FATBMX Your Online BMX News Resource Since 1998

Name: Mike Kleissler
Age: 23
Hometown: Kenilworth, NJ
Sponsors: Dailygrind, lookingforspots and dxvdbrxvd

The FAT FAVOURITES list:

-Spot to ride: Perth, Amboy high school

Name: Danny van Uden
Age: 17
Hometown: Gemert, Netherlands

The favorite list: 

-Spot to ride: 040bmxpark

-BMX video: BSD living for the city

-Website: https://www.paulsboutique.nl/

Name: Ethan Schmitt
Age: 21
Hometown: St. Cloud, Mn. USA.
Hook-ups/Sponsors: Radio bikes, QBP bmx, Eclat parts

The favorite list:

-Spot to ride: Anything you can grind
-BMX video: Deadline

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…

Name: Colton Walker
Age: 19
Hometown: New Richmond, WI
Hook-ups/Sponsors: Unit, Totalbmx, Bellhelmets, Gform, Monster Energy
 
The FAT Favorites list:

-Spot to ride: The Kitchen Skatepark

Name: Risto Kalmre
Hometown: Tallinn, Estonia (born in Tartu, Estonia)
Age: 34
Event: Simple Session

How many years has the Simple Session been running now?
Risto: It’s been 17 years in a row now. And we have done over 20 big events. I believe we’re one of the longest-running BMX and skate events in the world now.

When you started it 17 years ago, did you ever think that itwould last this long?
Risto: Of course not. I was just a 17-year-old kid. We didn’t have anywhere to ride. So we built our first skatepark in Tartu. That needed an opening event which went really well, so we threw it again the next year and so the tradition and the Simple Session was born. Still, there never was really any business plan in the beginning, it just grew somehow and it’s been a blast all these years. It hasn’t been always easy to keep the show running, though. People who have put on events, know the drill that goes into them. Simple Session is not a big organization like some other big series owned by TV companies, big shoe

Name: Alfredo Campo
Number in Rio: 593
Country: Ecuador
Result: Last

When was the point for you that you thought you had a good chance of going to the 2016 Olympics in Rio?
Alfredo Campo: It was always a dream of mine! Midway 2015 after Pan-Am games I tought I had a good shot of making it!

Can you explain what kind of sacrifices you have to make as a professional BMX racer to be on top of your game all the time?
Alfredo Campo: Leaving home being 16 years old was for sure one of the hardest things, but I love challenges that's why bmx has been so unique for me, not having a solid national team and having to do things by my own like making a financial plan is also a tough piece of the puzzle

How important has your coach been on your road to Rio?
Alfredo Campo: Main key, a mentor, a journey I will never forget alongside Anders Grounsund

Name: Travis Pastrana
Age: 33
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland
Hook-ups/Sponsors: Nitro Circus, Ethika, DC Shoes

The favourite list:

-Spot to ride: My house
-BMX video: Expendable Youth
-Website: YouTube
-Web video: Anything R. Willy posts
-Food: Pasta
-Twitter to follow: Who uses twitter?
-Person on Instagram: @corynastazio @mikehucker @uncleronnie69
-Travel destination: Gold Coast, Australia
-Riders to ride with: Phil Smage, Harry Bink

Name: Niek Kimmann
Country: The Netherlands
Number in Rio: 313
Result: 7th

How did Rio turn out for you as an Olympic rookie looking back at the race now?
Niek Kimmann: The level of the top guys in BMX is so high that I knew I could easily go out in the semi with some bad luck, or maybe even medal if everything fell in the right place.

Name: Tom van den Bogaard
Age: 20
Hometown: Aarle-Rixtel, the Netherlands
Sponsors: Vans, Paul's Boutique, 040bmxpark, Fitbikeco, Fox

Your first trip to the USA, how was it?
Tom van den Bogaard: Too damn good! Rode so many awesome skateparks and had such an amazing time with Roderik over there.