Extreme athletes are a sneaky bunch. Their shaggy hair and shaggier demeanor make you think they just rolled out of bed, scratched themselves, then decided to ride a BMX bike down an 80-foot ramp and fly up six stories in the air. And then maybe grab a burrito.
But don’t be a sucker. As you’ll see when the Summer X Games 14 hit town July 31 through August 3, these men and women are called extreme because they train their asses off to do things you and I never could. That, and they’re lunatics.
Ah, but what magnificent loonies they are. More than 150 athletes from around the world will do battle using BMXs, Moto X bikes, skateboards and rally cars as their weapons of choice at the Staples Center and Home Depot Center.
Our bike-jumping days ended in the mid-’80s after an unfortunate incident involving plywood and cinder blocks, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a sense of what it’s like to leap ramps in a single bound. We spoke to Kevin Robinson, last year’s X Games BMX big-air champion and the world-record holder for highest jump (more than 26 feet off a 27-foot ramp).
Do you ever think, “Oh my God! I'm flying through the air!” or are you just focused on the jump?
You do get the sense of that. There is a “wow factor” within yourself. You can’t help but get that feeling, like, “Wow, this feels really good.” But you have to concentrate on what you’re doing and be pretty analytical about it.
What does it feel like?
It feels like you’re flying, especially on the big ramp. What actually takes seconds feels like 30 seconds to me. It’s definitely an amazing feeling. I still get giddy like a little kid. You get the fear factor, but that’s why I love what I do…Whether it be good consequences or bad, you’re going to cross that threshold. I feel in control in the air, but there are always times when mistakes happen, and that’s the most important time to not panic.
Do you hear the crowd up there? Do you ever sneak a glance around you and say, "This is one hell of a view"?
Once I’m in the air, I’m looking at the ramp. I’m focused on the ramp. Your body follows your head, and if you look away from where you’re landing, that’s an accident waiting to happen. But before you roll, that’s when you absorb the atmosphere of all the people coming out to support extreme sports.
What does the landing feel like?
Sometimes it can be pretty jarring, especially if you don’t have the smoothest landing. Your body takes a big impact. There are no shock absorbers on the bike, so you’re taking it all in your body. Yeah, you’re pretty sore the next day for sure.
Do you have a stomach of steel, or are there certain foods you have to avoid before a competition?
I definitely have a stomach of steel. It takes quite a bit to turn my stomach.
Click here for times, dates and ticket information—or cower in fear on your couch and watch on various ESPN channels and ABC.
