The Gen XY Lifestyle
Red Bull Dark Knights event draws active ager riders
Edmund Lim and Mohd Ghazali, both 49 years old, will participate in the annual mountain bike urban downhill race
Red Bull Dark Knights is a night-time urban downhill race taking place on 4 June at the Singapore Sports Hub.
300 mountain bike riders will be riding at high speed down a unique 400m urban obstacle course including fast turns, narrow stairwells and vertical drops. The course will begin from inside the National Stadium and wind through six levels of the Singapore Sports Hub before coming to a spectacular finish on Waterfront Promenade, with a view of the city skyline.
This is the first time the event is being hosted in an urban setting. Spectators can expect to find viewing spots right beside the track. Entry to the event is free.
We speak with two of the competitors, Mr Edmund Lim and Mohd Ghazali Modh Selem, both 49 years old. We chat about mountain biking, the risks and how they have prepared for the event.
Edmund has been riding since 12 years old, moving from BMX to mountain biking. He also windsurfs and does kiteboarding, apart from mountain biking. Mohd Ghazali has been riding for four years and it was the 2013 The Red Bull Dark Knight @ Pearls Hill event that motivated him to take up riding again.
Courtesy of Red Bull Dark Knights and Mohd Ghazali
Active Age (AA): What attracted you to the sport of mountain biking and specifically doing a night time urban downhill race?
Edmund Lim (EL): Mountain biking has always been fun for me, riding a bike is so relaxing. The night race is [also about] joining the carnival and enjoying the atmosphere.
Mohd Ghazali (MG): Well, I guess it’s the thrill that attracted me to it. When I was a kid, it was just table tops, small humps and small launchers. But now it gets bigger with new advanced bicycles.
AA: What drives you to participate and how have you been preparing for the event?
EL: I have 2 more friends joining this event. We have been going to Johor for our leisure rides but you can call that training too.
MG: Seeing guys of my age and slightly younger doing all this actually was what actually drove me to try it..You know the saying, if they can, I [also] can. (laughs)
AA: Can you share some of your background with us? Do you have family, how do they support you pursuing your sport?
EL: Yes I have a family, my wife and two kids, a girl and boy. They do not mind me riding as they know that I love the sport.
MG: My parents encouraged and supported me when I was a kid riding BMX. [So does my] spouse, but I buy my own gear, and she comes to support me at the events!
AA: Does the risk of getting hurt participating in such a sport cross your mind and how do you deal with it? How did you prepare your family for it?
EL: Oh yes! This sport can get you injured. I cannot afford to get injured and therefore will be safe and very careful. If I’m handling a jump, I have to be 100% confident of clearing it.
MG: Of course it does, but that’s part of enjoying the sport. No one wants to get hurt but you learn as you fall. Try not to make the same mistake again. My wife is well prepared. Whenever I call during a race, she will ask me, “What now?”. But If it’s after the race she knows [that] everything went ok.
AA: Any tips for other active agers looking to try their hand at sports and other passions as they age?
EL: In my opinion time waits for no man. If you want to try, then it is better to do so now. I have heard many people regret not doing the things they wanted to do earlier.
MG: I don’t have that many because I am new to this [sport] myself. All I can say is take it easy, enjoy it, don’t push too hard and only test your limits. For me, it’s about personal achievements and experience.
Details:
Event: Red Bull Dark Knights
Date: 4 June
Time: 0900 – 2230
Venue: Waterfront at Sports Hub
Website: www.redbull.sg/darkknights
