Hull-turned-Leeds import, Izzy Almond is up in the latest issue of The Skateboarder’s Companion with a ‘PUSH’ interview. Continueing the lineage of Sidewalk Magazine‘s ‘First Light’ features, Izzy’s ‘PUSH’ covers her starting skating properly after previously using her board solely as commuting deivce for work during her first year at university; settling into Leeds; graphic design; and taking griptape authority on her first visit to Welcome to buy a board – exemplified in the following excerpt from the interview:
The Skateboarder’s Companion: People often say they find skate shops intimidating at first but clearly that wasn’t the case for you. A side note: if you’ve never worked in shop I feel you’re less likely to grip your own board. It’s cool you wanted to do that right off the bat.
Izzy: I don’t want someone else to do something for me. I was brought up working for my dad – I didn’t fully work for him – but every now and then for pocket money I would. He basically converts VW vans into campers so I’d do jobs like building tables and drawers. I didn’t do too much but it was nice to do physical, hands-on work.
Anyway, I don’t want someone else doing something that I can 100% do myself. I’m surprised, now, how many people don’t grip their own boards. I didn’t realise how many people don’t so when I went in when I was younger – like, “I’ll grip it” – I thought that was what everyone else did!
But it turns out, no, everyone gets their board gripped if they come in and want to skate. But I thought it was weird they were gripping other peoples’ boards.
“Nope. I want to do it. It’s not yours, it’s mine,” [laughs].
Companion also uploaded a little video with Izzy talking about skating L-Ledge in WELCOME 2: HELL. Izzy’s ‘PUSH’ interview appears in Issue #8 (October – December 2022), available at skate shops, WHSmith and direct from The Skateboarder’s Companion.
Related (regarding skateboarders from Hull): Scott Palmer in Hating Life
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TAGGED: IZZY ALMOND • THE SKATEBOARDER’S COMPANION
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