Ready to Ride, Jamie Bestwick. Hot-wheels.co.uk

Returning Champions: Jamie Bestwick

We all know the story: Bad boy Brit quits aerospace job to pursue career in BMX. Leaves England for Woodward. Puts smack down on Pennsylvania scene. Wins gold at ’00 X Games after less than a year in the States. Then gold at the ’01 Gravity Games. Then a few more gold medals through 2004, just to be sure everyone knows he’s the man. Throws in having a kid with his wife Kerry to the mix... and then he does something really incredible.
 
In 2005, Jamie Bestwick – the man, the myth, and the legend who already struck fear in the hearts of competitors around the globe – won every contest he entered. And they just happened to be the biggest events with the biggest cash purses in the world: the freshly debuted Dew Tour. Jamie won not 1 – not 2 – not 3 – but 4 of the 5 Dew Tour vert events. 4 out of 5! First place: Right Guard Open in Denver. First place: Vans Invitational in Portland. First place: Toyota Challenge in San Jose. First place: Playstation Pro in Orlando. He probably would have won all 5 had it not been for the pesky birth of his son Samuel during the first Dew Tour stop in Louisville.
 
In fact, during last year’s events BMX magazine reported that he pulled off “some of the most technical tricks [we’ve] ever seen.” Tricks that send shivers down the spine of even Jamie’s main rival Dave Mirra. Not surprisingly, his performance resulted in him winning the Tour overall, taking home the Cup o’ Dew and a fatty bonus check to go with his brand spankin’ new Toyota Tacoma.
 
The man is a machine. A mild-mannered, smooth-stylin’, competition thrivin’, double tailwhip flair landin’, English football lovin’, fish ‘n chips eatin’ machine. This machine was born in Nottingham, England in 1971. Do the math and what do you find out? The boy’s getting up there. But, apparently he’s got a serious set of batteries keeping him going, cuz he’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. If anything it’s just the opposite: It appears he’s just getting started.
 
After crushing the competitive field like tiny grapes last year, Jamie was awarded the official title of International Freesports Athlete of the Year 2005. This during an extremely competitive year for action sports that included the likes of Shaun White, who became the first athlete to successfully cross over disciplines, nabbing medals in both snowboard and skateboard events.
 
Recently, Jamie’s been back at home in the UK recovering from neck surgery and spending time with family, something he makes a point of doing as often as possible. Now he’s back on his bike getting ready for another hectic competitive season to include all the Dew Action Sports Tour events, X Games,  and Gravity Games. Should be a good one!
 

– Steve Lemig