BOB
BURNQUIST
1. The first thing I remember is my friend having a
skateboard, and I didn't, so I had to get one and bugged
my dad until he finally got me one. Before that, we
would take turns and push each other around the garage.
of my house in Brazil.
2. Skateboarding has changed my life completely
around from what I thought it would be, and it surprises
me everyday. When I was in Brazil, going to high school
and skating every day with my friends, I dreamed of
coming to the US to skate the skateparks with the per-
fect vert ramps and all the great skaters. But at that
time, the only thing I could see was finishing high school.
and going to college. That's what every one else was
doing, and that's
what my mom and
dad wanted for me.
It was definitely
not what I wanted,
because by follow-
ing that, I would
have had to cut
skateboarding
about 70% of what I
was used to just to
do good in school.
I've had times of
disencouragement.
I was a profession-
al skateboarder in
Brazil, and I wasn't
making enough
money to even
keep up with new
gear to be able to progress, let alone eat or live on my
own, which is what the word professional should sus-
tain. Unfortunately, that is not what happens in Brazil,
and I am very lucky for all that's happened to me. I go
back to Brazil quite often, and I still see the difficulties
that I had happening to my friends. It is sad, and I will
try to change that in my country, doing my part in get-
ting the recognition that we skateboarders in Brazil
deserve. Not competing or trying to show who's best,
but showing that there is a skate history in Brazil, and
that we are going through a bright phase now. I see that
very clearly. I'm aware of the doors I've opened and the
inspiration I've been to young and old skaters in Brazil,
and that is exactly what we need: unity-to combat the
blood-sucking companies that take everything away.
from the skater, the one who deserves the biggest slice
of the pie. After all, we are the ones who make skate-
boarding what it is, and without us, there is no money.
That is how skateboarding has changed my life. Now I
have something to do, and only I can do it. It has
changed my life, and the life of my fellow Brazilians. All
I have to do now is skate, skate, skate and skate.
3. Being a great skater takes a lot of skating, dedica-
tion, confidence and focus. There are many roads to
take when you get to be a professional skateboarder.
It's easy to just sit on that paycheck and party, but it
won't last that way. You are better off taking advan-
tage of your new life and work hard to skate as many
places as you can: pools, street, vert, mini-ramps,
pipes, ditches, bowls, cement, wood, metal, whatever.
Just put your board down and skate the heck out of it.
As Jake once said, "Every new transition in your pocket
'makes you a better skater." I'll take that advice and
recommend it to everyone. Second, I try to keep
myself relaxed and away from the egotistic way of
being.
other words, I try and have a great time
wherever I am, whenever I'm on a skateboard. And it
isn't hard. It's just a matter of letting yourself go and
forget all the "fame" that comes with being a great
skater: people trying to get close to you, even people
who used to be dicks to you are now trying to be your
best friends-that can really mess with one's head. Be
nice and courteous to younger skaters, no selfishness
when skating with a crowd, and most of all, respect
those who've been around longer than you have. And
third, skate with all your might, 'cause you never know
how long it will last.
4. That is a tough question, 'cause there are so many good
skaters, and a lot of them left their mark. But I will dare to
answer it. At least I'll let you know who my influences are
and were when I started rolling. I've always looked up to
Danny Way. He is my favorite skater of all-time, and after.
him comes Colin Mckay, another huge influence. He's a
smooth skater, who makes tricks look easy and totally pos-
sible. Tony Hawk is the skater of all-times. He's brought
consistency and variety to skateboarding and has been
around for a very long time. Tony is definitely a role model
for young and older skaters. Many more to come will look
back in time and see how much one guy has done. I feel
like skating just thinking about it. Mark Gonzales cannot be
left out of my list, either. I don't know the exact details or
the list of tricks he's invented, but I can say that he is truly
a skater who has changed streetskating and taken it to the
next level. From then on with his creativity implemented,
younger skaters learn tricks that took a lot of years of fun
to invent, and it becomes their basics. Few dare to create,
but when one dares, a clear influence is planted, and
skaters follow. Chris Miller: speed and smoothness. He's
the one who made me want to do backside lipslides after a
full speed, corner backside air. And John Cardiel with his
balls-out skating, make-it-or-break-it type guy. He's a very
good friend, who has also played a part in influencing my
skateboarding-break through the fear and commit. There
is a little to learn from every skateboarder if you only
know how to look. I could seriously go on and on with this
list, but this will do.
5. There are two sides to that question: the scariest thing
you've done and got away with, and the scariest thing that
has happened to you on a board. Starting with the first side,
I put a knee-high barrel on the edge of this 9' kinky-ass
bowl and ollied over it into the bowl. My heart was pound-
ing before that drop, and when I crossed the flatbottom
unharmed, I felt the most awesome feeling that I can't put
into words, but will remember for the rest of my life. One
try, make-it-or-break-it. The second side of the question, I
was skating the Rio Sul Bowl one night and was riding my
trucks looser than usual. While I was getting ready to blast
a backside air, I wobbled and missed the tranny, looping
out to a half front flip, landing face first on the concrete
flatbottom. Catching about a foot of tranny, my legs kept
going for the flip, but my head was already down. At that
point, my body formed a C shape, and I was carried out of
the bowl with a split-open upper lip, broken tooth, and a
pinched nerve on my back. That kept me out for 2 months.
Looking back, it was fun. Diving head first from about 4' in
the air all the way down to the flat of a 9' bowl has to be
fun. The bad part comes when you hit ground.
6. We're going to see skaters skate with both stances with
ease and the same style going either which way. Right now.
you see people doing switch stuff that looks like they're
going fakie to fakie, but with enough time and kids learning
how to skate switch at an early time, I believe we will see it
soon enough. That is what I'm trying to bring out in my
skateboarding. Skaters should realize that learning how to
skate switch isn't as hard as learning how to skateboard for
the first time. We've got a head start already. The balance is
set, all we have to do is create or even resuscitate tricks to
set the basics for younger skaters to use to take skate-
boarding wherever they wish.
gazine arding
Potting
Left: USING HIS LANky frame, a taLL BAR IN
Pacifica gets 180"D. PHOTOS BY OGDEN.
RIGHT: NOBODY Does Switch fRONTSIDE
AIRS BIGGER. Pноtо ву Dаwes.