A couple weeks back I came across Ondra’s latest edit. I was pretty impressed what I saw, so I did a little more looking around for information on him. I decided it would be a pretty good idea to shoot him a few questions and this is what came from it. Check out a few words and photos from Ondra and then leave him some love in the comments!
Name: Ondra Slez
Location: Czech Republic
Sponsors: DC, agang, TBB-Bike.cz shop
Years riding: 5-6 ?
What was it that first got you into BMX? Any early memories come to mind?
Well, it was a Dave Mirra BMX game and my friend. I saw that game on his computer and after a few plays, I bought an old bmx..
So tell us a little about your sponsor TBB bikes. I’ve never heard much about them. Do you guys have any big plans for 2010 with trips, videos, or anything like that?
So, TBB-Bike is just a BMX e-shop here in Czech, its a distributor of some BMX companies like Federal, Eclat, WTP, Primo, Subrosa, KHE and others.. I dont know man, hope we are gonna go somewhere but most of the time I travel alone around the world 🙂
You also ride for DC Czech, right? How has that all been going for you? Any big plans with them?
DC is pretty good here, but everything is coming from global DC so we have no chance to do some big things around here.. actually Jan Valenta (also rides for czech DC) and I are now on the European team.
So you caught my attention by that edit you had come out a few days ago. How long did you work on that for? Did you film and edit all of that by yourself?
Yeah I did it by myself so it’s not that good.. I like to film though. I bought a new camcorder and I’ve been trying to film some other friends. I just did new edit of my friend and its on vimeo too..
I filmed my edit for about 10-14 days.. I will do a new one soon… probably.
How long have you been doing filming and editing? Was it just something you picked up for fun or is it something you are trying to take a little more serious?
I like to film and edit videos so I did my first one in the beginning and I remember it was pretty funny..
I’m trying to take it a little more serious though. As I said, I bought a new camcorder, got a new tripod and I want to film some more..
I’m curious, how many tries did that bar-catch-bar 540 take? That was some crazy stuff.
I’ve been doing just 5-bars and I decided to try double, so I took a few tries with just 5-bars and then I went for double bars but I put a foot down and the second try was clean..
You are a pretty tech rider with some big bomb shells for tricks. Who or what are some of the biggest influences on the way you ride?
My riding is changing like every month, so that’s pretty funny. I did tricks like tobbogan frontflips, 360 triple whips, flip double whips and that stuff about 2 years before, but then I stopped doing these tricks, dont know why, and changed a bit. I’m trying to be a little original and do some good stuff.. now I’m trying to ride brakeless and I’m doing stuff like fronties and flip tricks again, more barspins because I like them, and some tech stuff without brake. Who knows, maybe I will put the brake back on soon..but I do what I want to and what I like to do..trying to be different.
Biggest influence? Dave Mirra for sure..and then it was I think Michael Beran, because I was trying to do a tricks like him before.
Have you had the chance to do much traveling? Where are some of the places you have been? Where are some places you would like to go?
I been just here around Czech, some UK, France, Estonia and others..
I want to go to US next year and Australia maybe.. I want to travel more and more..
I got good support from DC for traveling but need a little more..maybe some new sponsor to help with that, but I got it ok and I try not to complain..
Do you have any big trips coming up for 2010?
I want to go to US with Dean, try to qualify for a Dew Tour and ride Greenville.. maybe a trip to Woodward because I have never been there. I’d like to do some shows and stuff in CZ to save up a little.
I’d imagine you will be at the Simpel session coming up in February right? How do you feel about bigger contests like that?
I liked Simpel last year. It was great, but I didnt qualify.. this year? I can’t imagine the park course and progress of every rider so I dont know.. just hope I can make the cut 🙂
I like bigger contests because I can see all the big riders and meet up with friends, meet new friends, and have fun.
So you ride a little vert too right? Was it something you felt pretty natural riding or is it something you have been working on for fun?
I dont know, I started with vert riding a little bit (Dave Mirra) and now I’m doin it just when I want to.. I like to ride everything..
I won some little championship here in Czech, but as I said, just for fun..
If you could go on a trip anywhere in the world with 5 riders. Who would you bring with, where would you go and why?
Oh.. thats a hard question man.. I would bring one of my friends, Dean Cueson, Jeremiah Smith, Chris Courtenay and maybe Michael Beran, Eduards Zunda and many more..hah.. there is so many riders I could go with.. I would like to ride and have a fun somewhere, I dont really know where to go, but somewhere good to ride and from there on some other good places.. travel from the UK over to the US then to Australia? haha
What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
Hockey?.. I played hockey before, so maybe hockey..if not, I can’t imagine what..
What are you usually up to when you aren’t riding?
PC, and now it’s my girlfriend 🙂
Do you work or go to school at all? What are some things you could see yourself doing after BMX?
I’m just riding bmx and having fun.. I don’t want to work, but I think I’ll have to do something later.. we’ll see how its gonna be.. after BMX I dont really know..
How are the women in the Czech Republic? Pretty hot or what?
Some of them are good, some of them are pretty good and some are ugly.. I got a pretty hot and good girl so maybe I got lucky 🙂
Where’s the weirdest place you hooked up with a girl at?
Dont remember.. 🙂
Do you party much? What makes for a good night for you?
I like to party, but just at foreign contests with some other riders.. I dont like party here with czech rides so much, but it’s better than party with non bmxers, you know, like disco guys, soccer players etc haha..
A good party is with good friends, good drinks, good girls, good club and fun 🙂
What kind of music are you into?
I like nearly every kind of music, depends on the mood I think..
If you had to make a resolution for the new year. What would you want to change in your life?
I don’t know.. probably nothing, because I like it the way it is now…
If you could live where you live now. Where would you move to and why?
I want to move to UK, US or Australia..or maybe somewhere where I can ride outdoor with good weather and if the weather is not that good, ride indoor.. and ride with good guys, shred, and have a fun..so, Australia or USA..:)
You ever spent time in jail for anything?
Never..
Who or what are some of the biggest influences on your life?
In my life? Probably my family and friends.
Where would you like to see yourself in a few years?
Maybe in a bed with my girl in a room with 3rd or 2nd place trophies and maybe some more, with a good memories in my head and some money in my account to have a good life, in some small house in the US, with a nice car next to my house and ´67 Mustang in the garage and friends ready to ride in the backyard .. haha what a dream!
Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Yeah I´d like to thank my Dad, Mum, whole family, friends, my girl, and just everybody whoever helped me with something..and of course – you for this inteview.
Anything else you want to say?
I’m thinking about saying something wise but I dont know how to say it, so maybe later 🙂
