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Spreading the Gospel: Kiwi skateboarder Shaun Boucher on the Olympics, Lee Ralph & sharing skating's good word

"I want to plant the seeds ... of what could happen further down the line. I want to help breed up some really talented skateboarders over in New Zealand.”
Courtesy of Brent Shipley

Every generation needs a prophet. Someone that spreads the good word to the next.

For skateboarding in New Zealand, Shaun Boucher is the man preaching the holy testament of vert, bowl, park and street to the next generation of Kiwi skaters.

Boucher, who hails from Mount Maunganui, is one of the best skateboarders in New Zealand. The 23-year-old is a regular top finisher at the country's best comps like Wellington's annual Bowlzilla and the Mangawhai Bowl Jam. He has formed a fantastic friendly rivalry with his good mate Bowman Hansen over the last few years, too.

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Yet while Hansen has relocated to Melbourne to pursue a professional skateboarding career, Boucher has devoted himself to spreading the gospel.

In March, Boucher and Tauranga vert legend Cale Tolley founded The Skate Academy; a traveling skate school that helps out kids and teens across the Upper North Island. Mostly focusing on young teens, Boucher and Tolley teach street, mini ramp, park bowl and vert – taking his roadshow mostly throughout the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel.

He's ended up in some real Kiwi skating outposts, but says there's more passion for the sport in the provinces than most people might think.

VICE Sports AUNZ recently caught up with Boucher and asked him about spreading the skating good word, what the sport's inclusion at the next Olympic Games means – and why Lee Ralph is such an icon of skateboarding in New Zealand.

Alongside Taupo's Bowman Hansen, the Mount's Shaun Boucher has established himself as one of New Zealand's top bowl skateboarders. Photo credit: Craig Levers.

Kia ora, Shaun. How did you get into skateboarding, and what were your early experiences like?

"We used to have an old vert ramp; an old wooden ply ramp at a local park called Blake Park. There used to be a lot of vert boys, but I was, and I don't want to say this, a rollerblader when I was really young. But I was down there a lot, watching.

"They were the only vert skaters in New Zealand at the time, outside [Auckland's] Andrew Morrison. It was Curtis Osbourne, Cale Tolley and their mates – they set the scene for vert in New Zealand. I'd hang around those boys, when I was a bit of a grommie.

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"They took me under their wing, and set me up with a board. I put the hard work in, and skated most days. I really loved it – I couldn't take my mind off it. I was kind of a kook when I started – it took me a year or two before it really worked for me.

"So that's how it started [when I was 12] – starting on a vert ramp and then a whole lot of street skating. I have become really well-rounded, though. I got a lot more into competitions and put myself out there a lot, as well. I'm definitely very thankful of where skateboarding has taken me."

When did you start going to events like Bowlzilla and starting pursuing the more competitive side of skateboarding? What role did your friend Bowman Hansen play in how you improved?

"Maybe six or seven years. That's when I hooked up with the Henares. They are a family that really helped Bowman out – they're from Taupo. Bowman and I used to travel around together in their camper van; we'd go to all the local parks.

"The first year I went to Bowlzilla, it was me, Bowman and the Henares staying together. That year, it was the 'Shut Up and Create' event. I managed to snag best trick and Bowman won best overall run.

"It went from there. We pushed each other a lot. We were such good friends, but had that rivalry. We wanted to outdo each other, in a friendly way, at contests. It really helped the re-birth of transition skating in New Zealand, in our age group.

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"Those days were awesome. [I remember] going into different areas, meeting new people and families – and you're helping skateboarding as much as it's helping you. It's definitely been a little time, but it was awesome. We'd go swimming, stop off at local skate parks – just enjoy skating."

Boucher (right, with bag) and Hansen have formed a friendly rivalry at the top of the Kiwi skating ranks. Photo credit: Craig Levers.

Arguably the biggest thing that's dawning on the skateboarding world at the moment is the inclusion of the sport in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. What are your thoughts on the IOC giving it the big tick?

"I think it's awesome. There's a lot of controversy going on about it. It's really funny because you have people saying it's a bad idea and it's getting corporate and commercialized.

"I think, in a way, it's actually really great. It's going to raise a lot of upcoming talent – and especially put New Zealand skateboarding on the map a bit more. I think it's a really great idea, because we'll get a lot better skaters coming out of New Zealand.

"I think there's a format that they'll run, so it's kind of like the Vans Pro Park series. So they'll have park and street as well. The main reason I think it's a great idea is because the government and councils might get more involved and get a bit more information about what skateboarding is actually about.

"If we're a so-called proper sport, maybe we'll get some more respect as well. Maybe Skateboarding New Zealand will get some more funding, and we'll get bigger and better skate parks built. Where I live in Mount Maunganui, we're really low on skate parks."

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You now run a mobile skate academy that you take around the Upper North Island. How is that going?

"The kids are just loving it. They're always over the moon when we come in. They're always ready to skate, learn and listen. They love taking on the advice, and I love helping out.

"The reception I'm getting out there is very welcoming. They're really embracing skateboarding up in the Coromandel at the moment.

"There's a lot of private backyard facilities. I was at Hikuai School [on the Coromandel] the other day; they had an opening for their ramp and I cut the ribbon. I turned up, did a demo for the kids and hung out with them. It was awesome."

What's the quality of skate parks around New Zealand like at the moment?

"We have next to nothing. It's quite hard, with our councils, to break that seal with skateboarding.

"Even the kids I'm teaching are like 'what we have is too small.' They understand that general flow and certain parts of our skate parks are just no good. Sometimes you look at our parks, and go 'was that money spent well or was it wasted?"

You've spent some time with Kiwi skateboarding cult hero Lee Ralph along your journey. Tell us why he's such a legend.

"He's a massive inspiration for New Zealand skateboarding, and a good dude as well. I always bump into him at Bowlzilla in Wellington, and we have a good chat.

"He's an authentic Kiwi. Nothing really phases him. He brings the spirit – the New Zealand skate spirit – to the events. Positive things always come out of his mother, and he knows so much about skateboarding.

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"He's such a legend in New Zealand skateboarding. He's the icon, everyone knows who he is. Then he'll go into hiding for a while – he's classic."

Boucher finished second overall at the Mangawhai Bowl Jam this year. Photo credit: Eisei Toyota.

I heard that Bowman has been trying to convince you to move to Melbourne and crack the Aussie scene with him. Why haven't you gone yet?

"As much as I'd love to go over there, I'm try to raise the sport here [first] with all the upcoming talent. That's why we started the Skate Academy. We want to lead kids, and encourage them. Hopefully I will go over there [to Melbourne] one day.

"But first, I want to plant the seeds first of what could happen further down the line. I want to help breed up some really talented skateboarders over in New Zealand."

What's on the radar for you over the next year or two, Shaun?

"My huge goal and motivation is to make it on to the Vans World Park series. [I'd like] to join my good friend Bowman, and travel the world.

"[I'd like] to meet different skaters around the world, and skate all the different parks – and try and make a New Zealand skateboarding."