Geoff Gulevich: next level.
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1/21/2007 - by
Chris Winter
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Geoff Gulevich: next level.
Interview by Chris Winter
Photos ~ Jordan Manley
Gully sits quietly, sipping his beer beside a full rack of baby blue Cove Peeler DHs. It’s the Cove Bike Shop’s annual Christmas party - two kegs have just been tapped and people are arriving in waves. Gabe Fox, the super-amped kingpin behind the bike brand, is walking around in circles screaming into the phone and throwing his free hand in the air. He’s rallying the troops - “the party’s on, get here.” Gully just slapped Easy-E’s Impact of a Legend on the big speakers and the growing crowd likes it. He’s happy. He’s got a subtle Mona Lisa smile on his face that gives him a look that says I know something that you don’t. Around him people move about and talk shit while he doesn’t seem to care. At 19 he’s leading the pack in the next generation of multi-dimensional riders and a lot of people are taking notice. He’s a hybrid rider that can fire it up in any arena; he competes at a high level in international slopestyle comps, sessions concrete with style and hits big backcountry lines with confidence. Maybe he really does know something that you don’t?
I'm from North Vancouver, in Edgemont Village. It was my older brother's friends that got me into riding when I was in grade 7. They showed me riding movies and took me out. My first bike was a mountain bike.
Riding is my favorite thing to do and I just like to try lines that haven't really been done or build lines that are unique.
I can compete at a pretty high level no matter the bike or the terrain and no matter situation that I’m put in. Put me in any situation, excluding XC, and I can be competitive.
I was in North Shore Extremes Volumes 6-9, The Collective, Roam, Back in he Saddle Again, Collectively Kranking up the Disorder, New World Disorder 6, Untitled, Stripped and Local Yokels.
I got injured on Canada Day at the Whistler Bike Park. I went down in a dusty rock section, hit my knee on a rock and broke my kneecap even with kneepads on. It was a clean break and there was 4 inches between the two pieces of broken kneecap. I didn’t feel it.
Last summer I was the designated drinker and watched my buddies progress and it killed me inside that I couldn’t ride with them.
Being injured has given me more drive. It’s given me confidence to do new things. It’s been building up inside from wanting to ride so bad.
I just got back from California and my knee is 95%-98% good now. It was my first day back on the hard tail and I learned hip-flips, 450’s and bar spins.
I love the dirt jumping and dh’ing in Cali. It makes my mouth water just thinking of riding there.
Slopestyle comps will progress the same way snowboarding, skiing and BMX have. I don't even know what kind of tricks will be pulled in the future, but I'm stoked to be there when they happen.
I came 9th at the Saalbach, Austria slopestyle comp in 2005 and 2006, 8th at the Nuremburg, Germany District Ride in 2005, and 7th in 2005.
I want to continue competing in slopestyle and big mountain comps and I want to create a good segment. I want to be the best.
The riders who inspire me most are the guys who are always having fun on their bikes. Wade and Watson are awesome as well as my buddies (TFJC). They are who I shred with the most.
This winter I will be getting back my confidence and drive on my bike after last year's disasters.
I ride for Cove Bikes, Sombrio, SRAM, Dakine, Adidas eyewear and Vans.
I'm watching Talladega Nights, the ballad of Ricky Bobby right now and its the bet movie ever
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