Brage Vestavik is one of the most charismatic freeride pros in the world. The young Norwegian looks like a character from the film "Vikings" and his self-made stunts are just as brutal. Vestavik became famous through his participation in the X Games Real MTB video competition. In 2021, the Red Bull athlete submitted a spectacular 30-second clip with never-before-seen tests of courage. Brage was awarded the silver medal, but the global audience saw him in first place and gave him the Audience Award. Brage Vestavik continues to surprise the scene with freeride videos and seems to have found his mission in filming and stunt building. Vestavik no longer takes part in competitions like he used to (Downhill World Cups, Red Bull Hardline, Red Bull Rampage, etc.).
BIKE: Brage, you've just published a spectacular YouTube video. It's called Trolldom. What does the word mean?
BRAGE VESTAVIK: Troll is Norwegian and describes - I believe as in German - a goblin or forest demon. In other words, a creature that used to live in the mountains. And the word trolldom can be translated as witchcraft.
Apt, because what you show in the edit is like witchcraft. A crazy balancing act on thin wooden beams over the abyss. What fascinates you about the so-called skinnies?
I grew up with it, you could almost say. Back then, these narrow chicken ladders were an integral part of freeriding. It all started with the Northshore skinnies. They were featured in films like "New World Disorder". These films influenced me as a child.
And you build them yourself.
Yes, I really enjoy building. And I enjoy finding trees that are already in the right place even more. It's about using what nature offers me. It was the same here. There had been a forest fire on this slope. I only used dead trees. That's why it was legal to build stunts there.
In your film, you impress with the speed with which you ride over these narrow ledges. It's almost impossible to watch. At one point you fall and slide along the rough cedar wood. That looks nasty. Didn't you hurt yourself?
It happened on my first attempt to ride this line. I was too fast and was carried out of the bend. I had taken the previous drop a little too quickly and jumped too far. You have to remember that the whole line is just wood and rock. It was very difficult to judge how much grip the rock generates and how much the wood.
Do you lose your "I can do it all" attitude when a crash like this happens to you?
Yes, your head rebels. On top of that, I had injured myself quite badly in the crash. It bruised my finger badly and I bruised my leg on impact. I climbed up again straight away and rode that part of the line, but then the light was gone.
How so?
It was far too windy in the valley during the day. We only had a narrow window of time in the evening, because only then did the wind die down. The next day, however, my leg was so swollen that I could hardly move it. I put my leg up, put ice on it and waited until the evening - then I skied the whole line.
Wow. Despite the injury.
Yes (laughs). It was necessary after all the preparation.
This means that you only rode the entire line once.
Yes (laughs).
Which part of the line got your pulse racing in particular?
The last double drop was the most blatant. Because you couldn't see anything from above. It was completely "blind". And there was no stopping. Once I went in, I had to pull it off. What's more, you couldn't see the landing of the second drop from the first drop because it was filthy. From up there, you could only see the flat ground at the bottom, which was pretty scary. As if that wasn't difficult enough, I didn't know how to ski the last section at all. The rock was hanging on all sides, rutted with cracks and roots sticking out. I had no idea what was going to happen.
The wooden structures looked incredibly complex, especially in such difficult terrain. How long did it take you to build it all?
We worked on it for two and a half months until everything was finished - thank goodness I had a big team, otherwise it would have taken much longer.
What will happen to it now? Will it rot like the old "New World Disorder" stunts?
We've already taken out the landings and will also take out the rest. I don't want anyone to get injured.
You're still driving your GT Fury. Are you still in their team?
Leg, GT no longer exists in its old form. I don't have a bike sponsor at the moment, so I can ride what I want.
I assume the cost of realising this project was high. Who is paying for it all?
My sponsors, but I also take on part of it myself. Because I care so much. I really want to realise the projects.
Your edit "The Sound of pure MTB Mayhem" was clicked 2 million times. Do you orientate yourself on what was successful when you plan further projects?
No, I don't really care. I enjoy building and filming stunts and being inspired by spontaneous ideas.
What was the reaction to your edit "Trolldom" - Derek Westerlund, the creator of the legendary "New World Disorder" series, got in touch.
Derek actually got in touch and congratulated me on the line. I got feedback from outside the scene, from skiers, snowboarders and people in the music business. I was really pleased that the film reaches a bit further than just the core scene. I was pleased because I myself am inspired by so many things that have nothing to do with biking.
You had your breakthrough with your X Games Real Edit 2021. Would you like to take part again?
I just like being able to realise my own ideas without an external schedule or guidelines. In other words, being a freerider in the true sense of the word.
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
