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Catching Up With Levi Sherwood

Written by Goba Thursday, 24 February 2011 13:42

Catching Up With Kiwi Bro Levi Sherwood

by gobadirt.com

Kiwi FMX sensation, and super-laid-back-dude, Levi Sherwood has not long stepped off a successful return to the sport touring with the Nitro Circus crew in his home land of New Zealand. As he gears up for the season ahead, which includes his first comp back from injury at this weekend's Farm Jam, and then some serious training for the first Red Bull X-Fighters round in Dubai, we pulled him aside to chat about the Nitro tour, how he's feeling being back on the bike, and what's his focus for 2011.

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When healthy and focused during the 2010 season , Levi Sherwood was a hard man to beat . Pic: gobadirt.com

Hey Levi, how was the Nitro Circus tour for you: It was good eh, heaps of fun, Nice and cruisy. It was a good way for me to get back into the flow with riding as I hadn't really done much at all before the tour started. It gave me the motivation needed to try harder, which was good.

How is the leg feeling that you broke: It's pretty good, although the more I've been using it the more it hurts. Then I crashed in Auckland and landed on my arse, which screwed my back, that kind of sucked!

Levi shows off his awesome style and trick extension on the NZ Nitro Circus tour. Credit: Jeff Crow/Sport the Library

How'd you crash: I was Flipping off Cam Sinclair's double flip ramp, over rotated and just landed hard on my arse.

How are you feeling with your tricks: Still feeling a bit rusty, and it will take a while to get back to the way I was before my accident. I'll just feel it out and go for the bigger tricks when I feel more comfortable. It's just been a long time off the bike, but I'll get there.

What have you been up to back in NZ with all that time up your sleeve: Pretty much just been hanging out with family and friends, enjoying some time off, like one big holiday really. Just making the most of being home eh. I was starting to get really bored though from not riding so I really loved getting back on and riding some motocross towards the end of December. That was awesome!

Levi was stoked ot get the call up to ride alonside Travis Pastrana on the NZ Nitro Circus tour. Credit: Jeff Crow/Sport the Library

In your time off the bike did you reflect much on last season and how you can improve for the 2011 season: Yeah pretty much just to stay on my bike!(laughs) I actually thought about a few things, figured some stuff out that I can improve on, but mainly I just need to play it smart, take things a little more seriously and cut out some of the goofing around, and stay on my bike because you can't win if you're not there eh! I'll be trying to limit the risk and chances of hurting myself for sure.

Tell us about Nitro Circus, what was it like to get the call up to join the tour: Yeah, well, I heard early on it was coming to New Zealand so I was hoping I'd get the call, and when I did it was pretty awesome. I knew most of the moto guys, but not the rest of the crew so it was good to met all those guys and hang out while on tour.

How were the shows, did the Kiwi fans really get into them: Yeah for sure, the show were real good and the fans seemed to love it. The first one had like 44,000 people, which is massive, so it definitely went over well. I never heard one bad comment from anyone while on tour.

Superman for the Nitro crowd from the Kiwi Rubber-Kid. Credit: Jeff Crow/Sport the Library

What impressed you most on tour out of all the athletes: My favourite thing in the show was Jaie Toohey's Double Whip Flip deal. It looks really sick, kinda turns into like a moto 360, and then he turned it up and pulled off a Triple Whip Flip, which was insane. That's probably my favourite thing in the whole show! He nuts, but in saying that everyone else is just as sick. Like Wheelz Front Flipping his wheel chair, Andy Buckworth, all the guys are riding sick.

How did Bilko get on riding the KTM350: He looked like he was loving it, and I'm a bit jealous as it has electric start.

Do you see yourself stepping up to a 350: Stuff no! As long as they're still making 2-strokes I'll be riding one!

How was Travis Pastrana on tour, has he slowed down at all: Not at all, he features the whole way through it and is just as active as he was on the Australian tour last year, maybe even more so!

How'd you guys get on: We get on really good, like I'd spent a little time with Travis before the tour, but after Nitro NZ obviously a whole lot more so we're all good.

Without doubt Levi has one of the best styles and trick extension in the biz! Credit: www.rebull.com

What's next on your schedule: Head off to Farm Jam this weekend, then back home training for first round of Red Bull X-Fighters in Dubai where I hope to be back riding as good as last season, or if not close to it.

So what's your goal for the 2011 season: I want to take X-Fighters round by round, and obviously want to take the crown home this year. It sucked I couldn't do that last year as I felt I had a pretty good chance, as with X Games, so I'll be working hard towards that event as well.

Thanks for your time Levi, good luck for the season ahead mate: Yeah thanks guys.