LUCY ADAMS INTERVIEW
Lucy has been killing it for years. A true skater in every sense of the word, whether on the streets of Horsham or at many events up and down the country she's doing her thing and on her own terms never conforming to any stereo types or expectations. A huge inspiration to any women getting into skating I'm sure.
Interview by Joe Gavin
When and how did you start Skateboarding?
I swam competitively for Crawley Swimming Club. Round the back of the pool these timber structures started appearing and each time I’d go training there would be more. One evening I decided to take my rollerskates with me to swimming – the ramps still weren't finished but there were a few guys skating some bits of it. So I climbed through a hole in the fence and started skating about in there. Trevor Wedd was one such local.... I saw him do a blunt-fakie on a mini-ramp and I was sold - the magic of skateboarding! That was in 1997 and I was 13 at the time!
Ollie
Photo - Chris Johnson
What were some of your influences growing up and how have they moulded you into the person and skater you are today?
Well, I've always been inspired by Elissa Steamer and Jaime Reyes. They were the first female skaters I saw in Vids and magazines and I thought their skateboard styles and also the clothes and shoes they wore were dope! The Crawley locals were also huge influences on me but my real faves to watch and idolise were Josh Kalis, Peter Smolik, Chad Muska, Ronnie Creager..... I liked baggy jeans, baggy T Shirts and puffy shoes. I obviously went through a phase when I was getting some flow product from Nikita / Gallaz and Etnies etc of wearing tighter Tee's but I never felt right and once I moved back into baggier garms I was much happier and felt like my skating improved too - haha. I guess liking Kalis, Smolik and Creager made me want to be some ledge tech but in reality, I was never that good and our local skatepark in Crawley actually doesn't have just a flat ledge :-( ... but I made myself learn back tails because they all do them really well and I wanted to be able to master them!
Your originally from Sussex but you spent some time in Manchester, How did you end up here and what were you up too?
Yeah so I went to Uni in MCR from 2003-2006 but then stayed on an extra year working in a School in Moss Side. I really only chose Manchester as a Uni to go to because of the skate scene and back then there were 5 indoor parks within an hours drive.... that was unheard of down my way back then. If we wanted to go to an indoor, it was £12 and 2.5 hours on the train to Playstation, London. So, my mum wanted me to choose some other Uni's and have options you know, but I was like, 'I'm going to Manchester or nowhere', it didn't matter what I studied! I ended up doing Management and Leisure - a total bore, I hated actual Uni... but I loved the City and I loved being able to skate so much.
What were your thoughts on the Manchester skate scene at the time?
Well I got quite into the skatepark scene mainly because I never seemed to really get into a crew Street Skating. I went to Urbis a few times but it was still a bit intimidating and not many people were too friendly. I remember almost immediately when I landed on campus, Woody and Ben Perry (I knew Ben from back in Sussex) met me for a skate through a Soletech connection as I was getting flowed Etnies at the time and Woody worked there.... We went for a pint in the SU Bar afterwards and it was really cool. But then I guess winter came and so I made my way to Stockport Skatepark most evenings on the train. I loved the parks though and had loads of friends there. I also loved that Note was in Bones and could hang out in there too. In maybe my second or third year, Powley moved up there and that was the best of times. He lived above Cast and it had that little ramp. It was so much fun hanging out skating that thing. He's also drive us over to the Works pretty often and we'd skate that little 3ft spine ramp there if we didn't break down on the way.
Switch Front Shuv
Photo - Reece Leung
Was there many Girls skating in Manchester then?
No, not at all! I don't really remember skating with any other women or girls that lived in Manchester itself... but the likes of Lois and Cora were just over the way in Bradford. Cora and I used to meet at Burnley Interact quite often - that was so rad! All the people I skated other than that were guys - Adam Ahmed, Ray and Tom, Stanners, John Bell, Dave M, John Fowler, Leigh Ahmed, Dossett...
I feel like you've always just skated your way no matter what the trends at the time were, Did you ever feel pushed to skate a certain way?
Yeah, I guessed I mentioned it briefly above... There was a time when I rode for Nikita and Etnies - both brands were making girls fits and I felt obliged to have to order up some of those bits... Really I just wanted Mens Large but my packages started to feature more feminine colours and fits. Was a bit of a bummer and after a while I realised I was just ordering more of the accessories like Dressing gowns and Towels - hahaha and nothing that I'd wear to skate in. I felt really guilty but just spoke to them and said it wasn't working out for me anymore and I wasn't repping the brand properly.
Now loads of Girls skate and skate well! How do you think things have changed for young women getting into skateboarding?
Yeah, now it's much more normal to see other women and girls down the park or even cruising along to the shops or whatever. It's amazing to see that. I think more and more these days a skateboard isn't seen as a toy for boys - it's seen as a mode of transport, and something that provides positive activity. Also, with the dawn of so many Social Channels, there are a lot more ways for women that skate to connect and follow each other - that provides inspiration and motivation.
I feel like skateboarding has changed as far as it's expanded into many different styles which has become more accommodating to people getting into it, Do you think that's helped girls get involved?
Yeah, expanding on what I said above, the past few years it's been really cool just to have a board for cruising and so that's offered a way in for those that might have thought before that they had to just skate at parks and do hard tricks etc.... And yeah, parks have come on leaps and bounds too so in recent years a lot more has been on offer - there's more bowls and transitions , more indoors... and these have helped encourage different styles and users.
Talk abit about some of the most inspiring female skate projects out there at the moment doing good shit?
Well, last year there was Vans "Credits" - a project by Shari White featuring Una Farrar, Breanna Geering, and Fabi Delfino amongst others. That was sick and definitely worth a watch. Breanna has a sick section at the end.
Meow Skateboards were part of Transworld skate and create that was a nice little edit with stuff from Mariah Duran and Kristin Ebeling
You can't not mention that absolute masterpiece of a section from Alexis Sablone in the latest Cons offering "Seize the seconds"
And then of course more locally, Girl Skate UK continuously provides us with up to date info about women and girl skaters and crews from all over the UK - I love seeing the stuff from Brum Girl Skate and RWTG Leeds
Something I've never seen before was a squad of Girls turned up to a street spot recently and all just started shredding. It was awesome to see that some Girls have started hitting the streets here. How do you feel about Girls only nights at skateparks?
I think they're brilliant! It's such a good vibe with loads of women and girls absolutely buzzing to be able to have access to all the ramps and features. They allow those groups to develop the fundamentals in a safe and friendly environment, make connections and form friendships.
Slappy Tailslide
Photo - Reece leung
I think they're a great introduction to skating and create groups of friends and crews but how do you reckon is the best way to get girls to break out of the skatepark and hit the streets?
I think this is happening organically! As you mentioned above, you've seen it firsthand. It's not easy to street skate in this country! Spots (as we call them - haha) are most of the time only accessible to pros... if there are nice open plaza spots, they're busy with other groups using the space and again it can become a bit intimidating..... but it is happening and is becoming more visible and I think its this that helps. I saw during lockdown that there a lot more clips/posts of women and girls skating curbs and car parks - making use of the quieter times for those zones and that will hopefully continue!
What three tricks do you love doing the most?
Sal Flip, Backside Tailslide, Fakie Frontside Boardslide Fakie
And if you could skate one obstacle for the rest of your life what would it be?
The Jump Box! Nothing feels like a tweaked air or a sal flip or a varial!
Stu's the best dude, What's he like as a team manager?
You couldn't ask for anyone better! He's just the nicest, most honest and up for a good time guy. He has great ideas, always creative and comes up with the best product / graphics. I'm just fully stoked on Lovenskate all of the time because of him, the rest of the team and the product!
What was the video you think you've watched the most?
Shorty's - 'Fulfil The Dream ' is probably the top because of Smolik, Muska and B Turner followed closely by RDS and Chomp on This. All of those vids got rinsed and still have sections I'll go back to today. Miss that Biebel, Koston and you can't knock Sluggo skating to Backstreet Boys! 'Baby Blue is the only true colour'!
As a Camo fan myself I recently left the house with an 85% camo outfit and realised I looked more like a soldier than a civilian. (Literally mask, wallet and boxers too) How come you like camo so much?
OMG same. Sometimes I have matching camo underwear set, Camo cargos and then I go to walk the dog and put on a different type of Camo Jacket and the dog has a camo coat and lead.... I must look fucking mental but I don't realise until i'm out in the woods! LOL. I'm unsure - I just really like patterns and prints. I love desert camo the most - I even painted my fence in the back garden desert camo. I also like leopard print!
Top Three sections to get hyped?
Great Choices! What are you up too at the Moment any new projects in the works?
Yaaasssss - I made a clip with Andy Evans that we finished up over a year ago...there's been a lot of issues getting it released because I'm just so off-brand .... many hurdles! But I really hope 2021 is the year it's finally out there because I can't wait for peeps to see it. Other than that, working on something new for Lovenskate and a really cool artist that should launch late Feb / early March - stoked on how it's all coming along. I hope I get a chance to travel with Vans again this year too but we'll see how Covid pans out.
Boardslide
Photo - Chris Johnson
Where are you based now and what's the scene like? I see you killing the local curbs quite abit.
I'm based in my hometown of Horsham, West Sussex. The scene is small and most of the skating is based around local parks - Crawley and Broadbrige Heath, but there are a handful of us that try to skate street a bit. I'm always keen for a solo curb session - there's a few little spots near my house and at the moment, with work and parenthood, if I can find even a half an hour window, I'll take it and just pop down there! I love how skating can be like that - you can just have a power hour alone or you can have a long session with a bunch of mates. I buzz off of all of it!
Massive congrats on becoming a mother how's it been so far?
Yeah it's wild! I'm loving every minute. He is so rad - just gets better and more funny by the day. I can't imagine life without him and can't wait for the future with him. Going for our first skate etc!
Go Follow Lucy @lucyadamsskate
1 comment
Great interview, love to see it
Tom
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