COOLONGATTA, QUEENSLAND: 9:49am
Where you at Chase?
I’m at home on the Goldy. Well, my house is in Coolangatta which is actually Northern New South Wales. I have the day off today, but everyone I’d usually go skating with is in China… But I might go down south to some parks, just have a chill day.
You’re originally Sydney lad, right?
That’s right, and I cried the whole way here when mum and Dad drove us up here to live. I didn’t want to leave all my friends [Laughs]. I use to skate with Jake (Hayes) and Vanessa (Miles) every single weekend, it was just us three.
What part of Sydney was this in?
Bankstown.
Chima territory!
Yep, and this was around the time he was off blowing up in the States. I grew up skating Vert-X and there was such a good crew back then, Cody (Reily), Jai Smith, Chima, Sparx, Ben Bodnar, everyone was out there all the time… It was so good back then. I still like to go to Sydney as much as I can. That’s one of my main goals right now, save some money and eventually move back down there. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past year; just working as much as I can and paying off debt.
What do you do to make said coin?
I’m a chef at Alfred’s Apartment in Mermaid Beach, which is like a clothing, street wear shop, a diner and a barber shop. It’s a really cool place to work. I do five days a week, and work weekends, so that can be kind of tough when it comes to the skating side of things.
What do you burn most of your money on?
Travelling, food and boards, lots of boards.
You ride for Precinct skateshop, which is just up from the road too right?
Yeah, everyone is like good homies. The guys who own the diner went to school with the guys that own Precinct- so it’s like everyone is old friends. They’ve even done a board collab together.
“…you look up to these guys. Then you skate with them and realise that they’re just skate-rats like you are. Only difference is that their ability is insane!”
I saw you were in the mix with a DC trip that went through town a while back…
The one where T-Funk did the trick in the rain?
That’s the one – the big wash out!
That was crazy – like the last trick of the trip and he did it an absolute downpour! It was gnarly. It was pissing down rain that day and we went to check the spot out, I didn’t think anyone would actually skate it. The crew had been on the beers all afternoon too, so everyone was really sippy. When we got there Evan (Smith) started skating around in the rain with beers in his hands, then T-funk just started trying the trick and while he was trying it just started raining harder and harder. The RED 50k camera was in the rain, only protected with a tripod case and Darwen’s camera even stopped working at one stage because it got so wet! He made the trick and it was amazing. Having those guys in town was sick! Hopefully they come back here soon.
I can only assume you get super inspired skating with people like that?
Totally! You know what it’s like when you’re a kid and you look up to these guys. Then you get older and one day, actually skate with them and that’s when you realise that they’re just skate-rats like you are. Only difference is that their ability is insane!
Do you like the fact you are surrounded by so many skateparks where you live in Queensland?
Yeah. Even though I get really frustrated sometimes that there aren’t a lot of street spots or filmers up here all the new parks keep it fun. I actually cop so much shit from everyone because of how much I skate Tugan. Even though it is actually the only place that I go (Laughs) But it just has everything you need. As far as spots, they are up here, but you definitely need a car to get to them. That’s one thing about the Goldy compared to a lot of other cities; if you don’t have a car, you’re fucked!
Before I let you peace out – tell me where you developed your obsession with Orcas?
What!!? (Laughs) How did you know about that?
Intensive research young man…
When I grew up the movie Free Willy was my shit! I even made my mum buy me a harmonica and everything. There’s just something I love about winter and cold places, which has kind of been reflected in the places I travel to.
Unlike where you live?
I know right? In 2015 I went to Seattle and the island that are near it just to see Orcas in the wild. It was definitely the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. We went out on the 15 Zodiac and there was a pod of about 40 them. It was insane. There’s a place at the very top of Canada called Manitoba. You can pay to go on a tour and see polar bears in the wild. I ticked off my number one bucket list with the Orcas, now it’s time to tick off number 2 with those polar bears.
