Rider Perspective - Cam Zink

Passion...

In the world of sports there are talented people and then there are athletes. Talented people would usually be considered great athletes if they were able to hone those skills during a competition or race. It's similar to being able to shoot a bulls-eye consistently, but then missing your kill in battle. Being an athlete requires many different attributes, but the most important is the mind and being able to manipulate it to achieve a goal. This is the difference in champions and talented people.

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Rider Perspective is a weekly article (airing on Fridays) that will feature our sport's most well known personalities, writing exclusively for Pinkbike.I am a firm believer that the greatest asset to an athlete and the mind is passion. If you're not passionate about what you are doing, then things don't fall into place. You are then at a great disadvantage that leaves an amazing mind and competitive spirit impossible to be fully utilized. Every great athlete in history has been passionate about their sport. Kelly Slater, being one of the most underrated champions on the planet, yes I said underrated, could have maybe won a few ASP stops with his skill alone, but if he weren't so in love with surfing and so undeniably passionate about it his career would never have come close to the legacy he has laid upon the world.

Passion gives you energy, perseverance and most importantly the drive to take risks and thrive under the pressure to succeed. It can take you places that you didn't know you could go, inside your head, and around the world all because of the sport you are so proud to be in love with. It can put you in the zone where you can accomplish things you never thought were possible. It can put you in a place where you ride faster and better than you ever thought you were capable of. And I'll tell you what- that place is bitchin'! Passion might convince you that landing on your head trying to spin a 40 foot cliff is no big deal, and that drive can also make your mind overcome some pretty unreal odds to get back up, get in the zone and land that son-of-a-bitch. In the end it would never have happened while doing something you weren't proud of or enjoyed so damn much.


In near contradiction; there is always more than one way to skin a cat. Some people do better by not caring about the competition and treating it like just another day of riding. This is generally what talented people do; many athletes believe this is triggered by the sub-conscience as a way to deal with the pressure. In the end it is all about doing whatever will get the job done! Every year at Crankworx I drink a few beers the day of the contest all the way up to the contest. It keeps me relaxed and having a good time. I don't encourage this, but its what works for me. Every year.


The thought of agony, the defeat and the mental breakdowns all make it harder to achieve the end goal. It's all about blocking it all out and in the end the risk of agony, defeat and the mental stress of competition all add to the incredible feeling of victory in the end. If it were easy then the word competition itself wouldn't be the same. Some people love it; some people hate it, but the undeniable fact of this earth is everyone loves to watch it. Watching someone overcome months of training for one fight, or watching a rider win a Supercross and Motocross outdoor title in their rookie season are some of the most bitchin' things I've ever witnessed. It keeps me going because watching someone push themselves to the absolute brink for one goal. One goal that has so many variables he cannot control and training so hard just to know he has done all he can to prepare himself for that moment is an absolute treat to watch. It is what inspires me to do the things I live for.

Some of the best compliments I have received came from overcoming the odds; ultimately these compliments have come after succeeding, but it is not succeeding alone. It comes from living out a real life story. A story someone would love to tell a friend about this person whom overcame the odds of 2 ruptured spleens, a broken foot, broken hand, multiple concussions, a wrist surgery, a broken tibia that now has a rod through it and 4 A.C.L, 2 microfracture, 3 meniscus and a pelvis-to-knee bone transplant surgery to live out my dream to become a champion, once again. A similar story might be told of the same win without the aforementioned mountains climbed to achieve it, but then it wouldn't be the same heartfelt story, would it?


I have been lucky enough that people notice these things and I am able to inspire. It keeps me elated and gives me even more to strive for. Having the opportunity to inspire people is one of the greatest things I have done in my life and I hope to continue to do so for many years to come; hopefully decades...

Most people strive to achieve their goals, but like many of life's crossroads, other variables come into play; life throws them a curve ball, other things become more important or they come up with an excuse why they “Just can't.” Whether it's going to college, talking to “that one girl,” telling their boss to beat it or working harder to get that promotion. It's what nearly everyone does when they are confronted with at least one of these challenges. It is up to you to choose what matters the most to you and what you are truly passionate about, for passion is the key to everything in life. If you are 5'4” and truly passionate about football, you can find a way to be a kicker or somehow end up on the field; you will find a way to make something happen and hopefully become a champion in what matters to you.

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About Cam:

I was born and lived in Lake Tahoe till I was 3, then my Dad moved us down the hill to Carson City to better his screen printing/embroidery business. I started racing XC and DH when I was 9 on a fully rigid Giant. I always dirt jumped my BMX and sometimes my hardtail. Once the scene started to grow more I began riding my MTB on everything, eventually selling my BMX when I was 15. Got hooked up with Superheros when I was 16 and started getting bikes for free. I signed with the Syndicate when I was 17 and started to make some money and life has pretty much been the same ever since. I moved to Orange County to live with my best friend, Kyle Strait, for a year and moved back to buy a house in Reno where I have some jumps to practice on. I started Sensus a couple years ago. Officially, I would say it started when I got my first batch of grips in, around early '09. I ride motocross in damn near all my off-time. I ride a little freestyle moto and hit the ramps every chance I get. I snowboard in the winter, but I don't get too rad in the park anymore so that I don't risk hurting my knees. I love surfing every chance I get. Going to the beaches in Tahoe during the summer is one of the best things in my life, as well.

All in all, life is perfect "I just want this forever mang."

Cam recently joined Evil Bikes, read about his sponsors here: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/cam-zink-evil-monster-2011.html