Girls Skate Network

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

I grew up near Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Now I Live in San Francisco, California.

How long have you been skating and what got you into it?

I’ve been skating 10 or 11 years, not exactly sure... I got into skating around the time that the Plan B Virtual reality video came out. Before that, I was trying to fit in with the other girls at school, playing on the volleyball team and all that stuff, but I wasn’t really into it. The skaters used to pick on us, and even though that was lame, I always thought skating looked fun. I had some money saved up, so I decided to get a board, and I took it to school and started skating with them.

First Board?

I had a little plastic banana board that I found for a while but my first board when I really got into skating was a Kris Markovich, 101, it was an everslick with the graphic of Evil Knieval jumping over the buses, I think Andy Jenkins did the graphic - one of the best graphics of all time.

Where has skateboarding allowed you to travel? Which is your favorite?

More than skateboarding has allowed me to travel - it has given me a reason to travel. That may be the best thing about skating - how it gets you to explore and find new things, whether its down the street, in the next town, or on another continent. I have gone to every continent except Antarctica. I like Australia and San Francisco the best.

Do you like skating contests? Favorite contest?

I get nervous at the contest and I don’t even know why because I’m not too worried about how I do. My legs just turn to jello at contests - though I do like it when there is a good course set up and a jam format. Jam formats are fun because then you can just skate and do all the tricks you want instead of worrying about consistency and putting together a line. I went to Brazil once and skated the World Cup contest there - which was cool because I couldn’t understand anything the announcers were saying, which made it way less stressful, just being oblivious and skating in a jam, with no plan, it was fun. And its one of the few contests that I’ve ever won, so I was stoked about that.

What kind of music do you listen to?

I listen to all kinds of music, but indie rock is what I listen to the most. I like Belle and Sebastian, Modest Mouse, Le Tigre. Classic Rock and Jazz are good too, and NPR. That might fit into the previous question of what people might not know about me: that I consistently leave my ipod behind on purpose when leaving for 3 week trips, because there is usually something good on the radio (at least in big cities) and its always new that way. NPR is good for late night drives.

Favorite Movie? Favorite skate video?

Withnail and I, and also Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, are both great movies. I’m not sure what my favorite skate video is... I usually just watch one or two peoples parts at a time - I like Marc Johnson, Gino Iannuchi, McCrank and Koston’s parts in Yeah Right.

Do you like filming? How is your footage for the Villa Villa Cola video coming along?

I like filming with Lisa, but all the other filmers that I know are always busy working on a video with a particular company, so its hard to go film with them. We’re starting to get footage, but its all going to be last minute, one month left until the deadline. Filming is good when you get something, but it would be awesome if Lisa lived somewhere where skating didn’t involve sitting in traffic for 5 hours everyday.

Thanks?

Lisa, the twins that I sometimes can’t tell apart, everyone involved in the VVC. Matt Irving, Bod Boyle, Catharine and Elska, everyone at Billabong, Kent and Andy at FTC, Michael Furukawa and Rob. Richard Hart, Joe Brook, and Anthony Claraval, Saba, my family, especially mom. Scott Pommier, everyone who has shot photos of me, and everyone who has let me stay at their place. Thanks to my friends and everyone one I’ve skated with because without all of that I wouldn’t be where I am now, and I’m stoked to be here now.