Josh Button is a rider who hasA�risen up throughA�JuniorA�ranks of Australian downhill into the Elite category both here and overseas.A�After finishing second overall in the 2011 IXS series he has caught a lot of people’s attention. We had a chat with Josh as recovers from a knee injury he sustained at the 2011 World Championships.
Name: Josh Button
Age: 21
Hometown: Coffs Harbour
Josh good to have a chat with you, tell us about your pre-season this year before you went overseas. You were coming back from an injury in that preseason to?
Yeah mid 2010 I suffered a Left knee injury and was operated in Wales early June. I came back home and got all healed up and had a great off-season. I rode a few times early 2011 but mainly hit the gym and got all my strength back. I was so eager to ride fast again I got my speed back a lot quicker than expected. The weekend before Adelaide I was moto riding in Dougo Park with some mates and I actually tweaked my Right knee. I knew I had started something but I still went down to Adelaide and did my best. I had no expectations at Adelaide but as soon as I hit that wand, everything came back to me and I just pinned it. After that I trained hard for another month but then I got a chest infection a month out from South Africa so once again I was on the couch.
What kind of training program where you on?
I kind of just do my own program, gym work, cross country, moto (when I can borrow one) and sprints. I dona��t really like having a strict weekly program. Ia��ll either train in the morning or afternoon after work depending on how I feel.
What does training mean to you, is it a tool to help you win or something that is there but not as important as just getting out and riding?
It means a lot, once youa��ve missed out on your desired position for a certain race by .10 of a second. You realise your run was perfect it was only your fitness that
held you back, thata��s when it all clicks and you see training is definitely an
important tool to help you win races.
Your year of racing started off well with your race in Adelaide at National Champs, what was your plan coming into that and did that result give you more confidence coming into the season, there were some big names in Adelaide.
Yeah I had no expectations at that race, I was just really pumped to see everyone and ride bikes with my mates. Then somehow I just threw down a good run and ended up 2nd. I think that definitely helped my race head throughout the whole 2011 season.
You went overseas with SC-Intense, how did that deal come about and what races did you have to do for them?
I was just enjoying Coffs Harbour life not thinking about riding at all. Then I got an email from the SC Intense team manager Gery Peyer. He had a pretty sweet deal, with a bit of negotiation I was pumped and it was the best deal Ia��ve been on to date. I was contracted to all World Cups, European cups and select Swiss races.
It seems like the team is not the biggest team on the circuit but yourself (and your teammate Flo) were well supported, what kind of pit and crew set up did you guys have?
We have a great bunch of sponsors on the team who do their best to help us out, although we didna��t have a mechanic for 2011. That was a downer because you still find yourself changing tyres and adjusting gears etc while a lot of other riders we beat, were just relaxing and focusing. For 2012 wea��ve got a full time mechanic, which will be rad!
Do you run any custom tricks/tunes/etc on your race bike or is it pretty well a�?off the shelfa��?
Nah pretty stock standard set up, forks super stiff, rear super slow and bars rolled back.
What race stood out to you as your best race for 2011?
Val Di Sole definitely. First day practice went terrible which is the best thing for me. For some reason it makes me knuckle down and work out what I need to work out on the track. Ended up qualifying 14th. Had a big ola�� swap and
messed up a pretty important section in my race, got going again but then got a
flat front tyre coming down the final steep chute towards the finish. Held onto
some mega under steers and still finished 33rd. Splits were showing top 15 which would be well worthy of a fist pump.
Explain to everyone what happened at World Champs were you unfortunately suffered an injury.
Alright herea��s how it goes. First day practice went terrible once again, but I was happy because thata��s a good sign I’m going to do well. Survived until third day practice then it all went pear. I was on a fast practice run in really slippery conditions (just as it begins to dry up), did the triple before the famous right-hander where Sam crashed in 07. Set up high to rail the berm, rider No. 9467 from Kazakhstan was on his face in the middle of the turn with is bike on top of him. I grabbed the slightest bit of brake as I was setting up on the off cambered high line for the turn. In an instant my back wheel over took me and I high sided falling from up top down to the end of the turn. I somehow hit my head and got a little knocked around. I remember landing on my shin with my right leg folded up to my bum and all my weight pushing down on it. When I came back to, I felt the pain, and it was a pain that I was familiar with. With a few swear words at rider No. 9467 from Kazakhstan whilst he was trying to play up his scratched elbow, I got helped off the track by Coach Rando and Will Rischy. A night in hospital getting useless X-rays , then the next day we drove straight to our team sponsor LindenHof Spital who got me straight into an MRI, and by 4pm that arvo I was heading into theatre having a graft from my quad and inserted as my new ACL, along with a quick meniscus repair and MCL re-anchor. Its now been 3 months since and I’m starting to feel myself once again, only another 3 months until I can start blowing feet.
Hopefully youa��re back on the bike in time to race an Aussie race before you head overseas. What will your first international race be in 2012?
My first International race will be Round 2 of the World Cup series in Val Di Sole. I’m hoping to do a few Aussie races before I head over to get my head back in the game.
What do you think about next yeara��s calendar with the World Cups, the Freecaster Series and the IXS races? (Note: We talked to Josh before any of the alternate race series had been finalised)
I think it’s rad! Having a whole new series with such support and coverage is exactly what this sport needs.
Ita��s okay if you can afford to go to all those races but what about privateers trying to crack the big league? Or will it be better for them to get more prize money, exposure, etc.
I think ita��ll be better, you might have to fork out a bit more money travelling to all
the new races but if youa��re over there on your own wallet either way youa��re
going to be forking out to stay somewhere, you may as well follow the races.
Which races will you/your team be racing?
I think we are contracted to mainly World Cups, but Ia��m definitely keen to do the IXS series again next year after finishing 2nd in the overall series last season. The Freecaster races are on sic tracks so I think wea��ll throw a few of them in the mix also.
Do you think some of the big name riders will take it easier at the new races so that they can be fresher for the World Cups?
I dona��t think so; there is more coin up for grabs at the Freecaster events so Ia��m sure wea��ll all be willing to lay our lives on the line, haha.
What are your goals with these races?
Depends who is there. Ia��m sticking to top 20s at World Cups, but maybe top 15 at Freecaster events? If I can pick up where I left last year Ia��ll be more than happy.
We wish Josh all the best with his 2012 campaign and will keep you informed with all the news as he heads back overseas to do Australia proud.