Kickers are one of the most popular features in the park – probably because they’re not quite intimidating as rails. After all, there’s no metal pole to destroy your coccyx on, but it can be rock solid, icy and off-putting – especially when you face an unexpected audience at the top of a busy park, watching you drop in. However, kickers offer so much scope for trick variety and you just can’t beat that weightless feeling of soaring through the air.
The key with kickers is speed. Don’t build up enough and you’ll be doing the awkward side shuffle off the shoulder. Hit them too fast and you’ll completely overshoot the landing like this ambitious idiot. As with everything, it just takes practice – start off on some smaller bumps, progress on to the ‘huck and hope’ approach and soon you’ll be bossing kickers like Jamie Nicholls. Well, maybe not quite – but one can dream.