Destin Cantrell is one of the young guns of the global FMX scene. His awesome style on the bike doing tricks like the double Hart Attack reminds me a bit of the good old times of Drake McElroy, when he declassified the complete IFMA elite in the beginning of 2003. We talked with one of the most talented US riders about his passion FMX and his plans for the future ...
First of all, tell the guys out there some basics about you - where do you come from, how old are you and what is your mission?
Whats up guys im from the US out of Sun City, California. My mission in freestyle motocross is just to become one of the top competitors in all the contests around the world and just be known.
Im only 18 years old and on the right track right now so hopefully you will all be hearing more of me.
Almost every rider has a cool story how he started with MX. Do you also have one? How and when did you start riding MX bikes and what affected you to do FMX? Ya I got my first bike when I was 4 years old, started racing when I was 5 and when I was 14 i found myself at tracks turning around and cutting corners just to hit the jumps haha. So then one day i met freestyle rider Billy Walls and Scott Stephens and they invited me to hit there ramp out in the hills at a local freeride spot (Beaumont, CA) I was soo scared because I got there and the ramp was set at like 80 feet to this huge grass hill. So I geared up and took a few runs at it and just hucked it and did it clean haha. It was the coolest feeling ever and now im at where I am today.
Training is one of the most important bases of FMX. Do you have your own FMX compound and how do you train? Ya practice is the key to it all. I try to get out and ride everyday for atleast a good hour. When I don’t go practice I have nothing to do during the day and I get so bored. I did have my own spot at my house for a while with just one ramp and landing but unfortunately I moved out of that house a few months ago. Now I just practice with X Games gold medallist Kyle Loza at the Riders4Christ compound and with fmx rider Taylor Sterner at the Saloon.
You are a great rider with a lot of riding skills – your noflip tricks like Double Hart Attack, Ruler, Rock Solid Indian etc. are pretty big and awesome extended. Is style and extension important for you?
Ya thats the one thing I work on daily is just over extending and holding the trick as long as possible to make the trick look the best. Since im not flipping thats pretty much all I have to work on is finding out new tricks and just over extending them.
Let’s talk about the Flip. Did you already start to work on it?
Ya ive been in the pit a little bit and it is definantly coming soon so watch out hahaha.
Do you think the people hype the Backflip to much and the judges are score them to overpriced? Ya I think right side up tricks should be recognized a little more like they used to just because if your not flipping then you really cant do anything else but the flip is also keeping the sport going and making it grow.
How do you like the 360° and is this trick on your to do list?
This is one trick I want to do and will do for sure. I think about it a lot and we’ll see hopefully one day and maybe soon.
Adam “Foam Free” Jones is learning new tricks without a foampit. What do you think about his attitude?
I think its awesome. I hate foam pits and he is a very talented rider with a lot of bike skill so learning without a pit is sweet
What are your plans for the upcoming season and the future?
Im going over seas to India to do a demo for the youth Olympics which should be really awesome and hopefully do some contests and demos all around the world.
You are 18 now. Are you going to school or do you have another job apart from FMX? No I just graduated high school and al
l I do is ride now. No other job and hopefully never have to haha.
What are you doing in your freetime except FMX?
I hang with my chick alot and just kick back. I take her out riding. Nothin much cuz i get soo bored when I don’t ride hahaha. Seems to be nothing to do.
Your last words – do you want to say something to your fans, friends etc? Ya just thanks alot to everyone that supports me, my parents, my bro, my lady, and all the my amazing sponsors- Alpinestars, Dragon, Sullen, Osiris, fmf, universal, fly racing
Check out this video clip - riding session with Destin:
Okay, now our classical word association. Give me the first word that pops into your head:
Ramps: fun Sponsors: helpful Favorite Website: freestylemtx.com and forty8.de Goonriders: hahahahaha Double Flip: retarded Natural Terrain: Ocotillo Wells Tattoos: not for me 50’s: dangerous haha Best Trick: kod/holy grab Biggest success: being able to call FMX as my job Movie: moto- full circle, other- superbad Travelling: frickin sweet Girls: got a hot one
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