Intro/Interview: Effraim.

At the FiseWorld in Hiroshima, Japan last month it was on my list to catch up with the Flatmattersonline 2018 Breakthrough Rider of the Year, Sietse Van Berkel!

Sietse is one of those riders that has been on the brink for a number of years, last year he stepped up in a big way blowing the flatland world away with his final submission for the Master of Creativity finals and taking a well deserved win.

I dig into what went into his Master of Creativity entry, his horrific head injury that followed, from being the MOC winner to judging. Winning the FM award, his elegant style that is like no other, getting on Four pegs and Deco, his mindset training for contests and some surprises came out throughout the interview that I won’t spoil.

This is pure gold, is down grab and cuppa and listen to what Sieste and I have to say in our one hour 14 long conversation that taught me a lot and hopefully you at home listening.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time for the Sietse Van Berkel Flatmattersonline Interview!

00:57: Winning the Flatmattersonline Breakthrough Rider of the Year Award.

1:36: Master of Creativity and a certain type of person to truly go in and give it all you got.

3:43: Strategy going into MOC?

5:12: Mindset going into Round 2 of MOC?

6:33: Keeping your Round 3 banger quiet and off social media.

6:50: Outside of MOC if you brand new trick do you save it or does it go straight on instagram?

7:18: How do you feel about social media?

8:22: For all of those that don’t know you, who is Sietse Van Berkel?

8:57: Coming from Holland, how much did the event Flatground inspire you and effect your life?

10:25: How did you get into Flatland?

12:31: After Flatground, BMX Cologne?

15:01: Your elegant style of riding?

19:41: First Bike?

21:21: Being in a music band?

22:42: From winning Master of Creativity to judging MOC?

23:49: Is it hard to enter Master of Creativity and not being sure of what you did was original?

25:14: Getting injured really bad right after MOC?

28:59: Did the injury at the pump track make you realise you cant afford to miss sessions on Flatland? No more pump track?

29:28: Climbing influences Sietse’s style.

30:14: Geting on Four Pegs BMX?

32:37: Getting on Deco?

33:20: Anything specific about your bike set up?

34:34: Out of MOC this year, any plans on a Welcome to Deco edit?

35:53: Outside of riding, what do you do?

37:21: In Utrecht, how are you riding spots?

38:20: Getting a ticket for riding at a spot, he’s rode at for years?

42:20: From winning the MOC 2018 to tackling the 3 minute run. How do you prepare for a contest?

44:20: What inspires you with flatland in the modern day?

46:14: What is flatland?

48:00: Do you have a set amount of hours you ride?

52:33: How do you feel your riding will develop in the future, do you think you found your style?

55:10: With the Dutch culture, I was curious would you say you are a competitive rider?

56:20: What were you thinking during the Fise finals in Hiroshima, as flatland fan or?

58:27: Do you think judging MOC would help your riding?

1:02:00: What pulls you to watch an edit nowadays?

1:05:08: You runs workshops, what do you tell kids about what you do?

1:06:47: Styles varying country to country.

1:09:00: Certain riders settles not fitting contest format?

1:10:15: What’s your favourite things about the flatland culture?

1:11:24: Was it scary returning to ride flatland after your injury?

1;12:47: Do you stretch before your ride?

1:12:56: How do you feel about having your name on the Fm award for Breakthrough Rider of Year?

1:13:42: Any final shoutouts, advice for beginners or anything like that?