Meet Bloubosrand’s Motocross Mike
BLOUBOSRAND – Freestyle motocross rider, Mike Oyston relishes expressing himself and pleasing crowds through the sport.
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Travelling around Africa, riding with friends and performing in front of excited crowds are what it is all about for freestyle motocross rider, Mike Oyston.
The Bloubosrand resident has been riding for team Jungle Rush for over 10 years, and in that time he has become one of SA’s best freestyle motocross riders winning and securing podium finishes at innumerable pro-am events including the biggest event of its kind in South Africa, King of the Whip.
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“I get a lot out of this, this is a great outlet,” Oyston replied when asked what he got out of it the most.
“It’s a great way to express myself, get rid of the mundane life frustrations. I think it’s good for my mental health.”
Jungle Rush is a team of six professional riders that performs all over Africa at various competitions, events and charity functions.
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Fellow team member Dallan Goldman described freestyle motocross as ‘a very expressive form of riding a motorcycle’. It includes ramping into the air on a motorcycle and performing whips, flips and tricks many metres above the ground, before landing.
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A whip is when the rider turns the rear of the motorcycle around to the side while in the air. “Motocross itself is obviously going on a circuit, in a loop and racing to see who gets the fastest time, while here we like to express ourselves by performing different tricks… just to see who can extend theirs the biggest,” Goldman added.
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For Oyston, the sport is all fun and stress relief, and he invited anyone interested in taking it up to contact the team. “We are always willing to help up-and-coming riders out, guys who are keen to try it out. Guys can get hold of us through our website… or any of our social media platforms. We will definitely get back to you and we are more than willing to help anyone out.”
The King of the Whip was supposed to take place at Montecasino on 18 April this year but it has been postponed.
Details: Jungle Rush www.junglerushfmx.co.za
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The King of the Whip brings the best tricks, flips and whips to North Riding