Mat Hoffman
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Mathew T. Hoffman (born January 9, 1972 in Edmond, Oklahoma, USA) is considered one of the best vert ramp riders in the history of the sport of BMX. Hoffman, whose preferred name was Matt before he dropped one of the t's, is nicknamed "The Condor" and owns the Hoffman Bikes shop in Oklahoma. He was the first person to have succeeded at the 900 (a trick usually seen in skateboarding) and backflip to return to the vert ramp.
In 2002, Hoffman published an autobiography, The Ride of My Life.
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[edit] Achievements
In 1985, aged 13, Hoffman entered the freestyle BMX circuit as an amateur. At 16, he was the youngest ever professional in the sport. Ride magazine noted, "What’s left to say about a guy who ignored all established limits and redefined vert riding - at age 15?"
In 1993 he became the first person to build an oversized ramp - a 24-foot quarter pipe - in an attempt to set the record for the highest assisted "air". In 2002 he finally set the record, achieving a height of 26 ft 6 in above a 24 ft ramp, or a total of 50 ft 6 in (approximately 16 metres) above the ground. This feat was listed in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records, and photographed from various angles using an elaborate scaffolding system.
Hoffman has invented more than 100 of the vert tricks which define BMX today: as well as the 900, these include the flip fakie (backflip which includes landing backwards) and the flair (backflip with a 180 degree turn).
In 2001, Hoffman competed at the X Games, earning the Bronze Medal. In the X Games VIII in 2002, he became the first rider in competition to land a no-handed 900, a trick which earned him the silver medal and which no rider has since made. He has since said that if he had used his hands on that particular attempt, he would not have landed: he began spinning too fast, and putting his arms out slowed him down just enough to land smoothly. It was nonetheless a very dangerous manoeuvre, since the bike had no brakes.
Hoffman's résumé also includes base-jumping off 3,500-ft Norwegian cliffs.
[edit] Injuries
Even in the world of BMX, where injuries are frequent, Hoffman is well known for his toughness and unusually high tolerance for pain. In a 2005 interview with ESPN The Magazine, he described some of his experiences, including a failed landing in practice that ruptured his spleen and nearly killed him, and having ligament replacement surgery carried out on his knee with no anesthesia. Hofman has suffered numerous injuries and undergone 16 operations.
Hoffman participated in the highly successful Tony Hawk's Boom Boom Huck Jam in 2002, 2003 and 2005 tours.
[edit] Development of BMX freestyle
Hoffman has also helped to develop freestyle BMX as a sport. He developed the Bicycle Stunt Series to give riders a place to compete and showcase their talents. The Series' enormous success attracted the attention of the cable television network ESPN, which joined forces with Hoffman Promotions in 1995 to produce and televise the annual event.
The growth of Hoffman Promotions gave birth to the Hoffman Sports Association (HSA). Since 1991 this has been the organizing body for freestyle BMX events worldwide, such as ESPN’s highly coveted X Games and all international X Games bicycle stunt events. Hoffman and his team were also selected to take part in the closing ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, in a production called "Sport as Art". In 1999, HSA developed Mat Hoffman's Crazy Freakin’ Bikers Series, which provides competition venues for amateur and professional freestyle bikers. HSA promotes, organizse and hosts the series, as well as producing the television programming for the Series, which is aired on ESPN2.
In 2005, Hoffman was elected the President of the International BMX Freestyle Federation, the international governing body of BMX Freestyle - a partner with Union Cyclists International (UCI), the bicycle governing body for the International Olympic Committee.
[edit] Business ventures
Hoffman has achieved further success in the business world. After leaving his primary sponsor, he began his own company, Hoffman Promotions. He assembled a team of the best freestyle BMX riders and began organizing show tours such as the Sprocket Jockey Bicycle Stunt Team.
Because freestyle BMX pushed the design technology of bikes to its limit, destroying many in the process, Hoffman decided to design and build his own bikes. He created a second business, Hoffman Bikes, to do so.
[edit] Television, game and film projects
Hoffman has produced, directed and hosted several television series for ESPN, including Kids in the Way, HBtv, Mat’s World, a nine-episode segment on X-2day and, most recently, the CFB Series. Hoffman also created Mat Hoffman’s Crazy Freakin’ Stunt Show for Universal Studios Florida theme park, which debuted in April 2003. Initial ratings for the show were some of the highest in the park's history of shows.
Hoffman worked with Activision to produce the video games Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX and Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2, the latter released in August 2002 in conjunction with the Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX2 Tour TV show. Hoffman also appeared in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, also produced by Activision.
Recently he has been involved in a number of film projects: Keep Your Eyes Open, produced by Tamra Davis and starring Spike Jonze; the IMAX film Ultimate X; Triple X, a Rob Cohen film, starring Vin Diesel; and Jackass: The Movie. He also was the host of a series of behind-the-scenes segments for Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, released in June 2003, and was on the cast of members for MTV’s Trippin', hosted by Cameron Diaz, and its Wildboyz show in Spring 2005. His recent movie appearance is Jackass Number Two.
In September 2002, Regan/Harper Collins Publishers published his autobiography, The Ride of My Life. The paperback version was released in September 2003 and a screenplay adaptation is in progress.
