THE BALLOON MAN

Circus gig real blast for skate-kid Ryan

DEFYING GRAVITY: Caloundra’s Ryan Williams wows the crowds in Prague during the Nitro Circus 2012 tour.

from: sunshinecoastdaily.com.au

29th Apr 2014 

FROM Sunshine Coast skate parks to flipping 15 metres in the air in front of a crowd of thousands, Ryan Williams has taken his love for extreme sports to the ultimate edge.

And he couldn't think of a better way to make a living.

Now known as R Willy, Ryan was plucked from Caloundra skate park by Travis Pastrana and his Nitro Circus crew in 2011 and is enjoying some much-needed downtime back home before heading off on an Australian tour.

Fresh from sell-out tours of Europe, North America and South Africa, Ryan is happy to be back home at Caloundra skate park.

With only two six-centimetre-wide wheels sliding him down the mega ramps, Ryan's ability to transform the humble scooter into an extreme sport has floored

audiences the world over.

"It's just an amazing feeling to know this is what I do for a living ... it's my dream," he said.

Ryan is coming back bigger and better than ever, hoping for another world record next month in the Brisbane show with the first-ever 720 front flip - a BMX front flip with two twists.

"I don't practise the trucks, I just play them out in my head and go for it," Ryan said. "We all know how fast we can spin and how high we can go, so we calculate it all in our heads.

Catch R Willy and the entire Nitro Circus Live crew at Brisbane on May 16, 17, 18 and possibly a fourth show on the 19th.