The Will Saxby Interview!

Hi guys, here is a Will Saxby interview. Will is a Ringwood BMX legend, no one can dispute that. He is also a bit of a mystery, so hopefully this interview will be pretty insightful for some.

Enjoy!

Q) Will, You're one of the original (if not first) Ringwood park locals. How did you get into riding BMX and riding at the Ringwood park?

A) I got into bmxing long long ago in a galaxy far far away because all my mountain bike components were breaking from the tricks and sometimes hard landings from high airs. I ordered a top end GT Vert bike from the USA (£927). It weighed 54 Lbs, But never broke lol. Myself and others realized soon that Ringwood at the time didn't have anything for the Mtb and Bmxer's except the dirt trails at ringwood common, which got knocked down a lot. (before the park was built) so a group of us school mates got together, made a petition got well over 200 names and approached the council. A few months later was the first time I met Greg Howe the owner of GBH skateparks. He produced some 3D prints of the proposed plans for the park and asked us if there was anything that should be changed. The design was simple, but all I wanted was the jump box, so I was happy.
2 and a half Years of waiting the work began, we helped put together the flat pack of metal parts while the GBH technicians welded it together and after everyday when they went home I was there riding it. Sometimes just with the transitions. I might have even been the first to riding it, long time ago.

Q) Do you still ride? What the deal?

A) I would like to ride, but ever since I was 15 I've tried to get into the army.. 3 years ago I got a serious head injury from the backwards landing of abubacaing the safety rail over the quarter flat quarter, something I was experimenting with at the time. I didnt have a helmet on, I've hit my head lots of times but not from the back. The results of the injury meant I had a 3 month long single migraine, couldn't go out side in the sun without being sick, couldn't do sport, couldn't read without getting a migraine. I had double vision, paranoia, super vidulence, tunnel vision. After I got back my ability to do sport, I thought I'd try for the army again and get myself back on my feet again with help from the gym. I have to have 4 years clear medical so.... no bmxing for me.  If I don't get in I'll start again as I've still got my bike.

Q) Talk us through the infamous backflip crash.... what actually happened before, during and after?

A) Hahaha that back flip crash. Interesting day to say the least. I had thought about back flipping for a while but hadn't been any foam pits to actually try it. so I didn't know what to do. So in other words I tried to wing it 10 ft up lol. I spoke to Mark Tate at the comp (before the crash) asking about back flips. He said just pull back really hard. Then I tried it. Really fast, really high. I didn't pull back at the lip as you are meant to do. instead I pulled back mid flight resulting in the most impressive looking crash I've seen on video. When I landed, my whole body went numb from the impact. I thought for a brief second I was paralyzed, then the feeling started to come back. realized there was a crowd of people around me looking afraid. The on stand ambulance woman came running over but I told her to go away, then I turned around and saw Mark's shocked face.. Then I heard the words I will never forget (but on here I can only mention one and I'm sure you can think of the second begins with c ) while helping me up and a big fat grin on his face said "you crazy **** ". crowd went mental, All my mates thought I was paralyzed or worse. I carried on riding later that day and was a bit sore for a few days.


Will Saxby Backflip Crash Video! from ringwood BMXyeah on Vimeo.

Q) You're known for adding little wooden attachments to the park so you can perform certain tricks... such as the backrail abubaca. You also had a plan to build a roll in from the quarter so you could generate enough speed to clear the fence. How do these ideas come about, and do you have any other crazy ideas that you want to do?

A) The wooden attachments are just to try out tricks that didn't work. Like the backrail.. when GBH repaints the park every year they dont repaint the back rail so its incredibly slippery.. I tried the abubaca lots of times only to slip off. I abubacaed another parks safety rail that was wood with no problems so I thought I'd build a bolt on one for Ringwoods. The wooden top roll in was my next idea but I had my head injury so I never tried it. The plan was to add 5 foot of roll in off the top of the 6 ft quarter and adding a 8ft x 4ft sheet of ply to the top of the flat bank to the rails and a smaller sheet at the base to make a one big quarter then roll in the 6 ft which would be now 11ft, cain it across the park up the new transition and high air it over the fence, part of a tree and downside it over the hump in the play park and hopefully stop before slamming into the border hedge ..... but you cant have everything. ... Then trick it for a day get some nice shots.

Q) What are your future plans, in life?

A) Future plans, see the world have fun getting shot at, Build a house and fall in love.. eventually I want to build my own indoor skatepark for the kids closer to home, with an overdue foam pit lol.

Q) Tell us some of your favorite Ringwood BMX related moments.

A) Chilling out in some summer evening with mates riding and chilling (with Andy Marsh, who later died... We will never forget you Andy). The expressions on peoples faces when I got up after many of my back flip attempts, jumping the volcano for the first time smoooooth, the first day of Ringwood skatepark construction, the day that they removed the jump box to put a bigger one in :) and the day when Greg Howe who I got to know gave me his card asking if I was interested in riding with Team GBH against Team Extreme.

Thanks Will.... you rule.