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As Park Lines BMX Tournament’s first international competitor, we were stoked to have UK’s Jak Tones showcasing his riding abilities in the contest. Jak walked away with 3rd place in the Pro Finals and won the Best Trick contest, over and above have the best time in South Africa.
We caught up with Jak to get some insight into his experience, the contest itself, and more…
Full name: Jak Tones
Hometown: Nottingham, United Kingdom
Years riding: 10 Years
Sponsors: Dragon Energy Drink, Emtrex, Flare4media
How would you best sum up your experience at Park Lines 2022?
A whole new level vibe! The atmosphere was sky high and I’m still on a hype from it.
What was your highlight moment of the day, and why?
There’s so many. Personally for me it was to pull the 540 Flair in my second run in the finals. Never done that trick in a contest before, so to land that was a special moment for me, and winning the Best Trick contest. So stoked!
Coming into the contest, what were your expectations and were they reached?
I knew there would be a high level of riding as I have seen the riders on social media and bringing them all together in one place would be a recipe to fully send it. It did not disappoint, in fact, it blew my expectations out the water.
What was it like to ride the legendary Stoneridge park?
Stoneridge skatepark is an awesome park. Not many parks cater for all styles of riding but Stoneridge does and it does it well by having all sized quarters, ledges, hips, bowl, spine and stair set in a formation that opens up all the lines allowing to reach every ramp without stopping, which is so sick. I’ll definitely be coming back to ride this skatepark.
Which riders impressed you the most and why?
Murray (Loubser) was a pleasure to watch bringing his own style with big combos going both ways and making it look easy. Vin (Leygonie) and Greg (Illingworth) also sick riders to ride with as they open the throttle all the way – doing transfers that don’t make sense, with style! Every single rider on the day was a pleasure to ride with being so welcoming and supportive. Roff on the mic all day as well, he did an awesome job keeping the riders and the crowd hyped.
What do you feel an event like Park Lines does for BMX in South Africa and where would you like to see it go?
This event means everything in BMX, it allows the younger riders to be inspired by the pros and bringing the pros together pushes the boundaries in the sport. The Park Lines contest is where the riders can show their hard work they’ve been putting into BMX. I truly believe we will be seeing Park Lines at a global scale.
What would you like to see added to the next Park Lines BMX Tournament?
I’d like to see all the riders back again, and new riders. More support and sponsorships from companies associated with BMX from around the world. A High Air and High Hop category would be cool. And, keep doing what was done this year!
What’s next for Jak Tones?
I’m focused now on pushing my riding to new levels. Going for a higher up position on the podium for next year’s Park Lines. Bringing out a video part with Dragon Energy watch out for that. Ultimately, keep having the best times on my bike!
Any shout-outs?
Huge shoutout to Steven at Dragon Energy for sponsoring and supporting my BMX career, including bringing me to Park Lines. Ryan from LW Mag for hosting the sickest event and making my week in South Africa an experience I’ll never forget. Vin (Leygonie) for being such a rad teammate and letting me crash at his place all week. The dude shreds! All the South African riders for showing me love while I was there!
#ParkLines BMX Tournament presented by LW Mag and Dragon Energy in association with Dickies, Garmin, GoPro, Mongoose Bikes and Willards.
Photos by Eric Palmer.
