Tom Kirkman
IDOL introduces you to Tom Kirkman, one of the top mountain boarders in the world. Hailing from Cornwall, a town synonymous with surfing, Kirkman really is a cut above the rest. Having won two championship titles in 2010 alone, we find out what makes mountain boarding so appealing, and what it takes to be such a success story.


CORNWALL IS WELL-KNOWN HOTSPOT FOR SURFERS, SKATEBOARDERS AND BMX-ERS, WHAT DRIVES YOU TO MOUNTAIN BOARDING RATHER THAN THE SLIGHTLY MORE POPULAR OPTIONS?
I love to skate and surf but mountain boarding gives me something I don’t get from either of those sports, the freedom to ride wherever I want and whenever I want, to be creative with my terrain and riding.


YOU STARTED MOUNTAIN BOARDING IN EARLY TEENAGE YEARS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE BEST THING ABOUT MOUNTAIN BOARDING? 
For me it’s the friends I’ve met along the way, the places I’ve been and the way the sport has progressed, mountain boarding is a relatively new sport which means new  tricks and styles are happening every day, it takes a bit of so many sports an rolls them all into one.


HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR STYLE OF RIDING?
I don’t know, I like to think I don’t huck much, I favour a floaty trick over a dirty spin any day. I just enjoy myself and hope that comes across In my riding.


YOU HAVE BEEN OUT FOR THE COMPETITIONS FOR A WHILE DUE TO AN INJURY, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE BACK?
It sucks to be injured; when I can’t ride all I want to do is ride, especially when I see my friends having fun doing what I love. The competitions are the last thing on my list at the moment, mountain boarding is too fun to take it, and yourself, too seriously, but it feels great to be back on a board and having fun with my friends.


IF YOU COULD CHOOSE A PLACE IN THE WORLD TO RIDE WHERE WOULD IT BE?
I’m in Brazil right now, this place has it all, great people, great free-riding, a few great parks, and it is one of the most beautiful place on earth, other than that anywhere with my friends be it the local park, a dirt track, or through some woods.


YOU ARE TRAVELLING A LOT AND HELPING TO PROMOTE MOUNTAIN BOARDING. HOW HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN SO FAR? WHERE WOULD YOU REALLY LIKE TO TAKE THE SPORT?
Travelling is my true love, meeting new friends, tasting new cultures, and finding new spots to ride. Mountain boarding gets a great response everywhere we go.


YOU HAVE STARTED YOU OWN COMPANY ATC PRODUCTION WHERE YOU PUBLISH MOUNTAIN BOARDING VIDEOS, HOW IS THAT GOING?
The site ATC Productions (www.atcproductions.co.uk) is going great; we’ve been making videos for years now and this gives us a way to show the world what we’re doing, we also produce clothing, and our shop will be up soon. We’re not really a company, just a bunch of mates who have got time to try and show our sport to people in a way that would get us excited if we’d never seen mountain boarding before. As for creative director, that’s just a word we made up, I don’t even know what it really means.


YOU WON THE WORLD DOWNHILL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FRANCE AND THE WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN AUGUST; IT SEEMS YOUR SUCCESS IS NOT GOING TO STOP ANYTIME SOON, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2011? 
Travel, ride and have even more fun than last year.


WHAT ARE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU ARE MOUNTAIN BOARDING DOWNHILL WITH NO BRAKES?
Not much, it sounds a bit strange but it’s a bit like meditation for me, I don’t hear anything, I don’t think about anything, just pure pleasure.


IN YOUR OWN OPINION, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO DO THIS SPORT?
Mountain boarding is one of the most accessible sports there is, you don’t have to be hitting big jumps or flying down a mountain to enjoy it, my mum rides, anyone can do it you just need to start small and work your way up. Being able to stand up is a bonus too.

WHO OR WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN YOUR NEXT LIFE?

Me again, I haven’t got any complaints, I’m having a great life!

YOU WON 3 TIMES THE WORLD CHAMPION AND UK ELITE CHAMPION AND YOU ARE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST MOUNTAIN RIDERS IN THE WORLD, DID YOU EXPECT THIS WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED?

Yes, it sounds really cocky, but the only reason I got to where I am with my sport is because I have self belief, when I’m in the start gates, no part of me thinks I’m going to pull out second; or, when I’m dropping into a jump, I know I’m going to land the trick I’m trying otherwise I wouldn’t make it.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU FELL SCARED?

The other day when I was standing with my hands on the boot of my friend’s car two pistols and a rifle pointed at my back and three cops screaming at me in a language I couldn’t understand.

DESCRIBE A REGULAR DAY

Wake up, eat something, play a bit of guitar, either go to work or call some mates and see what’s up; go for a ride or a skate, get unhealthily drunk and try and talk to a girl then carry a friend home. Or just drink loads of tea and have an early night.

WHAT WOULD BE DOING IF YOU NEVER FOUND MOUNTAIN BOARDING?

Drugs and booze in the bus stop.

AND FINALLY, WHO IS YOUR IDOL?
I really don’t have one, my parents maybe, they’re amazing; or my little brother, he’s the most natural smooth mountain boarder ever.

Interview by Katre Laan
Pictures courtesy of Tom K.

Published in IDOL magazine online version:
http://idolmag.co.uk/art-culture-interview/tom-kirkman