Alex Hiam interview straight from the Vans Pro Cup in Oz

Mar 03, 2017

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 8775 times

Go to Australia they said, it’s always warm and sunny they said... Warm indeed, riders were on fire for the qualification but rain stopped the event before the end. Even if we don’t know all the qualifiers, Alex Hiam, local from Australia, thanks to his temporary 3rd place is sure to make it to the final. We took advantage of this time off to ask him a couple of questions about this very first edition of the Vans BMX pro cup.

So tell me Alex, you are Australian, one of the guests of the first international BMX event in Australia, and no matter what, you are qualified for the final. How does it feel?
Alex Hiam: Unbelievable. I used to fly to attend this kind of event. Plus I’m riding with other riders I used to watch, like Sergio Layos, Ryan Nyquist…

When you started BMX were you imagining taking part in such a big event in your homeland ?
Alex Hiam: Not at all, this is crazy. For ten years I’ve never seen anything like this.

I talked to people who told me that here in Australia, extreme sports like surfing, skateboarding, BMX were cultural so it was time to have an international BMX event here just like there already are for skate and surf ?
Alex Hiam: Yeah and we are doing very well overseas so it was time to have something here.

Australia has some of the biggest names in BMX industry; Logan Martin, Kyle Baldock, Brock Horneman, yourself… compared to American riders all of you are really young, in your early twenties or younger, do you think Australia is the land of the new generation ?
Alex Hiam: Yeah, Australia’s young generation is on fire, some of the teens are 13-14 years old and they are the best in the world.

How do you feel for the final, do you want to see an Australian win this very first international event in Oz ?
Alex Hiam: I feel the same as before qualifying, I just want to have fun, it’s gonna be another chance to ride the course. I don’t mind who wins because this person will deserve it, I just want everyone to have fun.

Thanks Alex, hopefully weather gonna be better when we will watch you for the final.

By Awalice FALL—MABON for fatbmx.com