Wil White and Jesse Austel

My name is Wil White, me and my friend, Jesse Austel, live in SoCal. We are both 14 and are into slope style, DH racing, and lots of freeriding. We have been progressing quietly in SoCal for the past year or two...

My story starts about 3 years ago. I watched the Red Bull Rampage and instantly idolized Bender. From there I started riding DH and FR. After a year of racing and doing tricks, I got an E-mail from Karpiel bikes, based out of Poland, offering a sponsorship. I eagerly took them up on their offer and signed a two year contract. They hooked me up with an Apocalypse for my big style of riding, I love drops. The bigger the better.
One of the hardest things was riding and progressing in San Diego, where there is no open land to build on. I don't live in BC or Aptos, where pros are always close by to help out. Just trial and error...lots of error. After a while I wanted to do more tricks. I took the hard route and learned all my tricks at my local dirtjump spot, on a 45 lb, 12 inch travel bike. It worked out pretty well under the circumstances.




I raced the Apocalypse for a whole season and ended up series champion! I was definitely stoked.


In the off season, I made several trips to Virgin, Utah to hit bigger drops and to do some jumps and just have fun.


I got back home, and Karpiel hooked me up with a Disco Volante. I could do more tricks on this bike, due to the lower bb, lighter frame, and shorter wheelbase. After several months on the Disco Volante, we made another trek out to Virgin and WHISTLER.


I decided I wanted to try a 540 on my bike, and succeeded after many painful falls. I was stoked to have done that, and it definitely surprised me, and it made me realize maybe I should keep at this, I might have a future in it.

540/450

by suicidedownhiller

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Once I was back home again, I met up with my friend, Jesse Austel and began riding with him. He proved he was a damn good rider, and kept me on my toes. He progressed super fast, and began to keep up with me on jumps and on our local DH, so I took him out to his first race.


He placed a respectable 26th after a crash and racing in 50 mph+ winds. Needless to say, he caught the MTB bug we all have. We got home from the race to find out that our jumps had been destroyed by a group of dirt bikers. They took a pick to every jump.


We relocated and that brings us to now; we have a new location, with some sizeable drops and jumps, and we're still progressing.


Our goal is to get out and shred everyday, and to just have fun. We try to encourage everyone we can to get into riding, and we teach younger riders to ride at our spots. I will try to secure a spot in the next rampage, if there is one, me and Jesse both should be out at Whistler's Air Affair this year if everything goes as planned. Keep an eye out for us at Fontana, or any spots in SoCal. I'll be the one hitting jumps next to race course, and Jesse will be the one flying by you in the rocks, only to crash right after!


Video of me from about 8 months ago:

Big (virgin utah and more freeride video)

by suicidedownhiller

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None of this would have been possible without:
Support from my Mom and Dad for paying for the races and, my dad for building with me, and my mom for riding with me.
Jan Karpiel, Karpiel bikes, and the great sales reps from Karpiel Bikes
No brakes racing- No Brakes Racing
Azonic
Dirtydog rotors and stems Dirty Dog MTB
And Jesse Austel PB here: Jesse Austel

-suicidedownhiller.pinkbike.com/