Shooting “Action Sports” contests can be a total mess. When I say action sports contests, I mean the contests put on by the TV networks or the larger outside corporations — they are the ones calling this shit “Action Sports” in the first place. True “inside” BMX and Skate contests are still fun to shoot, and far less of a hassle. The bigger contests require credentials, and even when you have said credentials you can’t get anywhere you need to be. X Games, Dew Tour… it’s a total fucking disaster no matter what pass you have (media, team manager, friends and family, etc., I’ve tried them all). Last year at X Games I actually had to borrow Mat Hoffman’s pass so I could where I needed to get a couple shots before I changed my ticket and went home early. Pathetic really. So this year I didn’t even bother to go, despite being in Southern California anyway.

I’ve been shooting the ASA Action Sports World Tour for the last couple years, primarily because I shoot it for the event organizer (ASA) and have a proper credential. Even without that “special” pass the events are a bit less restricted, and at least a bit closer to a true BMX contest. So a BMX publication could, in theory, go and shoot photos without the “We don’t give a fuck about you or your stupid magazine” attitude of X and Dew. During X Games this year they had a contest called the BMX Triples running in Costa Mesa, about 40 minutes South of LA and X Games. So Costa Mesa it was, and I avoided X at all costs.

This gallery is a selection of the photos I shot for the event and BFD.com (where you can find a replay of the live webcast from the contest’s final round and more photos/results). My friend Aaron Nardi also posted a gallery, and a cool video from the contest on his site. Check that out after the gallery below.

Note: Shot above is of Josh Hult doing a superman tailwhip.