X GAMES ATHLETE: Stunts a risky business

Local T.J. Lavin has found injuries come with success

Local professional bike stunt rider T.J. Lavin tried to land a double backflip in his final run at last year's ESPN X Games, but landed himself in the hospital instead, although he still finished in fourth place at the ultimate extreme sports event.

Lavin, a 26-year-old lifelong Las Vegan, was knocked unconscious twice in 2002, but the two-time X Games gold medalist has bounced back and recently competed in his eighth X Games in Los Angeles.

The ninth annual X Games, which featured more than 300 of the world's best action sports athletes, will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC through Friday (results weren't available at press time).

Lavin medaled in five of his first seven X Games and always has placed in the top five. He won gold medals in 1997 and 1999, took second in 1996, and placed third in 2000 and 2001.

"By far, it's the biggest and most important event. You have to do well there to have a great season. I really want to do well there," Lavin said before leaving for Los Angeles. "I'm very, very confident. I've been doing a lot of riding and trying to focus on that. It will be tough. Every year, it's harder and harder. There's 20 guys in it and there are no slouches.

"I'm going in pretty serious, but I'll definitely have fun. It's nice to not go in there banged up, as usual. I have a pretty sore ankle and both my wrists are pretty bad, but I'll just tape them up and keep moving. It's no big deal. I'm ready to go."

Lavin, who has broken his right wrist twice, injured his left wrist last year.

"(Last year) was the worst year of my life. I had surgery on my left wrist, and I got knocked out twice and both times were major," he said. "I've recovered physically, but I had to get over the mental part of thinking about the consequences when I ride.

"I've got my confidence back now. I know I'm going to get hurt, it's just a matter of when and how bad."

Lavin, who performs no-handed backflips and several tailwhip variations, among other stunts, admits it's difficult getting over the mental hurdles of certain dangerous moves like the double backflip, which he hasn't tried since last year's X Games.

"I haven't messed with that since. There's so much more to have fun on. The risk-reward isn't worth it," he said. "Your outlook is a little different once you take a slam to the face. It's hard to overcome stuff like that. It's tough, but it's definitely something you have to overcome.

"I think it comes with age. The older you get, the scarier it gets. You just have to focus on the good stuff and succeeding."

BMX racing and jumping has certainly provided Lavin with plenty of good stuff, including his own signature video game, T.J. Lavin's Ultimate BMX, which came out in 1999. His home in southwest Las Vegas was featured in a segment on MTV's "Cribs" last year and a feature-length documentary DVD about his life is due out this month.

"When I started (at age 15), everyone said BMX was dead. There were no guys who made a decent living just being a dirt jumper," he said. "Back then, a six grand a year salary was huge. Now, if you win the X Games or Gravity Games, it's $20,000 to $25,000 for first place.

"My career's far surpassed any expectations I ever had. I didn't expect any gold medals, let alone three times. It's crazy to me."

Lavin said he took the training wheels off his bike at age 2 and was hooked on BMX racing until he was 15, when he started jumping. He turned pro at 18 and has been competing ever since.

Lavin went to high school at Durango and Clark, where he wrestled one year.

"I wrestled one season, but BMX took up all my time, so it didn't last long," he said.

Lavin, known for his showmanship, keeps his backyard trails groomed to perfection and rides every day with other locals and visitors. He was thrilled to have his private paradise displayed on MTV.

"It was definitely big for me. I loved it," he said. "I have a whole bunch of jumps in my backyard, a jacuzzi and palm trees. It's an all-around Club Med for dirt jumpers."

Lavin also is passionate about music and classic cars. He got his first drum set at age 2 and taught himself to play piano at 15. He also engineers music in his home studio.

Once he started making serious money on his bike, he also started to collect and restore classic cars. Prized possessions include a 1964 Cadillac convertible, a 1946 Cadillac and a 1964 Lincoln Continental.

"As far as music goes, it's a new thing I love to do and make. I love to produce and I love classic cars so much. Ever since I started making any kind of money, I've done that," he said. "But no matter what, my bike has always been there."

Lavin plans to continue to compete in BMX for the foreseeable future.

"Definitely for the next five years, without question, and I'll be 31 and then I'll decide," he said. "If I'm not taking slams, (I'll continue) or I'll just have fun producing music and I can still ride in my backyard and have fun, but I won't have to still kill myself."


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