Eet’s a fact, FISE Montpellier provides ze beegest crowd for a BMX competition. At both Park and Flatland, people were seen finding ze slightest angle trying to catch a glimpse of ze riding on ze Fields Of Play (FOP). Eet’s not only ze crowd zat gets Montpellier each year. Riders from all BMX disciplines unite for a week of hanging out together in ze South of France. Ze festival 'as been around since 1997 and BMX 'as been part of eet since ze first edition. UCI’s Park and Flatland World Cups are integrated since 1996. Over ze course of 5 days, ze festival around ze Lez River attracts 500,000 people, and for ze athletes to perform in front of zem is an amazing feeling.
Ze UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup faced some bad luck with ze wezaire in Enoshima, Japan earlier in ze year, but ze sun decided to stay around all week in France, which provided great circumstances for an exciting competition. Ze cut to 24 riders in Men Park was made on Wednesday. Women Park 'ad a 12-rider final qualification round on Thursday, with both finals scheduled for Saturday. Several of ze higher-ranked Park riders 'ad opted to focus on ze Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai, China, but eet left plenty of talent around in Montpellier to provide an excellent show for those who came to watch.
In Women Park, eet was 14 years old Miharu Ozawa who took everyone by surprise in ze Qualification round. Ze Japanese youngster qualified in first place, beating ze rest of ze ladies by 9 points. Ze truckdriver on ze box, backflips, tailwhips, and barspins to X-up were performed way too good for a girl
The first one took place in 1990 just after the opening of the new dirt spot at the Valkendijk in Aarle-Rixtel. 34 years later and the Sugar Hills Trails are still there, same location and the place of the annual Mini-FATJAM. Although it would have been easy to call it quits after so many editions, it is great to see riders show up to ride dirt for a day. Many of them hardly ever ride dirt. Many of them hardly ever ride. Many of them now show up with their kids to ride. Many people just show up to hang out and have a beer.
The Mini FATJAM isn't a high class competition, it's a gathering of BMX fans or maybe you can better call it a reunion. Thanks to support from companies like TSG and Vans and Paul's Boutique BMX Hardware store
New season, new gear, new bike, new training programs, new countries, new tracks.... How does one prepare? We sat down with Niek Kimmann at TLD in Corona to find out more on his off season.
First of all, we know you and your brother as BMXers with a passion, trying to suck everything up in the BMX world and take everything in. How come you needed a BMX break after becoming the Olympic Gold Medalist?
Niek Kimmann: Yeah, I had a 3-month break from BMX. I simply had enough of it. When I became World Champion for the first time, I was in a similar situation. At one point you reach a new level which comes with new responsibilities. You train for races. When you win those races, it comes with responsibilities that you're not prepared for. You're young, you listen to advice from others, you must do this, you must do that....but you're inexperienced yourself so you take everyone's advice but at some point...pause... The reason I started riding BMX is because I liked doing it. At one point so many things get added to your life which are overpowering the sole reason why you started riding BMX. It's not that you forget why you ride, but expectations are up and that makes it hard riding your bike just because you love riding your bike. When I became World Champ back in 2015 I made that mistake and I think that after the Tokyo2020 Olympics I fell in the same trap and I simply had to stop and did not race for a little while. For myself I had to delete all results and titles and had to get back to the core of why I ride. I like to race because I love racing. Even if I would never win a race again, I would still like it.
Watch the finals from Round One of the 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Rotorua (NZL) on Saturday 10 February.
Name: Matias Vasquez
Age: Aagggh, joined Peter Pan a while ago
Hometown: Kongsberg, Norway
Hook-ups/Sponsors: Riding Rules helps me out with some clothes
The FAT favorite list:
-Spot to ride: Whatever that's rideable
-BMX video: Metal Bikes dead bang
-Website: Reddit?
-Food: Beer
-Person on Instagram: Seitanmatti
-Travel destination: Where the sun is
-Riders to ride with: The Fuengirola crew
-Car: If I got a car? Pfff just hanging around
-Movie: Superbad
Shoes specifically designed for BMX. The Vans pro riders have helped with these. They ride in the exact same shoes. And there are options. From high-tops to slip-ons to mids to low-top, they come with the approved Vans BMX sole. If you know how much Dennis Enarson and Kevin Peraza rip, you know that the shoes work. Take a look at www.vans.eu/bmx to see what's in stock. Pick your size. Pick your colour. Choose your favourite model as they're Specifically Designed with BMX in Mind.
They're born from BMX. Made to handle the unique support and durability needs specific to BMX, the innovative, vulcanized mid-top style of the 114 for instance keeps you riding longer and progressing faster.
WRKB Gran Canaria BMX Jam ‘23 by Mati Lasgoity.
Name: Theo Chabbert
Age: 22
Hometown: Toulouse in France
Hook-ups/Sponsors: I don't really have a sponsor, we have a crew on the pink street that represents Toulouse. And I am supported by Performance BMX and Goldhandzgarage
The FAT favorites list:
-Spot to ride: I like to ride pretty much any spot but have a weak spot for bowls
-BMX video: Chapter one Doomed
-Website: Instagram or Youtube
Name: Joe Milioti
Age: 45
Hometown: Lyndhurst, NJ, USA
Hook-ups/Sponsors: Animal bikes, Owner of Old Grinder BMX
The FAT favorites list:
-Spot to ride: Anything in New Jersey
-BMX video: Don’t quit your day job
-Website: Animal bikes
-Food: Pizza
-Person on Instagram: Martin Ochoa aka the Shiftlife
-Riders to ride with: The animal crew Ralph Sinisi, theshiftlife luke pedals, lil Jeff
-Car: 318ti
-Movie: War of the worlds
-Colour: Blue
-Shoes: DC
2023 USA BMX SILVER DOLLAR NATIONALS. Live from Las Vegas, Nevada!
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.