Jamie Bestwick has an interview on ESPN where he shouts out Christian Rigal for his grind ledge edit and speaks on his relationships with his fellow vert pros. Jamie was a victim of quite a bit of bad press a few months ago after his Albion interview and he seems to be choosing his words much more carefully here, making it clear that none of the supposed animosity is anything more than just the spoils of a bunch of hyper-competitive athletes who face off a few times a year:
“Something we all have in common is that we ride a competitive sport. My competitiveness has always been the same — and it always will be. I enjoy riding my bike and I get on my bike to live out my dream of being the best I can be and channel my efforts into something so creative as BMX bike riding is to me. I am pretty much my own biggest competitor. Friendships that I have now and have had along the way, whether that is with Simon [Tabron], Kevin [Robinson], Mat [Hoffman], Dave Mirra, Jay Miron, Stevie [McCann], Chad [Kagy], have always been on the same level, and still are to this day. We all have the same goal, and that is to be the best at what we do. We all speak to each other, have a laugh on the deck and have grabbed the odd beer or bite to eat together in the past, whether at a contest or not, and that’s about it. But at the end of the day, we get off the ramp and we all go our separate ways, much like any sport really. I have different interests off the ramp, but the bike, contests and Woodward brings us all together at similar times. I think people perceive things to be other than they really are. People like to create stories, whether true or not and I feel like I’m going over the same ground again and again. But at the end of the day none of it matters. Maybe there’s a misconception that because we share the deck of the ramp and we are acquaintances, then we share much more of our lives — but for me this isn’t the case. I feel respect for everyone and if that wasn’t the case I would hope I am accessible enough for anyone to ask me what’s up? In all honesty, I get on my bike for me, I get done what I want to get done — I put my hand up, cheers and I’m off. I don’t like to live anyone else’s life, and it’s not about not caring, it’s just I live my life for my family and me. That’s it.”
Check the rest of the interview out here.
