Hi, I'm Christian Ceresato and many call me Chrispy. I'm 24 years old and I've been riding BMX since I was 12, half of my life accompanied by this beautiful bike and the environment that surrounds it.
I don't remember all of my first 12 years without BMX. I think my grandmother taught me to ride a bike a few years after I learned to walk, and from there I spent my afternoons pedaling in her courtyard.
My first sport was basketball until I discovered artistic gymnastics. In the gymnastics gym, we played with our bodies, jumped, and were free to express ourselves with our evolutions. We were all excited to improve with a very healthy competition, just like I later discovered with BMX.
Since I was a child, I was always attracted to a mini ramp that I saw in the middle of a park in the city, and my father began taking me to the skatepark. First, I touched the ramps with roller skates, then with a skateboard, and only after seeing Stefan Lantschner's flow at the skatepark behind my house, I decided to buy my first BMX at 12 years old.
When I was a child, it was the golden age of BMX, and I felt like I had found my passion. Like in the pro videos I watched every day, I wanted to do only that in life. I was motivated to progress, to learn more tricks, and to live more experiences.
BMX has been my mentor, it taught me and continues to make me grow. In the toughest moments, I have always been able to vent by continuing to ride. As soon as my hands touched the handlebars of the BMX, my mind was immediately freed from any kind of problem. I believe that physical effort is good for the mind, but also the determination not to give up has always made me feel good.
Every year has been different so far, and it will probably continue to change. For a long time, I went to school, and I really miss all that free time. Then, about four years ago, I finished studying and started working. For the time being, I've always done seasonal jobs in the countryside, which pay well and give me enough time before the season starts.
When I'm not riding BMX, I mostly have to work, but I also really enjoy filming, reading, and I recently joined a gym. The path I've taken so far has always been very natural, and I've always loved what I do. The sacrifices have never felt like sacrifices, my parents supported me a lot initially, and now I'm searching for the right balance.
The biggest challenges for me have been the injuries I've had because they stop you even if you want to continue. Initially, I had difficulty accepting the weakness of our bodies, but now I'm very relaxed, and I've learned even from those difficult moments.
If I could talk to my childhood self, I would reassure him and tell him not to be afraid because he will have a lot of fun. I would advise him to learn to listen to himself and maybe listen a little less to others. That he doesn't need to copy others and that he can cultivate his own style, eat well, and start training because in the future, riders will become athletes, haha.
To all the boys who are struggling, I would invite them to stop, and if they are already stopped, to start moving. Finding what you love is a fortune, and if you haven't found it yet, you have to go look for it and be ready to find it. Don't fall into the easy appearance of substances that you give the power of your well-being. Free yourself from every attachment and learn to breathe. Once you have control over your breath, you will have control over everything.
As for the future, I still have many things to do and discover. I will continue to ride BMX as long as my body allows me to, and I hope to continue to grow personally as well. One thing I would like to do is travel more and meet new riders and cultures, always carrying my BMX with me. I'm also interested in developing my skills in filming and video editing, hoping to create even better content and inspire as many people as possible.
In conclusion, my passion for BMX has led me to live incredible experiences and meet fantastic people. I hope to continue doing this sport for many years to come and to continue to grow as a person, thanks to BMX and the lessons it has taught me.