Cam Zink entered 2010 with nothing to loose and everything to gain and that’s precisely what he did, taking the overall in the FMB world tour, the win at the Crankworx slopestyle and then topping it off with the daddy of all freeriding contests, winning the Red Bull Rampage in Utah. No one else came close to Cam in 2010.

Freeriding and freeriders have to take the rough with the smooth and dealing with injury is just part of the job, a job where only the strong get back up and try again. For Cam, 2010 was a significant year in more ways than just crushing the field; this was the first year in along time Cam had a healthy year free from injury. With this good fortune on his side, nothing held the young American back in his conquest of the years competitions which he subsequently dominated.

Having won major events in the past the taste of success is nothing new to Cam, yet finding the strength, after multiple injuries, bares testament to his strength of character and the passion for what he does. Cam has been a mountain biker for almost 15 years and the sport thickly runs through his veins.
Mountain Biking has moved so far from the early days that it is almost unrecognisable today compared to its humble beginnings on the West Coast, but Cam is leading the charge for those who are shaping its future.

Interview: Olly Forster

Photos: Various by Cam Zink – Rampage shots courtesy of Red Bull and credited photographers

Before your involvement in freeride, you were one of the top racers for your age category in the US; can you tell us about your time as a DH racer?

It was a pretty remarkable time. I don’t think there has been a class of Junior X racers that stacked. Nearly everyone turned pro and some are still the best racers in the country: Kyle Strait, Cody Warren, Duncan Riffle, Luke Strobel and Henry O’Donnell. Racing with all these guys always showed good battles and I’m glad to say that I have beaten all of them at least once, ha-ha! I loved racing DH and Slalom, for it was all I wanted to be since I was 10 years old. I just jumped for fun, but my focus was always racing since there wasn’t really anything in freeriding yet. It definitely shaped my life and riding style; I have always thought racers have the best style in Mountain Biking and Moto.

Who did you look up to as a young rider and is it strange meeting them now you’re a pro and didn’t you meet Ryan Dungey recently too?

I idolized Palmer growing up. Him and Kirt Voreis were gods. I would see them at the races and I just wanted to hang out with them. I didn’t want to be them; I wanted to be as good or better and hang out with them. They were like rockstars and Palmer had a custom painted tour bus painted by Troy Lee at all the races. It was mental. And now those two are both good friends of mine, but they are older now and in somewhat of a different stage in life.
I did get to meet Dungey recently. The guys at Oakley heard I was a fan and I got to have a chat with him in the Suzuki trailer at LA supercross. Pretty rad to meet someone like that and be on the opposite side of the fan/rider equation.

Back to mountain bikes, what triggered the decision to look at freeriding more seriously and pursue that side of the sport?

It was like I grew with the sport. I knew when I was younger watching Kranked and the other movies that I could do everything in it. I was like 12 or 13 but I was so confident that I could do everything in there. But I was a racer and the freeride scene wasn’t too big at that point and there were no contests. Back then, Cam and Tyler Mccaul used to race the local races at Donner and so in a sense I was in the same boat as they were. (Cam was never that fast though ha-ha, sorry Cam) Around 16 I started filming with Neil Sanders from Superheros who got me my first free frames from Santa Cruz. I rode those bikes at Junior World Championships my first year. So the freeriding funded the race bikes before I was even a freerider. The next year I got a contract with the Syndicate for half racing, half freeride. I did well and raced world cups and nationals till 2006 and did pretty well but it was evident that I was far better at freeriding.

Do you think your background racing and your familiarity with big, long travel bikes and riding at speed helped develop your riding style?

Most definitely. Tyler Mccaul has told me “remember your roots” pertaining to riding a short travel on certain things, but I always raced slalom on a hardtail so I have roots in both, but riding a DH bike is so much better when you have a background in racing. You ride, pedal and jump completely different than someone who had never raced.

How do you feel about some of the mountain bike comps that have too much in common with other sports, like BMX and do you think these are detrimental to a sport looking for its own identity?

They have their place in the sport, but it’s not where it’s at. The sports true colors are in big mountain and the other big slopestyle courses. They prevail for obvious reasons. Hopefully the courses are better in 2011 because you could ride a BMX bike at most of the courses in 2010, which is retarded in my opinion. But like I said, the DJ comps have their place, but definitely aren’t and shouldn’t be the flagship events of the sport.

Freeriding has really become a sport of its own in the last few years and competitions like Rampage and Crankworx seem to be drawing the attention of the greater action sports world. A BMX rider watching last years Rampage couldn’t be anything but blown away with what they were watching; are these kind of events the ‘future’ of raising the bar and pushing the sport into the mainstream?

It has been a long time coming, but the sport has grown and come into its own element. A Mt. Bike doing BMX tricks on a BMX course at a sub-dew tour level isn’t going to attract new crowds and excite anyone whom doesn’t ride mt bikes. The bigger and the more real mountain bike events are unique and showcase what these bikes were built for, what they weren’t, and what they are capable of.

It must have crossed a few people’s minds watching last years big contests that mountain biking could be a good candidate for the summer X-Games. Aside from the location issue, do you think taking the sport to an event like this would be a massive move in the right direction or would it take something ‘special’ away from the sport?

I get this question all the time from random people on airplanes and places where people don’t really know what mt biking is. For that reason it would be unreal; to bring it to the main stream. Mt biking is in a unique position being paired up with kayaking, rock climbing and other “outdoor sports,” as well as being compared to traditional action sports. I used to think the outdoor sport corolation was a bad thing but with Fuel TV finally airing events and companies like my new shoe sponsor, Osiris, supporting, the sport has a unique opportunity to capture multiple markets. X games would be the end-all-be-all of assets but its up to them. Making a course would be the toughest part. They would probably have to have an off-site venue like they did for surfing.

Where do you see mountain biking going in the foreseeable future and where would you personally like to see it go?

I think it’s in the right direction. Racing is on its way to getting as big as it was in 99, Rampage landed me on Sportscenters top 10 plays, we have a world tour, more contest. It just needs to shed off some of the gay and lame big wigs of certain companies. There are too many stiffs in the industry that refuse to do some creative thinking and take some gambles.

Having injuries, especially ones like you’ve had, can be a mental hurdle only the strong can deal with. Did these set backs just make you hungrier and more determined or where they a challenge to overcome?

They just take time. That’s it.

2010 was a real rollercoaster year for you, 1st in the FMB Tour, 1st at the worlds most prestigious slope style contest in Whistler and then 1st at the Rampage, undoubtedly one of the most watched MTB contests from the year. Looking back how do you feel?

I feel as accomplished as I possibly could. If I were to have won any more contests I don’t think I would have been any happier. I accomplished what was most important to me and the main focus from the beginning of the year and essentially every year. Now that it’s almost February I’m past the elated state of relaxing and reflecting. Its time to focus on getting a second world title!

credit: Christian Pondella

2011 will be a year when many people will be looking your way as the man to beat. Are you excited about the year ahead or is there a little nervousness knowing how good 2010 was?

I don’t think ill feel any different at the contests because the people I look at as the ones to beat are still the same and are going to be just as hungry as ever.

2011 will see you on a new bike and by all accounts a brand that looks like a real fit for you too. Can you tell us a little about the deal with Evil and what cool stuff can we look forward to over the coming months?

The deal with Evil was like me meeting my future wife. I called Kevin, the owner, and we see eye-to-eye on everything that needs to change in this stale industry. The bikes are amazing, they have amazing ideas and I couldn’t be happier to help grow the brand and force-feed the sport the image and ideals it needs.

credit: John Gibson

Being a former racer and now being involved with one of the sports most iconic brands, Troy Lee Designs; what was it like getting your first custom helmet?

Holy moly… Getting my first helmet at 04 Rampage made me feel way more important than anyone on the hill. I was the first freerider to get a custom lid and it meant the world to me. I was very greatful and I thought that would be my only one so I cherrished it. Now I have a stable of Troys works of art to reflect on. Now that I’m on Monster it is a new project for Troy and I to get more original and custom Monster helmet approved.

We all know you’re on the new Osiris MTB team this year, is this an area where we might see some product collaborations and maybe some MTB specific footwear?

I am currently designing a custom colorway with them. It won’t be a custom shoe, but almost… It will be based on the NYC 83 mid, which Ryan Nyquist has a signature colorway currently. Mine will look totally different, but most importantly it will have softer rubber for the sole. I guess with a soft compound on a mid-top shoe there isn’t much more you can do to make it Mt. Bike specific…

Monster Energy is another new sponsor and probably the coolest hook up going, what other brands will you be rocking this year?

I will be running Deft Family gloves. They are a new company started by fmx god, Nate Adams. I will still run Troy Lee for everything else, just Deft for gloves.

I’ve read you’d like to hit some races this year and mix it up around your other duties as a freerider. Is this something that’s been on your mind for a while and what events are you going to hit in 2011?

I will be doing all the major (gold level) freeride comps first and foremost. We are filming a lot for Freeride entertainments, “where the trail ends.” There will be some other projects and I am going to get some racing in, on my off weekends. I miss it and I love it.

Aside from racing what are your plans and goals for the year ahead?

Smoke Semenuk and Mccaul, stay healthy, and do a lot of filming.

Back home, away from bikes, what do you do to relax and unwind?

Moto, MX vs. ATV reflex, go to the beach at tahoe, just got a boat so there will be plenty of that this summer – golf, snowboard, skateboard. Reno has unlimited options.

Thanks Cam and all the best from everyone at Factory Jackson for 2011. Time for those interview shout outs!

Thanks to my parents for giving me every opportunity to help me get where I am today.
To my brother for being awesome. My two best friends, Taylor Sage and Kyle Strait.
Everyone at Freeride Entertainment.
Everyone who has had my back especially Kathy Sessler, Neil Sanders, Derek Westerlund, John Dawson, Kevin Walsh, Sean Sullivan, Steve Blick, Mike Redding, Troy Lee, Eric and Sadie Davies, Tyler Anspatch (probably spelled wrong)
All of my sponsors, first and foremost my sponsors that have stuck with me from the beginning when I was a little shit kid:
SRAM/ Rock Shox
Oakley
Troy Lee Designs
SDG
Deity
Mavic

And all of my newer and other loving and supportive sponsors:
Evil Bikes
Monster Energy
Geax
Contour cameras
Osiris

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