E-ticket Fise Montpellier
FISE World Series 2015

Interview : Zhang Zhiyong

08 Oct 2015 12:07

Name: Zhang Zhiyong

Age: 22 

Discipline: BMX

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FISE: How long have you been riding BMX?

ZHANG: It’s been about 7 years that I started riding BMX, I was about 15 years old.

 

 How did  your passion for BMX riding start?

 At the very beginning, it was to get girls’ attention! [laughs]. I’m kidding… It’s pretty simple, Ifelt like I could fly. I love the feeling to be in the air.

 

Do you know about the FISE World Series?

Yes of course, I know the FISE events! I will be taking part in it in two weeks.

 

How does biking influence your life?

Thanks to this sport, I have the honor to get to know riders and pros coming from different regions and countries, and disciplines too. We all progress together.

 

How is BMX going in China?

The proportion of people involved in this sport is still pretty low. But there are more and more people getting into BMX and the growth is pretty fast – it will continue to develop. The media are giving it more attention and companies are also starting to pay more attention to BMX.

 

If we would go to China to ride BMX, where would be the best spot? Are there some places to train?

Shenzhen is the best place for BMX, since it’s close to Hong Kong and there are a lot of public transportation. Shenzhen is very open to foreign cultures. Almost all national BMX champs are from there, so you can understand why that city is the best one in China for BMX. There is a big community of extreme sports lovers there. We have a lot of professional training sites as well as a lot of equipment and park construction.

 

What are your hopes for the future of extreme sports in China?

 I hope we will have more extreme sports contests, that would allow us to exchange with foreign riders and to improve on the competitive level. The pros would also be able to live from their sport thanks to contests. There is one important point to understand: as of today, the industrialization and commercialization level of this sport hasn’t progressed much. Marketing is a key determinant in extreme sports development.

 

Thanks for this interview, and we wish you good luck for the FISE World Series in Chengdu!

Thanks to you!