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 NZ Kiteboarding  www.nzkiteboarding.com Category: Media |
| The Path to the BMX High Air World Record |
| Thursday, 12 June 2008 00:00 | ||||
|
 Sixty feet above Central Park, Kevin Robinson sits on his bike, sweat dripping into his eyes. He's on top of the roll in of the Super Quarter Pipe at the Red Bull Experiment, and he's running a bit late. The TV live broadcast of his jump has run over the allotted hour and everyone is waiting for him to break the record. Thousands of fans, his wife and children, and so many of his friends look up to see - is this the one where he does it, or was this too great a mark to beat? It has to be one of those moments you ask yourself, how did I get here? It seemed like a good idea a few months ago. After all, in the world of BMX, Kevin Robinson has the most experience on the new generation of giant ramps. But would that be enough to keep him out of danger as he tried to reach a new record on a new kind of ramp? The specially made Super Quarter Pipe is 27 feet tall. To beat the record of 26 ½ feet above the quarter pipe, Kevin would need to use all of his experience, strength and skill. To achieve his goal, Kevin would have to soar six stories above the ground.  In the months leading up to the event, Kevin put himself through a rigorous training program. First and foremost, there was resistance training including hours at the gym and workouts on the beach. This would enable Kevin to endure the harsh and unforgiving rules of gravity. Most importantly, however, was his mental strength. Kevin had to be focused; one wrong move on that quarter pipe, and the consequences would be substantial. In the weeks before he would ride the Super Quarter Pipe, Kevin stayed focused by riding at Tony Hawk’s ramp in Vista, California. Hawk’s ramp is considered one of, if not the best vert ramp in the country, and it is Kevin's personal favorite. Smooth and fast, it gave Kevin a perfect training ground before his foray into NYC. Kevin would be the lone bike rider sessioning with good skateboarder friends, Hawk, Shaun White and Andy MacDonald at least three times a week. Every day, Kevin would do his hardest tricks, including his new favorite, the 540 tailwhip. A week prior to the big event, the Super Quarter Pipe was assembled in Portland, Maine at the Brunswick Air Force Base. The former military training facility, now closed down to troops, opened its door to a new kind of soldier. Upon his arrival to the Air Force base, Kevin was amazed. A crane lifted him to the top of the roll in: Six stories above the ground. "Me and my bright ideas!" Kevin joked, as he stepped onto the platform for the first time. And then just simply, "Wow." With much anticipation, Kevin geared up to ride the new ramp. After some warm up runs on the lower 40 foot roll in, Kevin started to have fun. No-handed airs, flairs, and no-handed flairs were accomplished in rapid succession.  He was impressed with the incredible stability of the Stack Box method of construction – which literally takes large storage containers or “boxes” and stacks them up to form the base of the ramp. Simple yet strong, the Stack Box technology was essential for a well-built and unwavering base for the pipe and roll in. The last thing Kevin needed to worry about was any give or flex in the quarter pipe, which would cause inconsistent conditions and be very dangerous. After warming up on the lower roll in, it was time to test out the high side. At 60 feet tall, the roll in would send Kevin up the big quarter at 45 miles per hour. No one had ever attempted to hit a quarter pipe at that speed before, straight down from a roll in. On other big ramps such as the one used at the X Games, or Bob Burnquist’s house, there is always a gap jump in the path before the pipe, so it isn’t easy to gauge speed. The outcome on those quarter pipes all depends on how the landing goes after the gap. That creates too many variables at play to be able to properly focus on a high air afterwards. As Kevin put it, "The jump is just an obstacle to get to the really fun part." Now with nothing in the way, Kevin prepared to have his kind of fun. On his first attempt, Kevin tapped his brakes on the way down the roll in to slow his momentum... and held on! Without pumping the transition at all, Kevin still managed to clear 21 feet. After a few more "cautious" runs, Kevin was attaining 23 feet. Kevin was absolute in his conclusion that this was the best ramp he had ever ridden. Happy to ride away unscathed from his two days of practice, Robinson saved his highest airs for New York City, a week away. And before he could blink, here it was - June 12, 2008. The impressive ramp and roll in was assembled in the heart of the iconic Central Park. The imposing structure was a sight to behold to even the most jaded New York City local. A massive crowd gathered to witness a one of a kind event, as Robinson set out to make history. Joining Kevin was Mat Hoffman, the legendary rider, owner of Hoffman Bikes and Kevin's best friend. After some warm up runs on the 40 foot roll in, Kevin made his way up to the 60 footer. As the sun set over the New York skyline, Kevin dropped in. After three attempts, Kevin tied Mat's record at twenty six and a half feet. Kevin would then take a harsh fall that would keep an ordinary rider off his bike for a week; yet he got right back up on his feet, grabbed his bicycle, and decided to go for it again. With the crowd's encouragement, as well as Mat's, who would judge the height from atop the roll in, Kevin shook off the fall and made his way up to the 60 foot roll in for another try.  And there he stood, bruised, battered and with thousands of eyes fixed on his next move. With all of his focus and strength, Kevin managed to land his next attempt... The massive crowd of fans and onlookers were awestruck. It was official; 27 feet! And who better to verify the height than the legend himself: Mat Hoffman. Kevin set his goal and conquered it. In the moments following the jump there was joyful chaos - cheers and hugs and camera flashes and TV interviews. Everyone grabbed for his attention – none more than his two small children, who clung proudly in their father’s arms. This isn’t the end to his story however, it’s just another chapter. With the high air record in the books, it’s time to create the next challenge.  sport BMX Vert date 12.06.2008 location Central Park, New York country USA
Photogrpahers: Brian Nevins & Rob Dolecki
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