Africa Skateboarding Diary: Well, welcome in Africa Skateboarding Diary. Brief us about yourself?
Simone: I’m Simone Verona, a 34 years old skateboarder from Italy. I skate since I was 8. So pretty long time
Sure it’s real long time! You have witnessed a lot happening in Skateboarding. What else are you doing in Skateboarding?
Simone: Yes I saw a lot happening in skateboarding! Beyond skate I also work for a skateboard website, 4skateboard.it and we also have a printed magazine.
Then with some really good friends I run a skate company, Dumb Skateboards, and a small distribution, Samurai Suicide.
And, what else? I also film, most of the time just filming friends, but sometimes as a work too
That is great; “samurai” is this Japanese word? What Impacts did you get from skateboarding?
Simone: Yes, samurai is a Japanese word, “Samurai Suicide” is just a funny names!
It recalls the fact that works in skateboarding business is kind of a suicide but gives a lot of fun too
Yes sure!
Simone: I got so much from skateboarding… I can’t say that it changed my life because I started so young that, you know, I’ve no idea of how my life could be without it
But I know skateboarding is in every corner of my life now, and I like it!
For all those years, what can you tell about skateboarding in your homeland?
Simone: Well, I have always lived near a small town and the skateboarding scene here was so small… for the first years I skated with 2 or 3 friends and we was totally out of the skateboarding world. Then it slowly start to grow up and since a few years we started to have some good skate parks in my area!
So that’s why I really like to see that now skateboarding is growing everywhere like in Africa for example
Because I know that there’re skaters like we was that are waiting for see it happen
Sure, skateboarding grows in Africa more quickly, with South Africa as a pilot.
What can you tell African Skateboarders?
Simone: As I read from you somewhere, I agree that African skaters need to stand together
hahahhaha sure!
Simone: and also, if somebody is going to build some skate parks take care of it
and try to make they gonna build good skate parks that are good to skate and will last long!
Yes, sure Africa lacks skate spots and parks. But we salute all hard learning Africa skaters who started skateboarding in their late 20s
Simone: I saw some footage of very good African skaters!
That is nice, can you share your favorite footage from YouTube. Well, skateboarding going to Olympic what can you say about it?
Simone: here’s the YouTube links:
this is a super good video part from a Moroccan skater: Nassim Lachhab
Click to Watch “Nassim Lachhab”
And this is the video from the adidas tour in South Africa
Click to Watch “Adidas Tour-South Africa”
I love the miniramp in the desert, you know it?
Tell us more about it?
Simone: well, the video part from Nassim Lachhab, I like it because he skates really well! There’s a flip backside nosebluntslide that’s crazy! He shows that also in Africa there’re some really good skaters!
While the Adidas video shows more about the beauty of Africa and how nice could be to skate there also if you skate just a small spot or a small miniramp but with a beautiful landscape
That is great Nassim, the world knows about you. Keeps Africa rolling!
Simone: About skateboarding at the Olympic Games… well it’s a weird thing for sure. But can be a good thing too
It all depends. What can you tell us your favorite skateboarding event?
Simone: I mean, it could be a good thing if it helps build new skate parks around the world and help skateboarding grows especially in the areas where the skateboarding is still small.
What you think about it?
Simone: Skateboarding has a wide area for expanding, it depends to those who what to grow it. You think Olympics could be good for African skateboarding?
I think that will favor African Countries and their skateboarders by making our governments realizing our potential and start to support us
Simone: True, If it helps this way, then it worth to have skateboarding at the Olympic Games also if is weird… let’s see
Sure let’s see. We want to know your favorite event you have attended?
Simone: Well… now there’re so many big events like Xgames, Dew Tour and Street League, that I don’t follow that kind of contest anymore. I’m happy that they exists and skater do big money with them, but I prefer to watch events like Tampa Pro or some small contest here and there
Everyone is on favor of Tampa, we shall get to Adam soon so that we can learn what makes Tampa Pro the best event.
Small events do a lot to Inspire skaters especially those Organized by Shop owners
Skateboarding Media taking a huge boom online, what can you say about skateboarding in Press.
Simone: Well, all press media are getting smaller worldwide, not only in skateboarding. That’s a natural effect of the internet growing and skateboarders have always been one step beyond about media, so they started to care about internet very early…
But for sure there’s something in a printed skate magazine, that internet can’t give you… so I think printed magazine will not totally disappear soon
And also, now everything is changing so fast in the internet world, so we can’t really say… Facebook has changed the way we use our computer so quickly… who know what can happen in the next years
Sure, we all like being Online and tell our own stories about Skateboarding.
Lets wind this, Simone what do you think of skateboarding in next five years?
Simone: I think it will keep growing, especially where is still small, like in Africa. For sure internet can help this process a lot
As I told you, when I started skating I didn’t know anything about skateboarding… but now everyone from everywhere can go on internet and know everything about skateboarding.
Okey, it was nice to have you here. Keep spreading skateboarding and Africa Skateboarding Diary #skatediary
Simone: Thanks to you! And thanks to Skateboarding Diary to help Africa Skateboarding grow!
AFRICA SKATEBOARDING DIARY 