The Ben Boyko Interview

Out of Nowhere

Words by Cam McRae. Photos by Harookz.

As Slopestyle contests go, Crankworx 2007 won’t go down as one of the best in memory. Marred by crashes and injuries, most riders never got their groove on the course. Many said it lacked flow and riders would traverse – often detouring for trannies and stunts – in a desperate attempt to find a line they liked.




After the first round of the finals there was very little suspense – Ben Boyko made sure of that. One of the biggest critics of the course, Boyko went out and put together a solid run anyway. It appeared his lead would be insurmountable as rider after rider fell or under-performed in round two, and indeed his victory was sealed before he arrived at the drop in for his second run.

I figured Ben would just style it out and treat his descent as a victory lap but apparently that’s not his style. Run two was just as burly and had fewer flaws in the eyes of the judges putting more distance between Ben and the rest of the competitors. The crowd went ape when he again spun three off the huge final drop to end the contest and further cement his victory. Finally a Canadian had won the Crankworx Slopestyle.

In the off season Ben was kind enough to answer some of my questions about life as a pro rider. Check out what he had to say below as well as epic photos and sequences by Harookz.

Getting some vert on in Spain. Photo ~ Harookz

nsmb - To many of us, it seemed like you arrived on the scene out of nowhere Ben. Can you tell me a little about where you grew up and what you were doing before mountain biking? Also What got you started in bike riding?

Ben Boyko - I could understand that is seems to most people that I came out of nowhere. I think for me and people that know me also know that it's been a long time in the works to be recognized "on the scene". Definitely been a long time, probably like 13 years I've been riding seriously but never planned on doing riding as a pro. Always knew I wanted to ride at a pro level but I was planning on a career as a structural engineer. I did well in school but could have done better if I wouldn't have been spending so much time biking; there was something about biking that just wouldn't let me quit. Where I grew up, Westside of Vancouver (not to be confused with the West end), there was no one else that was into BMX freestyle riding. It was hard to be the only kid in the city that rode BMX growing up. To ride with friends, I had to get my mom to take me all the way into Blaine WA, where I spent most of my weekends. Two of my friends had huge X-Games style street courses in their back yards. Eventually we built a half pipe with spine in my backyard. I rode BMX like a religion all through my teen years, every year I got more and more into it because I met more and more friends and eventually, BMX blew up in Vancouver. All of a sudden there where a dozen skate parks to ride and tons of riders moving in from all over, having the friends to ride with definitely kept me more and more motivated. When I was riding, right after I finished school, of course had girlfriends and cars, along with that, I needed a job. I always had a full time job not only to fund driving but I needed it for biking trips I went on with friends all over the States and Canada. I worked as a carpenter from 1998 to 2006 doing concrete forming for high-rise apartments and commercial buildings. I worked five 10 hour days per week and sometimes days went 14 hours and Saturdays. I finally decided I needed a lot more schedule flexibility so In 2002 I started my own company called Boyko Construction. In 2004, I took an interest to mountain biking and fell in love right away. I was particularly motivated to ride my full suspension bike. I was riding mountain trails and hitting drops all the time. Learning to do things on the full suspension bike was hard where the dirt jumping was the same as on my BMX. Even though at the time I had no sponsors, I started riding in contests, my first one being the 2004 Sea Otter Dirt Jump comp. Making the transition between riding in pro comps as an expert and riding as a pro was definitely extremely difficult. It came down to losing jobs opportunities because I needed time off work to go to contests and I spent a lot of money doing that. I racked up a GST and income tax debt higher than the ozone layer to fund years of traveling and riding. Not only where those times financially painful but physically as well. Construction and mountain biking combined is a physiotherapist’s worst nightmare. I actually had to ride in some contests conservatively because I couldn't get hurt; I had to be healthy to work the next week.

Large table off a homemade wall for NWD 8. Photo ~ Harookz

That sounds like a very tough schedule - running a business and trying to ride and compete at the top level. I remember at Saalbach in 2006 you fell hard and then decided not to take your last run because you needed to get to work when you got home.

Saalbach is exactly what I'm talking about, I mean I crashed so hard on that 3 off the drop but I couldn't believe I wasn't totally messed up. It was like a 22 foot drop to bail off and roll down the landing. I was hurt but it was scratches and strains. I could have taken my second run but I figured I just got away with something I shouldn't have the first time. I was a little weak from the crash so I figured I'd just shut it down, I couldn't afford another crash like that. I think five years ago I would have tried it again without even thinking about it but now, knowing when to shut it down is probably the most valuable thing I have learned in the last few years.

You mean this crash? Ben goes down hard on a three attempt off a 22 foot drop in Saalbach 2006 after winning the qualifier. Photo ~ Cam McRae

So what was it that had you move from mountain biking to bmx? Did you see other riders who made that jump having some success or was it something else?

First off there never was a jump from one to the other. I still ride BMX, I'd have to say not as much as before because my main focus has changed but that happened over time. Starting to ride mountain bikes was a change but all that changed was that when I went out riding, I had more stuff. Instead of throwing one bike in the back of the truck, I was throwing three bikes in the back; my BMX, Hardtail and DH bike. So when I go riding, I'm still throwing three bikes in the back.

So what got you into mountain biking then?

Back in 2003, I ran into my old friend Neil Sanders at a North Vancouver skate park. We did the "what you been up to for the last seven years" thing and he was surprised I was still fully into riding an all. I was actually surprised that he told me he was doing a lot of mountain biking related business stuff because back when he was 19 he was hardcore BMX. So he closed the shop to take on things like organizing teams, sponsors and producing movies out of it. He said if I ever wanted to come out to California and do a road trip with him, filming for his Superheroes 4 movie on mountain bikes, he would cover everything. This all seemed cool but for whatever reason I put that in the back of my mind for a couple years. I ran into Neil again up in whistler at the dirt jumps. He asked me if I was into that trip through Cali and showed me some footage of Red Bull Rampage he had on a tape. I was like, That's F..kin crazy! I started to think about this trip and filming on mountain bikes. I picked up three movies at the bike shop, Kranked 5, NWD 4 and Highways. I watched all three of movies all in one evening and was totally blown away it was so rad. I think I called Neil that same night about the filming trip. We planned a trip, Neil and his girlfriend picked me up at the San Francisco airport and we did a two-week trip starting at Woodward West doing a loop and ending back in San Francisco. The trip was great - we hit up six indoor parks, Woodward, eight dirt trail spots, shot tons of photos and all of which got published. I was totally pumped on everything, so I agreed to be on the Santa Cruz Superheros Team. As soon as I got my bikes I started riding in a few comps, and was especially inspired to be filming.

Ben is known as one of the hardest working riders. He builds much of what you see him riding in films like NWD 8. Photo ~ Harookz

Was there a moment that made your focus change from riding at the top level and working to wanting to just ride full time as a pro? What tipped the scales for you?

There really isn't a time where you just decide to start riding full time as pro; it just doesn't work like that. The closest example to remembering a time of whether to make a big decision in that regard was the time I was deciding to go on the long bike trip or take up a new job. I really was in a situation where I needed to take the job because I was in collection for a large GST/income tax debt that was growing year after year. I was faced with a hard decision - take a new job for a lot of money or not take it and go on a trip for some photo shooting and some contests with the chance to make some incentive money if the photos got published somewhere. I decided to go on the trip, which was great. Photos got published but soon after like I knew was going to happen, Revenue Canada froze my accounts making everything so much more interesting for me. I guess sometimes you got to shoot yourself in the foot.

Burly conditions make for pretty pictures. Photo ~ Harookz

It seems that some riders who jump from bmx don't really get into trail riding. Is that something you enjoy doing even now?

I think trail riding is mountain biking really. I mean It didn't take long for me to transfer all my dirt jump tricks to the hardtail. It was different but it wasn't as hard as learning to ride the big bike. I remember going to whistler and riding a VP Free for the first time and the bike was set up way too soft for me. I went up riding with my buddy John Knwolden and Len. It was my first day and John and Len where like, oh man we'll take you on the secret stuff because the normal trails aren’t gnarly enough. I followed these guys down all the craziest A line to Z line everything and fast like it was a race. We even hit Len's secret lines because that wasn't enough of a challenge apparently. My first day on a full suspension, I had my eight inch travel bike set up way too soft, no elbow pads and a skate helmet hitting everything of the hardest stuff. I really did think at times that day could be the day, I mess myself up. I remember ripping down A line, hitting these jumps, getting bucked too nose heavy and over-shooting the landings by 10 feet going so fast. By the end of the day I hadn't bailed once, but I figured if I had my set up dialed and learned a little more about how a full suspension reacts on a jump, then this could be the best thing ever. That day was totally amazing the way I could roll down steep rock faces or hit a big step down with rocky landings that would be totally impossible on a BMX and just trust that your bike would allow you to do that. This is all what I originally fell in love with. So yah. I ride trails all the time.

Where do you ride if you go trail riding?

If I go to the North Shore I prefer Cypress trails because they are just better in every way. My favourite local place is Vedder Mountain. I know the best trails are out in Williams Lake and I like Kamloops a lot because of the cool dirt, it's so grippy but in the summer, the dust is insane. Me and my friends actually have a lot of our own trails that we ride most of the time.

I didn't know you were on the Superheros. Were you in one of the movies? When was that?

I was on Superheros after they stopped putting out movies, last being Superheros 3. We were apparently working on a new movie but nothing came of that project, so I was never in any Superheros movies. I was on the team for 10 months just as Neil signed a 3-year deal with Mongoose Hyundai (Pacific Cycle) in 2005. After 10 months me and the rest of the Superheros team got a letter from Pacific Cycle saying that they where no longer interested in having us on the team. It was just so difficult because we where not able to communicate with the Company.

Celebrating victory and the 10gs that went with it - Crankworx 07. Photo ~ Cam McRae

Let's talk a little about Crankworx. Before Crankworx 07 you had some solid results but never put everything together at the same time it seemed. Saalbach is another example of that. You ruled during qualifying but then bailed hard. What was it about this year that allowed everything to click?

Saalbach is the only example that I could think of where I wasn't able to finish in a contest. There where only three riders that didn't crash in their final run at the Adidas Slopestyle that year. In 2006 I placed 5th in 26 Trix, 4th in Bike Monsterpark and 4th in Whistler Crankworx. As well as doing all these contests I had a 3/4 time job and finished feature segments in Kranked 6 and CKD 3.

I remember when I ran into you in Kamloops and said congratulations and Cam McCaul said - 'yea congrats for making all of us look bad.' So many riders complained about the course but you put together your runs every time. What did you think of the course?

I was one that complained about the course the most. I remember telling the course builders that there where some problems with some of the features and they told me that they weren’t going to change it just because one rider complains and no one else had any problems, so I just rode the comp. I do remember seeing landing slopes get changed as a request from some other riders at the last hour before the comp but I had no say in what got done. I will have to say people complain about the course in every single competition. In Saalbach everyone crashed and complained about the course, in Qashqai everyone complained about the courses, Colorado everyone complained that the course sucked, Whistler of course the same thing. You can't make a perfect course that everyone is going to like. It's the same story every time.

Curved wall to alley oop for NWD 8. Photo ~ Harookz

How has winning Crankworx - being the first Canadian to win no less - changed your career as a pro?

Winning is always a great accomplishment for anyone. I trained for the comp and went up there dedicated to do whatever it was going to take to place in the top 3 and ended up doing even better.

How does it feel being at an event like Crankworx - with thousands of people rooting for you and stoked that you are doing well?

Totally rad of course. I don't think anyone would be able to do some of the runs we do in the finals without crowds of people screaming. Sometimes the crowds can make people over do things and try tricks off things they haven’t done before and possibly get hurt.

Is it too intense to be fun during the event or can you enjoy yourself while you are riding?

As long as I have a clean first run or start out runs landing my first things then it's all fun after that but if I start messing up at the very beginning then it's hard to get back into the "zone". As long as you are in the zone then it's fun.

Nobody does it better. Boyko three dropping at Claworx 2007. Photo ~ Harookz

Are you going to all the comps this coming summer? Qashqai, 26 trix, Crankworx here and in Colorado as well as Saalbach? Is there anything you plan to skip?

Trix is pending. The Qashqai Tour is very intense and takes alot out of us. There were only a handful of riders that even made it through the entire tour. The rest for sure.

There are some very solid riders right now shopping themselves around for contracts - most of whom aren't slopestyle riders . Do you think there is too much emphasis on results in competition and doing tricks?

All those guys do compete. Some don't necessarily need to compete in my opinion. Everyone has their own ways of pleasing sponsors. Some riders are just film riders, others competition riders and there are some that are film riders and competition riders. All sponsors are different as well - what works for one company may not be acceptable to another and what makes everything even harder is that these Companies are always changing themselves. Marketing directors coming and going, budgets going here, going there sometimes companies getting bought by other companies. Anyone could find themselves without a sponsor at any time it seems and I think sometimes it's unavoidable.

Everyone says that the guys who compete in contests like Crankworx get along well and are all buddies. Have you found that as well? Are the bmx riders all bros as well?

Of course everyone are friends, we travel and compete together all season. Everyone is buddies, completely agree there. For the BMX riders, I'm not sure if they are or aren’t. I think BMX and mountain biking are just so different like surfing and skateboarding. I know a few friends that went out to ride at Ryan Nyquist's park in January, they said Nyquist and all the guys go mountain biking all the time and where totally stoked to have hardtails in the warehouse park. I know from what I’ve experienced, everyone is bros whether your a pro boarder, biker, bmxer ,MX, ski whatever because we all have the same job but just different venue.

There is no off season for Ben. Photo ~ Harookz

You've entered the scene along with a crew of really young rippers like the Lacondeguys, Lance Mcdermott and the whole Aptos crew. Is it tough to compete against guys who are still made of rubber when you are a little older?

I actually feel better and more confident than I’ve ever felt. I heal faster than when I was 18, way stronger, more flexible, endurance is higher and most importantly I'm way smarter than when I was 18. It's really not that big of an age difference though. I know what most people say at 20 you're living and then 30 you’re dying but for me this isn't the case. I'm 26 and it feels like I still have a few years before I even reach my physical athletic peak and then I got a lot more as well. No one is made of rubber and I don't think there is any advantage to being 17, 19, 22, 23 over someone 26. I think the only advantage would be that the Aptos guys have all kinds of jumps that they ride all day all year round and I have none out here at all. Then there is bad weather here for half the year.

There you have it. The best may be yet to come for Ben Boyko. Tell us what you think about the world through Boyko's eyes here.

Getting some dam altitude in Spain. Photo ~ Harookz