Interview: Carson Storch Preps for Crankworx New Zealand
Six years ago Carson Storch was just another kid who loved riding mountain bikes. He watched from behind the computer screen as videos of amazing places like Whistler crowded the newsfeed of Pinkbike and other websites. Fast-forward to 2015 and Carson is New Zealand bound to compete in the first stop of the Crankworx World Tour. Many consider Carson to be America’s greatest up and comer on the slopestyle scene. With a very respectable 8th place finish at last year’s Red Bull Joyride (where he got the nod to compete the morning of the event), and a solid showing at Red Bull Rampage, Carson is poised to move closer to the top step as the season progresses.
At just 21 years of age Carson has a wealth of experience under his belt. With changes in the slope scene bringing new venues and events to the main stream, Carson’s opportunities are plentiful for the upcoming season. I had a chance to chat with Carson recently about the upcoming first stop of the Crankworx World Tour in New Zealand. His goals are simple: have fun, stay healthy, and take it all in.
-Lacy Kemp, Diamondback Team Manager
First off, talk about what Crankworx means to you - and how that's evolved over time. I'm interested in when you first learned about the event, when you first participated in the event, and how it's become a part of your annual plan?
In 2009 I went to my first Crankworx in Whistler. My mom drove my little sister and I up, and we had to stay the night in Seattle to renew our passports. The only thing we knew about the event was my knowledge of the event through Pinkbike videos. I raced Junior expert Air DH and Dual Slalom. I didn't do particularly well, but it was my first experience having a crowd surrounding me, and I had the best time.
I didn't really know anyone besides my buddies Austin Aldrich and Bryce Jentzen, who were on the Allride tour with Kirt Voreis. They were busy doing their thing, and I was basically a lone wolf riding the mountain, the river jumps - anything I could find. I spent my time just exploring and experiencing the mountain bike culture for the first time outside of Bend. I have gone every summer since. Crankworx is more than just a contest. It definitely has some sentimental value to me now. I worked my way up through the years, scrounging my way up to Whistler, through injury, doing horrible at events, to finally competing in Joyride last year.
Talk about your favourite personal moments of Crankworx thus far - whether it's during one of your competitions, or just the atmosphere in general. What makes it such a special event?
The Crankworx atmosphere is something that everyone interested in mountain biking should experience. Being from a smaller town with a fairly mellow scene, it was a real eye opener that totally changed my perspective. I got home and wanted to do everything different, from the way I rode, the jumps I built, to my bike set up. I think the memory that really sticks out in my mind from Crankworx was my run in Joyride last year, or more specifically coming into the last whale tail, knowing I blew my run a few jumps back and not even caring. I just did my favorite trick ever (Dump 360) off the last step down in the course and rolled into a sea of people. It was an indescribable feeling.
Tell me your thoughts about Crankworx being made a world tour with three stops and how that changes up the game for not only you, but also the industry in general?
In my opinion, The Crankworx World Tour is exactly what slopestyle needs. It's rad for me because I know they are the biggest slope contests, I know the courses are going to be amazing, and it's something I can easily explain to people outside of mountain biking, which happens to be one of the hardest things for me to do. When someone asks what I do for work, and I tell them I ride bikes, it can be confusing. They’ll ask, "So what, it's like the same thing as BMX right? Where do you compete? Oh wow Europe? I didn't even know that was a thing." Now instead of awkwardly explaining, "Well yeah it's like BMX, but on a MTB, and there's like this world tour thing we compete on, but none of it is aired live, and I'm not in any of the big contests," I can tell them to check out the Crankworx series.
What are you most looking forward to about New Zealand's event? How do you think/hope it will be different?
I'm looking forward to the rad course that Kelly built, no jet lag since I will have had plenty of time to adjust arriving a week early, perfect dirt and perfect weather. Most of all I'm looking forward to exploring a place I've never been to before. I know it will be different, because it's a big contest in a totally different environment. All of the bigger contests have been in the same places for as long as they have existed.
What have you been doing to prepare for the event? How long has your focus been directed toward this event?
I've been preparing for this event all winter. I got invited in December, and it's been in the back of my head the whole time. The whole west coast got hit with the calmest winter ever, so it gave me the opportunity to ride and dig all winter with minimal snow. I’ve also been putting more of an effort towards taking care of my body by going to a personal trainer who messes Cam (McCaul) and I up every week. I’m rehabbing with PT at Rebound Physical Therapy for all of my injuries that I never properly took care of, and am trying to eat a healthier diet.
What are your goals for the event?
I don't want to set any specific goals for this event. I just want to have fun. I want to ride like I have been riding all winter, and see what happens. Most of all, I want to prove to myself that dedication will pay off. I’m just stoked to be apart of such a good opportunity.
MENTIONS @diamondbackbikes @carson-storch @Voreis @WhistlerMountainBikePark @officialcrankworx
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10 Comments
- 14 3
antiglobeguy42
(Mar 21, 2015 at 22:39)
Carson is by far my favorite slopestyle guy just because he is laid back and doesn't take everything super serious all the time and still is a rad rider. Plus he lives in one of the best towns in the US.
- 2 0
bookieboy100
(Mar 24, 2015 at 16:16)
I'm stoked to say this guy rides in the same town I do! Best of luck to you!
- 9 3
freeride-forever
(Mar 24, 2015 at 15:45)
Where the fvck is the landing to the jump in that last pic? O.O
- 5 1
thatpeskylimey
FL (Mar 24, 2015 at 16:22)
Im glad its not just me wondering that...
- 3 1
joshwoodwardphoto
FL (Mar 24, 2015 at 18:17)
That little hump after the hip landing thing is the landing
- 2 0
jbam19
(Mar 25, 2015 at 8:47)
Way to kill it Carson! I still can't believe they wouldn't give you free shuttles at the black rock demo day just because you were riding your own bike. Still to this day I remember saying "do you guys not realize that that's Carson storch!?!"
- 3 2
taletotell
(Mar 24, 2015 at 16:31)
Competing against McGazza must feel odd. They were on the same team until this year.
- 1 0
connorjuliusjohnson
FL (Mar 24, 2015 at 16:50)
Yeah Carson! Stoked for you!
- 1 0
ChachiArcola
(Mar 24, 2015 at 17:37)
A fellow Oregonian! Great job Carson!
- 2 1
owl-X
FL (Mar 24, 2015 at 15:53)
YEAH DUDE!
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