Paderborn 2011

Roadtrip and camping! That was the plan for Paderborn this year. Me, Bastian, Felix, Juan and Walti headed down to Paderborn via Denmark and a ferry ride. It was lots if fun, especially to hear Felix and Juan trying to speak Danish.

Our plan was to stop in Malmö and stay at a hotel over the night. But when we got closer to the date of arrival, we decided to go nonstop, and take needed breaks on the way, stretching our legs, and the drivers could sleep in turns. We did take quite a few breaks, Juan needed to make sure he had enough candy, and he and Felix enjoyed some nighttime skate sessions. We stopped a few hours in Hamburg and did some sightseeing.

Me, Robin and Sebastian with trophies. Paderborn always use these cool homemade trophies.

Weather forecast promised rain on Sunday and unfortunately they were right. We skated Friday evening at the skatepark, and also Saturday but the session ahd to be cut off due to rain. It rained all night and Sunday morning I thought the contests would not happen. The Germans talked about skating in a tent, but I could not imagine how a tent would work when the ground was already wet. But they set up the tent and managed to sweep off the wet from the ground. We then had a super fun jam session in the tent. It was too small but we all adapted pretty good. Then the weather cleared up and we could skate on the regular area.

Tony Hawk Grand Jam in Sweden

The first time I met Tony Hawk was at the Swedish Summer Camp in 1985. Already then he was one of the best skateboarders in the world. But noone would had beleived back then that a skateboarder would be one of the most famous athletes in the USA. But that is what some surveys say; that Tony today is one of the most known. Truly amazing!

Being the announcer and doing a demo at the Tony Hawk Grand Jam in Linköping, Sweden.

After the Summer Camp (where we one rainy day played basketball and I hurt Tony's foot, and who knows, I could had stopped his career right then...) we met at various contest in the 1980's and early 1990 when contests usually consisted of all different skateboarding disciplines.

Back in 1750

If it wasn't for the electric lamp, this photo could like I was travelling back in time, to 1750. It is actually during a break from a movie I recently shot called Svartmunkarnas Krönika - Codex Dei. An adventure set in 1750, where I have one of the lead roles. It was lots of running and jumping as I was being chased. Enjoyed every second!

If they had computers back in 1750 it could have looked like this.

Filming for something new

There is nothing like filming a skateboard part. Unfortunately I don't do that too often. Most of the clips of me are from various contests, demos and shows. But last Saturday I went to Stockholm and met up with a filmmaker and we were filming the whole day at various locations.

Juan Mark Emmoth was our location manager and he found some cool spots for us. I decided not to do my regular routines, but rather play around a little.

The footage will be edited in June and when finished I will post it here.

Lillis at work. Photo by Juan.

Making the switch to a modern shaped double kick

In the beginning there were neither single deck nor double deck, none of them existed as skateboards were flat.

As skateboard equipment progressed some skaters started to put on wooden blocks on the rear side of the board, and thus the kicktail was invented.

In 1979 I saw my first double kicked board, it was a freestyle deck from Bad Company. Per Holknekt also made his homemade double kicked freestyle decks and he called them Ellips.

I am back on a modern shaped double kick and there is no going back.

My first true freestyle board was a single deck board from Bad Company, and when I started to focus more on freestyle in 1980 or 1981 I had Per Holknekt make me custom made boards within his line of boards called Micro Concave. Yes, concave. Back then not only there were already double kicked freestyle boards but also with concave. These Micro Concave boards had a slight concave and therefore the self explanatory name.

In memory of my friend Bob Staton

I still remember that day in 2001 so clearly. I was working with the International Network for Flatland freestyle Skateboarding (INFFS). I am sure everyone remembers INFFS, Flatline and Flatline Online. I was amazed how it progressed. I started to fax and mail out info. Then came the internet and I learned how to make web pages. And one day I receive an email with a logotype saying WFSA (World Freestyle Skateboard Association). It was from someone called Bob. I was like "Why and who is this kid trying to start an association like that?" He can't have any experience... And I knew there were freestylers out there called Bob and I thought it might be one of them, but I knew too little about them. I thought: "this is no good", so I replied and asked questions and came with ideas, trying to be very kind and thoughtful. I think the plan was that the kid had to understand that you can't just start an association like that but better help me out with the INFFS. I also emailed Dan Gesmer who helped me a lot with the INFFS. He also came with ideas and suggestions. Bob didn't have much plans for WFSA, he was merely putting an idea or having a vision. But suddenly without even knowing it, through the exchange of ideas, Bob, me and Dan had founded the WFSA... It came natural. 

Video from Cirkus Spektakulär

In Januari I was part of a show/circus at a motorbike show. I was part of an ensemble consisting of BMX, MC-stunt, freestyle motocross, parkour and a live band playing. One day rehearsal and 4 days of shows. One day we did 5 shows and it took a lot of planning from my side to make sure I would last all 5 shows.