With the domestic season coming to a close and the international races starting to ramp up it seems like now is the transfer period for a lot of riders. One rider onboard for a new team is Ben Hill, after doing an Inside Info with him earlier in the year we had a chat with him and his new manager, Ben Crundwell to get the Inside Info!
Hi Ben (Crundwell), thanks for chatting to us, for everyone that doesna��t know you run the Swift Rocky Mountain Racing team. Could you please explain a little bit to us about how it came about, who is on the team and what the goals for the team are?
The Team came about a few years back, after I took a year off a�?real worka�? for a trip to Whistler, followed later that year with a trip home to race the national series in NZ. I was offered a job running the workshop at the local bike store, to help pass the time. It was here that I made some very valuable contacts, when it came time to get back to work I decided I wasna��t ready to give up the perks of dealing directly with wholesalers, so I got on the phone and it just grew from there.
The team consists of myself (Ben Crundwell), Lucy Crundwell, Ben Hill and Luke Garside as our All Mountain Enduro rider. I am still looking for a 5th member for either DH or Enduro so watch this space.
The goals for the team are to promote the sport and have as much fun as possible, as long as were having fun the results will come.
Now that you have signed Ben Hill to the team can you explain how that came about and why you chose Ben?A�
2013 brought on a few new challenges with the change to Rocky Mountain bicycles. I was excited to step things up, however time restraints didna��t allow my plan to come together until now. A�I always wanted to give the right junior a helping hand, someone who showed talent and drive but didna��t necessarily have everything they needed to get where they wanted to be. Benny was one of my first options due to his ability on a bike, his style and flare not to mention his fantastic attitude. From there I worked hard with our sponsors to put the deal together that Ben and his Dad would be happy with, now we look forward to an awesome season.
Having now spent a little more time with Ben, I feel lucky to be part of this chapter in his career as he will go a long way in this sport.
Next we chatted to Ben (Hill)A�about how it all came together and what he had to say:
The deal came about when Clint from CWR moved to New Zealand, I actually got in touch with Ben over Facebook and it took a couple of months but we sorted it out. I flew over to Victoria to pick up the bike and the first run was as good as any other run that weekend I felt so comfortable on it straight away. I love the bike, it feels sick and everything about it is good!
With Ben recently being selected to represent Australia at the World Championships we asked him his plans for the upcoming international season:
I head over to Scotland for the first World Cup in just over two weeks, the weekend after that is the Val di Sole World Cup, I can’t wait I am so keen for it, I have been watching so many videos of that track! After that I come home to do more training and then head to South Africa for the World Champs.
Ben Crundwell: I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has made this possible.
Swift Performance Supplements
Rocky Mountain Bikes
Teva
One Industries
Fox Racing Shox
IRide
Breese High Performance
Scott
Schwalbe
Without the support from these companies I wouldna��t have been able to do any of this.
Ben Hill: I would like to thank:
Clint White
Ben Crundwell
My dad.
Images courtesy of Jason Stevens Photography/Swift Rocky Mountain Racing