WAFFLES

 I've been riding mountain boards since November 2000. I got into the sport after winning a Kiwi In Motion 132cm board but my interest in the sport dates back a few years before that. When I was in Year 8 I saw the sport for the first time on Planet X TV, I saw some of the MBS crew carving up a nice grassy hill and catching some big air. from that moment on all I wanted to do was own a mountain board.

Mountain boarding is a great sport to get into because its an outdoor sport and you can really push yourself to the limits of your ability. What I like about it is that you can do what you want, when you want, where you want. Its a good way to get outdoors and do something different.

GRASS ROOTS WAFFLES

Caught a bit of an MBS spread on Planet X TV late '99, all my mates were keen skaters but I wasn't into that so I saw this an a good alternative. Just by coincidence Milo were running a competition to win a board, I didn't win but it did ignite a strong desire to get myself a board. Local Safeway supermarket was running a competition with Nestle and Kiwi in Motion, sent in about 200 hundred entries (ate about 100 packets of 2 minute noodles) Won the board and never looked back.
 
The first few month's I had riding (started a bit after Ryan and Nick) were great, I broke my tail bone but still was loving every minute of it. Didn't know much about the sport outside of Woolies competitions and just cruised around the street and Flemington Racecourse by myself, awesome days. Used to get home from school and head over to the Racecourse and ride down the member's drive, run up the top and do it all over again. Then I'd hit the grass slopes on the side of the road and practise a few jumps and slides. Wouldn't come home until it was too dark to see the trees and stuff.
 
Went to the X games at Vic Harbour and met the MBS crew, I was mesmerized by the skills these blokes had. Spoke to Leon Robbins who was super friendly and gave me some advice about what to do and how to improve. He basically said "take small steps, find a style you like and just go hard" So that's what I did.
 
Got the Internet and went around the sites looking for any other Aussie riders. Boyd was the first rider I came across, then through the AVATB site and msn got in touch with the small Vic Crew. Emailed Nick and Ryan through the ATBAus site, started talking about what we should do to get things going and stuff like that.
 
Community plays a big role in the development of culture so I thought the Big Vic Session would be a good thing to get going- it was the first time I'd ridden with other blokes, and in the first three hours my riding improved ten fold! No doubt that within the couple of months that we had the original BVS, Goatx Tour 1 and 2 the core group of riders in Vic was established. Its great to see that it has expanded over the past two or three years but nothing will compare to the the first time we all hooked up and hit Canning St. for me.
 
Basically because I am nuts at airs and have a board that weighs a tonne (two tonne if I am on it ) and because of L. Robbins advice I concentrated of DH / carving, just love the feeling and the freedom. For me half the enjoyment is seeing everyone else have a great time and just cruising  around, pushing myself if I want to.
 

Time and Tide Waiteth For No Man!