”I’m still far from my limits.”

25-year-old US World Champion and World Cup winner Jill Kintner dominates the mountain bike 4 cross discipline as she pleases: she won her first championship title at the tender age of nine, and since then there’s been no US or international title that she hasn’t won. So it was only natural that she also take the World Championship title in New Zealand, late this August. In the following interview, she talks about girls without drive, new challenges and her dread of a nine-to-five office job.

You’ve got an unbelievable year to look back upon: you won the World Championship and four out of five World Cup races, as well as the US and Australian Championships. What makes you so much better than the rest?

I think I just have higher standards for myself. There’s a good number of talented girls who maybe just don’t have the same work ethics or focus.

You had years of success in BMX before switching to 4X. What was your first experience on a mountain bike?

I was 15, and I took part in the Amateur Expert Girls race at the Sea Otter Classic without any prior experience on a borrowed bike with cantilever brakes. I was so out of my element, couldn’t shift, had a fall, but still somehow won. But that remained my only mountain bike race until I was 21 and got a bike of my own.

So when did you make the leap to 4X?

I’d always wanted to ride mountain bikes, but I had no access to the scene. And then, when I moved to California for school, there were plenty of mountain bike riders around to learn from.

Are you interested in mountain bike disciplines other than 4X?

I really like riding all disciplines, but my passion still lies in 4X events. I spent a lot of time doing bmx but accomplished my goals. The next thing to try is downhill. I have done a few races, but haven’t dedicated myself to it. It is hard to be really good at something when you are so spread out. I defiantly think that riding other disciplines and motos can help. They all have different skills that can add to the overall ability.

Is it true that you were once on a National soccer team?

I used to play defense for a premiere league team. I started on the same team and played from when I was 7 till 17. We took some a bunch of state and regional titles back in the day. I was on the school team, my premiere team, and indoor team, and an Olympic development team. I stopped playing so I could spend more time riding my bike. Team sports have a lot of politics, it was hard for me to deal with that.

You’re were enrolled in Art College right?

Yeah, I have been to two different Art schools actually. Went to school at RIT in upstate NY and California College of Arts in San Francisco. I love graphic design, it is a good creative outlet for me. I do little side jobs all the timeto stay balanced with things. It would be hard to do it full time, sitting inside allday at a computer. I am way to active of a person to want to go that route, but it will always be part of whatever I do.

Your former MTB coach, Scott Sharples, says that you’ve still got a lot of unused potential in you.

Absolutely. I know that I’m still way far off from my potential. I have a long list of skills that I am working on to be better. I am far from done with what I have to learn.

Makes one feel sorry for your opponents already…

I’ve heard that a lot lately. Everyone has the same oppourtunity. It is hard for me, I want to have a full heat where anyone of us can win. The challenges is what keeps racing fun. So maybe it is the motivationon they need?? Dunno. It is not going to stop me from training hard and giving it my all, that’s for sure. There will be someone come along to take my place one day.