In January that year, aged just 17, he rode in his last competition as an amateur, and then in the same event rode as a pro for the first time. Mat Hoffman’s total domination of BMX riding became complete in 1989. Mat’s ability to gain bigger air than anyone combined with his stunts that saw his legs kicking out in every conceivable direction was not even an evolution of what had been done before, it was a complete re-definition of what was even possible. Veteran pro riders such as Eddie Fiola, Mike Dominguez and Ron Wilkerson had been at the top of the BMX World before Mat Hoffman, but they knew this teenager was an incredible step-up in ability, and a major threat to their livelihood. Mat completely stole the show, winning the competition by a mile and leaving Madison Square Garden with 15 sponsors vying for a deal with him, pictures of him performing stunts at the competition were soon adorning every BMX magazine that existed.
Flick trix pro rider series bmx mat hoffman full#
Mat arrived and was noticed immediately, he wore a full face helmet and body armor, unlike all other riders and it soon became clear why he needed the extra protection.
He had originally intended to enter as an amateur but his dad told him to enter as an expert, sure that he would win. Mat entered his first major competition in 1986, it was the General Bicycle Freestyle Championships at Madison Square Garden. Mat Hoffman’s Domination of Freestyle BMX Riding Mat and his BMX buddies had no idea that what they were doing was anything out of the ordinary, but in 1986 he sent a picture of himself in mid-jump to a BMX magazine and the response was an unexpected surge of amazement from other riders, Mat was already achieving a professionally high standard after a few years of constant practice. The coach told his dad that Mat had a bright future in the sport ahead of him, but Mat had only one aim, and gave up wrestling in the eighth grade to focus on BMX riding. Building ramps and riding bikes down them were a frequent activity for Mat and his brothers, at 11 he got his first BMX bike and his dad built a ramp in the back garden, and soon Mat was showing the kind of extreme commitment to practising BMX stunts that eventually made him a legend.Īt school Mat was a naturally gifted athlete, excelling at hoops and football, but his favorite sport was wresting. Mat was injured and Travis broke his hand, but that was just the beginning.
At seven he built a flying machine out of wood scraps and rode it off of a 15 foot high home-made ramp with his older brother Travis. He was the youngest of four children, but he began showing a fearless attitude to danger at a very young age. Mat was born to Matthew and Joni Hoffman in Oklahoma on January 9 th 1972.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Mat Hoffman created modern BMX riding as we know it.
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