BMX in the Beijing Olympics – Mark Lewman on the spot for Nemo
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- 1 The day of days is finally here: BMX in the Olympics. Our group has a battery of Nike helpers on the ground to get things done. First things first, where the hell is the best route to the Laoshan stadium? Even with the government mandate to cut Beijing traffic in half during the Olympics, the roads are still crowded and the smog and haze are insane this morning.
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- Get in here
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- People fan out and the key to being a better fan is to have giant stuff. Like this Aussie dude.
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- Who knew BMX had official cheerleaders? The press pool needs to get into the spirit.
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- The starting gate was a three story tall drop. Riders hit about 30mph down the first straight, with key sections of the track paved. This descent ramp was wooden.
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- When the gate drops, the bullshit stops. Mike Day holeshots down the first straight.
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- Mike Day slated to win the gold. YEAHHH!
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- Kyle Bennett, a team USA athlete racing for a slot in the finals, gets tangled up in the first turn. This was the gnarliest crash of the day.
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- The berms are asphalt and riders carve through the corners held in place by G-forces. Their bikes are almost level against the wall of the berm. So rad.
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- But one fuck up at this speed and it all goes to hell in a hurry.
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- The Dutch guy leading the pack buckles under the G-forces and he goes down, starting a chain reaction of bad stuff…
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- Which ends with Kyle Bennet on the ground, completely jacked.
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- Kyle Bennet in the gnarliest wreck of the day.
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- John Martin Shouting in tongues
NIKE 6.0 Lightning Bolts aka NEMO in China
In preparation for the Olympics in China, Nike 6.0 hosted the “Lightning Bolts” BMX Exhibition in Beijing. The event brought BMXing’s legends out to play. 6.0 riders put on a live demo and legends customized number plates for the art show.
Nemo’s very own Mark Lewman, an OG of BMX’s Freestylin Magazine, was one of the brains behind the event. He has been hard at work creating an anniversary edition of Freestylin (that will have a very special limited release) and designing his very own number plate. YEAH Lew!
Documenting Olympic Destruction
French photographer Ambroise Tezenas‘ work Beijing: Theatre of the People is documenting the construction and destruction of Beijing’s ancient narrow alleyways, collective housing and ground level villages. China’s leap into global economics coupled with the 2008 Olympics is accelerating the disappearance of Beijing’s village past. Tezenas’ images capture a haunting vision of China’s past. The scenes are empty, yet suggestive of a presence, though not necessarily a living one.
