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Alex Chalmers Interview
by Mike Prangnell
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Chalmers, Chalmers, Chalmers!!!" The chant of the crowd was reminescent of something you would here at a hockey game or watching WWF wrestling. He tried his best to shut out the crowd as the sweat dripped down his face. It was a ridiculously hot day in late june/2000 and he was the last rider to drop in. It was the Marsielle invitational and this rookie from Vancouver Canada was going up against veteran park skaters like Cardiel, Senn and Spyer. No one had ever done or thought about doing the huge 27-ft gap from the teardrop over to the main hip. He dropped in, shot across the park launched a massive Indy air, landed and then rolled away. Winning the biggest gap contest at Marsielle was a major thing for Alex and everyone around the world heard about it and saw it in magazines and videos. So what now? What has this done for his carear as a professional and what are his plans for the future? Where did he come from and how did he become recognized as one of the best park skaters in the world?
How did skateboarding start for you?
My older brother had a board. Eventually I got a banana board from a store down the street from my house. An "El Calinete 500" plastic banana board. I had never heard of skate mags or any shit like that. I was just a little 8-year-old punk. A few years later I went to California with my parents and got my first real board, a Santa Cruz Kieth Meek Slasher with Slime Ball Wheels.
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Chalmer's Is Cool
Everyone has their opinions.
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Why do you think people classify you as a park skater?
It might have something to do with the 30 plus skate parks in Vancouver. They are the best in the world; all free and no helmet required. So to answer your question," It's cause I am a park skater. I love parks. I also skate vert, street, rails, whatever. I even go downhilling with my longboard. I skate it all.
So what do you say about people who think parks are not cool and are not real core skating?
Hmmm..Everyone has their opinions. I think that skating is growing so much thst in a few years it won't matter. Whatever type of skating you do, people will be stoked on it and appreciate it. That click of elite pros that sets the trends is getting smaller and smaller. Soon it won't matter.
Do you think living outside of California has a big impact on pursuing a professional career?
Of course it matters!, everyone that runs the skate industry is there. If your major concern is to climb the ladder by kickflipping higher and k grinding longer then the next guy then by all means go there. Personally I like a more relaxed atmosphere, just skating and having fun with my friends.
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