Dirt King

Australian Corey Bohan was the first rider to win a third consecutive gold medal in BMX Freestyle Dirt at the 2006 Summer X Games in Los Angeles, Calif., once again reclaiming his title as Dirt King. “The three-peat is fantastic, and what to do now is keep winning,” the 24-year-old said shortly after his defining victory. “The no-hand, one-foot, to be able to put it into a run and hold it throughout feels unbelievable.” It’s that hands-free, footless, upside-down progression of tricks that’s kept Bohan on top over the last few years. “Dirt jumping is in a crazy stage of progression right now. I’m always learning new tricks and keeping it fresh and just trying to do stuff that nobody’s done before. It’s all about being consistent but also nailing a higher level of difficulty. That’s the run that’s going to win.”

Keeping it on Two Wheels

Bohan’s reign has solidified over the last few years with a combination of originality, consistency, and style. Known for his front flips, 20-foot plus back flips and technical spins like barspin tailwhips, he’s constantly pushing the envelope of what’s possible on dirt. He’s usually one of the first to attempt something new, but he also goes big, putting together fluid, seamless runs, consistently landing back-to-back technical tricks. (He was the only rider who didn’t crash at the Summer X Games in ’04).

It’s his ability to stay composed under pressure that has put him on the podium in major contests from the X Games in Los Angeles (silver in 2003 and gold in 2004, ’05 and ’06), and the Dew Action Sports Tour (second in overall standings in 2005) to the Red Bull Elevation in Whistler, BC, (he won in 2006 and placed second in ’05). He’s also known for miraculous comebacks, often scratching his way from a botched run to a podium-worthy performance.

“My goal is to have fun with it and keep it on two wheels and hope that I make it back on the podium,” says the ever-humble Bohan, whose understated competitive prowess has been described as “monk-like” or Zen—quiet and focused. “I just want to keep progressing.”

Living the Dream

Bohan grew up riding BMX in Brisbane, Australia, building dirt jumps in an empty lot down the street from his house. “Every day after school I’d go build jumps and ride. Then I entered my first contest when I was 17—the Planet X Games in Brisbane. I made it all the way to the finals even though I got in on a wild card.” Coming up from behind with calm determination set the stage for Bohan’s career—though he wasn’t the underdog for long.

Bohan’s success hasn’t come without sacrifice: His journey from Oz to riding as a pro athlete on American soil, so to speak, has been long and arduous. Without adequate sponsor support, the possibility of a full time pro career didn’t exist for Bohan in Australia. It was fellow Aussie Colin Mackay who first offered Bohan a place to stay in 2002 so he could travel and compete in the U.S.

“There are no corporate companies putting in the cash in Australia. There’s definitely good riding but there’s no payout, no way to support myself and ride full time. So I worked in a carpentry apprenticeship until I could save enough money to come over for a six month holiday.” Even though he’s still in the process of getting his athlete visa (“It’s a lengthy process but you have to do it, otherwise you get booted, you get red flagged,” Bohan quips) he’s living part time in Corona, Calif., where he trains when he’s not on tour.

During that first stay in 2002, he competed at the X Games in Philly, but it wasn’t until 2003 that he started winning big contests. His first notable victory was the Matt Hoffman CFB comp at Woodward West in Tehachapi, Calif. He then went on to snag the silver at the X Games in LA before his winning streak began in ’04.

Onward and Upward

Bohan says the Red Bull Elevation competition format is his hope for the future of Dirt BMX. “It’s the best dirt jumping contest there is at this point in time. There are 11 jumps instead of two or three. It’s more like real trails but in a contest setting. It’s so unique and the jumps are amazing. It’s the way it should be done.” Being flown from Vancouver to Whistler on the Red Bull helicopter was the ultimate dream come true for the rider from Oz who came a long way for better opportunities in North America. “It’s the royal treatment for sure—they make you feel like a rock star.”

Make that a dirt star—looking ahead, Bohan just wants to keep the good times rolling. “I pretty much just want to try to keep riding, stay healthy and keep progressing.”