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Ammon Chesworth WORDS A ND PHOTOS BY MITCH MORISON INTRODUCTION BY A LE X LII V

Ammon has a finite passion to accomplish and succeed in whatever he does. At times Ammon can be a bit nutty, but you have to appreciate his enthusiasm for whatever it is he is focusing on. This high energy enthusiasm has taken Ammon far beyond what many people may perceive him to be, or be capable of, including myself.

Ammon has done things on his bike I thought were near possible.

He pushes the boundaries of what confines him, BMX or non BMX, the social and peer pressures that may restrict many others. I think Ammon gets off on people thinking he is insane or something, it’s pretty funny though.

At the same time I have also seen him get bitter about old friends that say ‘you’ve changed’. Ammon has changed, and for the better.

Change is an essential part in all our lives, yet many people fear it.

I have seen many changes in Ammon first hand. From the intense BMX world of flip whips and fakie front flips to his newly found fondness for the ocean, nature and life in general.

Ammon has chilled out. His riding has changed and so has his mind set. Ammon has used his drive and enthusiasm for life itself.

Ammon is interested in things now I would have never thought him to be interested when I first me him. I certainly would have never imagined Ammon and I working on a secret summer cabin together, let alone living with him or even becoming such good friends.

I’m sure he could say similar things about myself and our friendship.

Life is change. To be honest I think even Ammon is surprised at how much he is capable of with the application of change. He has told me countless times of how happy he is and how excited he is with life right now, more than ever in fact. There is no stronger character building experience then having a strong appreciation for ones life, whatever it is we choose to do. Ammon has grasped this vital part of life and Ammon isn’t afraid.

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Ammon Chesworth

Blowing minds at a wedding, drinking beer out of his shoe

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Filthy Drains

The home of a rampant cockroach population, water borne diseases come to flourish, homeless men find a covered and silent shelter, industrial uses border an overgrown and un-used landscape. A destination so un-desirable it would seem more attune to being shunned from view.

Intro and interview by Mike Vockenson Early August brought with it a sea of BMXers, keen to mingle in the filthy confines of a Coopers Plains drain, south of the city of Brisbane. Yes, the Tempered Filthy Drains Jam was back in 2013, driven by Jerry Vandervalk.

It’s no secret that as a BMX rider, you not only frequent ghetto areas, you actively seek them out. Again in 2013, this was the case! Although, whilst the homeless men seek refuge from the outside world, the cockroaches quiver from activity and the industrial buildings stand in solid silence, the Tempered Filthy Drains Jam 2013 exists in stark contrast. Manu/Biffo were slaying the tunes, dudes were sending themselves all over the place and the good times were rolling in. This was BMX showing the world just how fun it can be.

Birtles flaming T-bog! Photo James Hornsby

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Filthy Drains

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Jason Watts A different style 66

High above Dennis Enarson’s backyard Photo Colin Mackay

Jason Watts A different style

JASON WATTS A different style Interview by Stephen Morrisey

Unique is a rare word to use when describing anything these days. With the entire world only a finger tip away for 99.9% of us via social media, to be unique or stand out is a hard thing to do.

Imitate, copy and build is part of human nature, so when you throw the word freestyle around these days it kind of has a bit harder time sticking. For BMX in 2013 you might add another bar spin in or a few more stairs to stand out, but it takes a little more. See that’s the million dollar question every kid sweating the latest Harry Main or Garrett Reynolds video wants to know. Just what is the new crazy and to avoid or add onto that and carve a unique and different path that still has enough appeal is incredibly hard to do. Jason is carving his own niche and doing it seemingly effortlessly....

I can’t say I have ever met anyone in my life that is more keen to just ride his bike. To put this into perspective, Jason’s local bowl is Albany Creek skatepark. He lives in Ferny Grove, a good 13 kilometres away. After he works a full day, he jumps on his bike with a slammed seat and rides 13K’s to AC, rides hard for about 4-5 hours, well into the dark as AC is one of the few parks in Brisbane that has lights and then pedals another 13K’s home once he’s done. Not just one day a week but anywhere from 3 to 5 days and then sometimes on the weekend.

To further that point, he just started a new job near Brisbane airport so he explains to me that he rides to work which is about 20k’s then some nights he will ride to AC skatepark on the way home which adds another 7k’s to the trip “slammed seat standing up the whole time” were talking about close on a 50k round trip!

but then flow to a bar to over tooth on a spine and then into a downside whip to foot jam, and maybe end up with a massive flair or more recently a ridiculously long nose wheelie.

You usually know when a super mega is going to drop whips and flips and spins are going to fly. Or a style cat is going to flick out or turndown something, but with Jason you have no idea what he is going to send, spin, flick or hit next which I think keep his style unique and fresh.

“I used to do a bunch of crazy shit every ride, like I would cork 720 a spine and throw double whips over stuff but i would get wrecked after every ride and it wasnt as fun as blasting high and styling around, I would always seem to get hurt and it wasn’t really worth it..”

I make the point of telling him decade airs and massive flairs aren’t exactly kickouts and he says “yeah I don’t do whips and decades that often cause i tuck my knees up and it looks funny so I will only throw them out every now and then” I guess that’s a bit of an insight into his thoughts, if you’re going to do something for the sake of doing it and not worry about it looking or feeling good then what’s the point. i mean that plays out in life, maybe you have some rad shoes or jeans but they are a little uncomfortable? Would you wear them if they looked shit?

So what do you do outside of riding?

Do you find people are looking at you that way and do you feel pressure to show them you can still super mega with the best of em?

Honestly? I work, ride and party. I don’t have much room in my life for anything cause if I am not partying or working I want to ride, whether its commuting to work for an hour and a half, or blasting airs I am way too keen to ride to worry about other shit. If I have free time I use it to ride.

I do a bit but I don’t really care. If I head to the compound or somewhere I definitely feel people are kind of watching me now, like they see me doing bow legged three’s over the box and mucking about and then I’ll do a banger just to prove I still can.

Jason’s riding is often described as unfair. Unfair yo say? Well to clarify, you usually get one or the other. Style, tricks, height, unncanny balance or maybe the originality or the deadman thing. In Jason’s case, he kinda has them all and uses them pretty much every ride. A normal run may start with an 9 foot euro air into and opposite 270 table to a massive transfer gap

Doesn’t that pressure kind of suck?

Nah, I’m having fun, I mean the top guys always are super nice and don’t do that but there is a lot of hungry people and I guess it comes with the territory I’ll just blast an air and I guess I’ll always have that!

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Fox BMX Pro Danny Campbell

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Fox BMX Pro

FOX BMX PRO This past July saw what can only be described as the most progressive (riding wise) event that has ever taken place on Australian shores. It’s been a long time coming, that’s for sure! Bringing together 24 of the countries best park riders was always going to ensure the riding was next level, but what went down is so far beyond anything seen at an Australian event.

WORDS BRET TRIGG

W

ith Mid Week Mayhem being such a successful night, I was eager to work alongside Rampfest to put on a bigger and better contest. One that would attract riders from all states of this great country, a country that holds some of the most talented riders in the BMX industry.

Australia has produced so many of the top BMX riders that we see today, names like Baldock, Guettler, Mackay, Parslow and McCann to name a few.

All of which would have ridden in the popular BMX Games event held yearly up until 2011. Leaving nothing for our new up and comers to enter and help put their names on the map.

PHOTOS JAMES PATERSON

After Rampfest went under new ownership in mid 2012, the main focus was to use the amazing facility that’s located in Melbourne to help build the BMX sport back up in Australia.

Mid Week Mayhem was quickly put together but was such a success that after it was over, we were already thinking about the next contest. After a lot of time and effort the FOX BMX PRO was born. Through the help of amazing people and brands like FOX, Fist Handwear, Monster Energy, Radio Bikes, 2020 and Rockwell Watches it was set to be one of the biggest contests Australian BMX had seen in years.

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The new DVD from Troy Charlesworth &

Available Australia wide in newsagents, your local BMX shop or the 2020 webstore on DVD + as a download Trailer at: https://vimeo.com/48509987

December 2013 Mike Vockenson Photo by Jerry Vandervalk

G.U.T.i.

IS now

FREE Whoever said that you never get anything in life for free would be full of shit right now!

That’s right, and not only is SubroSA Brand and Triple six Distribution giving away our first full-length video, Get Used To It, for free, we’ve also added a never before seen bonus section!

GET USED TO IT is much more than an edit or a webisode, it’s a documentary of some of the best times in Subrosa’s history. Get Used To It is meant to be watched as a whole, and that is why we want to give it to you FOR FREE. Subrosa is so proud of Get Used To It, that we want to share it with every rider out there, and

that starts with you. Follow the link on the BELOW and follow the instructions. You will then be able to watch Get Used To It, and the special bonus section in it’s entirety just the way it was intended whenever you want. What are you waiting for?

Go Get Used To It.

WWW.SUBROSABRAND.COM/GUTI666 www.TRIPLESIX.com.AU