Matt Priest & Lima Eltham double interview | BMX, Ride, Verde

Two Relentless Energy Drink sponsored BMX stars, Verde team members and friends go head to head

Relentless Energy Drink sponsored BMX riders Lima Eltham and Matt Priest need no introduction. They have established a strong friendship that has blossomed over the years, born by their shared love of BMX. Not only are they good friends but they’re also both part of the Relentless Energy Drink BMX team, binding them closer still. Frequently spotted causing mischief at many a Relentless Energy Drink-sponsored festival, they made ideal candidates for a two-way interview. Here’s what happened in their bi-directional interrogation.

Matt Priest, interviewed by Lima Eltham

Lima: This is going to be weird, innit? So Matt, you’ve been riding for RED for three years – tell everyone how that started?

Matt: It started at BMX Masters in Germany. You were already on the team and you told me that Relentless Energy Drink were looking for another dirt rider and asked if I’d like to join. I said yeah, and that was it really.

Lima: How did I ask you? Over MySpace?

Matt: Er, Facebook and then I got a phone call – maybe MySpace? I can’t remember.

Lima: Yeah, it was back in the day, wasn’t it? Has it all gone as well as you thought it would do?

Matt: Yeah!

Lima: What have been the best bits?

Matt: The highlight? Riding wise, probably Ride To Glory. That was a good trip because it was the first time we’d all done a team trip together.

Lima: Who was on the trip with us?

Matt: Niki (Croft), Mark (Webb), Jonny Devine, Rubio…was it Rubio?

Lima: Yeah, it was.

Matt: Yeah, it was a good time. And then probably Boardmasters; it’s always a good time as well because there’s not as much riding and you get to see everyone and have a good time – so probably those two.

Lima: Last year Relentless got us over to stay in Austin, Texas for three months and we rented a flat. Why did you choose Austin out of anywhere else in the world?

Matt: Probably because we’d already been there before for two months and I already knew what to expect. I knew there were good spots to ride, good people there, a good social life as well; stuff to do at night, you know, go swimming…

Lima: Maybe that would be one of my highlights from riding for Relentless.

Matt: Yeah, actually that was probably mine as well to be honest – the flat in Austin, I’ll change it…

Lima: Ha! What was the highlight of that trip?

Matt: Probably the weather and being able to get up and ride every morning and then go swimming and chill in the evening every day. It’s pretty good.

Lima: The other day we were at the Ride Reader Awards party and you won Dirt Jumper of the Year. Was this something you expected and were quietly confident with or was it a shock? You can be honest…

Matt: It was a bit of a shock.

Lima: Liar! [Matt bursts out laughing.] Why didn’t you just say I walked in there with my speech ready?

Matt: I didn’t have a speech ready. It was a shock. I didn’t really know…

Lima: Did you expect to get in the top three?

Matt: A few people said they had voted for me so I thought I might be up there from what people had said, but I really didn’t think I was going to win. I really didn’t know to be honest. So I’m stoked.

Lima: Is that one of the best things in your seven years of riding BMX?

Matt: Yeah, it’s pretty good to know that people voted. One of the highlights…

Lima: What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done in riding – trick wise?

Matt: Maybe when I was younger at contests, like hucking tricks that I wasn’t really 100 percent sure that I could land. For example, my first time at FIS trying frontflips when I didn’t really know how to do them very well. Luckily, most things I’ve tried have worked out and I haven’t hurt myself too badly.

Lima: One of the first times I met you was when we were in Germany riding at a dirt contest, and you were riding practice really well but you wouldn’t enter the comp – so we forced you to enter [bursts out laughing]. There were like six jumps and you raced it really low over all of them and we were like, “What the hell is he doing?” because earlier you were tricking every one. Then you got to the last jump and tried a frontflip it and just jumped off. Everybody was like, “You weirdo!” That was quite a funny one.

Matt: Yeah, learn from your mistakes!

Lima: What else do I want to know about you? You recently signed for Verde BMX bikes. What made you choose to do that and what have you got planned for the year?

Matt: I got the offer three months ago and Verde is a sick company, so I was stoked they wanted me to ride for them. I was already in a contract with another company but it wasn’t going too well. There were a few things that were like…

Lima: Was it hard turning down a signature frame?

Matt: Yeah, I put quite a lot of work into my bike and stuff and it hadn’t exactly gone how I wanted it to go, so this was a new opportunity and I thought I’d take it. Now I’m stoked with it and it’s definitely turned out for the best. And this year should be good.

Lima: And what is the plan for 2012?

Matt: This year we’re thinking about going to Paris, Romania, on a trip to Hazel Trails in America and on a UK shop tour with some of the US dudes as well – so quite a lot.

Lima: Quite a lot sounds like a good move.

Lima Eltham, interviewed by Matt Priest

Matt: So Lima, you’ve been to Austin for the last three years. Are you going again this year, and if so, why? That’s a good question, innit?

Lima: Yes, hopefully next month I’m going to go out. I’m mainly going because the winter here is quite a tough time to ride and in Austin, America, it’s always sunny. I’ve got lots of friends there who I’d like to see and go and ride my bike with. Those are the main reasons really – plus, it helps split the winter up, and when you come back it’s nice and sunny in England.

Matt: If you could only ride one spot for the rest of your life, what would it be and where would it be? That’s a hard one, eh?

Lima: Yeah, I don’t know…last October I went to Catty Woods in Pennsylvania and it was pretty mind blowing when I walked in. It felt like being a little kid again because I just rode my bike all day and I didn’t really eat or drink. I’d probably ride there every day. I haven’t felt like that on my bike for a long time.

Matt: You have good style on your bike and also lots of tricks. What do you think is more important?

Lima: Style or tricks?

Matt: Yep.

Lima: Neither one is better than the other, because I think you need a selection of both. It’s pretty horrible to watch someone do a trick when it’s not very stylish, but it’s also quite boring to watch someone not do tricks – so I like to keep it in the middle. Dead in the middle: the best of both.

Matt: You recently moved into a big house with a lot of your mates – the Lost In The Woods crew. What’s the best and worst thing about living there?

Lima: Best thing is that there are five people in the house, so it’s never boring because there’s quite a lot of characters in there. But the worst thing is also that there’s five people there, and so it’s pretty hectic all the time when you just want to chill. And Oxford’s not very good for riding. It’s quite nice living with everyone, to be honest. It’s quite carefree.

Matt: You should move to Cambridge where I live. What’s one trick you’d love to be able to do but can’t get your head around it?

Lima: Hmm…don’t know?

Matt: [Laughs] What, you can do everything?

Lima: Yeah, I feel like it… What do you think I should learn?

Matt: Maybe frontflips?

Lima: No!

Matt: Maybe backflips?

Lima: Yeah, I don’t know if I’d really want to – I could probably learn that, though, couldn’t I? I don’t like that one…

Matt: Why? You must have one…

Lima: One trick?

Matt: Yeah.

Lima: I’d like to get opposite 3s over trails dialed, but I’ve never really tried them because I don’t want to crash. I used to do them when I was younger but now I’m not bothered.

Matt: You have spent the last year riding for Verde. How’s that going and are you excited about this year with them?

Lima: Yeah, it’s gone really well actually. I just got promoted to the international team and I get my own signature handle bar so I’m quite stoked on that, and the team’s growing pretty rapidly with yourself and Jonny Devine riding for us, so it should be quite a good year. I’m quite looking forward to everything.