"Get Your Bearings"

An interview with Craig Smedley an icon in skateboarding, and ironically up until recently sponsored by Icon skateboards, but things have changed...

Hooked: Hey Craig how goes it Dude, Im just gonna throw a few at ya...


Hooked: How long have you been skating, and what or who got you into it?

I have been skatin 19 years and I started skatin because it was either that or nick cars and cause trouble, and I aint been into that for a long long time.


Hooked: What was the design of your first signature deck like?

My first pro board was a shape Icon had already, and Mike(at Rollersnakes) came up with the graphics which was a Lion's head, I dont know why but it was, ha ha.


Hooked: You've been doing very well at comps just recently, can you tell us the comps you've been doing and what positions you got in them?

Suppose I aint been doin so bad in comps lately, think I came 2nd in the Skeg Stop, Wild in the Parks and came first in Lord of the Lines which is debatable ha ha, Lucian had it really!



Hooked: After ...20ish years of skating, what keeps you motivated?

My motivation comes from not being excepted as a skateboarder because of my background, and sorry but I'm here to prove otherwise ha ha


Hooked: When you heard Icon was finishing and you became a pro on Unabomber did it upset you or was it inevitable?

Well a few people dont see why I should be on bomber but bomber was there in the begining as a anti corporate company set up for those underdogs out there that didnt get everything on a plate ha ha, and yeah I have worked f*ckin hard to get where I am, even tho it aint anywhere really.


Hooked: What pisses you right off?

Mmmmmm what pisses me off I dont know really I suppose being old when skating is at its most productive and not bein 16-17 anymore ha ha (any kid that has got into this game in the last 5 years should consider them self lucky because skatin has blown up over the past few years ) its so good to still be part of it all!


Hooked: What pleases you(don't be rude), and is there anyone you'd like to big up?

Easy mate, it pleases me when I see a trick done by someone that aint ever done it before, I still know how that feels, even now I still get it and there aint no other feelin like it!
Big up Will Golding, boy he's gonna kill the world ha ha, oh and everyone else cuz you all make a difference.

cheers

Hooked: Wicked Craig thanks for your that, see ya at a Hooked sesh sometime soon...Easy