It’s pretty dope hanging with a pro skater. If you need to film one of his lines at peak hour at the skate park, everyone makes way, and as apologetic as you are as a journalist for cramping everyone’s style, the whole skatepark doesn’t mind Firdaus Rahman doing his thing.
“Nah, it’s okay, chill, I don’t mind doing it again,” Firdaus tells me as I try to film another line, fumbling on the last one.
It’s been 17 years since I last filmed or photographed anything to do with skateboarding, and it was my first time mucking around with the GoPro pole. Yet, Firdaus was the consummate professional, repeating his lines again and again till I got it right.
I met Firdaus during his preparation for Tampa Pro in Florida, a week before one of skateboarding’s biggest and oldest competitions. He wasn’t letting the pressure of being Singapore’s first pro representative at Tampa get to him. He skates with stoicism; calm and collected with a dollop of speed. If Nick Boserio is to aggression what Luan Oliveira is to smoothness, then Firdaus exemplifies the latter with his style – beautiful, clean and precise.
Fresh off Tampa, in early May, Firdaus was up for his second big comp in less than a month at the Kia World Extreme Games. But fortune was being a bitch and a slip-up on the fun box with his knee slamming the railing cost the 27-year-old a sweet shot at claiming Singapore’s first medal in seven years at the games. Firdaus had racked up the best score among 10 competitors in the prelims.
Hope can be a letdown. Getting over the grief, Firdaus took some time off to talk about sponsors, skating and his not-so-secret love of cars.
Who did you head up to Shanghai with and how did you prepare? What have you heard about Shanghai so far?
I met up with my brother Farris and my dad in Shanghai as they flew two days earlier than me. I heard that this year’s comp was going to be as much competition as last year, so I knew it was going to be good.
Any new spots you are eyeing to try around Singapore?
Right now, I’m finishing up my part for the Vans video, and I’m probably going to hit up about five more spots before it’s done and just left to edit. Probably eyeing would be a noseblunt on the 888 rail. That would be heaps rad!
How did you get hooked up with Billabong & Vans Sg and tell us about the Tampa Pro skateboarding experience? Was it a nervous experience? What was going through your mind?
About Billabong, I got a call from an unknown number when I got home after winning Shanghai Asian X-Games in 2007. It was Tony Sruntul, the team manager from Billabong, and he asked me if I wanted to skate for Billabong and I was hyped! I got flowed on Vans the very same year on the win and I’m happy to be on the Vans Sg team!
Tampa Pro was amazing, absolutely amazing. To skate with your idols and people you look up too by your side. It was unreal and it definitely inspired me to skate even better. It’s like the hype when you first step on your board and you want to shred so much. During my run, I knew I flew a long, long way and definitely wanted to make it count. I’m thankful I made it to the semi’s, hopefully, next year’s finals?
What are you working on right now? Any videos?
Yeah, right now I’m finishing my part for the Vans Sg video. It’s going be good!
What does skateboarding mean to you?
Skateboarding means so, so much, its like breathing. I definitely fell in love with skateboarding ever since I stepped on my first board.
What do you do to wind down after a session?
Eat, definitely eat because you get hungry after spending all that energy shredding and well, some mellow music is good, too.
What do you think the future of skateboarding is for Singapore? It started off as a counter-culture sport, but where is it now commercially and culturally in your opinion?
I’ve seen young kids in the skateboarding scene with talent and they are definitely learning fast, which is good. Some might do it as a hobby but I’ve seen some who are really into it. I hope they get into competitions both locally and overseas to expose themselves and gain experience, which help a lot.
Who are the up-and-coming skaters in Singapore?
Syadiqin, John Maire, Janiel, Nazly and Bone.
Do skaters today look at the Memorial at the Padang with reverence and does it still hold a cultural significance for the skate community?
Skateboarders today are more diverse when searching for spots, pushing their limits to up the ante, but Memorial has its own history as a spot. Skateboarders definitely get a line or two for their video clip there.
Something off skateboarding I read in a Vans interview is that you like car racing? Do you do a bit of racing when you’re not on the board? And if Oprah Winfrey said, “Here’s a free car,” what car would you hope she gave you?
Haha, I definitely love cars, who doesn’t? If Oprah gave me a car, damn right, send me an Audi R8 matt black to my address and I’ll be shredding it on the streets before and after skateboarding. And no, I don’t race, or do I?
Last words?
Thank you for letting me have this interview and I would like to thank all my sponsors, Billabong, Vans, Nixon, Bones Wheels, VonZipper and Volt Grip. I would also like to thank my family and definitely everyone for the support. Keep skateboarding and keep shredding!
– David Houghton of the upcoming Memorial skateboards assisted with this interview from the UK.
