In true Senechal fashion, here are TEXT LINKS to some dope photos:
Over X-up
Pedal stall to fakie out
Proper tabled-out air
Pegless 50/50 up a handrail in Louisville

(Interview conducted by Aaron Lutze)
The Basics

Name: Ryan Senechal (pronounced Seneshell, or if you're lazy I'm okay with
Shendal, Senegal, R dot, Smeneshell, or even sneneshedal if I'm in a good mood)

Age: 22, soon to be 22 1/2

Hometown: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada

Riding influences: Jeff Lenosky, Mike Headford, Michael Gooch, and Eric Porter (in no particular order)

What motivated you to start putting on contests?

Mainly that there were patches of sick riders all across the continent and
not enough events to bring them together. Prior to events like Rye and Superfest I think these street riders mainly met at either Motorama, or slalom & DH mega-fests like Sea-Otter and Mt. Snow. I really like hanging
out with other street riders, and what better way than hosting an event targeted towards that kind of riding, followed by a big party. Aspiring event directors take note! One thing led to another and from my experience directing regional
trials events and promoting various shows I started plugging away with the help of some more active members of the scene around these parts (Robin Coope, Mike Headford, Lee Allen, Mike Gooch, Liam Cohl, Dan Garcia, Teena Rumak, Morley Wilkins, Nelson and Roger Martins, Jeff Wollenzien, Bob Bonner and family, and tons of other riders went way out of their way to be a part of it).
I would go so far to say the biggest motivator is so many friends being anxious to come together to pitch in any way they can to get the job done and I think most of them have had a lot of fun being a part of the production (most have been a part of all three street events that have taken place here in Toronto, and offered to be there indefinitely next year).

You are the rider credited with bringing mtb-street riding to Toronto. What got you started with mtb-street and how has it changed since you started riding street?

I am? Nifty. I think the riders I've always rode with have been the primary influence, more specifically Nelson Papel who I toured with extensively and Jeff Lenosky (who I've been following since I first got into trials back in '95). I can't forget Ryan Leech who I also performed shows with quite a bit. I guess it was the practice sessions that opened my mind to the pursuit of original concepts. Fortunately some of the guys I rode with locally had some interesting lines and an open mind to getting the maximum potential out of each place we hit. Headford, Gooch and I have spent more time riding together than I dare to estimate. We feed off of each other and poach each other's lines or style every now and then, but all in good fun. More recently I'd say Morley Wilkins and I see eye to eye on the direction to ultimately go; We both dig obscure ideas and abstract approaches to the every day line -- but then the bastard moved back to the west coast! Mickey Vonesh, Thomas Cook, Chris Silva, Terry Leimonis, and Chris Dzavik are the rest of the locals I ride with most, and sessions with those guys are always enlightening (and dare I say it, super-fun).

What is the best thing that happened to you in the past year?

I don't think that kind of information is suitable for the younger crowd...
But what the hey, a PG rated alternative: Well there was that time back in Wisconsin where I drank your sorry ass under the table, and out-stumbled you back to the house. Oh yeah, and the time I out-drank, out-danced, and out-lasted you at the pre-bikebattle gala. (Editors note: Senechal must have been pretty loaded, because in both cases, it was actually the other way around. What a lush.)

What is the perfect ride for you?
Hmm, a 96 impreza 2.8l turbo with mad engine mods, the interior gutted and a roll cage in, 2 bucket seats and 5 point harnesses, raise it up and stiffen that suspension, throw a skid plate underneath, put on some thick steel rims and dirty rubber, hydraulic spike and ooooo a quad hella lamp rack up front, and a helicopter to fly it around between the places that is illegal to be driven on streets...

Bike you mean? Leech Moment frame, if I could ever get a hold of one of those custom Porter Manitou street forks I'd run that happily forever, but for the time being I put up with circa 98-2000 Marzocchi bolt on arch/crown forks (and some hella-blown-seals), reduce em and stiffen them up. I'm die hard Magura HS33's as you know, front steer tube routed as well. I'd be running them now if I could afford them, but for now the avids do the job. Chris King hubs are prime, I'm hoping they last forever as it'll be a long time before I can afford another set. Single speed is what I like, w/
horizontal dropouts and a 27 x 12t ratio with microdrive bashring on euro
bb. I've had enough of smashing derailleurs off and mooching off you for
more of that quality sram stuff! The reason for the small ratio is that is
saves weight, looks tight and gives me the clearance I need for pedal
stalls and the occasional grind (am I allowed to say that?). Tires, well
these 10 dollar conti's seem to be doing the job for now. Bars - Easton,
Rims - Rhino Lite TCBs, Pedals - Mosh cart., Chain - SRAM PC 68, Drivetrain - Envy.

What kinds of things are you working on to develop street riding (or any style, for that matter) in the future?

I don't really think of it as developing street riding, more or less developing a better understanding of myself and trying to have a little more control and a surplus of options to keep things lively, and interesting. It's very flattering to hear that other people are stoked on my style or they think I'm on the progressive edge, but at the same time I feel so far down the ladder and have a list of shit to learn and perfect a mile long in my mind. It's a major piss off that I can't man up to some of the objectives that have sat on that list for a couple of years now, but it balances itself out when you end up with a surprise addition that is dialed in shortly after you realized it was a possibility. I really want to start attacking some of those big moves that I've been shying away from for so long in the next little while, I think those moves are necessary to move on to the next stage at this point.

If you could have one mtb-related wish, would would it be?

1 dozen Krispy-Kreme donuts would be awful tasty right about now. But for real, I wish for 200,000 dollars to get my dream of an ON-shore frame manufacturing company off the ground.

If you could never ride a bike again for the rest of your life, what other sport would you pick to learn?

As some of you may know, Morley Wilkins and I are pretty tight. That guy
talks on and on about surfing, and the more I listen the more I crave the
thought of it. I think it's another one of those sports that you can never
truly master even if you are a genius or fit beyond belief, and so on.
The learning curve is never ending, it all comes down to your own ambition
and desire to experience as much of it as possible I guess, plus it can
take you to some of the most beautiful places on earth. Oh yeah. and
there's that whole sneaking into local-only spots, poaching their waves, then kicking the shit out of them and all their friends when they swarm you on the shore, and end the day by waxing over all of their windshields on the way out. I've always wanted to be agro deep-down you see...

Who is your favorite midwestern rider/video producer?

Well, Chad Degroot, and Dave Freimuth are definitely contenders, but
wait... Is this a trick question? Yay Aaron Lutze!!

Why is 50 Cent your favorite rapper?

Well because he represents the dumbing-down of our society on a never-before-seen-scale, and that takes courage -- the kind of courage needed to take multiple gunshot wounds to the chest just to protect your cocaine rather than your family.

What's your beef with Nascar racing?

Well mainly that it is just so damn television and radio friendly. We
need to get these Americans off of their couches and back onto their '82
firebird project that sits on blocks lonely as can be, neglected, abused,
and rusting. Just think if they actually put that 4 hours of counter-clockwise eye rotations and right arm tilting towards mouth and back again into something constructive, we might see less OFFICIAL NASCAR propaganda littering America, and turn back the tides of the youth of tomorrow's ever diminishing hopes for a F1 event (featuring drivers with actual talent) ever to reach American Soil... Yeeeeeeehaw!

Who would you like to thank?

OOoo I definitely want to thank you Mr. Lutze for being so wonderful and
accommodating in this stressful time. Alisha, you are a super-power, I swear it. Headford, get a decent bike and some new parts and I swear you won't get bucked into trees and semis no more bro! Gooch, you'll get over the slump soon, don't let it bring you down. Lenosky, thanks for being original and so well rounded - I like riding with you a lot, maybe I can do it more often next year. Uhhh, Dawn and Teegan, thanks for being there for me guys! Who else.. Robin Coope gets mad props for coaching me through all of my adolescent turbulence, and forcing me to follow through. Mike G, Stan I, Cooker, Dzavik, VONESH, Wilkins, Christian Bleur, you guys rule. Uhh, Jesus you're welcome to crash at my pad anytime man. Burkhardt, thanks for putting out the goods and keeping fabric on my back - Grant at Ryeka, Timothy and Lee at Orange, my family, oh yeah and PORTER we gots to ride again.

Ryan's Website
http://myope.net/

Desktop Image of Ryan's Uphill Grind
http://www3.sympatico.ca/jenfyvie/

Desktop Image of Ryan's Uphill Grind
http://www3.sympatico.ca/senechal123/remix.jpg