 "Life beyond advertising: Abhishek Khan, on longboarding")
(Life beyond advertising is a weekly feature, where we feature advertising’s interesting people; people who do crazy, creative things after working hours. We try and understand their passion and drive for what they do, what makes them tick and what it takes to wear multiple hats.
If you fit the above description to the tee and would like to be featured, write to us at_ mukta.lad@web18.in.)_
Featured on Life Beyond Advertising this week is Abhishek Khan, content specialist at 22feet Tribal Worldwide. When not at his day job, Khan is out longboarding on the slopes of Seawoods in Navi Mumbai and documenting the best slopes in the city. He also writes for Red Bull and maintains a blog. He spoke to_Firstbiz,_where he speaks about how he got into the sport, what excites him the most about it, and his favourite places to longboard.
[caption id=“attachment_88956” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Khan is a content specialist with 22feet Tribal Worldwide[/caption]
When did your love for longboarding begin?
It started withme coming across Longboarding videos on YouTube four years ago, when Original Longboards was doing heavy ad spends on YouTube. With their music and high speed runs it looked badass. It looked so simple to fly down a hill in high speed. I knew I wanted to do that.
India only had Jonex skateboards, though, so I bought it with the hope of modifying it till it’s good enough. It was like modifying an auorickshawto race Formula 1. I changed bearings, added lubricants, but unfortunately nothing worked. I used to take that board to a slope near my house. It was just a slow, slight board. It made me even more desperate for something smooth and faster, so much so I got obsessed with it, although Back To the Future did have a significant impact on me to take up skateboarding, as well.Jonex made me digress from it to become obsessed with finding a decent board that glides smoothly. Finally I found a decent Chinese board at HyperCity (without grip tape) which I used for a while.
I eventually ordered an original longboard from NYC and my aunt got it down. That was a 27" cruiser boardand felt amazing to ride that late at night. That board made me feel like I was surfing on concrete. I would snake around (we call it carving)on the street; it was fun. Still is.
When the time was right I bought a 41" downhill longboard. It cost me a bomb with shipping and when it did arrive, I had to pay a ransom to free it from the customs. It’s an Original Freeride 41" and glides beautifully.
After having ridden several roads around Mumbai I would frequent a slope in Goregaon very often. That is my sandbox. Now I visit Navi Mumbai where there’s a real Longboarding Community. They are really passionate about it, and especially the girls. This is probably the only action sport in the country with so many girls.
[caption id=“attachment_88953” align=“alignleft” width=“400”] Khan and his longboard[/caption]
You also document all the skating-friendly slopes in Mumbai. Which is the most conducive slope in your opinion?
Even today my idea of chilling is watching Original Longboard videos and browsing longboarding gifs on Tumblr. This has made my eye always scan roads for skate-friendly slopes. Longboarders are the only kind of people who’d go “whoa!” stretching several seconds on seeing a good slope. It’s quitea sight.
I really like Manori, but it’s just way too advanced. I can’t really conquer it. But it’s exactly like the roads I see on YouTube. It’s traffic free and largely free of people. I like the Parsik Hills stretch too, which is far better to learn on.
Apart from that the road from Hanging Gardens to the Tower of Silence is pretty good too. Thane has Yeoor Hills which possibly is the most advanced road I’ve witnessed personally. One slip and you’re off the cliff.
Of all the roads, Borivali IC Colony is like a longboarding park. It’s full of small, brilliant slopes; that place is sick!
What about longboarding excites you the most?
I guess the free flowing ride. Feel the wind in speed. It’s a good rush. Skateboarders globally disregard longboarding as a sport. But you have to see their face after their first run.
Tell us a memorable experience from one of your longboarding sessions.
The 27" board I ordered wasn’t really for downhill. Just togoof around the city. I just bought that cause I couldn’t afford anything else.
Two years ago or so after having used that board for market travel and what not I decided to get ambitious, like the folks from those YouTube videos. I took that board to Manori with a friend. I had surveyed the road once earlier and we just got on to the top of the hill and rolled away. I was riding without slide gloves (used for braking and turning) or without any braking skills. During my first major run I was being tailgated by a garbage truck as I was whizzing down without any know how of how to stop. I eventually stopped by tumbling on the road. This happened once again that day sans the truck. Lack of experience = lack of fear. This fall left a deep fear that I’m still overcoming.
What is the one place in the world on your bucket list where you want to go longboarding? Why?
Switzerland. It’s beautiful plus the roads there seem amazing. I saw it in this video.
Who are your biggest longboarding influences?
These three videos had a major impact on me. I had the same reaction like anyone else might have checking these videos, so here they are!
PR Longboarding - Part 1
Greener Pastures Offshore - Episode 1
Go Longboard - Part 3
What, in your opinion, can a country like India do raise awareness for a niche sport like longboarding?
I think we need to really stop blaming the government and take matters in our own hands. Having said that, the Meghalaya Governement funded a MTB and BMX race near Shillong, and the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments are helping out with surfing. Fortune favours the bold.
In January, Albert Nielsen (ALIS), Nick Smith (father of Indian skateboarding), Varun Patra (Homegrown) and I had organised a skateboarding tour + competition. We had skateboarders from 10 Indian cities and people flying in from 12 countries around the world for this. The three-city tour kicked off in Bangalore with an eight category skate competition in all age groups. From there we headed to Hampi and then Goa. It was a celebration of India’s concrete skate spots. The point of the matter is, it really comes down to taking matters in your own hands.
Would you ever quit your job and take this up full-time?
My job is good. I write about surfing, skateboarding, MTB, BMX, climbing and indie music. There’s so many cool things to discover each day there’s never a dull day. Sports like these are more of a lifestyle. It’s always more fun that way.
Liked ‘Life beyondadvertising’? Read about the people featured previously, here.
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