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North Vancouver, BC
How did you discover your talent? What got you started?
I have been on two wheels for as long as I can remember. My passion for jumps, tricks and progression for sure started with my Dad though. He would flip a toboggan upside down and place on top of a recycling bin as a jump in our backyard. Ever since then I have been looking for the next big thing or how to push my skills!
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A firefighter. I’d say that worked out pretty well for me haha!
Who was your biggest inspiration?
Local Shore legends like Wade Simmons, Geoff Gulevich and Thomas Vanderham! I watched all their movies and looked up to everything they did. It’s been awesome to get the opportunity to ride with these guys now and consider them friends.
What makes you keep innovating and pushing your skills to new heights? What’s the intrinsic driver or motivation?
I would say the amazing community of riders we have on the North Shore. There are so many insanely talented riders that are always pushing each other. I love seeing someone build a new feature or conquer a line that scares them. It makes me want to continue to evolve my riding and find creative ways to display my skills. Also I have tons of energy and don’t like sitting still haha!
So far, what has been your favourite highlight of your career? An achievement? A specific moment?
The process of finding, building and riding the scariest line I have ever seen. For those that know its an extremely steep, off camber rock slab that skirts a 100ft cliff.. A mistake is not an option. The mental battle of pushing my front wheel past the point of no return will always be a highlight for me.
In regards to your career, where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years?
I plan to stay in the Fire Service until I retire. For mountain biking I would love to just stay in the industry and be a positive impact on people in the sport. As I get older and naturally take less risks I would like to get into coaching. I really enjoy sharing my passion for mountain biking.
In terms of healthy habits, what are your thoughts on the current beverage options out there? (I.e. Energy Drinks, high sugar drinks etc)
I live an active lifestyle and eat very healthy. When I eat or drink poorly I see the negative effects on my performance. I personally have made a conscious effort to reduce my refined sugars so a lot of the current beverages are not for me.
How does Wize fit into your current lifestyle? And why do you choose Wize?
As a firefighter I work long days and long nights. Naturally we drink a lot of coffee/caffeine. Wize is the perfect drink for a middle of the day pick me up without a huge dose of caffeine or sugar.. And it tastes amazing. It’s also great in between all day biking laps when I need a boost.
What are the next projects coming down the pipeline?
Lots of ideas! A couple new edits planned with my fiancé, Kelsey and I will be building some new lines for an upcoming film project in the fall.
What’s your favourite flavour of Wize tea? When do you typically drink it?
Got to be the mango for me! I’m a big fan of sipping one in my truck on the way to the trails.
Thanks for the interview! Where can our audience find out more about you?
Instagram @svanderhoek
