I caught up with Jamie Bestwick after he qualified for X Games VIII with a very solid run on a very sunny day. Check out what the well dressed BMX Ruler had to say.

DF: How did you feel about this competition and what are your thoughts on qualifying for the X Games?

JB: The first couple of days were real windy so everybody had to get up early today and get the early ride in. So I thought everybody was going to be real tired but everybody looked like they were full of energy today. The weather is beautiful today and the crowd came out early to watch everybody ride and nobody let the crowd down, everybody rode really well. I felt like my first run didn't quite go as planned but I got it together in the second run and then I started trying a fastplant flair. It took me a couple of go's but a couple of my friends on the ramp wanted me to do it and the crowd was getting into it so I knew I had to pull it. I wasn't getting off until I pulled it. And I got qualified for the X Games this year; unfortunately I had to sit out last year because I broke my foot three days before the games started.

Jamie balances hauling his 35 pound bike up the stairs with some quality chill time.

Can you tell me a little bit about that injury?

I was just riding one of the buildings at Woodward and I shouldn't have been there because I was too tired. My wife told me I was too tired and you know I wouldn't be told, because I wanted to ride. So I started riding and it was just a stupid mistake and my foot just rolled and it broke, and unfortunately I missed out on the big games. But the whole thing was really good and it came across really well on TV and I was just stoked to watch it on TV. In the end we went down to watch the vert finals and I was lucky enough to give the winners their medals at the ceremony in the end. It was nice to give the medals, but I kind of wanted to be on the other side. But we'll be there this year and I'm sure I'll be trying as hard as everybody else to do well. Plus I can't wait to ride the First Union Center, it looks amazing.

OK the fastplant flair. How'd you come up with it and is anybody else doing it right now?

Nobody else is doing it right now, it's pretty much my trick and the idea was, well I got the inspiration from a rider named Matt Berringer. He was doing fastplant bike flips onto a jump box and I quite liked the idea. I do fastplants anyways and it sort of seems like you could go upside down, so I tried it a couple of times and I got really close so I figured it was possible. And that's where it came from, and it's only the second time I've pulled it today. It's a wild trick, there's so much going on.

Jamie shows the crowd how it's done.

How were you feeling just trying and trying and trying it and finally getting it?

I was getting a little frustrated because I was getting more tired each time, walking up the back steps with a 35 pound bike, it gets tiring. I just knew I was going to pull it and it was just a matter of time, it was just a matter of me sticking my foot at the right time. That's the key - getting your foot on the ramp at the right time. I knew as soon as my foot landed on the last one I was going to pull it, plus Troy putting $20 down on the ramp helped too.

After you won today, instead of going straight to interviews or television or whatever, you threw your helmet out into the crowd. Can you tell me what happened with that?

Yeah, I never throw any of my stuff away. I can't really because I don't have a glove sponsor or a pad or a clothing sponsor and here I am throwing out all my gear like "Yeahhh let's go crazy!" So the helmet goes, but when I stopped and thought about what I'd done I forgot I was going to ride street today so I had to go back over and see the kid about doing a trade on the helmet so I could ride street. So I gave him my jersey and then I had to go back over a couple minutes later because I was going to be on the podium and that was my team shirt so I had to go back again and take the shirt off him, do the podium thing and then I had to go give him back the jersey (laughs). It was good; it was just funny and a good end to a good day. Everybody was stoked on how they rode and the sun was shining and everybody had a good time and nobody got hurt today, which is really good.

One footed bar spin by the Best... wick.

You don't have a clothing sponsor? What's up with that?

I've had a couple offers but it's just got to be the right people. I like clothes and I buy really nice clothes when I'm at home. Whatever style, everybody likes to look good you know? Is Tom Boyle riding (the vert ramp) right now?

Yes he is, but before you go check your boy, give me a shout to the sponsors.

I'd like to say thanks to GT Bikes, Osiris, Spy Sunglasses and Boost. And thanks to my wife and Circe and David at IMS Management Solutions.

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