Sam Beckett’s rise to X Games Gold
Born and raised in Norfolk, UK, Sam Beckett walked away with Gold at the X Games Vert this year. We managed to track him down to ask a bit about his journey through competitive skateboarding, and what he thinks the future could hold with the introduction of skateboarding into the Olympics.
First up, congrats on your win on 2016 vert X-Games dude. How did Norfolk-born Sam Beckett get to that stage? Give us a little detail on your upbringing and how you got into skating.
Cheers mate, was a big surprise really. A nice one though, haha. I grew up in a little village called Wicklewood, not too far from Norwich. I think it was a classic mix of Tony Hawk Pro Skater and my friend’s older brothers skating. Then just got stuck into it, having lots of fun and exploring.
A good friend of mine Paul-Luc got me really hooked as he and a little group of us would go to the skatepark a couple of times a week. Our parents could see it was something that got us stoked and they were really supportive of it. Just went from there really.
Yeah dude, so in THPS did you always choose vert style? Why did that particular area of skating attract you?
Yeah I kinda did. I always played as Run Glifberg or Bob Burnquist. Not sure to be honest, I just like the idea of ramps. That was a really exciting part about skating for me, that you could go to a skatepark and skate some cool looking structures.
“I ALWAYS PLAYED AS RUNE GLIFBERG OR BOB BURNQUIST”
For those who aren’t aware, how much was there in terms of tranny near where you grew up?
Pretty much nothing. The park in norwich closed just as i was getting into it. Then we’d go to Great Yarmouth for sessions, after that we started driving all over to Peterborough and Birmingham.
How much of a scene was there for vert, it’s certainly something you don’t encounter in the regular street circles growing up.
The scene is what kept us into it. But the thing was it was just one scene for the UK. There are a lot of good people involved in getting people together for sessions and comps and stuff. It was really those people that kept it going and got everyone together in different places all over the country and made everyone feel welcome to the family.
So from tapping into that scene, what or who helped you get to the eventual X games?
It was a really long but very natural progression. Started doing vert comps in Europe and then went to America for some amateur comps. I was very fortunate to start making some money skating when i was still in school, doing demos, comps and having sponsors.
So I was able to travel and that opened up a lot of opportunities for me. Each thing was just the next step up really. Wingy, Pete King and Dave allen were really influential for me and had a big part in pushing me and Paul in the right direction.
But 2016 wasn’t your first X Games, was it?
Nope, i did an Am one in 2008. I actually got 2nd at 2 of them. Then I’ve done the proper one for the last 5 years.
The X games is such a massive competition, spanning so many extreme sports, how does it feel to be apart of something that massive?
It’s a pretty crazy event. Can be overwhelming for sure. Sometimes it can be weird when you realise it’s not just a skate event. You are there with some FMX guys and a pro x box player or something. It really is the Extreme circus. But I completely understand the situation, if you are into that kind of thing it’s probably one of the most exciting places you could be.
“IT REALLY IS THE EXTREME CIRCUS”
Watching your run, I felt you look pretty relaxed about the whole affair. Even during that grueling minute or so between finishing the run and getting your 89.3. Were you expecting it?
I was quite relaxed really. You forget that all of that stuff is going on and the vert ramp is where I feel most comfortable. I wasn’t expecting it at all to be honest, it was a nice surprise. I was just happy to make a run, that doesn’t always happen.
Have you found your fellow skaters to have a similar attitude towards competing?
Hmm, everyone has their own approach to skating. That’s what’s cool about it, everyone gets their own thing out of it. There are lots of different approaches to competing and attitudes towards it. I think it’s pretty fun to get everyone together and push ourselves. Other people dread it. Others you get a vibe from because they are there to win. There can be some interesting vibes at those events with good money but i think most of the people I skate with regularly have a similar attitude to me.
It was about this time that you turned pro for Blind last year, other than the X Games win, what’s happened in the world of Sam Beckett?
Just been traveling a lot, it’s been non stop, but self inflicted too. I was hurt at the start of the year and I took a bit of time to travel and do some stuff with my friends from home. Been doing some comps and trying to film and shoot photos.
“I WAS JUST HAPPY TO MAKE THE RUN, THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS HAPPEN”
As somebody who is well versed now in the competitive scene, what’s your take on the recent announcement that skateboarding will be in the 2020 Olympics?
It’s a really tough one. Basically, the competition scene, especially vert skating would be easily done at the olympics. That is what street league and park series have been aiming for for a while too.
The thing that is most worrying about it is that it’s not skateboarders that are pushing for it. It’s big corporations that stand to make money out of it. We’ve all played a part in it by attending and buying into these comps, a lot of people have done so without knowing exactly what they are a part of.
That’s a good point.
But if you ask any random skater, their answer will probably be no it’s stupid. It’s not what skateboarding is about, skating is about having fun and freedom to do whatever you want and express yourself. Having to tick certain boxes and wear a uniform is the opposite of that. The skate industry is not in control of itself though, it’s controlled by money and product sales and a whole host of other things that skaters don’t have much of a say in. TV companies looking to get ratings with younger viewers hold a pretty big interest in having skating in there.
“FEMALE SKATING WILL FLOURISH”
That being said, lots of money will end up back in the skate industry because of it. I think because there has to be a girls division too female skating with flourish, which will be exciting to see. Also, no one can take that essence of skating away. No one is stopping people from getting what they like out of skating. You don’t have to be anything to do with the olympics if you don’t want to. People may end up with some new skateparks and things to skate because of it and still want to bad mouth it, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense but we’re not always the smartest.
We did an article on that very thing; almost like a take the money and run mentality.
Bottom line is it’s something that is happening and you can only take the positives from it instead of complaining about the way you wish things were. Whether or not the Olympics is a morally sound organisation to be involved in is a whole other issue.
And will we see Sam Beckett on the competitors list?
I don’t know, haha.
A gold in the Olympics is a big deal no matter what the sport, so it’ll be interesting to see how it changes skateboarding and athletes approaches. But 2020 is far away, How do you see the next few years turning out for Sam Beckett?
Yeah that is true. I’m not sure really, skating, traveling and learning. Would like to set up some kind of a base somewhere, try and buy some land and work towards a more long term living situation.
Build a ramp?
Yeah, I think a little concrete something
Nice one man. For any skaters who want to get into vert despite the street-driven scenes, what would you say?
There are small communities of vert skaters all over, or at least people that skate transition. Just try and go skate with some people that like to skate the same stuff as you. If you find a little crew then you are set.
And is there anybody you’d like to thank before we wrap up?
Thanks to my sponsors for allowing me to do what I like to do. Friends, family and all the people that make this trip a good one. Cheers skateboarding.
Thanks very much for talking to us Sam Beckett!
