Can you describe the differences in mindset between a street skater and a vert skater? Are there differences?

There is quite a big difference, but there are also similarities. They both take tons of practice, focus, athleticism and confidence. And I don’t think any aspect is better than the other.

I’ve found in my experience that vert takes a ton of repetition and endurance training. For example, you could spend years just practicing airs and the tricks you already know, and could go from am to pro just by the style and height at which you do your tricks. I found if I take time away from vert, it’s much harder coming back than to street. The endurance is lost quicker I think on vert. Vert also has a different culture, too. Still a rollerblading sort of mind set, just shifted in a different way. Less party oriented, I suppose. What I like on park and street is the variety and that there’s so many more people to skate with.

How do think each discipline can aid development with the other?

I definitely feel they can aid the other. The grinds from park and street can help you a lot on vert, and the airs, pump and stamina on vert will help you on park. Though really there’s such a big difference between street and vert that they are close to being completely difference sports. Park is kind of the middle ground. The difference between skating a ledge, or a rail, to a vert ramp is extremely hard to compare.

Care to talk about how/why you think vert skating — once a widely seen and appreciated segment of blading — seemed to lose its connection with street skating?

To be honest, I feel street stepped away from vert. There was a lot of disconnection in the late ’90s from some of the top street skaters. From my perspective, street skaters felt they were too cool for the vert skaters, and a shift started that separated the sport. I think now vert has a lot more respect from the rolling community, but I think that separation really hindered rollerblading. I don’t think rolling will be as strong as it once was until the two unite together better. I think the media should be covering vert more, and I think it’s really frustrating that there’s no vert pro on a boot company’s pro team.

Which would you rather do, a boosty air or long grind?

Hard to say… both! I can have fun skating pretty much anything: vert, ledge, rail, or whatever!

What are you up to with spreading the word of vert skating?

Well, the Highrollaz vert DVD came out this year which did as well as I hoped. There’s also the vert site I built: www.highrollaz.org. Skating vert at Woodward with the campers helps a lot with spreading the word too.

Who is your favorite blader to skate with?

There are too many to really have one favorite. Pretty much anyone who is down to really skate hard. I like skating with all my street skating friends in Hawaii a lot. Any of the guys on the European tour. Shane Yost is really good to skate with. He’s taught me a lot of tricks.

Where will vert skating be in three years? More skaters overall, or stay on its present course?

It was a hard couple years after LG and ASA stopped as those were our main events; now a lot of the European pros like Nel, Sven, and others have taken vert events into their own hands to keep it going. They have a point system with six vert contests all over Europe. A lot of the events are inline vert only, no skateboarders or bmxers, which is cool. I think that it can stand on its own. Here’s their link for more info: http://www.ec-halfpipe.com/.

There are also a few contests in Asia. Asian X-Games being one of them. Inline vert there is a live TV event. So vert’s still out there, it’s in the US that it’s lacking.

Best ramp you’ve ever skated?

LG competition ramp. 14′ x 60′ or wider with roll-ins…

Worst?

The worst was the abandoned Dream Centre Ramp in LA. Jeff Linnett took Marco and me there for photos. It had holes you could see through, the worst seams that ran both lengthwise and across, and a mixture of old masonite and plywood.

Recently you competed in a vert competition in Russia… Please tell us a little about your trip and the competition. How is the scene out in Russia?

I was surprised. There’s a lot of recreational skaters there and with that come street, park and vert skaters, too. The ramp was really bad, but the contest was fun. Not many people really speak much English. It was a good adventure and I’m glad I went. It was a bit of a challenge with no events going on in America, so it was my first vert contest in almost two years. I also was really sick for like a month right up to when I left, but I ended up skating well enough for 5th place.

Last Comments?

I think rollerblading is coming together and growing in the right ways and places, but I feel for it to get close to what it used to be in numbers, the cultures and disciplines of skating are going to have to unite together a lot better. Each part of rollerblading has its element to offer. I hope that this happens so rolling can get back to its full potential again.

Interview and Photos by Sam DeAngelis