Gene`s BMX News

[BMX-News]

*** Schwinn`s TJ Lavin In Queenstown ***

Queenstown, New Zealand -- 12/08/2008


Photo - Top American rider and X-Games gold medal winner
"TJ" Lavin rated the track as "one of the best tracks ever".

Hundreds of bike riders and skateboarders turned up for the
thrills, spills, excitement and dirty tricks at the opening of
Queenstown's dirt-jump bike park in Gorge Rd on Saturday
and the Queenstown Gardens skateboard park.

Skateboarders rated the newly finished concrete bowl in
Queenstown Gardens as "perfect" when they tried it after
three junior skaters assisted Wakatipu Skateboarders
Incorporated chairman Craig Strong to cut the ribbon
and officially open the park yesterday morning.

Afterwards, Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddes
thanked supporters who had worked hard for the park and
told the young skateboarders the council was handing it over
to them.

"Old guys like me are never going to
skateboard so it's yours now, so look after it.

"No booze, no drugs, no bullying, none of that bloody rubbish
or, just as council was capable of providing it, it's also capable
of coming along and covering it up with concrete.

"It's your park so look after it," he said.

Then the action started with mostly "mature" riders hitting
the slopes of the bowl, while the younger boarders stuck to
the rails and steps in the rest of the park.

Among those riding the bowl was Brazilian Amauri Canina (29),
who has lived in Queenstown for four years, and rated it as the
best he had ever seen.

"It's just real smooth, very well made.

It's real old school, with no metal - a real pool bowl, real
easy to ride."He said it was "mostly old guys like me in the
bowl because the bowl is more old school".

Young people preferred the stairs and rails and gaps,
he said.

Another older rider, Eddie Spearing (46), of Wanaka,
also rated the bowl as "really, really good.

It's the nicest I've been in for 28 years.

"It's different to Wanaka.

"All the curves are great, all the transitions are perfect.

"It's the transitions that make it perfect."Queenstown
skateboarders Ryan Heald (13) rated the bowl "sick as"
[really cool] while friend Hayden Jones (13) said he had
a go but preferred the rails and stairs "but the bowl is
still really cool".

Watching the action from a safe distance, QLDC project
manager Russell Engelke said he was "absolutely delighted"
with yesterday's turnout and response.

"This is exactly what we hoped for."

Several of the skateboarders present yesterday were also
at the opening of Queenstown's dirt-jump park on Saturday,
including Belgium visitor Michael Lefeburve who arrived in
town last Wednesday with his jump bike, to try out the track
and skate park bowl.

He rated the two "free" parks better than
anything he had been to.

"We don't have any stuff like this in Europe."

Bike park organiser Nathan Greenwood said he was thrilled
to see more than 200 supporters at Saturday's opening when
more than 100 of all ages turned up for the celebration jam session.

Bikers rode the dirt tracks for several hours, taking to the "lines"
[individual tracks over the dirt jumps] in quick succession, some
doing mid-air tricks, twists, turns and no-hands manoeuvres in a
mass jam riding session. The additional tracks, next to the existing
ones, catered for younger and less experienced riders, Mr Greenwood
said.

"It's awesome to see so many young guys
here having such a great time. "That's the idea.

"It's safe for kids and they love it and the good thing is there
are riders of all ages here just having a jam and having a
great time together.

"The young kids can come down here after school for hours."

Riders as young as 7 were jamming it with older riders,
including Queenstowner Peter McInally (47), undaunted
at being one of the oldest on the track.

"I've been waiting - like a kid waiting
for Christmas - for the track to open.

"I was counting down the sleeps," he said.

Top US rider "TJ" (Total Jumper) Lavin, a gold-medal winner
in the 2000 X-Games, in Queenstown working with a film crew,
rated it the best he had been on.

"I have a life thrown away on dirt jumping
and this is one of the best tracks ever.

"It's got everything from safe beginners lines
[tracks] and it just gets better and better.

"The whole new section is mint. "You can't beat it."

The only woman lining up for the action, Emily Johnston,
of the US, said the atmosphere and support from the guys
was amazing and she recommended the sport to other women.

"You've got to be positive and go for it.

"It's all about being confident and not being afraid."

A shortfall in funds meant Mr Greenwood had spent the
past month doing a lot of the work himself, with the help
of construction companies.

Another $1500 raised at Saturday's event
will be used to patch and finish the track.


Photo - TJ Lavin: BMX legend is hosting The Duel.

MTV host TJ Lavin – also one of the world’s best-known
professional BMX riders – opened Queenstown’s new
Gorge Road Jump Park on Saturday.

The American TV presenter will take time out from filming
reality show The Duel to cut the ribbon on the upgraded bike
facility and demonstrate his dazzling moves.

Lavin has been in the resort since October shooting the
big-money reality programme – believed to be a bit like
British and Aussie TV hit Big Brother but with more
colourful outdoor challenges.

And the Las Vegas-based BMX legend is “honoured”
to help launch the revamped Gorge Rd attraction after
being approached by Queenstown Mountain Biking Club
events coordinator Nathan Greenwood.

“I might be a TV host but professional biking and dirt
jumping is still my life,” says Lavin. “Every day off I’ve
had since arriving here, I’ve been down at the park
helping with the dig and testing out the jumps.

“It’s actually one of the best public tracks I’ve ever seen.”

Greenwood is “stoked” at persuading Lavin to front
Saturday’s opening, which kicked off at 11am.

“In the biking world, you just dont
get anyone bigger than TJ,” he says.

Lavin is so popular in the US that he has a BMX bike range
named after him. And he’s made so much cash from the
sport, his Las Vegas mega-house has also featured on the
hit MTV show Cribs.

Lavin returns to the US on Sunday when filming finishes on
The Duel but he insists he’s so impressed with Queens­town
he wants to buy a house here.

“This place has everything for an outdoor sports guy like me,”
he says. “I’ve tried out every major adventure attraction in
the area and I’ll definitely be back for more.”
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