Intro/Interview: Effraim.
Photographs: Gerard Arhens.
When you see a new face on the scene, it’s one thing to have a great video part. It is entirely another to be the real deal in the flesh, I first had this feeling when I saw Martti Kuoppa for the first time at the Worlds in 1996 in Jugendpark, then again I had this feeling when I met Nathan Penonzek a year later in Huntington Beach, California. This feeling returned at Battle at the Rockies last year, we were all aware of course of Benjamin Hudson and his amazing “Welcome to Far East” edit, I wondered to myself on route to Colorado would Benjamin be the real deal?
The answer was quickly “yes”, effortless style, crazy pivots and so light footed around the bike. I immediately thought to myself it is like watching a young Nathan Penonzek all over again, which was ironic as Nathan was right next to me on the judging panel. Benjamin won the Breakthrough Rider of the Year by an absolute landslide, and deservedly so. Enjoy the last in series of Flatmatters Year end awards interview, we all eagerly wait to the see what the future brings to this amazing talent from Chile.
