Birthplace: NEW CASTLE, England.
Stephen: When I was younger I did do really well in racing, I got 2nd at the European Championship two years in a row, a third, 5th at the World's in 15/16 experts but then I started enjoying jumping more.
Stephen Murray, www.ridebmx.com, september 2001: England is very street and park oriented. It’s very underground and hardcore. But I grew up racing and there were always dirt comps at the races. They used to have contests called "Squirts of Dirt." Like the King of Dirt, but for little kids. So I did that and I won the year-end series one year. A couple of years later I did the King of Dirt, and I won that and I loved it. I did a few more comps in Europe and it became more and more addictive. I just wanted to keep on going; I wanted to go to America and ride out there. Not so much for the contest thing, that didn't appeal to me then. I really just wanted to go to Sheep Hills and ride with all those boys. Everything just developed from there.
Stephen: We both ride for Robinson and their english distributor, Shiner.
Wallride at Northampton. Photo by Wig.
Keith Mulligan, www.ridebmx.com, october 2006: When Stephen Murray first moved to California from England in the late 90’s it was sunset sessions at Sheep Hills during the week and races on the weekends. The racing soon stopped, and the addition of crazy moves to his trick list quickly followed. This is one of those colorful sunset days at Sheep when Stephen rode a chrome Haro and rocked Airwalk shoes.
Stephen Murray, www.ridebmx.com, september 2001: I first came out to Southern California in ‘98 to ride Sheep Hills. That's where I had always wanted to ride. I just wanted to go to Sheep; I didn't care about anything else. It was the end of summer when I got down there, and I thought, "Man this place sucks." It was terrible, nothing but moon dust everywhere. But there were a million Pros down there. I thought, "I can't believe that all these bad ass riders ride such a shit place." I guess the scene has kind of died out, but back in the day it wasn't about how good the place was. It was the riders that went there that made the sessions.
Photo by Keith Mulligan.
1st UCI Worlds 1999 Dirt Jumping.
Martin and Stephen Murray interview in Ride BMX UK october 1999.
Stephen Murray is riding for Nirve.
Stephen Murray, Ride BMX UK: My mom made me go to school until I was 18 and then I went to California. First for 6 months to try it out, pretty much for just a holiday and mess around and play on my bike at Sheep Hills. And I got back and was supposed to go to University and said to my mom, BMX is for me, I don't want to go back to college, I'm not ready for it, let me go back for three more months this time to check it out. The second week I was out there I got asked to ride for Nirve. Nirve was a new company back in the time and they needed a dirtjumper, and it went from there.
Stephen Murray, www.ridebmx.com, september 2001: Dale Holmes recommended me. Dale had gotten a sponsorship with Nirve as a racer and they were looking to put the whole program together and needed a dirt jumper. I got a call from Gary Ellis and I was star struck. "Oh shit, I'm talking to the Lumberjack." I didn't even know what to say to him. Next I went down to the factory and spoke with some of the guys there and they offered me a ride. It was something that I always dreamed of—getting an American sponsor and riding as a Pro out here. So it went from there. I signed with them, then had a nightmare first year, but they stuck with me all the way and it all came together this year.
Year of non-stop injury (broke his left clavical two times, left scapula, right fibula, right navicular [wrist], right thumb, right lunate bone [in hand], and had three concussions)
1st place pro dirt @ X-Games
Stomp a double backflip in the contest.
Stephen: I had six of my mates over and my mum and dad, I didn't want to let them down and not qualify for the finals. They came all the way over, I wanted to give them some kind of a show at least, you know. I'm like .....I'm in the X Games, all my friends and family are here, I have to win it. I have to f**g win the contest! This is a once in a lifetime thing.
5th place pro dirt @ CFB ROUND 1, JACKSONVILLE, FL
7th place pro dirt @ CFB ROUND 2, PERRIS, CA
2nd place pro dirt @ DK dirt circuit ROUND 2, CARLISLE, PA
1st place pro dirt @ DK dirt circuit ROUND 3, PERRIS, CA
12th place pro dirt @ DK dirt circuit ROUND 4, ANDERSON, IN
1st place pro dirt @ Gravity Games, Providence, RI.
The jump that earned Murray the win was his perfectly executed double backflip in the final round.
Stephen Murray, Transworld BMX may 2004: The first time I landed a 360 flip was at the 2001 Gravity Games in Rhode Island. Trying to line up the rotation of a flip and a 360 so you come into the landing straight is the hardest thing I have done. The trick is so inconsistent, especially on dirt, because there are no two jumps that are the same.
8th place pro dirt @ VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF BMX # 1, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
3rd place pro dirt @ VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF BMX #2, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Interviews: www.ridebmx.com september 2001, www.fatbmx.com september 2001.
Interview and lookdown 360 flip sequence from the Gravity Games in Ride BMX UK #56 december 2001.
April 2002, Stephen Murray entered the Red Bull "High Air" contest at the European King Of Dirt Series in Leipzig, Germany and took first! This was big as his winning jump of 5.55 meters was an officially recognized Guinness World Record!
1st place pro dirt @ GRAVITY GAMES, CLEVLAND, OH, july 31, 2002
Nirve's Stephen Murray collected his second win in as many years at the NBC Gravity Games!! Stephen grabbed the gold in the pro dirt jump competition by pulling off a huge double backflip in his first run, along with a sensational 360 turndown backflip in his final attempt.
2nd place pro dirt &19th place pro street @ VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF BMX #1, CHARLOTTE, NC
2nd place pro dirt @ VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF BMX #2, DENVER, CO
Video 411 #1, Vans skatepark tour.
Lookdown flip at Cory Nastazio's house. Photo by Scott Papiro.
Pro Q&A in Transworld BMX may 2004: Stephen Murray on 360 flips, luck, broken bones and bling-bling.
The injuries that Stephen sustained are no doubt going to affect him for a life time. Medical bills alone can reach astronomical dollar amounts. As a BMX community we have the power to help him. Stephen is a young 27 years old and is the financial provider for a wife and two young children. www.stephenmurrayfamilyfund.com.
Written By: TJ Lavin and Pippa Tabron. Vocals by: TJ Lavin. Chorus: Written & Recorded By: Pippa Tabron. Featuring Cory “Nasty” Nastazio. Guitar Written & Played By: Simon Tabron. Rodeostar Records.