Louie Lopez Interview
Flip Skateboard's Louie Lopez was gnarly even when he hit the scene at 7 years old. Fast forward 10 years and Louie is now one of Flip's newest pros and is off to a great start, taking 3rd at the K-Diamond Cup World Skate Championships and most recently taking 1st at Dew Tour's Street Finals. More importantly, he's hunkering down and working on his first pro video part for Flip.
We sat down with Louie to get a few questions answered before he leaves us all in the dust with his meteoric rise to legend status.
Louie Lopez; Dew Tour Street Finals Champion (featuring Curren's severed head)
Flip's Gnarliest New Pro
First off, congratulations on winning the 2013 Dew Tour Street Finals, did you do anything special to celebrate?
Nothing yet…I got the new iPhone…haha
You’ve been riding for Flip since you were 7 years old, how did that whole relationship first get started?
Lance Mountain told the Flip owner (Jeremy) about me and it started from there. Been with them ever since…Flip for life!
Were Geoff and Tom people you looked up to before getting on Flip? Or did you grow up on a different generation of skaters?
Yeah I definitely looked up to Geoff and Tom watching Sorry and Really Sorry.
Louie bringing it with a backside bluntslide
"...Contest are fun to me though, good times with homies!"
How do you think being exposed to such a high level of skateboarding in LA on a regular basis influenced you?
It’s definitely sick growing up in LA for skating. There are a bunch of parks and spots.
You’ve been keep your hair a bit shorter these days, can we expect a buzz cut anytime soon?
Hair’s been getting shorter but I don’t know about a buzz cut.
Were people starting to think you and David Gonzales were related?
People always think David and I are brothers, we just say yeah at this point.
Your 2013 Dew Tour Champion; Louie Lopez
You and Curren have been riding on Flip together for nearly half your lifetimes, how has that kind of support benefited you throughout your career? Does it create a healthy rivalry?
Yeah Curren and I have known each other since we were 7. Skating with him is fun…we both push each other.
Tell us about Disorganized Fun Part, how did that originate?
I skated with all those guys almost every day and eventually just got asked to be on the video. We all still skate together.
What has been the hardest trick for you to get on film? Any good stories of going back to a spot to get one trick?
Went back about 5 times to try a fakie big-spin flip into the 605 ditch a few years ago. I still haven’t done it but that was definitely stressful. Each time I would get the gangliest blisters on my feet from running down the bank so much.
Separated at birth; Louie Lopez and David Gonzales (circa 2012)
"People always think David and I are brothers, we just say yeah at this point."
What do you think of the current “State of Skate”? Has skating in contests become more important than it used to be?
Contest have definitely been insane in the last few years, the level of skating is crazy. Contest are fun to me though, good times with homies.
We understand you are currently filming for your first pro video part, Can you tell us anything about that?
It comes out in May 2014 and I’m going to try my best…I hope everyone likes it!
Anything else we should be on the lookout for from Flip and Louie Lopez in 2014?
Just the video part and probably some trips here and there.
One last thing, Big Rails or Gaps?
I’d have to go with gaps.