Jose Luis de la Rosa
July 01, 2009 @ 5:00 AM
by Esteban Velarde
Hi Jose, what have you done today?
Today it´s raining so I can´t skate. I will meet my friend David later and will chill in my shop.
What is a normal day in the life of Jose Luis de la Rosa?
I usually get up early, at about eight, because I don´t like to sleep too much. Then it depends on the day of the week. Usually I go open my skate shop at ten in the morning and then move from there to some skate spot with friends. Lately we are filming for the upcoming AJ project skate shop video. Then I arrive back home sometime between six in the afternoon and ten at night to chill with my girl Paula.
How long have you been on your deck?
22 years now.
In such a long time a lot of things should have happened to you, good and bad…
More good than bad, or at least I only remember the good bits. Anyway, I always try to see the good in the bad, life is easier that way.
What do you have to thank to skateboarding?
A lot! From my friends to my skateshop. Everything that I do is because I started skateboarding!
There was a time in your life that you decided to go away from Tenerife. A lot of people from the Canary islands seem to have the “island syndrome”. Did you feel caged in Tenerife?
Yes it´s true that you always have to take a plane to go anywhere if you live in Tenerife, and sometimes you can feel a little bit trapped. Some years ago there was not as good a skate scene as nowadays, so I was a little bit more motivated to fly away from the Canary islands to skate new spots and with new people.
Where did you go?
At first I wanted to go to LA to live there. That was just two days after 9/11 and I had to go to NYC first and then to LA. Because of the attacks they didn´t allow flights to the US so I changed my dollars into euros again and staid in Barcelona, where I finally stayed for five years. Before Barcelona I was also living in Madrid for a year.
You are now living back in Tenerife. Are you planning to settle back there?
Yes, I came back from Barna two years ago and I´m really happy to be living back in Tenerife again, it feels really good. Some years ago, if I would stay for that long in the island I will start with the “island syndrome” and had to get on a plane to travel somewhere, but now is different, I have my skate shop, my girl…Besides that, we have a really good skate scene in Tenerife, a lot of people are skating, we have a lot of new spots and good weather, what else can you ask for?
Tell me about your shop.
Its name is Aj project and it is in a little city called La Laguna. I started it with my long time friend Alcoba. It´s like a nightclub sometimes because it’s packed with skaters chilling and just having a good time!!(laughs) We try to help the local skate scene as much as we can, doing events, sponsoring people and doing things like that…We are working really hard to make things work. We have a really strong team: Andrez Dias, Eduardo Santana, Samuel, Daniel Hernandez, Enrico Conde, Chelo and David Fernandez.
Do you see a big diference between the skateboard scene in the continental part of Spain and the Canary islands?
Both have good and bad things. Because the good weather, you can always skate in the islands. On the other hand, in Spain you can take your car and go to a lot more places to skate, you are not as limited as here. Can you imagine Spain with the everlasting weather of the Canary islands? It would be awesome!!
What about the rivalry between the two major islands, Tenerife and Las Palmas?
That´s for the carnivals only…(laughs)
You have been representing the Nomad family for a long time as a pro. What are the differences between not being and being pro?
The only difference is that having a deck with your name on it is great! I think that every kid out there that starts skating thinks that having a pro deck someday would be the best. It was really great that Nomad decided to give me a pro model, because I have always though that they have always had the best team around. They are all really cool people, all of them, and I really like the way they see things in skateboarding.
How much time do you think you have left as a pro?
To tell you the truth, I have no idea. I just enjoy skateboarding and I will not care when I will not be pro. I will just skate as I used to do 15 years ago when I was not a pro. Just because I love it.
Jose Luis skates for Nomad skateboards, Supra footwear, Grimey clothing and AJ project skate shop.
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