4 RUSSIAN RIDERS TO FOLLOW ON THE FISE WORLD SERIES

 

Original Russian version here:  http://bmxashka.ru/chtivo/item/1820-chtivo-s-nashimi-finalistami-etapa-fise-v-malajzii

 

The last stop for FISE in 2015 was held as usual in an Asian paradise Langkawi, Malaysia. It is such an amazing place and its really cool that FISE holds the competition here every year. Russia was represented by four Russian killers - Vlad Melnik, Irek Rizaev, Kostya Andreev and Alex Nikulin. All the guys made it through the qualification rounds, right to the finals, and we were so happy to find out about this. Seeing four Russian flags in a result list among some of the best riders in the world is a real pleasure. It feels like Russian BMX scene has opened a new chapter in its story and we are so stoked to be spectators of it. 

 

Here are a few questions we asked the Russian finalists to find out more about riding, thinking and feeling at FISE.

 

 

 

 

Vlad: I would say that I don't get nervous too much. I have attended a number of contests and with all this experience you just stop getting nervous. I just tried to relax emotionally so I could use all of my energy to ride well.

 

Irek: Sure I was nervous before the contest, especially when it’s an international event where you want to show the best you can and the last thing you want to do is make a mistake, because the next chance I would get, is not going to be that soon.

 

Kostya: Honestly I don’t get nervous before my run, ever. I was shaking just once in my whole life time. It was in 2009 at the very first contest I attended in my life. I still remember my shaking hands from that time. I try to relax, catch a positive wave and think about every aspect of my run.

 

Alex: This was not the first time for me to attend this kind of event, so I was not nervous at all! The right wave will come anyway and the main thing to me was to do my practice runs properly.

 

 

 

 

Vlad: Damn yeah, this is the right thing to say and such a significant experience when you are able to observe and ride with people that live BMX. This is even more important than how good or bad your run was or what place you got eventually. Yes, surely I’ve learned something. I realized one more time that I need to ride better and prepare for events more properly, because all the work comes before a contest and at a contest there is only the result of the work you have done.

 

Irek: I figured that in a contest I better not try the tricks that are not 100% dialed. And I realized that it would be good to take care of the physical aspect to have a chance for a top 3. 

 

Kostya: Yes, there is something that I have no doubt in anymore… You won’t show good results with almost no practicing. I travelled so much in 2015 and I could ride for myself only a couple times in a month. I’m not saying that it’s not all around fun, joy, and adventure, but at the same time it does exhaust you when you location changes every 4-5 days for 8 months. So I plan to be practicing more and tripping less in this new season.

 

Alex: It all looked like an athletic camp on an island but for big kids, where we all hit the roads on our motor scooters, took the monkeys off tree branches, tried to swim from one island to another, and eventually attended a world level competition.

 

 

 

 

 

Vlad: I feel it’s going to be crazy, damn it! Riding and traveling are awesome on their own, add to that being in a place with your friends and you’re gonna feel something pretty incredible. I wish people were riding and traveling more.

 

Irek: I’m looking forward to the best times and new adventures every time I pack my things up.

 

Kostya: I’m getting scared of how long the flight is going to be haha. This time Irek was like 40 hours on a plane from Moscow to Malaysia =)

 

Alex: I feel more positive energy coming through my body because I do exactly what I want to do. It always makes me happy.

 

 

 

 

 

Vlad: The whole trip is one huge favorite moment. Riding, chilling, swimming in the ocean, partying, meeting new people, just walking on the island, it all was crazy.

 

Irek: First, It was so cool to ride motor scooters on the island. You are going fast along a road and amazing scenes of mountains, beaches and woods are passing by. Second, at the very end of the contest, when there was only one last trick left to do for Logan Martin, the music was turned off, but Logan didn't want to do the trick in silence and Catfish started to do a beat-box thing with his microphone. The whole crowd started to cheer, making the noise, and it felt like the music was playing at full volume, it was sooooo sick, and being in a such vibe, Logan could not fail his last trick surely. Third, when I, Kostya [Andreev] and Dasha went to the top of the mountain, the view was amazing.

 

Kostya: Surely, the moment when I woke up after I crashed and saw all the doctors surrounding me. Second, when Ryan Taylor teased 10 monkeys that would not put up with it and attacked the guy haha. Third, motor scooter riding and driving on the left side of the road. Especially the very first days… The bunch of crazy fools go as fast as possible to the beach and a couple morons would go on the wrong road side haha. It was me and Irek.

 

Alex: An expedition to a farm with alligators, moto-racing along the whole island and one of the coolest moments was during the reward ceremony when Ryan Taylor gave his bike to a local guy as a gift because this guy gave him his cranks to use for the contest when Ryan broke his own.

 

 

 

 

 

Vlad: Yes, for sure! I’m charged with so much energy after this stop in Malaysia and i want to get better at riding full potential. This year I’m going to ride more zealously, I want to learn new tricks and attend all the FISE stops.

 

Irek: Hopefully, yes. I’ll try hard to be at FISE. In my opinion this is the best BMX event.

 

Kostya: Yes, for sure! I’ll do my best to attend all the stops!

 

Alex: Yeah, definitely!