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"Heath Kirchart interview

Ed Andrews, Sep 01 2010 08:39:11


Having first stepped on a skateboard in 1990, California-native Heath Kirchart has been destroying everything in his path, and himself, ever since.

Despite a pro career spanning nearly a decade and a half, Kirchart has kept a low profile, preferring to let his skating do the talking for him, and it has said a lot!

With the help of fire, motorbike tow-ins and the simple act of going big, his back catalogue of parts from such films as The End, Sight Unseen and last year's Mind Field have blown collective minds and seen him voted one of the 10 skaters that changed the noughties by Transworld Skateboarding magazine.

Now set to appear in Emerica's long-awaited film Stay Gold, HUCK grabbed a quick chat with the long-time pro to find out more.

HUCK: What can people expect from your part in Stay Gold?
Heath Kirchart: Stay Gold will be my last part ever. They can expect to never see another part again.

Why have you decided to call it a day at this particular point in time?
I just seem to have lost the drive to keep putting myself through the mental and physical abuse. Jerry [Hsu]'s part kinda sums up what I go through. So I'd rather just not get paid and enjoy skateboarding again.

What will you miss about skating professionally?
I'll miss everything. Looking back, I'll even miss the very things I hate: the showers that burn, the scabs sticking to the bed sheets, working on something you want so bad that you lose your mind. Where else can I find that than on a skateboard?

Will you still skate the same now that you are not going to be filming?
No, I don't care to jump down shit. Rails and hubbas are still fun to me but I just don't want to skate big or steep ones any more. It's way more fun to just go fast in a bowl, hill or park than to take impact. So that's what I'll be skating.

What was the most memorable place you skated when filming Stay Gold?
We went to Paris and stayed on a boat below Notre Dame. Aside from everyone having motion sickness it was great.

There's a lot of footage of you going big, how is your body holding out?
I have good days and bad days. It takes about 20 minutes to warm up, that sucks.

Who has impressed you the most on the Emerica team?
Andrew [Reynolds], he's been pushing his skating to a new level in every video part. It's a miracle that age has not slowed him down. I'm expecting this to be his best part to date, at age 31. Not many others can do that.

What keeps you motivated to skate after being pro for such a long time?
A year ago I was motivated to finish a video part I was proud of. Now that's done, it's the 'finish line'.

You had a very memorable ending part in Mind Field with the motorbike tow-in. What was the story behind that?
The gap was to big to push into, so I need a little help. I hate the bungees, so I had my friends tow me in from a motorcycle.

Is that something you plan to do more of?
If it's called for.

I understand you are into motorbikes. Do you see a connection between them and skateboarding?
Not really. Motorcycles are just better in traffic.

You are renowned for your part in The End where you skated on fire. Is it something you would consider doing again?
The fire was mellow, we had fire marshalls and stunt people that wouldn't let us get hurt.

What are your plans for when you can't skate professionally any more?
You mean tomorrow? I'll find out when I wake up.

Check out Heath's final part ever in Stay Gold, out now on DVD and iTunes."

From Huck magazine.

Heath will be missed so bad! I'm gonna buy this DVD.