1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:12,027 Speaker 1: from Newstalk zb. 3 00:00:12,667 --> 00:00:14,467 Speaker 2: Lea's moved to the Easter to show. It's on all 4 00:00:14,467 --> 00:00:17,787 Speaker 2: weekend at the Auckland Showgrounds and Institutions. Started all the 5 00:00:17,787 --> 00:00:20,707 Speaker 2: way back in eighteen forty three, but has evolved in 6 00:00:20,787 --> 00:00:24,347 Speaker 2: the time since from a purely agricultural event into a 7 00:00:24,427 --> 00:00:28,827 Speaker 2: pretty varied one, including some extreme sports in their action 8 00:00:29,147 --> 00:00:32,067 Speaker 2: arena over the weekend. One of those present across the 9 00:00:32,107 --> 00:00:35,267 Speaker 2: weekend is one of the world's top BMX writers. She's 10 00:00:35,267 --> 00:00:38,267 Speaker 2: one of ours. New Zealander Ali Chu from the world 11 00:00:38,267 --> 00:00:41,267 Speaker 2: famous Freestyle Kings and Ellie Chew is with us on 12 00:00:41,267 --> 00:00:43,067 Speaker 2: the show. Ellie tell us first of all about the 13 00:00:43,107 --> 00:00:46,187 Speaker 2: Freestyle Kings, what are they all about? And your part 14 00:00:46,667 --> 00:00:47,747 Speaker 2: in the Freestyle Kings. 15 00:00:48,747 --> 00:00:52,387 Speaker 3: The Freestyle Kings, So we've actually just recently done a 16 00:00:52,467 --> 00:00:56,307 Speaker 3: tour of New Zealand. So it's a freestyle motocross and 17 00:00:56,467 --> 00:01:01,387 Speaker 3: BMX show. So we do big stunts and jumps and 18 00:01:02,187 --> 00:01:06,027 Speaker 3: it's pretty much a two hour spectacle of the biggest 19 00:01:06,107 --> 00:01:08,227 Speaker 3: and best freestyle tricks in world. 20 00:01:08,827 --> 00:01:11,387 Speaker 2: So you've just as you say, finished in New Zealand too. 21 00:01:11,507 --> 00:01:16,307 Speaker 2: How widely though, have you traveled globally with the Freestyle Kings. 22 00:01:17,627 --> 00:01:20,227 Speaker 3: We've been lucky enough to go quite a few places. 23 00:01:20,867 --> 00:01:21,107 Speaker 1: We have. 24 00:01:21,267 --> 00:01:24,267 Speaker 3: Just prior to the New Zealand tour we went to 25 00:01:24,307 --> 00:01:29,067 Speaker 3: South Africa, which was a pretty incredible experience, and we've 26 00:01:29,107 --> 00:01:32,147 Speaker 3: also done a few tours of Australia and then we've 27 00:01:32,187 --> 00:01:34,947 Speaker 3: got a few more tours coming up at different parts 28 00:01:34,947 --> 00:01:35,427 Speaker 3: of the world. 29 00:01:36,667 --> 00:01:38,667 Speaker 2: How did this all come about for you? Talk us 30 00:01:38,667 --> 00:01:41,467 Speaker 2: through your journey, you know, from when you first got 31 00:01:41,467 --> 00:01:43,187 Speaker 2: on a bike to where you are now. 32 00:01:45,187 --> 00:01:48,027 Speaker 3: Sort of all started when I was young. My dad 33 00:01:48,067 --> 00:01:52,347 Speaker 3: was always into motorsports and cars and engines and bikes, 34 00:01:52,387 --> 00:01:56,067 Speaker 3: so I was put onto bicycles and motorbikes from a 35 00:01:56,067 --> 00:01:59,707 Speaker 3: pretty young age. And then when I went to at school, 36 00:02:00,347 --> 00:02:02,467 Speaker 3: I had a group of friends who was interested in 37 00:02:02,547 --> 00:02:05,387 Speaker 3: BMX riding, so I ended up joining them going down 38 00:02:05,427 --> 00:02:07,707 Speaker 3: to the local being track. I grew up on the 39 00:02:07,747 --> 00:02:13,107 Speaker 3: Capity Coast and enjoyed doing the jumps more than the 40 00:02:13,187 --> 00:02:15,907 Speaker 3: racing side of things, so that sort of moved into 41 00:02:15,947 --> 00:02:18,227 Speaker 3: going to the skate park where we could get a 42 00:02:18,267 --> 00:02:21,387 Speaker 3: little bit more airtime than at the BMX track, and 43 00:02:21,547 --> 00:02:24,667 Speaker 3: started learning little tricks like one foot is no footers 44 00:02:24,747 --> 00:02:27,147 Speaker 3: taking her hands off, and really just fell in love 45 00:02:27,187 --> 00:02:29,707 Speaker 3: with the sport. It was always something I just did 46 00:02:29,787 --> 00:02:32,867 Speaker 3: for fun. It was just after school activity. And then 47 00:02:33,547 --> 00:02:35,787 Speaker 3: I guess the more I stuck at it, a few 48 00:02:35,827 --> 00:02:39,467 Speaker 3: people started noticing what I could do, and there was 49 00:02:39,467 --> 00:02:43,187 Speaker 3: a few more competitions popping up around the globe. I 50 00:02:43,227 --> 00:02:45,787 Speaker 3: put a YouTube video on actually, and then I got 51 00:02:45,827 --> 00:02:50,227 Speaker 3: invited to a few international competitions and decided to spread 52 00:02:50,267 --> 00:02:53,827 Speaker 3: my wings and head overseas, and then it all sort 53 00:02:53,827 --> 00:02:58,507 Speaker 3: of snowboard from there, really getting recognition from some overseas 54 00:02:58,547 --> 00:03:02,987 Speaker 3: brands within the sport, and it grew until the point 55 00:03:03,107 --> 00:03:05,427 Speaker 3: of being invited to ride with the Freestyle Kings and 56 00:03:05,467 --> 00:03:07,507 Speaker 3: getting that to do that, it is a full time job. 57 00:03:07,347 --> 00:03:10,027 Speaker 2: Now, outstanding. I've had a look at some of your footage. 58 00:03:10,067 --> 00:03:12,387 Speaker 2: Some of what you do is just well to the 59 00:03:12,427 --> 00:03:16,827 Speaker 2: normal person, just death defying stuff. How long did it 60 00:03:16,867 --> 00:03:21,227 Speaker 2: take you to feel comfortable even attempting and then achieving 61 00:03:21,307 --> 00:03:22,867 Speaker 2: some of the really risky stuff. 62 00:03:24,827 --> 00:03:29,307 Speaker 3: Yet it's definitely all of our progression, learning step by 63 00:03:29,347 --> 00:03:33,747 Speaker 3: step type sport, so where we get to do a 64 00:03:33,747 --> 00:03:36,267 Speaker 3: lot of our training now for the bigger jumps in 65 00:03:36,347 --> 00:03:39,107 Speaker 3: a foam pit. So we ride at the Franklin Farm 66 00:03:39,107 --> 00:03:42,107 Speaker 3: which is up in Tokaroa with Dad Milton, who's another 67 00:03:42,107 --> 00:03:44,707 Speaker 3: writer who's going to be at the Easter show. We 68 00:03:44,787 --> 00:03:47,987 Speaker 3: do all our practicing there, which means we can throw 69 00:03:48,027 --> 00:03:50,427 Speaker 3: ourselves into the air and try to learn the new 70 00:03:50,467 --> 00:03:53,027 Speaker 3: tricks or maneuvers that we want to do and not 71 00:03:53,267 --> 00:03:55,907 Speaker 3: have to worry too too much about the landing side 72 00:03:55,947 --> 00:03:58,467 Speaker 3: of things, and can kind of figure out the tricks 73 00:03:59,227 --> 00:04:03,387 Speaker 3: landing into a softer pit of foam, you still obviously 74 00:04:03,867 --> 00:04:07,027 Speaker 3: have the risk of injury within that, it's a much 75 00:04:07,067 --> 00:04:09,347 Speaker 3: safer version than taking it straight to a landing, So 76 00:04:09,387 --> 00:04:11,907 Speaker 3: we can kind of figure out the aerial awareness side 77 00:04:11,907 --> 00:04:14,987 Speaker 3: of things and then perfect it and then be able 78 00:04:15,027 --> 00:04:17,747 Speaker 3: to take it to the landing that we do in 79 00:04:17,787 --> 00:04:19,227 Speaker 3: the in the shows. 80 00:04:19,827 --> 00:04:23,347 Speaker 2: Has the time between when you seet the phone pit again, 81 00:04:23,387 --> 00:04:25,307 Speaker 2: I've seen footage of that and that seems, yeah, like 82 00:04:25,427 --> 00:04:28,387 Speaker 2: a very very good idea. But has the time between 83 00:04:28,907 --> 00:04:31,547 Speaker 2: you know, when you finishing the phone pit to when 84 00:04:31,587 --> 00:04:34,787 Speaker 2: you give it a go properly? Has that time reduced? 85 00:04:34,827 --> 00:04:34,907 Speaker 1: Like? 86 00:04:34,987 --> 00:04:37,467 Speaker 2: Are you now more comfortable and you don't need as 87 00:04:37,507 --> 00:04:39,307 Speaker 2: long in the phone pit? If you get my drift. 88 00:04:40,427 --> 00:04:44,347 Speaker 3: Yeah, So a lot of the time will when we 89 00:04:44,427 --> 00:04:46,827 Speaker 3: have to start from the beginning with a completely new trick, 90 00:04:47,907 --> 00:04:49,627 Speaker 3: we'll spend a lot of time in the phone pit 91 00:04:49,787 --> 00:04:53,067 Speaker 3: trying to iron out all the all the problems with 92 00:04:53,147 --> 00:04:55,467 Speaker 3: the trick until we get it perfect. And then once 93 00:04:55,547 --> 00:04:59,387 Speaker 3: we've taken it to the landing and we can land it, 94 00:04:59,467 --> 00:05:02,267 Speaker 3: we we tend to hang on to those tricks. Obviously, 95 00:05:02,307 --> 00:05:05,347 Speaker 3: we need to keep practicing them because you know, consistency 96 00:05:06,507 --> 00:05:10,147 Speaker 3: makes you more comfortable with doing them. But it's definitely 97 00:05:10,227 --> 00:05:13,587 Speaker 3: the transition from going to the phone pit to the landing. 98 00:05:13,787 --> 00:05:18,027 Speaker 3: A lot of the time it's so completely different environment. 99 00:05:18,227 --> 00:05:22,027 Speaker 3: Sometimes the tricks that we do can even be right 100 00:05:22,067 --> 00:05:26,307 Speaker 3: in the middle of a live show, and so it's 101 00:05:27,587 --> 00:05:30,427 Speaker 3: sort of the rev up of the crowd and our 102 00:05:30,507 --> 00:05:34,307 Speaker 3: friends within the show is generally what makes all these 103 00:05:34,347 --> 00:05:35,307 Speaker 3: crazy tricks happen. 104 00:05:36,027 --> 00:05:37,867 Speaker 2: Are there tricks that have never been done that you 105 00:05:37,947 --> 00:05:38,467 Speaker 2: want to do? 106 00:05:39,827 --> 00:05:44,307 Speaker 3: Yes? Yeah, so, I guess with being a woman within 107 00:05:44,867 --> 00:05:49,067 Speaker 3: freestyle DMX, there's not as many girls within the sport. 108 00:05:50,227 --> 00:05:55,587 Speaker 3: So a lot of men have landed tricks, but not 109 00:05:55,707 --> 00:05:57,947 Speaker 3: a lot of women have landed these particular tricks, So 110 00:05:57,947 --> 00:06:00,747 Speaker 3: there's a lot of women's world first out there ready 111 00:06:00,787 --> 00:06:05,787 Speaker 3: to be claimed or conquered, you could call. And so, yeah, 112 00:06:05,787 --> 00:06:08,787 Speaker 3: definitely are trying to claim a few more of those. 113 00:06:09,107 --> 00:06:11,467 Speaker 3: One recent one that I landed was a front flip 114 00:06:11,547 --> 00:06:14,427 Speaker 3: turn down that no woman had done before. 115 00:06:15,467 --> 00:06:19,187 Speaker 2: What's the We probably understand the front flip, what does 116 00:06:19,227 --> 00:06:22,387 Speaker 2: the turndown bit of that mean? So that is. 117 00:06:22,547 --> 00:06:28,107 Speaker 3: Where you twist the bars backwards on themselves. So basically 118 00:06:28,187 --> 00:06:30,907 Speaker 3: the bikes facing fords, you're on your front, flip the 119 00:06:30,947 --> 00:06:34,067 Speaker 3: bikes facing forward and you turn the bars backwards and 120 00:06:34,227 --> 00:06:37,307 Speaker 3: kind of your body twists around. It sort of an 121 00:06:37,307 --> 00:06:41,507 Speaker 3: odd one to explain, but it looks quite cool when 122 00:06:41,547 --> 00:06:41,987 Speaker 3: you see it. 123 00:06:42,187 --> 00:06:45,027 Speaker 2: Outstanding. So, as you mentioned, there aren't as many females 124 00:06:45,027 --> 00:06:48,827 Speaker 2: taking part in this kind of thing as there are males. 125 00:06:48,827 --> 00:06:50,787 Speaker 2: Would you like to see more female riders involved? And 126 00:06:50,787 --> 00:06:52,107 Speaker 2: do you feel like you're a bit of a bit 127 00:06:52,147 --> 00:06:54,547 Speaker 2: of a trailblazer for for females to get into it. 128 00:06:55,467 --> 00:06:57,867 Speaker 3: Yeah, I would love to see more girls getting into 129 00:06:57,907 --> 00:07:00,587 Speaker 3: the sport. And there is a few around the world 130 00:07:01,587 --> 00:07:03,907 Speaker 3: who are sort of coming up, coming up the ranks, 131 00:07:03,947 --> 00:07:06,107 Speaker 3: which is really great to see. But it is great 132 00:07:06,347 --> 00:07:09,467 Speaker 3: being able to be one of the girls out there 133 00:07:09,467 --> 00:07:12,067 Speaker 3: doing it? Who's showing girls that you can do this too? 134 00:07:13,347 --> 00:07:17,387 Speaker 3: Obviously at the shows there's a lot of younger kids watching, 135 00:07:17,427 --> 00:07:20,027 Speaker 3: and all those younger brothers have a younger sister, and 136 00:07:20,107 --> 00:07:23,227 Speaker 3: so it's quite cool to be the little role model. 137 00:07:23,547 --> 00:07:25,787 Speaker 3: I guess you could call it for those younger girls 138 00:07:25,787 --> 00:07:27,427 Speaker 3: to show that, you know, they can have a go 139 00:07:27,547 --> 00:07:28,827 Speaker 3: at things like this too. 140 00:07:29,027 --> 00:07:32,067 Speaker 2: And these shows a great opportunity for you to perhaps 141 00:07:32,067 --> 00:07:35,507 Speaker 2: influence a few of those younger writers as well. Yeah, Ellie, hey, 142 00:07:35,507 --> 00:07:38,147 Speaker 2: thanks so much for joining us. I know that everybody 143 00:07:38,147 --> 00:07:40,787 Speaker 2: who sees you across the weekend of the Auckland Showgrounds 144 00:07:40,867 --> 00:07:42,907 Speaker 2: is going to absolutely love it. Hope it goes well 145 00:07:42,947 --> 00:07:44,667 Speaker 2: for you. And thanks for taking the time for a chat. 146 00:07:45,227 --> 00:07:46,587 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you, appreciate it. 147 00:07:46,667 --> 00:07:48,787 Speaker 2: No, thank you, Ellie, appreciate your time. Ellie Chu, they're 148 00:07:48,827 --> 00:07:51,267 Speaker 2: from the Freestyle Kings. She can catch you at the 149 00:07:51,267 --> 00:07:55,067 Speaker 2: Easter show today or tomorrow at the Auckland Showgrounds part 150 00:07:55,067 --> 00:07:57,747 Speaker 2: of the Freestyle Kings. Yeah a look, as I say 151 00:07:57,947 --> 00:07:59,907 Speaker 2: during that interview at some of the stuff that she does, 152 00:07:59,947 --> 00:08:04,027 Speaker 2: absolutely incredible what they can do on a BMX 153 00:08:04,627 --> 00:08:07,787 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine listen live 154 00:08:07,907 --> 00:08:11,187 Speaker 1: to news Talks at B weekends from midday, or follow 155 00:08:11,227 --> 00:08:12,787 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio