Chaz 2016年的新片段；对Brandon Westgate离开Zoo York的看法；对2015年SLS冠军赛的看法；对Zoo York的看法；接下来的鞋子赞助….

Chaz Ortiz 9岁的时候被Harold Hunter和Jeff Pang发掘，到现在已经13年了，从开始到现在，从少年到青年，Chaz一直坚守在Zoo York，迎接或送走一个又一个滑手。当Chaz刚加入Zoo York的时候，他的队友包括Harold Hunter，Jeff Pang，Brian Brown, Todd Jordan, Danny Supa, Forrest Kirby, Robert Lopez-Mont和Zered Bassett. 而现在，只有Forrest 还留在队伍里。从2003年Zoo York的《City Of Killers》开始，已经有四五个滑手相继加入和离开这个队伍，最近一次是2015年Brandon Westgate的离开（西门哥，09年加入Zoo York，15年退出，他离开之后加入了Element，并且已经成为Element职业滑手）。2016年已经开了一个头了，Transworld skateboarding magazine的人找到Chaz,聊一聊他的新片段；听一听他对Zoo York的看法；2015年的SLS冠军赛…

 

Transworld: 最近怎么样？听说你在拍一个新片段。

Chaz：过得不错，对，最近想要把这个片段赶紧拍完。正在拍摄最后的动作，不过差不多了，因为我已经尝试这个动作很多次了。RB [Umali]（摄影师）已经来找过我三次了，我们一直在尝试把最后的动作拍出来。这将是我一个人为Zoo York拍摄的片段。

 

Transworld:SLS冠军赛结束之后你都在忙什么？

Chaz：基本上就是在拍这个片段。RB基本上每周都会过来为我拍摄。

 

Transworld: 在2015年SLS冠军赛上，芝加哥观众都喊你“hometown hero”的时候，你有没有觉得有很大压力？

Chaz：不。大家很支持我，但是我就是专心滑板，我不会给自己施加太多的压力。我当时就想着：顺其自然吧。

Transworld: Kelvin Hoefler和Leticia Bufoni分别夺走了男女冠军，你觉得巴西人已经接管滑板界了吗？

Chaz：Kelvin确实来势汹汹。Leticia是一个很好的滑手，她会很多动作，并且可以在赛场上表现出来。不过，看到Kelvin夺冠确实让人吃惊，这个冠军对他意义非凡。不过他确实做出了一些很强的动作，也应该得到冠军。冠军是他靠自己赢回去的。

 

Transworld:看到有新的滑手在SLS赛场上感觉奇怪吗？因为基本上比赛的选手一直就是你们几个，Kelvin花费了一些时间适应吗？

Chaz：有的时候需要一些时间适应，但是说到底都是对滑板的热爱。比赛的时候我们都很享受。虽然我们和他第一次同台竞技，但是在比赛之前，我们都彼此见过或者一起玩过了，所以，我并不感到奇怪。但是作为一个新人，杀进决赛，赢得冠军，这还是让人觉得很疯狂。不过，你可以看出来他很想夺冠。

 

Transworld:虽然你每次都有名次，但是却从来没有赢过一个冠军。你可以忍受只得到第二第三名的成绩吗？

Chaz：我不能太抱怨，任何情况下，第二第三名都已经不错了。我现在不像年轻时候把名次看的那么重要了，我最近特别看重我的新片段，觉得不过分地看重名次才是好的。现在谁还关心比赛冠军呢？！只管去滑板。不过，谁不想赢一个冠军？我不会说我不想赢，但现在我心里的想法是：如果可以赢，就赢，如果不行，那也不用瞎操心。

 

Transworld:这样的心态可能更容易赢得冠军。

Chaz：我是这么说说，我更注重我的新片段。赢得一个比赛很屌，但是当下一个比赛到来的时候，没人会记得你，然而一个片段可以永远活跃下去。这是我的想法。

Transworld:在Brandon Westgate离开之前，你有听到消息吗？还是说他的离开对你来说也是突然的？

Chaz：事实上，我并没有察觉到他要离开。我只是稍微察觉到一点点。我感觉到他想要一个改变，需要更多的支持。他是一个很强的滑手，我很享受和他一起滑板。毕竟每个人都要前进。

 

Transworld:你们曾经是Zoo York的两大当家，现在只有你了

Chaz：是吧,fuck （笑）

 

Transworld:我并没有意识到Aaron Suski, Forrest Kirby和Kevin Taylor仍然在ZY队伍里，你平常见到过他们吗？

Chaz：当然，ZY仍然有他们的板子，我也经常看到他们。上次我去迈阿密过生日的时候还看到Forrest了，我们一起玩了会。我也常看到Kevin Taylor，他一直很强。我们很长时间没和他们有过滑板旅行了，这很不给力，他们很屌。

 

Transworld:你还在穿NIKE鞋子吗？

Chaz：以前是，最近我一直穿Diamond鞋子（Torey Pudwill，Brandon Biebel，Nick Tucker三人刚刚加入Diamond footwear）。我还在准备一些其他的事情，不过，都要等我把片段拍完。

 

Transworld:你对大家成立自己的滑板品牌怎么看？

Chaz：大家都很聪明。你懂得，大家都想要尽可能长地留在圈子里。事实上，我也在准备一些事情，已经在准备了，我不能说太多。现在我的任务就是在天气变冷之前把片段拍完。

 

Transworld:虽然我们之前谈过这个问题，但是Harold和Pang在你9岁的时候在360板场发现了你，你对这件事还有什么印象吗？

Chaz：感觉这件事已经过了好久好久。我记得当时是在360板场的一个比赛，我爸爸以前总是带我到处滑板。我记得大家都去参加了比赛，我当时太小了，甚至不知道Zoo York是什么。但是我记得他们俩很激动地对我爸爸说：我想要赞助你一些板子。我爸爸就高兴地答应了。然后，我和爸爸乘飞机去了纽约。我拿到了一些东西之后，就开始和RB一起拍片。然后我们一起拍摄了09年的State Of Mind，然后一直到现在。这几年，Zoo York经历了很多的变化，但是我没有什么可抱怨的。我很开心可以待在这里，我不会离开Zoo York的。

 

Transworld:现在很多滑手都把鞋子赞助作为自己最大的靠山，但感觉你最大的依靠还是Zoo York。

Chaz：必须的！

 

Transworld:你有墨西哥和爱尔兰的血统，你还是不怎么喜欢酒吗？

Chaz：（笑）我有时候会喝一点，但我还是很淡定的，或者说，我都会努力保持淡定。

 

Transworld:最喜欢的板子贴图？

Chaz：Zoo York X ODB Big Baby Jesus. Zoo York做过一个非常屌的ODB板子，2012年的时候，我的房子里还挂着，我现在想要把它挂在我的新房子。

Zoo York X ODB Big Baby Jesus

 

Transworld:预测谁会赢得2016年的SLS冠军赛？

Chaz：今年发生了这样的事情，我真的不敢随随便便预测一个。随便任何一个都有可能。如果说我希望谁赢的话，我希望是Matt Berger,或者Evan Smith.

 

Transworld:听说你的池子技巧也相当不错，你以前玩过池子吗？迄今为止，最好的池子动作是什么？

Chaz：我从小就玩池子了。我记得是在八岁生日的时候学的Drop In.我会backside airs和frontside grinds这一类的动作。我玩池子最多的时候，我经常做kickflip Indys。

 

Transworld:你真的应该时不时地在视频里加一些池子动作

Chaz：对，我之前还真的想过。我想着去找一个DIY的碗池什么的，如果真的这样了，可能一些人会觉得很吃惊呢。

 

Transworld:最喜欢的滑板视频？

Chaz：First Love [TWS 杂志2005]. Shiloh Greathouse。

 Shiloh Greathouse 3:20处开始

Transworld:最喜欢的滑手？

Chaz：Zered [Bassett]，绝对的。(下面有Zered 的视频，大家有兴趣的可以欣赏一下。)

Zered Bassett

source:TWS

Chaz Ortiz 20 Questions

January 20, 2016 By TWS

Discovered at age nine by Harold Hunter and Jeff Pang— Chaz Ortiz has spent the past 13 years of his childhood- to-adulthood life on the streets of the East—filming with RB Umali and whoever has happened to pass through the Zoo York roster since. To put things in perspective, when Chaz got his free first box from Zoo, his teammates (outside of Pang and Harold) were Brian Brown, Todd Jordan, Danny Supa, Forrest Kirby, Robert Lopez-Mont, and Zered Bassett. Today, only Forrest remains.

With about four or five more team incarnations having come and gone since City Of Killers (’03), the shuffles around him have continued right up through 2015, when his star-power counterweight since ’09’s State Of Mind, the ever-lauded Brandon Westgate, finally departed to Element. With the dawn of 2016 and possibly more changes just around the corner, we sat down for 20 Questions with Chaz to get his thoughts on his run with Zoo, an upcoming single banger, last year’s SLS season, and a secret love of one Shiloh Greathouse.-Mackenzie Eisenhour
Photos By Sean Cronan

1) How have things been? You’re working on a new part?
Yeah. Not bad. Just trying to finish this shit up. Trying to get the last-minute icing on the cake. I’m almost done. I’ve just been trying this last trick for a while. RB [Umali] has already been here three times, and we’ve been going back trying to get it, trying to close it out. It’s gonna be a single part for Zoo.

2) What have you been up to since the SLS Super Crown?
Pretty much just working on this. RB has been coming in almost every week. Just trying to get ’er done.

3) Did you feel some pressure with everyone calling you the hometown hero for the Super Crown in Chicago?
No. It was cool. I just go there and skate it. I don’t really put too much pressure on myself. I was just like, “Whatever, go out and skate, and whatever happens happens.”

4) Kelvin Hoefler and Leticia Bufoni took the top spots. Is Brazil taking over?
Yeah. Kelvin came in hot. And obviously Leticia’s just a really good skater. She’s got tricks and she pulls it off. But it was rad to see Kelvin win. It was so good for him. And he did some shit that was insane, and he definitely deserved it. It wasn’t like it was given to him—he had to work for that one.

5) Is it weird when there’s a new guy in the crew at Street League? You guys have all been kind of doing it together for a while. Does it take a minute for the new guys to assimilate?
Sometimes it might take a minute. But it’s all love. We all just have a good time out there. Obviously we have all either met each other or skated together prior to it. It’s not too weird. But to come in and win it as the new guy, that’s pretty crazy. You could tell he wanted it.

6) You’re always up there in the placings but have yet to win one. Can you pretty much live off of second and third place?
I mean, I can’t complain. It’s nice being up there at all. But I don’t really take them as seriously as I used to when I was younger. I’ve just been trying to focus on filming this part. I kind of feel like it’s better not to focus on it. Who cares, right? Just go skate. Obviously it would be cool to win one, I’m not gonna lie. But I’m at the point where it’s just like, if it works out, it works out. If not, no worries either.

Probably more chance of winning that way.
That’s what I’m saying. I’m more focused on trying to get this part out. It’s dope to win a contest, but when the next one comes they’re gonna forget you in a week anyways. Whereas a video part might live on forever. That’s what I’m thinking.

7) What’s new with your TF?
It’s still going. Right now I’m trying to move it closer to the city [Chicago], because I’m out here in the city now. It’s hard to find a good building, though, at a good price. But hopefully that all works out.

8) Did you hear anything about Brandon Westgate leaving for Element earlier this year? Was it a surprise?
Actually, I didn’t really find out until it happened. I kind of knew something was happening a little bit before but not too much. I feel like he just wanted a change, and more power to him. He’s a rad skater. I enjoyed skating with him, and everybody moves on.

You guys were the two big Zoo stars, now you’re it.
I guess, fuck [laughs].

9) I didn’t realize Aaron Suski, Forrest Kirby, and KT [Kevin Taylor] were still on until I looked at the team page. Do you ever see those guys?
Yeah, they still have boards. I see them here and there. I saw Forrest in Miami when I went for my birthday. We kicked it. I see KT around. He’s always ripping. We haven’t been on a trip with those dudes in a while, though, which sucks. Those dudes are rad.

10) It’s been a minute, but what ever happened with Lil’ Wayne’s Spectre shoes deal?
That’s a good question [laughs]. I don’t know. I mean, they tried to start it up and then the dude that was heading it up left Supra. I went on a trip at one point and my contract was coming up, so we talked about it and it was like a weird situation. So we just went our separate ways.

11) Was that kind of the end of your connection to Supra too?
Yeah. I was there for a while, but it just didn’t work out.

Did you ever hear anything from Wayne about it?
Man, that motherfucker is so busy. He probably doesn’t even remember it. He’s like, “What?”

12) Are you still rocking Nikes?
I was, but lately I’ve been skating a lot of Diamond shoes. I have a couple of things in the works, but I’m just trying to finish this part first and then see what happens.

13) What’s your take on everybody starting up their own board brand?
I think it’s smart. You know, you want to be in the game for as long as you can. I’m kind of working on something right now actually. So that’s in the works. I can’t really say too much about it yet. Right now I’m just filming before it gets cold.

14) We’ve talked about it before, but you were discovered in ’03 by Harold and Pang skating 360 Skatepark in PA. What was your memory of that day?
It feels like so long ago. But it was a contest there at the 360 Skatepark. My dad used to drive me everywhere to skate. I remember they all rolled up to the contest. I was so young I barely even knew what Zoo York was. But Jeff and Harold were all hyped, like, “Hey man, we want to send you some boards!” My dad was like, “All right, sure. Why not?” And then I flew out to New York, and my dad had to come with me because I was still only nine or 10. And that was when I started filming with RB. I remember getting some shit and then I filmed for their next video. Then we filmed for State Of Mind [’09], and it’s been growing from there. Zoo has been through a lot of changes for sure in the past few years, but I can’t complain. I’m happy there, and I don’t see myself going anywhere.

A lot of guys now seem to have their shoe sponsor as their biggest backer, but with you it still feels like Zoo is it.
For sure. That’s my shit.

15) I’ve asked you this one years back too, but with Mexican/Irish heritage, are you still weary of the bottle?
[Laughs] I’ll drink occasionally, but I’m still mellowed out. Or at least trying to.

16) All-time favorite board graphic?
The Zoo ODB Big Baby Jesus board. Zoo did a really dope ODB board that I held on to back in 2012. I’m trying to hang it up in my new place.

17) Who will take the SLS Super Crown for 2016?
After what happened this year with Kelvin, I can’t even really pick anyone. It could be anyone. If I could hope for someone to win, I’d hope for Matt Berger or Evan [Smith] or somebody like that to win it.

18) It seems like you are an undercover tranny ripper. Ever skate vert? Best vert trick to date?
I grew up skating a vert ramp. I remember learning to drop in on my eighth birthday. So I can do like backside airs and frontside grinds and stuff like that. That’s about it. But back when I was really doing it I used to do like kickflip Indys.

Dude, you should just randomly throw a vert trick in one of these single parts.
Yeah, I was thinking of it actually. Just find like a DIY bowl or something. Maybe surprise some people.

19) All-time best skate video?
First Love [TWS ’05]. Shiloh Greathouse. I always watched his part. That song [Echo and the Bunnymen, The Killing Moon (’84)] was so sick too. I remember I got to meet him at Paul [Rodriguez]’s park not too long ago, and I was just like, “Yo, I used to watch your part all the time. I’m low-key fanning out right now.” It was sick. I tried to play it cool, but I was so hyped to meet him. I like that whole video, but Shiloh’s part just has something special about it.

20) All-time favorite skateboarder?
All-time favorite ever—I got to say Zered [Bassett]. Favorite skater. Favorite dude. He’s just the man. Straight up.