Ben Wallace might not be a household name in the world of BMX but he’s got one thing going for him many riders might be jealous of – the ability to compete on both dirt and street courses.
While he began, like most, at a young age, it wasn’t until Mongoose took him under his wing that his career began to take off. Now at 26 – soon to be 27 – Wallace’s star is on the rise, due in large part because he can compete at the highest level in street, mini-ramp and dirt competitions. Last year Wallace took the top spot at the Red Bull Empire of Dirt and he hopes his winning ways continue.
The Portsmouth, England native now has his sights set on the United States, and more importantly San Francisco, where he’ll compete in the Dew Tour Toyota City Championships October 11-13. We recently spoke to Wallace about the upcoming event, where we learned he’s excited to fly across the pond and once again compete – but even more excited to begin relocating to the states.
CraveOnline: At what age did you begin to find an interest in BMX and what led you to the sport?
Ben Wallace: I was 13 when I first got into BMX. I happened to be watching Dave Mirra at the X Games and just thought how amazing it would be to do that. I bought my first BMX when I turned 14, which funny enough, was a Mongoose. I used to ride miles to get to the skatepark and practice – the rest, shall we say, is history.
Crave: Did you immediately take to it, or did you have to work at for a great deal of time?
Wallace: Well I have always been into extreme sports of some kind, so getting over the fear factor of learning tricks wasn’t really an issue. It was just a case of practicing and riding nearly every day.
Crave: Did where you grew up in England play a part in learning to ride on both dirt and paved courses?
Wallace: I grew up just outside Portsmouth, which only offered concrete parks to ride. It was a good eight mile ride there and back but that never fazed me as a nipper [a kid]. I was just psyched to ride somewhere decent. As for dirt, I never really started riding it until I was around 16. The nearest set was a train ride away, so I had to wait until I was a little older before I was allowed to travel that far.
Crave: Who did you look up to when you were first starting out and have you had the pleasure of riding together?
Wallace: I have always looked up to Dave Mirra and Ryan Nyquist. After the videos Miracle Boy and Nyquist came out, which I watched at least once a day, those guys just set the bar for me. Since then, I’m happy to say that I’ve had the pleasure of riding with both of those guys in their own skate parks and at contests.
Crave: You began riding for Mongoose in 2011, at the age of 25. While your career was well established by this point, what sort of impact did the change have on you and the direction your career was heading?
Wallace: Before I was signed by Mongoose I had to fund all of my travel for contests, which put pressure on me to do well. I got to the point where I found it hard to motivate myself, as I constantly worried about making enough money to get to the next contest. Mongoose has supported me and helped me with everything no matter how big or small the task. Their help has taken the pressure off [of me] and I’m able to just enjoy riding again, which I think has really shown over the last two years. My wife and I are moving to the states in January and they have been beyond supportive assisting us with every step.
Crave: What has been the biggest thrill of your career up to this point?
Wallace: I would have to say riding Anthony Napolitan’s Dreamline contest. It was just the most amazing set up with huge jumps and the world’s best riders killing them. I must admit, I was pretty nervous since I had never rode anything that big before but once I got through it the first time, that was it – I was pumped. I would give anything to go back there and session that course for a day.
Crave: What did you like most about the Dew Tour Toyota City Championships last year?
Wallace: I would have to say the location. Riding BMX has taken me to so many amazing places and San Francisco is definitely up there with being one of the best.
Crave: What are you most looking forward to this year?
Wallace: I’m looking forward to seeing the course set up this year. Adam Aloise is by far one of the best in the business, so I’m intrigued to see what he comes up with this time around.
Crave: Can you explain your training regiment this time around?
Wallace: To be honest, I don’t really have one. I just try eating well and riding as much as possible. I have been riding a fair amount on my Mongoose downhill bike to help with my cardio but other than that just riding a whole bunch.
Crave: Would you consider yourself more of a beach guy or a city guy?
Wallace: To be honest, I am a, “live in the middle of nowhere guy” at the moment. If I had to choose though, it would definitely be beach. I can’t wait to just be able to jump in the car any day and head down to the beach – once I’m in America. We have beaches here [in England] but it’s too cold to do much. Either that or it’s raining.
Crave: What would it mean to you to leave San Francisco with Dew Tour gold?
Wallace: Of course it would mean a lot. Everyone is there to do their best and win, right? But as long as I feel like I have ridden my best, I get out safe and I have fun, I’m happy.
Ed Miller is a contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @PhillyEdMiller or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Mongoose Bicycles
