FATBMX Your Online BMX News Resource Since 1998

motocross before, right?
Jari: Yes. I saw someone ride BMX at the local skatepark and that got me into it. I got a BMX bike for my birthday and started riding.

Do you see some similarities between riding motocross and riding BMX?
Jari: Yes because you jump a lot. Motocross is completely different though because you need to be as fast as possible and jump as low as possible without any tricks.

It looks like you are not afraid of anything, is that true?
Jari: It scares me to do tricks over big jumps but often I force myself to do it anyway.

Yesterday at the Llorett trails you jumped the first set of the step-up line. Were you scared to jump that for the first time?
Jari: A little but the run-up and sketchy turn in front of it scared me more.

When you want to learn a new trick, do you watch videos, ask for advice, or use the foam, resi and then take it to the dirt or wood? Like the double whip you did last night?
Jari: That trick I learnt in the Eurocamp foam pit first, then took it to the resi and that went well, and then took it to the wood and that worked out as well.

Do you use the foam and resi much on getting better?
Jari: In the wintertime I go to the 040BMXPARK pretty much every weekend and I use the resi and foam pit quite a lot to learn new tricks like the front flip.

Any other tricks you want to learn?
Jari: I want to learn how to do front flips well and superman seat-grabs well also.

Do you like riding contests?
Jari: Yes I do. I like doing contests better than riding jams.  It's the excitement of doing well at a contest that I like and if things work out during the contest that's what I like.

Would it be cool for you to ride with more riders of your age, or do you like riding with Daniel Wedemeijer and Tom van den Bogaard for instance just as much?
Jari: It would be cool to ride with more people of my age who ride similar as I do but I also like riding with Tom and Daniel because I learn a lot from them.

Do you have a hero in BMX?
Jari: I don't really have a hero but my favourite rider is Kevin Peraza. If I could ride like him that  would be cool.

You ride goofy footed. Do you have problems turning the opposite way?
Jari: No, I practice riding both ways. Airing to the left is easier for me but airing the opposite way is getting better and better.  Doing opposite whips are tough for me.

You seem to ride everything. What do you like most?
Jari: I like riding park and dirt the most. I like miniramp too. Street can be fun as well. The only thing I don't like riding is flatland because I can't.

If you would focus on riding flatland, do you think you could get into it?
Jari: Flatland doesn't appeal to me at all.

You ride several contests, would you also like to ride the World Cup contests in the future?
Jari: Yes of course. I keep riding and hopefully I can ride them when the time is right.

With your motocross background, do you think Freestyle Motocross could be something for you?
Jari: I always wanted to, even last year I had the idea of getting into it, but riding BMX is going well at the moment and I'm sticking to that. I do want to do a backflip on a motocross bike though at one point.

What kind of bike would you need for that?
Jari: I don't care, as long as it has a good pick-up I'll flip it.

Recently you were added to the Paul's Boutique BMX team. Any plans with that?
Jari: No plans for the moment but things will work out fine because I like riding for the team and Paul is a good bike mechanic so things will be alright.

Any other sponsors?
Jari: Yes, Seck Clothing, an up and coming clothing brand. They've got T-shirts and stuff and my parents, they pay the most and take me everywhere.

Last words?
Jari: Thanks to my sponsors and my parents.