Getting to Know: DH Racer Samantha Kingshill
SAMANTHA KINGSHILL
To say she's fast is an understatement. Placing second at Nationals, Samantha loves to go 'full send' through rock gardens and over any jump she can find. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors through camping and fly-fishing. With an incredible attitude and work ethic, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for this young rider. 
Who is Samantha Kingshill?
That's me! The crazy seventeen-year-old that loves bikes and is just about to finish up highschool, finally.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
Sacramento CA and still currently residing in my parent's house.
Who do you ride for?
College Cyclery (oldest bike shop in Sacramento) Vittoria Tires, Truckerco, DVO Suspension, O'Neal, MTB Parks, Crankbrothers, Fiveten, Ryders Eyewear.
Where are you happiest?
On the bike, sideways in the air!
What’s been your favourite race/contest venue?
The DVO Bootleg Canyon Winter Gravity Series.
What are your favorite trails?
Anything with steep sharp rocks that want to peel your face off and big jumps!
What are your strengths?
I'm stubborn, if I struggle with a section of track I keep at it…
What are your weaknesses?
…until I am in a hospital bed…
What’s been your worst crash over the years?
It was my first time racing at Bootleg Canyon, I believe I was twelve at the time and had just gotten a new bike, new gear, and ready for the race season. On the first day of practice, the second run down the hill, I hit this small shelf drop and that was all I could remember. I ended up dislocating my shoulder, fracturing my orbital bone and had a pretty serious concussion. It was a non-stop drive home filled with bloody noses, and puke.
What’s been your luckiest escape?
I had just turned seven at the time and had just gotten my first "big girl bike" (26" Specialized Hotrock) and I wanted to go test it out on the local trails. There is a lovely trail in Auburn, California, very close to where I live, that is called the Confluence. It is a wonderful trail with all the good stuff bikers enjoy and has its fair share of gorgeous views! This trail also has a few narrow spots and I got distracted in a rocky narrow section that had a drop to death and a river. Luckily my bike and I hit a rock a few feet down and my dad was able to pull me back up.
Best moment on the bike?
There have been many great moments and it's so hard to just choose one but if I could sum it up, anytime in the air, whether it be sending jumps or hovering over rock gardens.
Which bike from over the years conjures up the best memories?
My good old Kona Stinky Jr. from way back when. That was my DH bike that I'd send down anything. At one point I sent it down this deformed concrete drop to dirt then crashed and landed on a dead cat… It was also my first time experiencing how disc brakes work. I was flying down the local trails, had left my dad in the dust and could not quite see what was in front of me. It looked like a small lip to a nice landing at the time, until I realized it was a really big crevasse gap. I panic braked and went completely over the bars into the crevasse. This bike now belongs to my little brother.
What bikes are you riding right now?
Right now I am currently riding a carbon fiber Giant Glory, Giant Reign (for those rare enduro's I'll do and Sea Otter), and Giant STP (for skatepark, dual slalom, and sending the local dirt jumps) all generously provided by College Cyclery. (The Giant Glory is actually the owner's bike, Terry Cox)
Who’s your favorite rider?
That's hard to say, I grew up watching so many legends racing and loved watching all of the Clay Porter films where Steve Peat and Sam Hill would battle in world cups but I think Peaty has always been my favorite! Amazingly I met him at my first World Champs and didn't break down hysterically.
Who or what inspires you?
All of the people I meet traveling! It's always fun to find out how they are living their lives and think about the possibilities of what I could do.
What do you enjoy doing away from bikes?
Hiking and fly-fishing! One thing that I love about Mammoth Mountain is that Saddle Bag Lake is right next door. A week before a race, I love to camp in that area and hike out to the lake and doing some fly-fishing.
What are you listening to right now?
The Bees – A Minha Menina
What’s your favorite bike movie?
Hypnosis Or any Clay Porter Film.
What's your favorite non-bike movie/tv show?
Kick-Ass 2
What’s your favorite non-bike website?
YouTube
What’s your favorite motto or saying?
Make every day excellent!
What grinds your gears?
Shifting and sprinting uphill, I've chipped a few doing such activities
What makes you happy?
A fantastic day of shredding downhill with no mechanical's or crashes… and a Mexican grill restaurant.
If you weren’t a pro mountain biker, what would you be doing?
Suffering in public highschool trying to figure out the meaning of life.
If you were in charge of the sport, what changes would you make?
I've been to a few races where there was a go on go start. I would make it mandatory to have to normal go after five start for every downhill race.
When you hang up your racing/riding shoes, how do you want to be remembered?
I don't think that it's possible to hang up my riding shoes, I'm riding my bike to my own funeral! However, when I go, I'd like to be remembered as the overly excited girl that dominated in downhill mountain biking.
What does the future hold for Samantha Kingshill?
I don't know, but I hope I've got some good things in store for me.
MENTIONS: @vittoria / @DVOSuspension / @crankbrothers
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Not the nicest kid I've met.
Right before Second Divide She was telling everybody to go first "You'll slow me down". My buddy commented to her that she must be fast...She looked at us with a disgusted look and says "lm a pro, what do you think".
I guess we were supposed to know who she was...
I know that when I was 17, I was focused on me. I grew up after learning things along the way. That's how a lot of us grow up.
And I'm sure there are some people who were jerks when they were young and they're still jerks. There were probably also people that were nice when they were young but they aren't now. Hell, just look at all of the grumpy old people. Do you think they were always that way?
People change as years go by. It's a part of life.
When I was not much older than Sam, I had a customer say something to me that I have never forgotten...
"When I was 17, my parents werr so stupid... But by the time I turned 21, it was amazing how much they had learned..."
Fun riding with you @skingshill good luck this year, keep doing what you're doing! Hope to ride with you again this Kamikaze!