Marcel Hunt: if it’s something you really want to do just go for it. Things will always work out in the end but you’ll never know if you don’t try.

I’m an old, washed-up dirt jumper who has rediscovered a passion for dirt jumping and mountain biking. I’m just having fun, riding bikes, traveling the world, and meeting a bunch of rad dudes who share the same passion! When I’m not riding, I work at Air Rec Center Indoor Bike Park, where I watch and help others ride.

I’ve embraced a “no plans” lifestyle, meaning I don’t actually know where I’ll be in the next six months, but I do know that I’ll be riding bikes and trying to compete in the FMB World Tour. I have a long list of places I want to visit, and I hope to travel there with my bike. Luckily, my girlfriend shares the same ambition, so I always have someone to travel and ride with.

I used to race motocross in my early teens and always brought a bike to ride around the tracks in preparation for races. I started riding BMX with my friends at a local track, mostly just messing around. We got into watching BMX videos on VHS, then discovered Drop In TV, which opened my eyes to mountain biking. I hadn’t realized you could trick mountain bikes! So, I literally swapped my BMX for a mountain bike with a buddy and started riding. In 2009, I met Blake and Ray Samson at some jumps, and Ray told me I should start competing. So I did… the very next month!

I moved to Canada with my girlfriend, Alice, because I had always dreamed of being there. After going through a rough patch in life, I felt the need to pursue that dream that had always been in the back of my mind. Watching Pinkbike edits made me want to ride in BC. I had no job lined up, no concrete plan. I just booked a flight and went. Now, I’m on a two-year working holiday visa, but I hope to apply for permanent residency because BC is the ultimate place for riding bikes. Most of our plans are spur-of-the-moment, so anything could change in the near future.

One of the first things that struck me about BC was the sheer number of people who share the same passion for biking. Everyone is welcoming and friendly. I’m constantly in awe of BC’s scenery and vastness here, a seven-hour drive to go ride somewhere feels like nothing because there’s so much to look at. In the UK, a three-hour drive used to feel like seven because it was just a dull motorway with no mountains to stare at. I’ve had the chance to travel to iconic riding spots I’ve only seen in edits and dreamed of riding. I’ve met Canadian riders who have inspired me throughout my career. Canada has introduced me to a whole new world of biking, where everyone just wants to ride and see each other succeed. The trail riding here is insane—I had never even ridden a rock roll before coming to BC! It also seems like every town has a bike park or skate park. There’s so much to explore BC is huge, and we’ve barely scratched the surface.

Back in the day, Ryan (Ryan Nangle) and I made a lot of edits and rode together. In 2013, I dropped out of the scene due to injury and lost my motivation. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life. My family told me I needed to grow up, get a full-time job, and be more responsible. After years of trying that lifestyle, I realized it wasn’t for me, riding bikes makes me happy, and it’s a passion I share with my girlfriend.

I don’t see myself as being in the spotlight; I’m just trying to express my riding style and have fun. When I moved to Canada, I didn’t expect to compete. A friend told me about the Big White Invitational just a couple of weeks before the event. I wasn’t even planning on entering, I didn’t have a bike built, and I had no way to get there. But Alice convinced me to go, so we bought a car, and I finished building my bike just two days before the event. I had only ridden my new bike once before competing, but somehow, I managed to place third in the bronze category, which earned me a qualifying spot for the gold. The bronze course was the biggest slopestyle course I had ridden at the time, so making the podium was insane. Getting to ride and compete on the even bigger gold course was unreal! That same summer, thanks to Logan Peat, I was able to ride the legendary Backwoods Jam, where I met riders I’ve looked up to my whole career.

Somehow, that first summer in BC set me up well for the 2019 season. I earned enough points to be invited to Swatch Rocket Air in Switzerland, the first time I’d ever been invited to a gold event. I dropped everything and went. That experience gave me a new goal: to fulfill my dream of competing in the FMB World Tour and riding in gold events I had never had the opportunity to enter before. The biggest difference now is my mindset. I’m riding for myself and having fun with it. Plus, I’ve received more support and encouragement this past year than ever before.

Driving for hours to ride new spots doesn’t feel like a chore when the views along the way are breathtaking. Canada is still a new experience for me, and looking up at the mountains every day never gets old. The drive is always worth it. There are so many different places to ride in BC, and we’ve barely scratched the surface. So far, we haven’t been disappointed by anything we’ve seen or ridden.

BC is the home of mountain biking, so bikes are super accessible here. There are tons of bike shops, and parts seem cheaper, but I don’t earn as much as I would in the UK, and food is way more expensive here. I guess that’s the trade-off for living in such an incredible place. In Whistler, it doesn’t matter how much you earn, your bike always comes first before rent or even food. Everyone just wants to ride.

I was lucky to team up with Chromag Bikes, which was a huge honor. I’ve been a big fan of them since my time in the UK, but it was hard to find distributors back then. Right before the Big White Invitational in 2018, they helped me get my bike set up with discounted parts, which was a lifesaver since I had just spent a lot on a car and was struggling with the cost of living in Whistler. Claire Buchar gave me the chance to start on a grassroots deal with them, and I was beyond grateful to even be considered.

After a year of riding a few events and progressing further, they put me on the full deal. I’ve built a great relationship with everyone at the Chromag HQ. The same goes for Industry Nine Wheels. Joe gave me the chance I needed after seeing my riding style. Again, I’m beyond grateful for the support I receive, no matter how small it is, I truly appreciate it.

When I was sponsored back in the UK, and this is just my personal experience, it felt very cutthroat. it didn’t have that family vibe. Here, it’s different. It’s not just about being sponsored and getting free stuff, but about building a real connection with the company. I’ve also started representing Ride or Die, which is rider-owned, and I’m stoked to be recognized by fellow riders who have inspired me and whom I look up to.

My advice? If it’s something you really want to do, just go for it. Things will always work out in the end, but you’ll never know if you don’t try. Yeah, things can get tough sometimes, but I like to keep a positive mindset about everything. If it doesn’t work out, you can always go back home or try somewhere else, just don’t be afraid to go after it.

For me, I wouldn’t change a thing about the way Alice and I did it. We rode so much that first summer living in Whistler, but the winter months were tough, and we quickly realized that a Whistler winter wasn’t for us. When spring came, we moved into a van and spent the entire summer traveling around BC, riding some of the best spots on the planet and experiencing the true Canadian countryside.

Sometimes, you need a different experience to remind you just how much you love your passion. Winter in Whistler meant we couldn’t ride our bikes every day, so we’d drive 2.5 hours south to Air Rec once a week just to get some riding in. It became clear that all we wanted was to be somewhere we could ride all the time because not being able to ride every day was a struggle.

Taking that first step, moving to an entirely different country with no friends or family to help you, can be pretty scary. A lot of people have told me they wish they could do it, BUT… But what?! If you really want it, take the leap and go! You might not like it when you get there, and that’s okay, at least you tried! But you might also fall in love with a new place and a different kind of lifestyle that you never expected. I never thought I’d live in a van, but I spent a whole summer in one, and it was the best!

This past year has been one big, spur-of-the-moment adventure. I never really had a plan. I just went with the flow, and it all worked out great.

If there’s one thing I can say, it’s this: Always be positive. It’s a huge advantage if you can stay positive through tough situations. This sport challenges you physically and mentally, and having the right mindset makes a big difference. Be grateful, stay humble, and most importantly, go have fun on your bike. Enjoy riding with your buddies, no matter where you are in the world.

Peace.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to write this small article, guys.

I just want to thank my girlfriend Alice, Simon Quinn, my family, friends, and my sponsors for their constant support.