Ignacio Morata

March 25, 2009 @ 2:32 PM

Switch backside overcrook

Words and photo’s by Sem, unless stated.

San Fernando is a small village near Cadiz, south of Spain. The place is world famous for being the starting point of flamenco singer Camaron de la Isla’s career. Well let’s change that a bit by introducing you to Ignacio “Nachete” Morata. Call it flamenco art, amazing natural talent or call it as you want: Nachete’s blood is full of it. This is Nachete on why he likes to climb palm trees, some kitchen lessons here and there, and how he learnt his first grinds under the gaze of Camaron.

I see you set up some drinks over here.
Yeah, I woke up early today and went to the supermarket, got some food, drinks and now cooking some lentils.

Lentils?
I love them. You don’t?

Sure, what it’s got?
It’s got some sausage, pepper plant, onion, garlic, cumin, pulped tomatoes, bacon, salt and oil. If you are a good kid I’ll let you try…

I’m guessing you want a deep and serious interview, so without more ado: Did your father sponsor a pig?
(Laughs) No, he actually bought the pig from a farm. The guys there are taking care of him until he matures and then they kill it and my father receives all the products from the pig, you know- Iberian Ham, the loin, shoulder, everything of the best quality. He is member of this Iberian Products Club, where he get the best Spanish wines as well.

Is it true you are addicted to Colacao (chocolate drink)?
(Laughs) Well, maybe I am, I drink it every morning but I wouldn’t say I’m addicted… am I? Some people drink coffee and I drink Colacao. It’s been like that since I was little.

So Colacao has been in your life longer than skateboarding has.
That’s right. I can’t even remember my first Colacao. Skateboarding was about 10 years ago.

What went wrong 10 years ago?
Well, my older brother had a board so I started grabbing it sometimes, and my friends in my neighbourhood did so too. We didn’t know tricks or anything, just rolling and making noise.

Thanks to all those older brothers for making those little yobs happier.
Yeah, it’s funny ‘cause all my friends by then got their boards from their older brothers. But eventually they all quit skating so no older or smaller brothers to skate with.

Switch 360 Flip

But you kept skating.
Kind of, but at the same time I played football and my coach didn’t like it ‘cause skating “stiffened my calves”. He just didn’t like it. So I was alone and quit too.

What made you come back?
Well… my older sister!

I’ve got to say you have a really nice family…
By that time she had some friends that skateboarded and she knew how much I liked it, so she insisted to go with her friends who were older than me and skated really good. That’s when I started learning tricks and I kept skating ‘cause I had a crew to skate with. We skated a lot this plaza close to “Vargas” (“Venta Vargas” is a famous restaurant where Camaron started singing – Ed), that’s where I started learning grinds.

Fakie 5-0 from end to end.

Under the stone stare of Camaron…
Yeah, right under the statue of him. You know, always influenced by flamenco art! The place didn’t have much to skate, metal benches you could only grind and rough ground, but for us it was more than enough. Eventually they built the new City Hall plaza, with perfect ledges and ground, so of course we moved there. I guess it all started there, when I got hooked by Ciencia skateboards (r.i.p.) and Pitu (Panes) helped me get on Vision. Those are my roots.

Was it then that you realized you could put some food on the table from your skating?
I guess when I saw the chance I went all out for it. There’s nothing better than living from something you love to do. After a while a got a big chance in moving to Alai skateboards and recently to Vans Europe. Top people.

And when you see a chance, does it change anything in your view of skating? I mean, did skateboarding become more about training for it, something like it is in football?
No, never. I always have in mind the tricks I’ve done when I’m filming or shooting photos so my footy doesn’t look monotonous, but I never premeditate things further than that. If I like something I skate it. Training was left behind in the football field.

Frontside nollie heelflip, photo by Sem, click the image to see the sequence by Benjamin

Was your football coach happy then?
I guess not much, but anyways, I quit football quick to be able to skate for more hours. My parents didn’t agree with me, but skating filled my soul and football didn’t. That’s life!

Sure, who wants to get millions to get ankle sprains following a ball when you can get ankle sprains for free with a board??
If you like scratching you won’t mind the lice. After all that’s the point, something to have fun with, whatever you choose to do. The best in skateboarding, for me, is getting out with friends and having fun, that’s something you must never forget. When I’ve been filming or shooting for some days in a row I need to get back to that, meet my friends and go skate with them, that’s what charges my batteries.

So you skate 100% of your time now?
No, I also study Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Cadiz.

That’s surprising. How come?
Well, it’s a really wide branch of engineering, and I love physics. Besides that my father suggested that career to me since he has company related to that, so its always good to have something else in your pocket.

Frontside flip

Good results so far?
All good, but I’m slowing it down a bit now. I’m focusing on my skateboarding a bit more, I want to make the most of my years on a board. Skateboarding is a short career, after that its over, or it moves on in another direction, so no time to waste my time. I’m not quitting my studies though, just slow it a bit to have more time to skate and travel.

Any suggestions for a good crib?
(Laughs) I don’t cheat! You know sometimes when I finish an exam I get out of the classroom like crazy, I need to burn energy like a madman. One day I just started climbing a palm tree there. When I came down all my chest was bruised because of the palm tree bark. That was not too clever, but was fun!

So that’s what you do at University, climb trees…
Well I only did it once. I usually take my board, call my friends and burn all the energy skating wherever.

Are all your friends skateboarders?
No way, many of my friends don’t even skate at all, and never did. Let’s put it this way: not all my friends are skateboarders but all the skateboarders in my town are my friends.

You look like a really tight group of skateboarders here. It’s “every man for himself” in cities like Barcelona.
Its true, maybe its because here we are really far from the media, and when someone comes to film or shoot or just to skate, we get really motivated to do stuff. It’s like a big party and everyone’s invited. Skateboarding is really similar to life itself, it’s not all about technique and practice and doing this trick or not, it’s also about socialising and creating links with other people. That’s what keeps you going the most, and the most fun part of it. If you like that, you’ll never get tired of skateboarding.

And, does the skateboard get tired of you?
Hmmm, maybe… no, I think it’s more other factors that affect you to skate better or worse on a given day. My mood changes and I can see how it influences my skating. When I’m in a uncomfortable situation I react differently, I’m not myself.

Fakie 360 flip

And how are you?
I think I’m a bit of a nervous person, can’t get stuck in the same place for too long. Always feeling like going somewhere, I don’t know. I can’t be sitting with a skateboard close to me, it burns my blood!

I can tell you skate pretty much everything from transition to any street spot. I there anything you don’t like to skate?
It’s not a spot, it’s more a situation I guess. For example when there is people watching.

You feel nervous?
No, actually I’m scared of them. I don’t really mind if they don’t move around, but if only 1 person moves I lose all the focus and don’t trust myself. I think it’s because I don’t see very well from far, and I always think they are going to walk through my path.

Oh so you don’t see well from far?
No, you didn’t know?

Nopes. That explains your weird taste in women.
WOOT!! (laughs) Man, you know that’s not true. I think your plate of lentils is going straight to the cat.

Its actually a dog…
(Laughs)

Ignacio Morata skates for ALAI SKATEBOARDS, VANS, QUIKSILVER, OAKLEY, FIVE-0 SKATECENTER.

Ollie over to backside tailslide, photo Benjamin, click the pic for the sequence

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