Kris Vile- Street Sensation

Red Bull UK
Sports
Skate Sports
Articles
Kris Vile: Street Sensation

Kris Vile at Red Bull Manny Mania, Edinburgh

(c)Horse/Red Bull Photofiles

Kris Vile: Street Sensation

by Scott Manson, Nov 26, 2009

Brummie skater Kris Vile has been at the heart of Red Bull’s groundbreaking Manny Mania competition since its launch. With the UK 2009 grand final happening at London’s Truman Brewery complex on Saturday 28th November, we got this Red Bull-sponsored skater to give us the lowdown on the singular style and beauty of two-wheeled trickery.

How have you enjoyed Manny Mania?
Ah, it’s been fantastic, although very tiring. I’ve just come from the Cardiff event and then had to travel to Birmingham and then Bognor Regis. Seven hours travelling – I could have flown to America in that time!

Manny Mania is such a great concept and one that’s definitely a fast-rising trend. It’s a very specific discipline that sees you pulling tricks on two wheels, rather than four. It takes concentration and patience to perfect, resulting in very technical and creative moves. It’s an elegant side of skating and one that I find quite therapeutic.

How’s 2009 been for you?
A great year with some special memories. The Manny Mania event held at London’s Classic Car Club, for example, was excellent. It’s such a great venue and it was encouraging to see one or two diamonds in the rough come good. Every year there are some unknown skaters come through who pull off amazing moves.

Personally, I’m really happy with my own progression. I’m skating more transitions and getting better board control.

You’ve been on the Vans tour this year too. Any favourite destinations from that?
We went to the Vans factory in Guangzhou, China. The remote outlying villages offered some mad skating opportunities and it was humbling to see how friendly and welcoming the local villagers were. To be honest, I think we blew their minds. We’d be riding down old wooden staircases while a crowd slowly built. By the time we finished a skate session we’d have, like, 200 people watching us. The little kids were great – they were super stoked to see skaters in action.

Every skater has a scar that tells a tale. Have you sustained any injuries this year?
Ha, no, I’ve been pretty lucky. I generally take care as much as possible, although I did get a big impact slam on my ankle when we were filming the Vans video. It gave my a bit of gyp but, as they say, the show must go on.

What’s your current favourite UK skate spot?
It’s hard to say really, there are so many good spots out there at the moment. Around Bristol city centre is brilliant though.

And your favourite internationally?
We skated Dubai and Abu Dhabi and they are just insane places. One minute you’re on ancient crumbling sidewalks and the next you’re rolling on marble walls.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give someone who’d like to make it as a top skater?
A little bit of luck helps, and seize every opportunity that comes your way. For instance, when I was younger I would hang out at A Third Foot, a skate shop in Birmingham. I was always a talkative, happy little chap and they seemed to like having me around. They gave me my first free board, which was a massive deal at that stage, and it spurred me on to try harder and do better at skate comps. I grabbed that opportunity and it served me well.

What’s next for Kris Vile?
I’d like to see more of the world and continue having a good time. I want to make inroads into the US skate scene and, generally, I’d like to see skating become more widely accepted. Some people, when they spot someone in their mid-20s on a board, say, “Aren’t you a bit old for that?” Well, frankly, no I’m not – and I hope I never will be – because skating is my one true love.