What got you into skateboarding?
Answer: I saw a few kids at school skate home in the afternoons, it blew my mind how they were ollieing up pavements and doing kick flips. It looked so fun and at the same time impossible. I went home and asked my parents for a board and my mom gave me her board back when she used to skate.
What is your skating scene like in your city?
Answer: It is growing every day, it’s definitely the biggest I’ve seen in years. There are so many spots, new skate shops and so many good skateboarders. We see a lot of international Pro skaters come through Cape Town quite often as well. The two local skateparks, Battery Skate park and Mill Park definitely play a big part in progression out here.
What is you to go trick to start your sesh?
Answer: My go to trick would usually be something simple like a front shuv on flat, Tre flip or sometimes I’ll just start skating a ledge with a few basics.
Do you feel skateboarding has changed your life? How?
Answer: Yes, definitely. It taught me so many life lessons I would never have learnt anywhere else, it’s also given me so much opportunity in my life that I’m so grateful for.
What pro skater inspires your skateboarding?
Answer: I have so many, but one of my favorite skaters of all-time would-be Shane O Neill.
Do you prefer watching skate videos on social media or buying it? Why?
Answer: Although I watch a lot of tricks every day on social media and I think it’s so sick to see the progression from around the world, personally I enjoy owning classic original skate videos, I have so many issues of 411VM, On Video, Cheese and Crackers and others that always gets me stoked.
What is the gnarliest trick you have ever done? How did you feel when you landed it?
Answer: I think there were two moments that I definitely will never forget. One of them was In my new video part, I did a ghetto bird down this rough and really long double set in my hometown. For me it was the process of it all that led to the feeling I got and will never forget. The first day we went there, we went with a bunch of skaters and none of us ended up getting a trick down the set, the next time I went the wind was so bad and had to call the session off, so third time I went back with my friend Owen who filmed it and I just told myself there is no way I’m leaving here without the clip even though it became harder to get myself there mentally every time, my body was getting grated, t-shirt and jeans were done with and out of nowhere, I literally went as fast as I could, popped the trick with what was left of my legs and landed. I remember just standing looking at the set, no words, just taking in the fulfillment and the appreciation of skateboarding. The second one, was a video project a couple years back, where I had this idea of ollieing a 3 meter gap from one shipping container to another. It was so gnarly because I was about 3 stories high and going from inside one container to inside the other one. If I had fallen between, it would have been game over for sure.
Tell us a little bit about your local skate shop & what they do for skateboard scene?
Answer: In my city there are a few local skate shops that do so much for the scene, from supporting skaters that are coming up, hosting skate contests and supporting other events as well. It was so important for skateboarding in Cape Town and undoubtedly is what is helping our scene grow.
What is your daily routine before you go shred?
Answer: Just starting off with Coffee, a light breakfast, stretching and a bit of shoegaze music on the way to the session.
Any inspiring words you want to tell the next generation of skaters?
Answer: Stay humble, stay focused and determined with your goals, always believe in yourself at all times and stay true to skateboarding.
