Heath Frisby is the godfather of the snowcross freestyle scene. The 28-year-old American from Idaho grew up between snowmobiles and brought the sport to a new level. With multiple medals at the winter X-games and a track record to die for, he was one of the eye-catchers at the Masters Of Dirt show in Vienna. Last year he was the first to do a frontflip on a snowmobile. A true pioneer in the freestyle world who mainly wants to enjoy his sport. We ran into him in Vienna…
First time in Vienna for you?
No, this is my second time here. This is a really great show and it was really marked in red in my agenda. It's always great to be able to do a show in Europe with the best riders here. This is our job and we want to give everyone a top show. I used to ride a lot in Russia, but in recent years I have concentrated on the States and some nice shows in Europe like here in Vienna. The best from the scene can be found here and the atmosphere is excellent every time.
Freestyle on a snowmobile is not an obvious choice, have you always done freestyle or competed?
I used to compete professionally, but I soon noticed that there was little money in the sport. Moreover, I was too fat and lazy to train, so I quickly ended up with the freestyle option. I grew up around snowmobiles in Idaho and have been riding them since I was little. Originally I wanted to become a professional motocross rider, but after about five years it became clear that I was not the greatest talent and so I focused on snowmobiles.
Ever tried freestyle with a motorcycle?
Certainly, I have been seriously involved in motorcycle freestyle for about five years. I had built my own compound at home with all the necessary ramps and I did all the tricks that the top players did at the time. I then combined the motorcycles in the summer with the snowmobiles in the winter. The result was that I was away from home 40 weekends a year and that was a bit too busy for me, I was no longer enjoying myself. I have stopped riding two wheels and have the entire summer off. That makes it possible to spend time with my wife and have fun with my redneck friends from the neighborhood.
What is the difference between jumping with a motorcycle and a snowmobile?
The big difference is the stability of the snowmobile. Many think that the weight and maneuverability are completely different than with a light motorcycle, but to be honest you don't notice much of that weight in the air. It's not that we have to pull the snowmobile into the air, we drive it and let the engine do the work. It is true that some tricks are easier on a motorcycle, but others are easier to do on a snowmobile.
And in terms of safety? Recently we had the fatal accident at the X-games?
There really is no difference... I've done both, even at the same time on the same show, but I don't feel less safe with one or the other. You know, we are often accused of being idiots, but we are professional in our profession and we know what we are doing. We know what it takes to do a backflip, but we also realize the risks. Everyone of us has experienced a crash like Caleb (Moore), but luck was not on his side in that crash and unfortunately it turned out that way. But this also applies to regular motorcycles, where fatal accidents have also occurred.
Do you have a lot of contact with the riders from the American FMX scene?
I have been in the sport for 14 years and the fact is that everyone who is involved in this professionally knows each other well. I hang out a lot with Nate Adams and his 'Deft family' and since many of our shows are together, it's great to always work with riders you've always looked up to.
How mainstream is snowmobile freestyle within the freestyle scene?
Every true motorcycle fan knows that we do the same tricks with our machines as we do with the motorcycles, so they are no longer amazed when we come up with our monster. But someone who knows nothing about it stands with his mouth open. We've already gotten the weirdest names for our vehicles. From jet ski to sofa or small car, you can't imagine anything so strange. That's strange, because where I come from this was originally a full-fledged means of transport, which is now used for fun. Yet so many people don't know this. It has a lot to do with the fact that snowmobiles are still banned in many countries, so it is difficult to bring this fmx branch into the picture. But who knows, one day…
Text & Photos CDS
Here's another video of Heath's legendary front flip at the Winter X Games last year