Why X-Games Gold Medalist Chase Hawk Calls Austin Home

Widely respected as one of the most well-rounded and accomplished BMX pros out there, Austin native Chase Hawk is a hometown hero in a city known for its quirky culture and college football. It’s not every day that you get to catch up with a guy who has a city holiday named after him (Chase Hawk Day is celebrated annually on August 16th in Austin), and it’s clear that he loves his city as much as it loves him. Here’s what he had to say after wrapping a recent episode of Outside TV's Locals, the Austin scene, and growing up in a community that lives and breaths BMX.

Outside TV's Locals episode will premiere Thursday, June 29 at 9:30 pm EST. Check out your local listings here.

What was it like to explore your hometown with Cam McCaul?

It’s always a good time showing off where I was born and raised here in Austin. Any chance I have to show people from out of town around town it’s always a good time. Almost everyone who was here on the film crew including Cam had never been to Austin before. It was cool to figure out the list of things to do for the 5 or 6 days they were here. I think that we were able to nail it. 

Did you play a part in planning the episode of Locals?

Absolutely. Since the film crew had never been here before I tried to coordinate as much of the trip as I could. As far as what we did, where we went and rode during the day, and ate at night, I had a hand in that.

How has BMX shaped Austin?

It’s no real surprise that BMX has been a staple in the Austin scene for many years. I have been riding here for the last 23 years and there have always been professionals who have lived here. It’s always been one of those major hub cities in the U.S. that everyone around the world has tried to visit if you’re a BMX rider.

It’s constantly still growing. It doesn’t really stop. Every year there are more people traveling here, more skate parks that are opening, the scene in the city is just getting bigger and bigger. It’s not slowing down.

Has the city changed since growing up here?

Absolutely. There’s different waves that the city has gone through and it’s changed so much since when I was growing up here. It’s been cool to watch it change into what it is now.

Was there anything else you would have showcased if you had had more time for the filming?

Honestly, I think we did pretty good. We went and saw live music, we went and did the hometown bars and club scenes, we rode a bunch of cool spots. I would say if anything we would have gotten out into the creeks and showed off Austin’s greenbelt a little more. We have so many good swimming holes. That would have probably been the one main thing that we could have done extra would been to have hit up some good swim spots. It’s always tough when you have that many people here and they are only here for five or six days you just try to take them to the stuff that’s worth it.

Sounds like you guys had a good time?

Absolutely. Everyone had a good time, including me.

What else have you been up to lately?

This is the third year that we’ve been doing the amateur contest that I put on, and we just did one in San Diego. The event is called Chase Born and Raised and is basically an all amateur event that I put on based on the inaugural event that I did here in Austin. We’ve had the opportunity now to take it to other cities and have other professionals host it in their hometowns as well. It’s one of the bigger things that I’m doing right now that I am pretty proud of.