Chris Kovarik Smashes Sun Peaks - Video

Sep 26, 2016 at 16:35
by Chris Ricci  
Views: 48,731    Faves: 765    Comments: 33



How long have you been a professional rider, and what is the key to longevity in this sport?

Since 1998, damn those were some good times! The key these days is obviously social media but also being creative, for example for us becoming coaches has helped our longevity but also it's something that will keep us recognised in the future.


What does a riding career entail these days? How has it changed since you started?

These days, again social media, whether you're a rider or a racer that's part of the deal. If you're a racer there's a lot of hard work that goes into training on top of the social media. Back when I first started we never used to train, we just rode a lot for fun, we could just rock up to a race and do well. We never had phones that could take pictures so getting a picture in a mountain bike magazine or shooting a video once a year was the best social media we got.

PC Cam Robinson

Was it difficult to adapt to these changes? Do you prefer the new model to the previous?

It hasn't been difficult it's just a work in progress, you learn to adapt along the way, it never stops. I like the new model as it's more efficient for everyone.


What type of personal sacrifice is involved with becoming a professional rider?

Well, there's going to be travel involved so I guess being apart from friends and family, but we also put our lives on the line. Whether it be racing against the clock or going bigger than the next guy, there are going to be crashes and injuries. It's part of progression and the competitive nature of the sport. In saying that, with anything you want to succeed at there's always a sacrifice, you've got to put your head down and work hard at it, that's just how it goes.


What type of advice would you offer to the younger generation of riders?

Learn to fix your own bike, don't talk back, respect your elders, pick your clothes up, keep away from young Jimmy as he's a bad influence. If you use my tools put them back, get off your phone, if you're not home by dark I'm taking your bike away, wash the dishes, I said wash the dishes punk!

PC Cam Robinson

How does the Kovarik Racing program work?

It's a program where we can mentor and coach talented young riders we've selected that we think have potential in the sport to learn the ropes of racing.

We supply our riders with bikes and race gear from our sponsors, we have a budget for each race or event so we try and help as much as we can so that they can focus on their goals.

Our riders pit with us at each event, we all walk the track together, then we will do a few runs together to make sure everyone's comfortable. If they need to dial in their bikes I will work with them whether it be changing tires or suspension issues etc. We make sure our riders are focused but also to have fun with it.

Each event we have our team rider Noah which is an up and coming filmmaker so he makes a team edit from each race, this is important for our social media and sponsors, it also shows our rider's talent and progress along the way.

We encourage our riders to be on top of their social media as that's part of becoming a professional rider in the sport. It helps give back to your sponsors. Thanks to Intense, Maxxis, Magura, Fox Racing Shox, DT Swiss, FiveTen, Fox, Chromag, Smith Optics, Unior Tools, Clif Bar, Chunked, Evolution Whistler, and E Thirteen.

Our RD team is like having your foot in the door, we are helping these riders take the first step to becoming a professional racer or rider, the next step is up to them and I hope that they can take some knowledge from us to help when they walk thru that door.


MENTIONS: @influxproductions



Author Info:
influxproductions avatar

Member since May 27, 2013
19 articles

86 Comments
  • 115 1
 ohh my god, this guy is the king of drifting!
  • 47 0
 I drift only when Im about to crash; and nose wheelie just before going over the bar.. Karver's riding is controlled chaos. Magnificent.
  • 4 0
 Kovadrift
  • 28 1
 Do you know when Chuck Norris stopped drifting? When Chris Kovarik was born.
  • 1 1
 as always a good video of Chris Kovaric
  • 10 1
 His shoes must be fuuuulllll of dirt.
  • 75 1
 MAKE PINKBIKE GREAT AGAIN !
  • 28 2
 Someone's elbow deep in IPA this evening..
  • 48 1
 DISCLAIMER: All tires were hurt making this video.
  • 22 0
 They say that the top section of Fort Williams once was a good bit rougher than today... That was before Kovarik came drifting down there in 2002, and won by 14(!) sec. The guys is the master!
  • 2 0
 Im thinking 2 or 3 passes down any virgin mountain from this guy and a trail will be cut!!! Stupid fast! Gotta have a spin out blooper reel for days... Then again his gear was clean! Whole other level sir, very well done
  • 2 0
 What tire pressure was he running
  • 2 0
 @benbenbeast: haha
  • 21 1
 Karver for president.
  • 12 1
 Chris has 9 year old in the bike park copying his style foot out flat out!! Living in whistler we have been lucky to have him & Claire ride and mentor my son & his friends!! Not only is he a great rider but he is an amazing coach!!

My boy doing his best Carver impression at 8 years old www.bikeparkphotos.com/-/galleries/bike-park-photos/2015-bike-park-photos/race-and-event-photos/0810kidsworx/-/medias/d6102186-1cff-412e-92c8-d5cbf77681ed
  • 13 0
 Did we just get violated?!!! Daaaaaamn....
  • 2 0
 You're trails are going to need some time to recover from that beating!!
  • 8 0
 geezus christ... only dude in mountain biking that manages to somehow buck himself off his bike in a motorcycle racing type highside. pretty damn impressive. and sun peaks is no damn joke. that is a steep technical park compared to any other park i've ridden so far, and he makes light work of it.
  • 12 1
 How was the last intense video so bad when all they needed was this!!
  • 7 0
 I randomly met him on mt fromme this saturday at the start of seveth secret. The trail is narrow and rocky so I told him "not too much drifting here" and he replied a mean "we'll see about that" ahahaha!
A man, a purpose!!! Destruction!!
  • 9 0
 I don't want to be his back wheel
  • 9 0
 that nosemanual through the road...
  • 4 0
 My good god! Is that not the best video of the year? I am just blown away by how good that was. Just perfect. Good story, good mix of riding and locations, killer cinematography, music and sound dialed, and over five minutes of Kovarik crushing it. I think the sponsors are pleased...very pleased.
  • 6 0
 "I sure hope Chris comes down a few more times today".... said no trail ever.
  • 5 0
 Love to see Chris shredding ANYTHING... but especially stoked to see him ripping some turns in the gravel pits!! Wish I was there to ride with him!
  • 4 0
 Oh my Forking God, first corner... Jaws Dropped.... Till the end of the video. Drift master !!!!! I love that loose style and high speed drifts !!!
  • 6 0
 One of my favorite riders ever. Karver rules!
  • 3 1
 I will pour a little beer out to commemorate those butter smooth berms lost in the making of this video, their sacrifice was not in vain. I do very much enjoy watching this guy ride sideways through an entire resort...however, I can't help but shed a tear for the trail crew who will have to patch up all of those turns.
  • 2 0
 He exploded his rear wheel at Mount Snow 3 years in a row. And he was running monstrous Dun Mag 30 rims , massive Intense tubes and 2.7" beastly Intense tires.

I think he drifts so much, because in a straight line his wheels implode.


Also, most massive anchor on earth...his calves. Hard to high side with those melons.
  • 2 0
 Such a trademark and sick edit from a living legend of mountainbiking. Always love his style, controlled chaos in perfection. And some nice advice for the young and upcoming riders too. Big props to you Mr. Karver.
  • 3 0
 Maxxis: Which Tires? I sure wish they marked their tires for easy identification:: Hint Hint to Maxxis Marketing.
  • 3 1
 Minion DHF front, HR2 rear. One of, if not the best combos out there.
  • 1 0
 and tire pressure! dealing with tubeless and burping. i bet a stiffer tire helps sliding around like that tho
  • 3 0
 Those five tens would ware out before the glue fails ..............Bahahaaaaaaaa
  • 3 0
 Any day a new Kovarik edit pops up is good day. Hope he continues to be a steward of the sport for many more years to come.
  • 5 0
 Hulk smash
  • 1 0
 grrr! chris angry! no berms!
  • 2 0
 Very nice video very original Kovarik riding amazing trails and diferent locations than his home trails. He is riding all the trails so fast sick lines amazing
  • 4 1
 So sick! Something about Aussie flat pedal riders just gets me stoked!
  • 3 0
 Foot out, flat out mofos..!!
  • 4 0
 Sideways professor!
  • 3 0
 He's the Ken Block of MTB!
  • 3 0
 '' I want to die !! '' -Kovarik rear axle
  • 3 0
 Welcome back Karver..we were waiting for you..
  • 3 0
 Trail erosion control in practice Smile
  • 3 0
 Influx bringing the goods again! Thanks Chris
  • 3 0
 Sylvester Stallone of mountain biking
  • 2 0
 What an animal. The man must go through some tires!
  • 1 0
 Think someone forgot to tell the dude that's not a BMX. He makes it look too too easy.
  • 1 0
 being toilet paper is not a tough job anymore, being Kovarik's rear wheel is!
  • 2 0
 Sick!! Full speed and LOOSE...Very Cool!!
  • 2 0
 thats what i call a freaking good video !!!
  • 3 0
 BadAss
  • 4 2
 convinced kovarik scares dirt
  • 2 0
 I always feel sorry for his bike. It takes a beating.
  • 2 0
 That's the best opening shot of any video I've ever seen. Karver ftw
  • 1 0
 This title would be equally suited for another genre of video if you know what I mean...
  • 1 0
 My comment about wheels from the dirt jump edit today also apply to this video. i want these wheels.
  • 3 2
 sickest 38year old out there! love the riding
  • 1 0
 Is there such as thing as too much slow motion....nahhh
  • 2 0
 sometimes. Check out Matt Beer's edit at SP....
  • 1 0
 STYLE! all about... marvelous!
  • 1 1
 Hah, I do wonder how much elbow grease he puts back into those public/volunteer maintained trails...
  • 1 0
 Love this. Every second. Kovarik rules, always...
  • 1 0
 Sweet, I only went through 3 rear hubs this year!
  • 1 0
 Yes Sailor! Best vid for a long time. You the man.
  • 1 0
 What tires does he run? ....and how long long do they last?
  • 1 0
 What kind of rims does he use? Those must be tough?
  • 1 1
 Zelvy Carbons last I heard
  • 1 0
 I'm guessing he rides a much higher tire pressure than I.
  • 1 0
 thats what i wanna know. i used to run super hard when i had tubes but now i try to go low. but maybe i should just pump em back up and karve harder
  • 1 0
 turn and burn,,,drifty ,,, absolutely destroyed those trails
  • 1 0
 Rowdy!
  • 1 0
 Shredding Machine!!!!!
  • 1 0
 holy huck
  • 1 0
 Flats . Yeah! Wink
  • 1 0
 BAD ASS
  • 1 0
 so much drift
  • 1 0
 That made my day!
  • 1 0
 Poor tires..
  • 1 0
 Sun Mag 30s, not Dun.hah
  • 1 0
 That was Heavy!
  • 1 1
 Go skid racer go!!!
  • 1 2
 As if Savona trails need help in the trail destruction department...







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