Jamie Bestwick, eyeing X Games record, ponders his BMX legacy

Jamie Bestwick is staring down the BMX record books as he prepares to compete in his 21st X Games.

There was a time not too long ago it seemed no one except Jamie Bestwick would win gold in X Games BMX vert.

Bestwick, the British vert rider who stormed onto the scene in 1996, broke the record for consecutive gold medals in an X Games event when he won nine straight vert titles between 2007 and 2014, including two in 2013.

However, when he was going for his tenth in Austin in 2015, up-and-comer Vince Byron, now 28, swooped in with an eye-popping second run to knock Bestwick out of first place and earn his own first-ever vert gold medal.

Ever since then, the two have been jockeying back and forth atop the sport, with Bestwick reclaiming the title at the 2016 Austin Games — thanks in large part to a never-before-been-done alley-oop 540 tailwhip — and taking his tenth gold medal in BMX vert.

But last year, the games’ first in Minneapolis, Bestwick was going for another milestone — a gold medal in vert would have allowed him to tie Shaun White for the most-ever X Games gold medals, with 15.

Once again, Byron threw down an unbelievable second run to boost Bestwick out of first place, edging him 93.00 to 92.66. A heartbreaker.

“No X Games is a given,” Bestwick tells FanSided in the days leading up to X Games Minneapolis. “You have to work hard for it. All the guys share the same sentiment of they want to ride the best they can and win the X Games.”

Bestwick knows that almost better than anyone, and there’s no question that the thought of going up against the 47-year-old legend in competition strikes fear into the hearts of the young riders hoping to beat him.

But they should know that he estimates them just as much — maybe more, since he’s tasted the feeling of being on top of the sport and knows what it means to lose it.

In fact, Bestwick admits that heading into this year’s competition as an underdog

“This year I’m turning 47, and people’s expectations of me sometimes supersede what’s physically possible for any 47-year-old,” Bestwick laughs. “They look at me like I’m 27. For me, the road to competition gets harder and harder. The desire is always there. All I can do is bring the best of myself on the day and hope that’s enough.”

What does the best of Bestwick look like these days? For one of the most innovative riders in the sport, he’s continuing to surprise judges and delight viewers with the tricks he pulls out of his bag. Back in 2005, in Los Angeles, Bestwick landed the first-ever double tailwhip flair in the BMX vert best trick event.

“All I can do is bring the best of myself on the day and hope that’s enough.”

Since then, he’s been pushing his game as the sport itself has progressed at an unbelievable clip. Asked whether we’ll be treated to yet another totally new trick this year, Bestwick says that he “always has a couple tricks on the back burner,” but stresses that vert isn’t a best trick competition — it’s a competition run. You can’t go for the big trick if it’s going to sacrifice the technique on the rest of your run.

Riders now are throwing down sets that blow the double tailwhip flair out of the water. But each rider knows which area in which he can gain big points, and for Bestwick, it’s originality and amplitude.

Bestwick has never been afraid to go big, and his inventiveness in the sport is legendary, up there with Mat Hoffman and the late Dave Mirra.

Speaking of Mirra, a gold for Bestwick this year would introduce a bittersweet record — edging him past Mirra for the most BMX gold medals in X Games history. I asked Bestwick if that was complicated for him.

“As it stands right now I’m tied with a legend,” Bestwick says. “He’s so synonymnous with the story of X Games and the history of BMX Freestyle. He taught me how to compete and ride against not only him but the best guys in the world.

“It’s a shame that he’s not with us today, but you can’t take away his accolades,” Bestwick continued. “To be sharing that spot with Dave is a tremendous honor.”

There’s no doubt that all three of those riders will forever be considered builders of the sport, advocates for its growth and for the development and opportunities for its young riders.

During our conversation, there’s no question Bestwick is dialed-in. He’s calm but energetic, realistic but hopeful. His sole focus right now is earning that hardware.

But at 47 years old, there’s no question he’s thinking about what comes after BMX, and that part of his journey has actually already started.

He’s focused on growing his ethically, globally sourced coffee brand, Rothrock Coffee, beyond its State College, Pennsylvania, store. Traveling around the world riding bikes has allowed him to sample some of the best coffee it has to offer, and now he’s “always learning new tricks” in the world of roasting, “just like in BMX.”

He’s also taken a position of support coach for the English BMX team when it makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2020.

“My dream was always to become a pro rider. I couldn’t think of anything more special in anybody’s career,” Bestwick says of the young riders today who will hope to earn a spot on the Olympic teams in two years.

Some of those young riders will be the same ones trying to outsmart and outperform him on the halfpipe this week in Minneapolis, but Bestwick’s passion for growing the sport and supporting young riders outweighs the fear that they’ll outplace him on the podium.

In particular, he mentions his budding vert rival, Byron, as a name to watch, as well as young Kevin Peraza, who specializes in park and dirt. Dennis Enarson, who rides park and street, is another name to watch — maybe with your hands over your eyes, as he’s removed his breaks from his setup and, as a result, is gonna go big.