Here's a new interview with HUF Footwear Canada rider Torey Goodall. Enjoy!
After Torey Goodall was added to the Quiksilver skate team last fall, I set out on a mission to get in touch with him and learn a little more about his love for skating and his ability to always laugh. You see, Torey is one of those people that always has a smile on his face. I mean, sure, we all have our bad days, but seriously, when you find these types of people it's always a pleasure to be around them because you can't help but smile yourself. Getting ahold of Torey proved to be harder than expected. After harassing his Quiksilver Team Manager and trying to track down his current whereabouts, all I ended up with was his personal email address. Not really knowing Torey that well I went for it and typed out an intro email to him asking if it was cool to run an interview for Push.ca. He immediately got back to me and said that he was down, but it would have to be a series of questions because he is living in Europe right now for school. Normally I prefer to do most of my interviews in person, but with Torey I made an exception (not like I really had a choice). What you're about to read is a Q&A piece between myself and one of Vancouver's original DPOG members.
This interview has been a long time coming. If I'm not mistaken, I've been trying to link up with you for almost eight months. What have you been doing? Are you inside Canada?
Yeah, sorry bud. The past year has offered me a pretty transient lifestyle and I've been overseas since January. I can get a bit elusive at times.
What are you doing in Europe? Are you on an exchange for school or something?
I've been catching a nice free ride from the generous exchange policies hooked up through my school back home. So yeah, I'm here for school but I've been spending my time and attention on less academic pursuits. I'm studying in Copenhagen and the curriculum here is way mellow compared to what I'm used to back home. For the most part, it's felt more like an extended paid vacation and that rips.
What about skating? Are you getting any time on the board over there?
Hell yeah! Copenhagen's got a good scene; cool spots and chill bros. I got here in early January and these Scandinavian winters are pretty long and bleak so it's only the past couple months that I've been able to take advantage of what the city has to offer, but now I'm psyched and skating a bunch.
What's the daily schedule like out there with you and your friends? Do you think that you're going to stay out there after school or end up heading back to Vancouver?
Nah, I came out here solo, but I've got good friends in other cities not too far away. I was lucky that my homegirl Alan Paterson was here at the same time. She's lived here before and she really put me on with everybody in Copenhagen. I've since made some really good friends and we keep a ‘skate, followed by beers' program for most of the time. I'm going to try and stay out here for half the summer and just keep skating when school's done, but money will eventually run dry unless I figure out some weird hustle. I'm planning on heading back to Vancouver. I haven't lived there in a few years so I'm excited to come home!
Where exactly is home? Are you originally from Vancouver?
To be exact, I'm a suburban dirt from Maple Ridge which is a bit outside Vancouver, but it's close enough to the city that I spent minimal time there as a teenager and got the fuck out as soon as I could.
But your still riding for the sponsors that you got during your time inside Canada, right?
Yeah. Everyone I skate for are pretty much my close friends, so they've been really cool about me doing my thing out here. I skate for the Canadian versions of Quiksilver and HUF footwear, and also Ben and Raj have been really cool with flowing me Zoo boards. Everyone involved with these brands are really down bros and I'm really grateful to be affiliated with them.
Interview by push.ca