Rodrigo Lima
June 01, 2007 @ 2:27 PM
Switch Frontside Flip
Rewind to Brazil a few summers back, at a party where the beer truck got attacked as it pulled up. Rodrigo was back home from the US and came along to watch the skating which preceded the ding- dong unfolding in front of us. He had just then got on Shorty’s, and was already one of the better known faces in brazilian skating, shaking hands, hugging old friends. We talked for a little while about the sacrifices involved in heading north to the field of dreams, and resolved to put something together to showcase what it takes to stand out among the most flamboyantly talented people on earth, the brazilians. This is what unfolded from that deal.
*Niall
Interview Jacob Sawyer
Photos Gaston Francisco
Hello Rodrigo, how are you doing?
I’m good, I’m chilling at home right now, it’s eleven in the morning.
Where’s home for you now?
Newport Beach.
How long have you been there for?
Since I was 15… so 4 years.
Switch Frontside Heelflip
Who did you skate with mostly back home in Brazil?
Rodrigo Peterson, Danny Cerezini and all my homies back when I lived with my family, my mum and my brother.
How come so many good skaters come from Curitiba?
(Laughs) I don’t know- that’s a hard one!
Frontside Nollie Heelflip the gap, click the image for the animation.
Do you miss things back in Brazil or do you prefer where you are now?
I don’t know… I miss Brazil a lot. I’ve got a girlfriend there in Brazil and my family too. I haven’t been for a while.
What was the story with you moving to America? That was shortly after the Tampa am contest right?
Yeah. I won the best trick comp in 2002, and then I met a guy from here and he invited me to live here with him, so I just did it, you know? I was 15 years old.
Switch Heelflip 5.0
Was it difficult at first?
In the beginning, yeah, it was a problem with the English- it was hard. I lived with just Americans, and there were no Brazilians around. It was good in one way because it made me learn English quickly. Where I live right now, there are a lot of Brazilians around- so it makes it feel a little bit more like home, you know? I live here with Rodrigo TX.
You rode for Shorty’s for a while- what happened with that?
It just wasn’t working for me. I wasn’t happy and there weren’t so many things happening so I just got over it. Now I ride for DGK, it’s better. I know Lenny Rivas and he was riding for them and he thought I should get on so he spoke to Stevie Williams and that’s how it happened.
What plans do you have with DGK right now- are you filming for anything?
Yeah I’m filming a lot. I’m filming for a Digital part right now which should be done and out by next month and we’re going to try to do a DGK video too- but that’s going to take a little bit more time. Going to take some more months.
Apart from that what are your plans for the coming year?
That’s it really- just skate, travel as much as I can, film and shoot photos. I’m going to go to Europe this summer, probably on some tours here in America and I’m going to go to Barcelona, and other places around there.
Sounds good. Any last words?
Thank you for the interview. Keep skating. Have fun.
Switch Backside lipslide
Rodrigo rides for DGK, Circa, LRG, Banned Skateshop
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