Joel in Islington, Southwark is 21-30 and is Trials Rider.
Joel is a leading exponent of trials riding, a subcategory of biking in which riders negotiate courses of their own design along impossibly narrow beams or leap chasm-like gaps. Without your feet touching the ground. The idea is to reclaim urban spaces by using the architecture as fuel for creativity and skill, like parkour on wheels. Highly in demand for his trials riding, breakdancing and parkour, Joel is passionate about his unique perspective on our ignored corners.
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Film Maker: Nick Shaw
Questions & Answers
- What's your first memory of London? Southbank, riding round the skate park, born in bedford, only 30min on train heard about hitting the spots.
- What do you miss when you're away from London? It's the greatest city in the world, but it's nice to get out! It can be oppressive because its so big and fast paced.
- What's your favourite neighbourhood? Elephant and Castle has a big place in my heart, there's a rawness to it. when I first moved to London it was where I lived. It's a place of extremes, which is typical of London. There're real people there.
- What's your favourite building? Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle. Realness. It's fascinating. Its soon to be "yuppified" so it's changing, it raises questions about sustainable communities in a city. Failed utopias, blandness. Better than The Shard.
- What's your ideal day out in London? Hampstead Heath swimming in the ponds. I switch my phone off on a hot day. Riding. Hitting a spot you'll meet people.
- What's your ideal night out in London? It's at night time when London comes alive, breakdancing nights in Brixton, Bedroom Bar. I love dancing.
- What's your most hated building? Kentish town next to the station. I can't stand boring redevelopments and new builds. They're clean and boring.
- What's the best view in London? From the top of Heygate Estate.
- What's your favourite open space? Hampstead Heath or Primrose Hiil, they're unique because of the ponds.
- What's the most interesting shop? I'm a sucker for newsagents, I like going in and buying weird soft drinks like Uludag.
- What's been your most memorable night out in London? My mind's fried at the moment, but I've had a few good ones.
- Where would you take someone visiting from out of town? I take Riding friends to riding spots. Anyone else i'll take to Camden Market or Primrose Hill.
- What's the worst journey you've had to make in London? Whenever I go to Heathrow I get the tube, I travelled back from Wales and had to get the tube and I was standing on the platform and a guy jumped in front of the train. It was a mad juxtaposition of emotions. They closed the station and we all had to get out.
- What's your personal London landmark? Southbank centre, it helps me orientate myself. i know my way around pretty well.
- Who's your favourite fictional Londoner? Oliver Twist
- What's your favourite London film, book or documentary? Film - Nil by mouth. Documentary - Solitary Life of Cranes, inspiring.
- If you could travel to any time period in London, past or future, where would you go? I'd like to see 100 years in the future.
- For you, who is the ultimate Londoner? Ray Winstone