Having, possibly, the best haircut in the game doesn’t deter Matty Duffy from throwing down on a BMX. Unfortunately injuring himself in practice, Matty still put on a solid performance at the 2022 Park Lines BMX Tournament, place 5th in the finals.
Matty takes us through his Park Lines experience and thoughts in this exclusive interview.
Full name: Matty Duffy
Hometown: Benoni
Years riding: 12 years
Claim to fame: My haircut
Sponsors: Fox Racing and Mongoose Bikes
How would you best sum up your experience at Park Lines 2022?
It was such a treat! Being back at my original stomping grounds was surreal and the vibe of the event felt like how BMX is supposed to be. It’s been a long time since we’ve had that!
What was your highlight moment of the day, and why?
Probably Dyl’s (van Belkum) 270 Flip during Best Trick. He took the slams, pushed through and made it happen. So good seeing guys overcome a challenge like that. Also, the chicken vetkoek were bangin’!
Coming into the contest, what were your expectations and were they reached?
I really wanted to step it up from last year’s event which was tough after getting hurt in practice. But, I had a blast and pulled some things off that I was really happy with so I’m stoked.
What was it like to ride the legendary Stoneridge park again?
Sooo good! In some ways it felt a little foreign after these five and a half years, but at the same time it felt like we never left. It’s such a brilliant park and would be a real shame to see it go. Holding thumbs!
Which riders impressed you the most and why?
Doran (Mathewson) for the unreal flow that we all know him for, Dyl (van Belkum) for the stunt moves and Duan (Stapelberg) because he’s really been stepping it up. Triple D’s – need I say more?!
What do you feel an event like Park Lines does for BMX in South Africa and where would you like to see it go?
It’s huge. Without events, exposure of BMX is minimal and guys don’t have a goal to push towards. It really fuels the growth of the sport. I’m keen to see the event keep growing and it would be great to see a couple of smaller, professionally organised events throughout the year to maintain the momentum.
What would you like to see added to the next Park Lines BMX Tournament?
Greatest hair style contest. If that fails, maybe some added obstacles in the park, like Ghetto Jam used to have. It really adds another dynamic that opens up creativity.
What’s next for Matty Duffy?
Probably a good few spreadsheets and board room meetings. But I’m feeling really motivated and comfortable on my bike and I really want to keep sending it and having fun with it. I’d really like to go on some more trips again too.
Any shout-outs?
Definitely a big shout out to Jacques Fourie for having The Compound for us to stunt at, Mongoose and Fox for all the support over the years and my dog child for being patient while I answer this interview. And lastly but certainly not least, a huge thank you to Ryan at LW Mag for putting on this killer event!
#ParkLines BMX Tournament presented by LW Mag and Dragon Energy in association with Dickies, Garmin, GoPro, Mongoose Bikes and Willards.
Photos by Eric Palmer.