I could have done something. I’d have liked to try and put a wheel in there or try to give him a run a run for his money. And somebody like Josh Grant coming off all his wins in the outdoors, I knew it was going to be a tough race. My lap times and everything throughout the whole weekend were good and I was on point. I think I really deserved it. I was good.

I watched the race alongside Mitch and some of his crew members. Throughout the duration of the main event he didn’t say a single word. Once you won it, he looked over and said, “He earned it.” Can you explain how the race played out?

I got a bad start. I started off around fifth or sixth. I worked it and started capping off riders. I got to a point where I was kind of sitting there in second and could see Windham quite a ways ahead and I know he’s dangerous being in that position because the guy can fit in a good 20 laps. So I just wanted make sure that I could do my job and put in consistent laps and still run a good pace. If that was good enough to beat Windham then great. I just wanted to not worry about other people and ride my own race. And it worked out to its best. I ended up giving pressure to him and then I ended up making a couple of mistakes and ended up catching back up to him.

Could you smell blood when you closed in on that red rear fender?

Yeah, I did. I felt good and then I made the pass and just wanted to get out of town and that’s kind of what happened.

You then proceeded to check out. What was going through your mind those last eight or nine laps? You were just flowing with the bike and track…

You know what? I didn’t really didn’t think too much. I was just having fun and I was concentrating. I enjoyed riding my dirt bike today.

You got a great hand from the crowd upon crossing the finish line and taking a victory lap around the stadium. What were you thinking?

It was relieving. I was happy. I’ve been through a lot of bullshit. It’s just time to move on. It’s easy for everybody to hate on me and what-not and there are very few people that have stood behind me. To have this opportunity and to be able to show people what I could do was great. As much as people have signed me off, that usually ruins a lot of people’s confidence, you know? It’s hard to het that back. To come here and have the pressure of being on Mitch’s program and to be able to pull it off like I did. I’m glad that I could do it for that guy.

During the last three weeks leading into this race, do you think Mitch’s discipline and “tough love” approach was good for you?

Yeah, I would never want to see myself on any other program, if I had to pick. And it was really cool of Monster and THOR and Parts Unlimited and Kawasaki Mike Fischer to let me have the opportunity to do this. There were people who could have definitely just doubted the situation, but these people really stuck behind me and I have to thank them a lot. It’s a dream come true and I just hope to keep building and stay on a good positive path and I hope to keep good, positive winning people around me. I think it makes a big difference.

Your dad – the 1982 Supercross Champion – was smiling big after the race. Did that mean a lot to you?

Yeah, I think so. I’ve gotten pretty close with him the last few months. When I stopped racing and stuff I kind of backed it down and I worked on having a good relationship with my parents. I’m kind of just getting a littler more self-straight. It’s a good feeling to have my parents on my side again. I was kind of doing it my own way and as you could see, it didn’t really work out. But it was all good and it was good having them there. And seeing my dad smile is the greatest thing ever. It was sweet.

Did you talk with Mitch after the race?

Yeah, I talked to Mitch afterwards. He was just like, “You deserved it. It was one thing how you won last year and everybody hated on that, but it was another thing how you had to work for it tonight and this is why I brought you here this weekend because I wanted to see that.” That was rad.

Before I came over here this evening, I quickly checked out the Internet. I noticed a few items in the chat rooms that essentially said, “For all of you that doubted Hansen, piss off.” What’s different about you now than 365 days ago?

We all mistakes. I think one thing that is changing is that I’m just trying to grow up. There’s a time and place for everything. I don’t know… I’ve learned it the hard way. All I can do is build. People are always going to hate on me. I don’t know… I’m just glad that I’m out on a motorcycle doing a job that I love to do and to be fortunate enough to win such cool prizes and races. It’s a blessing. I thank everybody. I definitely thank the Lord up above for giving me the opportunity to be able to do this in my lifetime.

I’ve spoken with you about this before. When you’re focused and have your head screwed on straight, you have everything it takes to win any race at any time. Adding to that, when you’re ready and prepared to race, you are REALLY prepared to race. When you’re in that “space”, are you aware of it?

Yeah, when times are good with me, I know it. Obviously, you can’t race everyday being perfect. I’ve kind of let people down, as well as myself. When I am headstrong and when I do try hard, it’s on. I felt lie today that it was on. I had a good goal and I had something to prove and I’m glad I got to do it. I think I do have a weird talent. I know I do. But I’m a weird person. I know that I’m not your ordinary, typical motocross kid. I can’t help that. I don’t know, it’s weird. One day I can be so off and some day just be so on. When my heads in it I don’t feel like too may people can beat me. So that’s kind of a good feeling.

Could Mitch Payton and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team help you keep your head in it?

I think so. You know I might have done this, but this isn’t the icing on the cake. This is just a base. Hopefully, I showed some promise today and, yeah, I would love the opportunity. I would do anything for that. I’d love to win a championship. That would be the icing on the cake.

And you’ve got that God Medal in you hands. What are you going to do with that thing?

I’m going to put that bitch on the wall and smile at it every morning! You kidding me? It’s so sweet.

Cranmer steps up like he always seems to do at the big events, wins the closest-ever BMX Park competition at X and is ready to pilot his bike into the Dew Tour

CORONA, Calif., (Aug. 4, 2009) – Monster Energy’s new addition to its Monster Army BMX squadron paid some instant dividends in a BIG way this past weekend as Scotty Cranmer took it to the world’s best BMXers in the banging X Games’ cement/wood hybrid park, winning the gold medal in the closest-ever final over Diogo Canina by one point.

 

Cranmer, who also won X Games gold in BMX Park in 2006, got the hero’s welcome when he returned back to his home state of New Jersey – four kids on BMX bikes riding back and forth in front of his house and hollering for him.
 
 

He thought the fanfare was pretty cool, actually. And he took time to get the Monster Army caught up on just went down this past weekend at X 15.

 

Monster Energy: Hey man, a bunch of us skate here at Monster and we were just all going off on that concrete and wood park they built for X. Was it as killer to ride as it looked?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “It was definitely pretty wild. None of us had every ridden anything like that, but the thing is it worked out really well. The concrete allowed a lot of fast lines, where the wood made the bigger tricks happen. I hope they do the same thing for next year.”

 

Monster Energy: Was it tough at all to adjust to the new X BMX Park design? Seemed like you wired it pretty quickly.

 

Scotty Cranmer: “For me, at least, I’ve been riding BMX forever. I’ve ridden everything. So to adjust to it wasn’t a really big deal. Figured out the lines pretty quick, and what was possible and what’s not.”

 

Monster Energy: Your last X Games gold medal came in 2006, silver in 2007. Last year you were injured a couple months prior to X Games 14. What was it that allowed you to rally back and win gold this year?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “I think what helped me get back was the confidence to do transfers and big tricks. Hard, though. I was out for about nine months, which is a really long time off the bike. But thankfully I was able to get back pretty quick, didn’t throw me off too much. Confidence starting out came from doing the same things over and over, but was still able to show up and show that I’ve progressed in areas, prove to people that I’ve still got it.” Note: Cranmer had broke three bones in his foot and dislocated two toes. And it wasn’t until October of ’08 that he was able to get back on his bike – just to pedal around.

 

Monster Energy: Diogo and Gary Young killed it as well. You guys were so close – you finished behind Young in the elimination to ten (riders) and got beat pretty good by Diogo in the heats leading up to the finals. What was, in your mind, that the judges saw that gave you that extra point to win in the finals, 132-131?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “Diogo’s a great rider. He’s awesome. I think what allowed me to win was the level of tricks I was doing and how big I was going on them. Pushed myself in that aspect and that helped me out in the end.”

 

Monster Energy: You always seem to rise up and ride real well at the REAL big events, namely the X Games. Why do you think that is?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “The thing I always like about the X Games is that it’s the kind of contest that everyone watches on TV and stuff. That motivates me. Also, because only a number of people are invited, you know the level of competition will be incredible. And that’s even when we just show up and are checking out the course for the first time. But I dunno. Could be something else, you know? Who knows. The X Games has always been a big deal to me.”

 

Monster Energy: You touched on the level of competition. Some guy blogged on ESPN’s website that just the footage from the qualifiers – not to mention the finals – would have made a banger BMX video. Was that insane just being part of it?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “Every important person in the BMX world is there. Then your bring in the top 20 guys. You know you’re there for a reason, so if that doesn’t motivate you I don’t know what will.”

 

Monster Energy: If a 12-year-old kid peaking on Monster O.G. came up to you and said I want to be the next Scotty Cranmer, what would you tell him?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “I would tell him to just have as much fun as possible and not be too concerned about where your future’s gonna go in the sport. Just focusing on being the best you’re gonna lose your fun and your drive in that sense. Growing up I just wanted to ride my bike. That’s all I did. That and learn tricks. I didn’t think the X Games was possible, but I ended up doing it. So anything’s possible. And you can do it.”

 

Monster Energy: Were you surprised that your Monster Energy teammate and fellow Monster Army General, Mike Spinner, and Daniel Dhers didn’t make the finals?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “It was crazy. Those guys train for a certain event. Ride their quarter pipes and stuff.  And use the foam pits to get ready for the contests. Daniel Dhers is one of the best park riders ever, but he kind of stepped out of the way of what he needed to do. Mike Spinner, too. Both those guys are really, really good at what they do. But ultimately the course may have had something to do with it.”

 

Monster Energy: Right on. What’s up for the rest of the summer?

 

Scotty Cranmer: “I’m gonna go and have some fun around New Jersey, have a good time while the weather’s nice. Hit up the rest of the Dew Tour rounds.”

 

Monster Energy: Bonus question! What famous guitar player graduated from your high school (New Jersey’s Jackson Memorial H.S.)?

 

Scotty Cranmer: (without hesitation) “Zakk Wylde! My uncle took guitar lessons from him.” Note: Wylde played guitar with Ozzy.

 

Monster Energy: Again, congrats on winning gold at X 15. That’s so huge, Scotty.

 

Scotty Cranmer: “Thank you. And thanks again to everyone at Monster. So many people were coming up to me at the X Games that were pumped I’m with Monster now. Look forward to representing here at contest again soon.”

 

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it BMX, MX, rally, insane distance jumping, SX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee amp; cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Scotty Cranmer digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com

One of the X Games’ most dominant athletes of all-time, Bestwick opens up on everything from his gold medal performance to the crash that left him a bit batty

   
CORONA, Calif., (Aug. 4, 2009) – In the high wire act of halfpipe riding, both with BMX and skateboards, there’s always a fine line between ripping and slamming. Monster Energy’s top BMXer Jamie Bestwick toed that line, ripped to the point of winning his third-straight X Games BMX Vert gold – and then slammed to the point he though he was at a Major League Baseball game just moments after walking off the vert ramp under his own power following a brain-rattling crash.

 
 The UK’s Bestwick, by way of Woodward Camp, Pa., and the reigning king of the U-shaped ramp had his game dialed for the first two X Games BMX Vert finals runs on Saturday in front of a packed crowd at the Home Depot Center’s tennis facility. Dualin’ 49s – out of 50 –  locked down his third-straight title in the event and, well, rather than ramble on about the subject let’s get Mr. Bestwick on the phone here …

 

Monster Energy: Your 3-peat win this past weekend puts you into some elite company, elevating your legend to eight golds and ten total medals in X Games competition alone. You came in expecting a dog fight. You won, despite a gnarly slam. You’ve gotta be pleased with the way things came together. Did the pre-event strategy go as planned?

 

Jamie Bestwick: “Feels good, yeah, because coming into this event, mentally, I knew there was some big tricks that were going to come out. When it came time for the final, I think it caught a few people by surprise. Everybody knew it was a 30-second jam format run, so we’d get five or six tries. I’d just been riding at home with this in mind and, you know, starting linking stuff together that was going together real well – kept me high and smooth all the time. Knew the longer the jam went on, people would start getting tired, making mistakes. So I tried to capitalize early on.”

 

Monster Energy: Did anything from the other riders surprise you? Everything from the multiple 900s to maybe your top rival Chad Kagy’s inconsistency?

 

Jamie Bestwick: I think the biggest surprise was Tim Wood, the Australian kid, didn’t make the final. He’s relatively unheard of, came out and basically blew the front doors off the vert ramp. 900 in his first run to get the party started. So for me, his riding was one of the highlights. After that I can pretty much only tell you about what happened until I fell off. In the practice sessions I did notice that people weren’t riding at the level I’m used to seeing them ride at. And I kept that in mind for when I rode the final.”

 

 

Monster Energy: Obviously we’d like to stress your two 49 scores (out of 50), but let’s visit the crash. Looked to us like you just hung up the front tire on the coping. Almost relaxed when it happened, but certainly paid the price on the flat bottom. Take us through the wreck.

 

Jamie Bestwick: “I was trying to link tricks together and my first two runs everything went great, seemed super solid. With each passing run I tried to up the level of my own riding. So basically that was the mindset. The third run was going great, just hit a flare whip to a huge downside and the plan was to hit a five (540) whip and take it into something else. When I took off I did notice I wasn’t as high as I usually am, so when I came in I pushed down a little too hard on the front and the bike went a little too flat and it just clipped the top of the ramp.”

 

Monster Energy: So you basically felt you had that trick on auto-pilot and were looking ahead.

 

Jamie Bestwick: “Yeah, I was already focused and committed to pulling that trick and moving on to the next one and – obviously it caught me by surprise and that was it. Just wish I could have pulled that five whip because it felt like there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do that day.”

 

Monster Energy: The fact that you were looking ahead to the next wall - did that almost help in sense that you didn’t tense up and, quite possibly, hurt yourself even more? Note: Bestwick suffered a slight concussion in the slam.

 

Jamie Bestwick: “Oh, yeah, for sure. It could have been a lot worse. Maybe that was my saving grace (looking ahead to his next trick across the ramp). I was ready to pump out of that trick and wasn’t really preparing myself for a big crash. It just kind of happened and that was it.”

 

Monster Energy: So the TV cameras were rolling when you got up, the place went bananas, you walked off the ramp and hugged your wife. Were you at all cognisant of what was going on, or were you off somewhere else?

 

Jamie Bestwick: “I don’t remember hitting the floor. I don’t remember anyone standing over me. I don’t remember taking my helmet off, putting my hand up to the crowd (all of which Bestwick later saw on TV). All I remember is seeing my wife and she asked me if I was alright and I said ‘I don’t know where I am.’ My wife said “What do you mean you don’t know where you are?” And I said ‘Well, are we in a baseball stadium?’” (laughs)

 

Monster Energy: That’s a solid hit for sure. No sense dwelling on it. New subject. You’re eclipsling some of Mat Hoffman’s numbers here. Supercross experienced that when Ricky Carmichael took over for McGrath, then more recently as James Stewart’s taken over for Carmichael. Comparisons are always drawn by fans as to who’s the best. Talk about your legacy in BMX vert.

 

Jamie Bestwick: “I don’t think there should be too many comparisons between me and Mat. Mat was his own item much like I am. I think the fact we’ve both been on top of vert is something that can be attributed to us both, along with Dave Mirra. But much like Mat, I’ve contributed to the world of vert in my own way. I’m kind of proud of the progression I’ve added to the sport, opened up the way people ride vert, challenging the direction everyone’s taking. It’s great to be seen in the same light as somebody they call a legend, but unfortunately I’m older than the legend – so I’m not sure what that holds for me.” (lots of laughter)

 

Monster Energy: Maybe you’re a Wizard.

 

Jamie Bestwick: “I’ll go with that.”

 

Monster Energy: Last year there was some discussion on the possible death of vert. Seems with just a venue change – to the Home Depot Tennis Stadium – the place was packed and the amplitude level was pinned. Throw in a 30-second jam session and X’s BMX Vert looks to be back powerfully. You speak brilliantly on this subject. What’s your ‘State-of-the-Union’ feeling on the sport of BMX Vert after the ’09 X Games? Does anything need to be added to the U-shaped ramp for BMX bikes, as skaters sometimes do?

 

Jamie Bestwick: “When you add things to the vert ramp, things like clam shells, rails, tombstones and such it’s only really ride able by a few riders. A lot of people don’t ride other stuff to where they could actually benefit from using different types of obstacles. I think having a straight-forward vert ramp with the jam format is the best option. With that everybody can go for the biggest air possible and the best tricks.”

 

Monster Energy: Do you think we’ll ever see a BMX version of motorcycle’s Grand National championship where you combine the events such as BMX Street, Park and Vert to crown one overall champion?

 

Jamie Bestwick: “That would be awesome to see. And I think, for the most, a lot of us thought that this would be something that would transpire from the Super Park at the X Games. Huge, 14-foot high quarter pipes for the vert riders, the usual park features for the park and street guys. I think that would kind of even out everybody in that style of competition and riding. It would always be interesting to see how that would turn out.”

 

Monster Energy: Outstanding. What’s up next for you?

 

Jamie Bestwick: “That’d be the Dew Tour in Portland (Ore.).”

 

Monster Energy: Ooo … that was the one Dew Tour round you lost last year, correct?

 

Jamie Bestwick: “It was.”

 

Monster Energy: One last comment and we’ll let you go. Tell us about your Monster Energy Valentino Rossi tribute helmet you ran at X.

 

Jamie Bestwick: “I felt it was a nice gesture towards Rossi, who’s a hero in a sport I really have a passion for. When I ride I’m told my eyes are big, and wide open, always in a serious light. So the helmet brought a bit of fun and attention to Mr. Rossi.”

 

Monster Energy: Right on. Good luck at Portland!

 

Jamie Bestwick: “Thank you.”

 

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it BMX, MX, rally, insane distance jumping, SX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee amp; cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Jamie Bestwick digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com