Friday 7 August 2009

Voodoo aftermath chat with Scott O'Brien

Photos by Leo Furmansky

Ucchie Ucchie!!!!! Killed the backwheel, check the videos, unreal flow, no scuffs,originality, style, he has it all!!


The 2009 World Circuit champion, has almost had a complete swoop on all the big contests this year, two footed backwards spinning death truck ala Foaksey.


So I'm guessing your pretty tired after the weekend Scott? Are you happy with how it went?
Yes after dropping of the last guy at the airport yesterday I went for some dinner with my family then I fell to sleep and woke up 14 hours later. Crazy!
Yes I was very happy with it.
It's pretty evident from your "is it worth it" post that you are puzzled as to lack of support ESP from American riders? Has much come of your post?
Yes the post pretty much shows my frustration and it has been this way for about 3 years. Its just now that I actually have said something. I don't get it really?
As to what has come of my post is a few email but not much. Pretty much standard for the USA Pro/Master class rider. I guess they are all just happy with what they have in the internet and at there home town so whatever.

We watched the contest in silence haha which is another story.. Any personal highlights for you this year?
Terry's qualifying run was really awesome. Issiah Jordan, Diego Tejada and all of the Expert class was dope. They deserve more and I wish I could give it to them. The freaking crowd was the highlight as well. Those people are crazy for Flatland. They come every year and go nuts!

With the lack of support in some areas do you feel like you are fighting an up hill battle?
I guess anyone would feel that way a bit. But every year we just seem to make it happen. Who knows what the next year will bring.

On a different perspective to the lack of American riders, does it matter when voodoo is part of the world circuit?
Of course it does. The BMFWC is being watched by a lot of people. More than you can all imagine. There is plenty of opportunity for sponsors and riders alike.

Shintaro Misawa is overlooked by many, effortless tech style from one of the worlds finest, just went out to Ucchie in a tight battle.


One of the main points for me, I've set there as a judge and as a rider, so I feel like I can comment on this, there needs to be some guidelines set as to what is a pro rider, and it should be more of a challenge to get into the pro class? It should be a prestigious thing you know, a big deal! Its about quality not quantity…
If people had to qualify to be a Pro then we would have a contest of 3 guys. No one would even participate but a few guys. And what contest are the bases of this qualifications? What riders are going to participate? We just might run off even more riders. While I do totally agree with you, I think for now the riding speaks for itself if you are a Pro. I think if we start this then even less riders will ride in contest.
Then again maybe its the answer, I am just not sure. There is so much uncertainty that its a bit scary. Like things are going underground. It seems as though we just do not have enough riders to worry about that right now. We just need a solid foundation of contest to grow on at the moment. We need to concentrate on actually keeping this alive and riders entering Pro that are not Pro is not that big of a problem at the moment.
I really dont know, but I will be thinking about it and I need some time to process my thoughts on everything.
I have a question for you. So you would not qualify as a Pro because you did not even compete this year? Just curious?
What would you say to be the start for the whole qualifying as a pro? Because we have to start somewhere.

I would agree with that, and I think the same goes for other riders there has to be some guidelines and prestige to being a pro. I cant be about a riders ego, thats nonsense..Last year I was ranked 2nd in the uk groundroot series, and I was working towards a system whereby riders can't just turn up and ride pro. Whats wrong with having a banging am class..this year at the worlds we were going to have a qualifying round for guys who wanted to be in pro that weren't top 30 in the world. It's not about quantity but quality.This will help the sport grow, its too easy right now. Maybe a qualifying round or something like that would be the answer, it is going more and more underground because people are happy to sit at home and watch it live on the Internet, almost like why pay $2000 to go to voodoo when you can watch it for free. The rankings is a good incentive, seeding the riders for battles, I think it brings more to the sport. What do you think of that?

I think your points are great but my brain is hurting now and im going to ride my bike.

I love you! ****! (censored)

Scott

Yuki, is another japanese backwheel killer,all x'ed up, mid session outside the hall.

Terry Adams with a Katrina on homesoil.

3 comments:

flatmatters said...

Shame we had to stop this chat, was starting to get somewhere and interesting on the last question, should you have to qualify to be in pro if you don't attend the big contests? Have your say below don't be shy let's hear your view...

wookie said...

I think having a qualification to become a Pro is a good thing however I have mixed feelings about requiring a Pro to show up to a certain number of events to "keep" their Pro status. I could force guys to show up at events, but could also completely backfire and guys wouldn't come to events at all. I mean how many Top active Pros actually could afford to hit ALL the comps in the world? My guess would be the only ones getting full support from their sponsors.

Qualifying to become a Pro would help develop a bigger, better AM class. Remember way back when Degroot and Osicka still competed Am? People WATCHED the AM class!

I feel a Masters class would be a step in the right direction as well. You would get the old Pros that seldom compete that only seem to show up at events to Judge to actually throw down.

Keep up the Great Work E and Scott. Flat needs more guys like you.

Brian

flatmatters said...

Exactly what I'm looking for in terms of a reply, I agree that unless you are in the elite group of pros that market themselves, this idea would not work on an annual basis. Maybe it can be down with a three year cap, ie, if you haven't competed in three years then you must requalify to be in the pro class. I don't see the shame in being an am, as Brian said osicka etc used to compete and the am class was as heavy as the pro, this is healthy!! Masterclass used to be like that in Europe for many years.There's no money in flat anyway. So for the most part thus really about peoples ego..
For outside sponsors it really doesn't look good when the media ask how you qualify to be a pro and you don't have a professional answer. For me, flatland needs to grow up and take it self way more seriously. You can't be out of the scene for five years or more and expect to still have a place as a professional.
I could be completly off the pace here, or bang on. Only time will tell, there's defintely room for something to be done.