KEY POINTS:
"Scary" Mary Perkins from the Crusty Demons, who performs at North Harbour Stadium on February 24. She is the only woman in the freestyle motocross crew, but do you think she lets that worry her? Not a chance.
How exactly do you practise to become the first woman to do a back-flip?
We use the big foam pits, which makes it a bit safer. But really, you've just got to go at it.
But there must be a fine line between pushing it to the extreme and thinking: I'd better not hurt myself.
I don't know. If you go out being too conservative then you're not really going to go anywhere, and if you go out too crazy you're going to hurt yourself and you're not going to go anywhere either. So sometimes you've got to have a bit of luck on your side so you don't total yourself. I've had about 10 broken bones so far, but I'm wiser now and I probably do sacrifice a bit and not push it as hard. So you've just got to go out there and take it as it comes. That's the nature of the sport - that you'll end up hurt at some stage.
You'd have to keep the adrenalin rush in check, too, wouldn't you?
Yeah, it is a pretty big rush and I do enjoy that. But ... you just go out and do it. On the weekend I pushed it a little too much and dislocated my thumb, but you strap it up and ride again.
So what do you need to have to be at the top of freestyle motocross?
No brain. No, no. I have a brain. Just like any other sport, it takes focus and dedication to training, and confidence in what you're doing is important. And not stuffing up.
What was it like being the first woman in Crusty Demons?
I'm sure the other riders were quite sceptical when I first came along and thought, "If this chick thinks she can do it then she'll need to prove herself." But I just went out and did my thing. I've always said that I'm not in it for them, I'm in it for me. I love the sport and I'll just go and do my thing and not worry about what they think.
Is it becoming a less male-dominated sport and are you lonely at the top?
I'm pretty much the only girl doing freestyle motocross at that level. I wouldn't say I'm lonely and I don't spend a lot of time with the other top riders. And it's not totally my life because I have quite a few mates around me down here [in Papamoa] who ride low key and just for fun. So that's kinda cool.
Tell us about what it feels like jumping 50m (the longest motorbike jump by a woman) and are you scared when you have to land it?
It's all in the takeoff. Pretty much the jump's over when you take off as whether or not you're going to land it at the other end. You've got to get the takeoff right and you're on for the ride after that.
So does that takeoff come down to perfect speed and ...
Yeah, well, when I set that record I'd never jumped on that ramp in Perth before, but another guy had used it to set a record. So you just have to trust that it's good. You start at about 25m and get the feel for it and then drag it right back. And every time they move it back you've got to increase your speed. We don't have speedos or anything so it's just all in your mind and I just do it by the feel of it and you listen to the engine.
* The Crusty Demons show is at North Harbour Stadium on February 24, 7.30pm-10pm. More information at crusty.com
