Red Bull.com

Ryan Decenzo's biggest accomplishment came when he won first place at the most important amateur contest in the world, The Tampa Am - the proving ground for all the greatest up-and-coming skateboard talents. By winning this contest, Ryan has solidified his place in Canadian skateboarding history.

“If it's fun, I’ll do it,” says Ryan with a broad smile that momentarily hides the pain of a recently broken collarbone. The break came after Ryan missed a frontside nosepress on a rail while snowboarding in a Montreal ski park. On the topic of fun things to do, Ryan continues, “A couple nights ago, my crew was going bowling and they didn’t even think that I might not want to go with this collarbone injury. But of course I did. Then, when I started playing, one of ‘em goes, ‘No way, Ryan just got a f***ing strike man… And he did it switch!” Ryan smiles again. Bowling a 120 with his opposite hand isn’t a career highlight, but it sure was fun.

Many of Decenzo’s most valued memories as a skate fan are a reflection of the talent in his backyard. “I’ll never forget watching (Mike) Hastie and sometimes McCrank annihilate Ladner Skatepark back in `04. They were crazy," he says. "Then after that I started following Machnau in Van[couver] - that guy has taught me tons about skating, and career stuff too,” Decenzo continues, enthusiastically. “Watching [Toronto-native Mark] Appleyard at the Globe Photo Shoot in Vancouver last year - wow. Then I got to skate with [Richmond, BC’s Chris] Haslam in Barcelona last year, which was nuts. But as much as anything, watching [Ottawa’s] Wade D[esarmo] at Plaza in 05 changed the way I skate. His pop and floatiness showed me what’s really possible on a skateboard.”

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