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.

Jamie Bestwick goes H.A.M. on a vert ramp, we know this. But damn, this is new Monster video is still pretty crazy. It features Jamie riding the Busch Gardens show ramp and Tony Hawk’s warehouse in San Diego. Produced by Will Stroud, with some help from Justin Kosman, the filming is on point as can be for a vert ramp.

On a side note, I wonder who was shooting photos at the warehouse ramp, cause some of those flashes are going off at the wrong wrong wrong times. Had to have been a skate guy, Kosman’s too dialed for that shit.

Jamie Bestwick paid a visit to Adrenaline Alley and put on quite a demo for the locals. That can-can style candybar is ridiculous.

Well, a big old can of worms just got opened on Ben Hennon’s Twitter:

“Why does Jamie bestwick feel the need to cunt off the condor in the Albion , quote me on this Jamie bestwick is a fucking prick……”

As you probably know, Ben rides for Hoffman Bikes and shares the cover of the new Ride UK with Mat this month. Since a lot of you probably haven’t had a chance to see The Albion, I’m going to go ahead and quote the part of Jamie’s Albion interview where he discusses Hoffman:

“He’s a year younger than me! Here I am, just won X Games 17, just won five in a row at 40 years old. And then there’s Mat behind the scenes running the event and I’d bet he’d cut his right testicle off to be where I am. He’d give anything to be riding at the level that I am, and the level that he was. I read the interview in the first Albion and after that and his documentary, I got the impression that he had a very rough up bringing and he had to fight hard for things he had, but I know I sure-as-shit didn’t grow up with a vert ramp in my back garden and my Dad didn’t give me my own private building to stick a vert ramp inside. Yeah he made money through his sponsors and his bike company, but his foundations are all built on his own private vert ramp.”

As far as I know, Mat has never said anything about Jamie publicly although you’ve got to assume he will be doing so soon.

Steve McCann pulling the no-handed 900 wasn’t enough to take the win from Jamie at the X-Games, but it seems to have done the trick at this weekend’s Dew Tour. I can’t even remember the last time Jamie wasn’t the winner of a vert event, and I’d imagine that Jamie will have a few surprises ready for the finals.

“The Monster Energy BMX teams hits X Games 17 in Los Angeles with some fire! Astounding performances by Jamie Bestwick by taking the 5 peat title and gold medal in BMX Vert, Scotty Cranmer taking the Bronze medal in BMX Park, and Dakota Roche taking the bronze medal in BMX Street. Big shouts to the rest of the BMX Monster Army in attendance: Kyle Baldock, Harry Main, Alex Coleborn, Pat Casey, Ryan Guettler and Andy Buckworth.“- Will Stroud

The vert finals got pretty crazy tonight. Steve McCann pulled a no-handed 900, the first one in competition since Mat Hoffman did it in 2002… and Jamie Bestwick still won. Take a look at all the wildness in Ride’s highlight video.

Monster Energy put together a nice little highlight reel to show what their team did at the Dew Tour last weekend.

ESPN has a look into Jamie Bestwick’s new DK Cygnus setup.

Ever wondered where Jamie stacks all of his trophies? Well, ESPN took a tour of his house in Pennsylvania and posted some photos with pretty funny captions by Jamie. Head over to ESPN and check it out.