Features

FIRST LOOK: Connor Worthington

Words, Photography & Video by Scott Connor

I’ve known Connor for years, we come from different towns but both were close enough to Belfast that we’d always see each other about the city at various spots. Northern Ireland is a small country and the scene is pretty concentrated around the Belfast area. Connor was always the hungry kid, ever eager to ride and learn something new. As he got older his bike control and style grew more refined and people started taking notice of his riding, getting him a shop hook-up from the guys at Belfast BMX. I’ve not lived in Northern Ireland for quite a few years, but regardless of which country I was living in, Connor has always been keen to come stay with me and ride somewhere new. He’s a terrible cook though!
– Scott Connor

Full Name: Connor Worthington
Age: 21
Hometown: Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Current City: Newcastle, England
Years riding: Close to 7
Top three riders: Bengo, Ben Lewis and Alex Donnachie

Connor, what are you doing at this moment in time?

“I’m currently living in Newcastle studying at the college and riding as much as possible, which is pretty hard during the winter but it has to be done!”

What does your day to day life consists of?

“My day pretty much revolves around riding. I’ll get up and get my shit done, be it college or work and then go ride! Then come home, get some dinner and chill out and repeat the next day.”

You’re living in Newcastle now, how does that compare to good ol’ wet Northern Ireland?

“Right now the weather sucks anyway, but I definitely prefer it to home especially when the weather picks up. I love the ease of living in a city and just walking out the front door and cycling to a spot compared to having to drive 30 miles every time I want to ride, Ballymena isn’t exactly hot for spots. I feel I have more time to ride now because of that. I also live with another rider, Conor Bedford from the HGB crew which is sick.”

How is the riding scene in Newcastle? Mostly park or real street?

“It seems to be pretty mixed really but I don’t tend to pay attention to the park scene too much as it consists of fly out kings! But the street scene is pretty sick here, there seems to be a few crews riding about which is good to see and something you definitely don’t see in Northern Ireland with the scene being so small and seemingly decreasing. Living here has definitely made my love for riding street grow, you can have so much fun on the simplest of things. I still enjoy a good skatepark but the streets are free and don’t have any limitations. I’m really looking forward to a summer of exploring the spots. A few people have tried to say there isn’t much street around but after last winter’s explorations we know that’s not true!”

For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been notorious for always being injured, but riding regardless. You ankles and shins are a sight to behold. Are you limbs still functioning?

“I don’t think I’ve ever been on a riding trip without being injured before or during and it’s literally always my ankles! And I never should have stopped wearing shin pads, I’ll never make a leg model. I think my body is working pretty well at the minute, I haven’t rolled my ankle in over two months and the last time was a drunken skateboarding incident! Other than bumps and bruises I haven’t really been too bad recently, but I’d say that goes along with not riding so much due to the weather. My ankles feel pretty strong at the minute though, I’ve left down the ankle braces to try and build some strength back up and its working out pretty good so far!”

You’re studying for a media degree, right? Was that a choice influenced by riding or just coincidence?

“Pretty much 100% inspired by riding. It got to a point where it wasn’t just the riding in DVDs and edits it was the filming and the editing and it took me in this direction. I think how something is filmed and edited is very important in BMX, it can be hard to do a lot of it justice, and the more I watched the more interested I became. Now I get to film some BMX for my course which is sick, and it’s a career that could help me travel as much as possible with my bike, which is really what we all want to do!”

The week you spent filming with me was your first time in Brighton. It’s a good city, but it’s been rinsed hard when it comes to filming. What’d you think of it?

“I loved Brighton, rinsed or not it’s a sick place especially in the summer. The level is a really nice skatepark and some of the spots are super nice too. The spots are a bit stretched out but I love pedalling about a nice city. The only downfall is trying to get a clip on a spot which no one has filmed yet, but that’s the least of my worries really. I love hitting spots that you see in DVDs and edits and getting to see if and ride if for yourself. On top of that, the scene seems to be really strong there and are all super nice guys so I’ll definitely be back, it just seems to be a super chill place and I like that.”

What plans or ideas have you got for the coming year? Any city’s or riding trips lined up?

“My plan is to ride as much as possible really, I’m always happy when I’m riding, good session or not so yeah, spend as much time as possible riding. As far as trips go I’m not sure, I certainly be making a trip back down to Brighton and Liverpool as soon as the weather picks up. Malaga in march is on the cards with a few of the dudes I ride with back in Northern Ireland which I’m really up for, a week of sunshine and BMX would go down a treat. Other than that my plan is to just get about as much as possible and experience new places to ride.”

Connor Worthington – Boosting into a perfect summer sky

Ok, I’ll wrap up the silly questions and get on with the video. Any words of wisdom or shout-outs you’d like to give?

“(Laughs) I think I’m the last person that should be giving words of wisdom but all I have to say is ride BMX for you, don’t do it for any other reason. If you are, you’re doing it wrong! Also, most importantly have fun. Having fun and smiling is much more important than landing any trick to me and always will be. Progression is great but it shouldn’t come at the cost of having fun and I think a lot of people are starting to forget that nowadays.

“I’d like to thank Subvert for all the support and opportunities that have arisen whilst I’ve been a part of it, and for asking me to do this article. Be sure to check him out. And also Belfast BMX for keeping me rolling, my bikes tend to be a little like my limbs and break all the time, without them I really don’t know what I’d do. Paying for a bike on a student income isn’t easy so a massive thanks to those dudes for being awesome, anything I’ve ever needed they have sorted out for me and I’m seriously thankful for that. And what’s better than a rider run and owned BMX shop?”