Skateboarding
Brazil’s concrete skateboarding queen talks life-changing decisions and following her skate dreams to the top.
There comes a crossroads moment in the young lives of talented skateboarders where they have to ask themselves where all this is headed. While skateboarding is always its own reward, pursuing it full-time is by no means a guarantee of success. It's a lifestyle full of uncertainties: injuries, sponsorship, rained-out contests where a third place could have paid your rent. So it’s not for everyone, even among those good enough to make it. In that context, you can forgive a parent for asking ‘Are you serious?’
Fabulous Brazilian transition queen Yndiara Asp faced that life-defining decision. Part of the fabled Florianópolis bowl-skating tradition that gave the world Pedro Barros, Yndi was originally headed for an adult working life in education when she was spotted by Santa Cruz Skateboards while riding the bowl at a skate guesthouse right by the beach.
You can watch Yndi’s inspiring story so far in her episode of Until 18 at the top of the page, then enjoy some stills from her home terrain and on the road as we catch up with her below.
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Hi, Yndi! So, clearly you have no regrets about the path you chose in life – you ride for Santa Cruz Skateboards, one of the most iconic brands in skateboarding history. How did that come about?
Santa Cruz was my first sponsor, they've been with me since the beginning. I had been skating for about six months when the NHS manager Paul Merrell saw me skating at Hi Adventure and decided to support me. I've been on the team since 2013; it is, and always has been, my favourite deck brand. I feel so honoured and happy to ride for them.
Florianópolis is famous for its bowl skating culture – what are your top three Floripa bowl spots and why?
Firstly, and with 100 percent certainty: the Hi Adventure, because it’s the heart of skateboarding in Floripa. That's where everything happens… it’s my second home!
Second choice? The RTMF bowl at Pedro’s house. It’s the biggest and most challenging, but so fun at the same time – makes all the other bowls seem easy.
In third… now, I’m gonna choose a new one: it’s at Barra da Lagoa. Same neighbourhood where I first learned to drop in! It’s a fun bowl close to the beach.
Is women’s skateboarding becoming more competitive as it continues to explode, or are contests still mostly fun?
Nowadays everything is so crazy and different… it’s hard to say, because we haven’t had a contest for a while. I hope it continues to still be mostly fun, because that’s the secret of success… have fun.
You seemed genuinely shocked to win Red Bull Bowl Rippers in 2018: how was your experience of Marseille?
True! I was super-stoked. Love the place, the people, the vibe and the park. I had one of the best times there, for sure. Coming back there the next year and seeing my painting in the park was crazy, too!
Who are your favourite people to skate with?
Oh, I love to skate with all of my friends, each one has that amazing energy and it’s always so fun.
Can you see yourself going back into education in later life?
Maybe, you never know what the future brings… for now, I’m stuck with the present; focusing on my skateboarding.
Any shout-outs or words of wisdom for us?
Work hard, have fun and make history!
