South Africa Touring

BMX Pro’s Greg Illingworth, Lima Eltham and Matt Priest were recently in South Africa riding and filming individual edits. Greg, being South African but based in the UK, lead the tour taking them to some of the best street, park and dirt spots to session.
We caught up with the trio to chat about their trip and the filming.

Matt Priest, Greg Illingworth and Lima Eltham discussing lines.

How did this trip to SA come about and what went into the planning of it?
Greg: Every year I try shoot a few web videos for Mongoose bikes. I’ve been busy with the Make It Happen stuff for most of this year, so I started running out of time. I had to find a place to shoot that I knew would be productive. SA has the best weather and incredible street spots, trails and skateparks. I also started noticing Kevin Schnider’s (Cape Town) film work in BMX getting to a high standard and I wanted to try work with a local filmer. I messaged him to see if he was up for it and we went from there. Lima Eltham has wanted to visit SA for ages so I hit him up and asked if he wanted to come with. Then Priesty heard we were going and jumped on board too.
Lima: I was chilling at a contest in England with Greg, chatting. He told me he was heading to SA in September time and told me to come. He’s asked me a few times and I’ve tried, but this time it came together. Planning? honestly Greg sorted pretty much all of it out for me. I just flew in, so thanks to Greg for making my life easy.
Matt: It was pretty last minute. Greg and Lima had their flights booked and asked if I would be up for it, so I quickly tired to get a flight and luckily it all worked out.

Tell us about the individual edit you were here filming and what you wanted to get out of it?
Greg: Well like I said, it’s a video for Mongoose. I love riding street, trails and park, and I really wanted to get a bit of everything in to the video. We are also working on a profile video that will basically be a behind the scenes interview from the whole SA trip.
Lima: My sponsors helped me fly over to SA, Verde, Profile and Fox. Filming and shooting is always worthwhile. Honestly I just wanted to film stuff I was into, not get hurt (which I did), and be happy with life.
Matt: I’m trying to film a 4 minute section over a few trips. So there wasn’t too much pressure to get stuff done I would be stoked if I got 2 minutes worth of solid footage.

Greg Illingworth taking his BMX to new heights — Greg Illingworth Table off the wall.

What was the reason for filming your edit?
Greg: Just giving back to Mongoose for all the support they give me.
Lima: My sponsors help me, so filming and shooting is a way of trying to repay that help. It will never be enough but I try ya know.
Matt: To promote my sponsors. But the main reason is to have fun, see the world and ride bikes with my mates.

What were some of your highlight spots that you rode and filmed at?
Greg: Street in Joburg, Wits is always a highlight for me. Getting to ride the Germiston bowl for the first time in about 4 years was awesome! That place is incredible and I feel that the SA BMX scene doesn’t utilise it to its potential.
Lima: All of the spots were good, lots of stuff to ride out there, didn’t even ride half the spots. Wayne’s trails in Cape Town were really fun, also this hip in Stellenbosch. I also had a really fun session with Priest on this flat piece of ground in Joburg, no joke it was a session.
Matt: The massive Uni in joborg was so fun.

Lima Eltham throwing down some BMX style at the famous Green Ramp — Lima Eltham – pure steeze.

Which spot do you think produced the best footage for your edit?
Greg: Probably Gum trails or Stoneridge skatepark.
Lima: Either the trails or that hip. I called out a trick about 6 years ago which I would do on it if I ever went there. Sure enough I was there and pulled it. That feeling is fucking rad. Pretty stoked.
Matt: Probably the Uni. Everyone got good clips there.

Are you happy with the end result and do you think it will be fitting for the final edit?
Greg: It will be a little while before it’s done but I am happy with the footage we managed to get.
Lima: Kevin (the Filmer) won’t show me anything!
Matt: Yeah I’m stoked.

Matt Priest gapping a huge transfer — Matt Priest gaps a huge transfer.

When can the world expect to see your edit?
Lima: The world? Dunno if that many people are waiting. I’m not sure. Soon K guess. Ask Kevin [laughs].
Matt: Maybe November.

Give us some insight into what the trip was like and what were some of the crazy things you experienced?
Lima: Pretty rad to see a country like SA, even better with a tour guide like Greg. I saw the rich and extremely poor. It makes me a little depressed seeing that. I enjoyed it when the “Road Masters” crew arrived at the trails. This is a bunch of dudes all on Mongoose bikes, from some pretty ghetto places riding around like some sort of hells angels gang. But they were cool, they just chilled with their packed lunch.
Matt: Driving through Joborg was pretty wild, also just being in Cape Town is always an amazing experience.

Greg Illingworth boosting a table out of a bowl with BMX steeze — Greg Illingworth boosting a table out of a bowl.

What was your highlight?
Greg: I loved seeing friends and family again. That made me really stoked, although it has been very difficult trying to see people that I haven’t seen in ages and riding as much as possible for the sake of the video. The highlight for me has been showing the UK guys our beautiful country and hearing their perspectives on everything. Craziest thing was getting invited to the SA Lingerie show in Cape Town. That was a trip.
Lima: I think it’s cute how you guys call traffic lights “robots”.
Matt: Meeting a giraffe.

You had the chance to ride with some of the locals. How does the level of riding here compare to some of the other places you’ve been to around the world?
Greg: The level of riding with locals is always going to be up and down. In SA there are some amazing riders and guys coming up. At the end of the day it’s not about the level of riding but about what BMX means to the riders and how much fun they are having doing it, and in that sense we are level with any part of the world.
Lima: The level is on par with anywhere in the world. Loads of good riders, it’s a shame they don’t have more opportunities. But look at Greg, he really “made it happen” for himself.
Matt: They’re all amazing. I watched a local video while I was over there and the level of riding is insane.

Lima Eltham Turn Down during filming for his nest BMX edit — Lima Eltham Turn Down.

Excluding the comps, filming, shows, etc. What does the life of a BMXer really involve? What goes on behind the scenes?
Greg: A lot of recovering [laughs]. When I am home I’m pretty much always recovering from a trip and taking it easy. Life on the road can get tiring but it’s incredible. Between contests, filming and shows we are pretty much planning the next ones.
Lima: Emails, instagram, nibbling, chirpsing, iceing, mobbin, breaking hearts, inspiring the youth and helping the old.

What do you do to make sure you better your riding and keep progressing?
Greg: I just try act on my imagination as much as possible. My mind runs wild with ideas all the time, I try pursue as many as possible. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. As long as I’m riding as much as possible and enjoying it then it usually falls into place.
Lima: Obviously not the right thing.
Matt: Keep having fun. If you’re not none of those will happen.

What’ next?
Greg: I’m heading to Austin for the Texas Toast Jam and to hang out with the Fox BMX crew.
Lima: Heading to Austin Texas with Priesty, Greg and Leo40.
Matt: Heading to Texas to keep filming.

Photos by Tim Moolman and LW Mag