David Gaziev: skateboarding is more than a sport

Two years ago, a simple guy from the small town of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky became a rider for the adidas Skateboarding Russia team. Now David Gaziev is happy to share his experience and conduct free training sessions for everyone at BASEMOSCOW in Gorky Park. We met with David to talk about his path in skateboarding, his first and most significant competitions in his life and how skate culture in Russia has made a huge step forward in 12 years.

– How did your path in skate culture start?
– I started skating absolutely by accident: my sister had a classmate, and he had an old Soviet board that he gave me to ride. I tried it and got really sick of it. As a result, I’ve been riding for 12 years now.

– How and where did you start skating?
– I started practicing in my native Pereyaslav-Zalessky. There, of course, there was no equipment, special grounds and skate schools. There was little good asphalt in principle(smiles). But it so happened that such difficult conditions hardened me.

Skate video is in principle a very important part of the process, it’s as important for a skater to shoot his profile as it is for a musician to record an album.

– What motivated you? Where did you get your ideas and inspiration from?
– Both then and now I watch skate videos, but back then there were still very few of them. Skate videos are basically a very important part of the process, it’s as important for a skater to make a profile as it is for a musician to make an album. A skate video is how you are seen from the outside. And, of course, I moved forward at the expense of like-minded people. We already had a group of guys who got together and skated. We progressed at each other’s expense. Because when one person does a trick, you watch and immediately want to do it too.

– Why did you decide to compete? I could have just skated for myself.
– Well, by the way, yes, this is also very important – to designate your goal at once, to understand what you want: to ride for your own pleasure or to constantly strive for some progress. Because adolescence is a great opportunity to go deep into something and get pumped up. There is an opportunity to make your hobby your job. As long as there is such an opportunity, it is better to mark your positions at once and go towards your dream.

– What were your first competitions?
– My first competition was in the city of Yaroslavl, my sister brought me there, and it so happened that by some miracle I managed to take second place there. It motivated me a lot to progress further. I saw the level of other guys, saw how other riders skate. It made my eyes light up and then I couldn’t stop.

– At what age is it ideal to start skateboarding?
– I have experience when children as young as five years old were brought to me for training. I believe that the earlier the better. There are no restrictions, but of course it would be cool if it was combined with some other sports activities, so that the child has a general physical preparation and it would be easier for him.

– Did you do anything besides skateboarding when you were a kid?
– Of course, I did karate and skiing, so I had a good physical preparation from the beginning.

– How did you join the Adidas Originals team?
– There is no such notion that we directly train in a team, because skateboarding is a more individual sport. But of course, sometimes we get together for filming, for riding around the city or on the spots. I was invited to the team by our manager two years ago, he just came up to me at a competition and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse (smiles).

I think that in the near future Moscow will be able to claim the title of European skate capital.

– How has skateboarding changed in Russia in 12 years?
– Actually, I’m very happy that skateboarding is developing tremendously now. There are a lot of events, a lot more people are skating, even the ground we are on now is a direct proof of how skate culture is developing. Because a few years ago I couldn’t imagine that it would be possible to come to the very center of the city and learn to skate and do tricks for free. This is a unique opportunity for those people who want to learn to skate from scratch and for those who want to ask questions, try a new trick or ask advice from a professional coach.

– What should be done to popularize skateboarding in our country even more?
– I think it’s simple: more competitions, more events, so that people see and notice skaters, pay attention to them. It is very important that there are more skate parks and accessible areas. Because for us a skate park is like an exercise machine.

– To what extent is Moscow a suitable city for skating?
– Moscow has changed a lot recently for the better. A very important component for skaters is good pavement. Everything is being rebuilt now, all the streets are being renovated. This is a huge plus for us. I think that in the near future Moscow will be able to claim the title of European skate capital.

– What are your favorite places to skate in Moscow?
– From skate parks – Sadovniki Park, from street spots – Oktyabrskaya, and in general the whole center of Moscow is perfect for skating now.

– Where do skaters go in the off-season?
– There are indoor parks, though there is a bit of a problem with them in Moscow, but I hope that good indoor sites will appear in the near future. Now certain steps are being made in this direction, after all, skateboarding has become an Olympic sport. Or we go to other countries and skate.

– Street culture combines a lot of things. Have you ever wanted to do something else?
– Of course, everything goes hand in hand. I did graffiti too, we drew, we each had our own tag. And in general, skateboarding is very comprehensive, you can find yourself not only in skating: you can shoot photos or videos, edit and develop in the company of people close in spirit. That’s what I like about skateboarding, that it combines a lot of creativity, that it’s more than just a sport.

– If you could give any advice to aspiring skateboarders, what would it be?
– Come to the spot, socialize with like-minded people. That’s probably the coolest thing, learning tricks together. And generally skate as much as possible with friends, I think that’s the spirit of skateboarding.