GAWDS TEAM

Franky Morales presentation

Franky Morales

Team Gawds Pro

Franky Morales action Name and age: My name is Franky Morales and I am 37 years young!
Current City:  I’m from the United States currently living in Sunny beautiful Miami Florida South Beach baby!
Brief description of yourself: If one word could describe me I will have to say that word would be Awesomeness!
Skate Setup: My current Skate set up is FM2 Gawds Skate stock!

Best thing about skating? 
The best thing about Skating for me is The freedom of self-expression and the endless possibilities.
I started as a park skater which I had a lot of fun doing and competing against other people as well. But as I started to skate Street more I noticed how much more fun I was having competing against myself. Always competing against myself and trying to one-up the last best trick I did is the ultimate rush for me.
Who is your favorite skater?
My favorite skater growing up I will have to say is Louie Zamora / Vinny Minton after that Brian Aragon & Mike Murda Johnson.
What makes blading unique?
What makes skating unique to me is literally the feeling I get when I do it nothing feels more satisfying and fulfilling to me.
What keeps you motivated to skate?
What keeps me motivated I mean every time I put on a pair of skates it makes me feel like a little kid on Christmas Plus I get to chill and skate with the homey’s and do something I love
What is your favorite trick? My favorite trick you already know True Topsoul!
What is your favorite moment in skating? 
My favorite moment in skating is when I did my first royale. I know what you’re thinking huh?
I struggled and struggled to get that down mind you when I started skating Royals wasn’t invented yet.. another favorite moment in skating I have to say is the moment I realize that it could get me out of the hood fax no printer!
How do see the sport today and also it's future?
Aggressive rollerblading has been through so many changes already good and bad. The way I see it now it’s ready for a fresh restart.
I can only see the future of aggressive skating becoming bigger than it's ever been!
Martina Svobodova presentation

Martina Svobodova

Team Gawds Pro

Martina Svobodova action Name and age: Martina Svobodova, 37
Country: 
Slovakia  
Current City: 
Bratislava
Blading for Gawds since: 
2020
Skate Setup:
Gawds, kizer frames and wheels by Franky Morales
Best thing in skating?
The feeling when you land your trick. The adrenaline you feel and want to fight.
Street, park, contest, filming? Your preference and thoughts. 
I Love skating street because it gives me freedom. I can be creative and find lines and obstacles that I can skate and do what I like. I love filming too because it pushes me doing tricks that I wouldnt do normally. It puts me under pressure and I like that. and it makes me happy to capture it on a video and watch it later. For example, when I was in my 20s and was filming my streetskating or even park and now after 10 years I can watch it and wonder how I could do all those tricks :-)
Who is your  favorite skater? Franky has been one of a few forever. The rest is not skating anymore :-)
What makes blading unique?
Culture, lifestyle, community all over the world, unity, etc.
What keeps you motivated to skate?
Push my self forward. Everytime when I go skate I try to learn something new or try something new (rail, ledge, gap...) if I don’t try anything new it feels like a waste of time :-)
What is your favorite trick?
All kinds of soyales and pornstars.
What is your favorite moment in skating?
Eveyrtime when I accomplished something. Winning a competittion or filming a section. The best moments were winning X-games 4 times and world championships 6 times, but also filming section for Opinions and then seeing the whole section in the movie Chris Majette made.
How do see the sport today and also it’s future?
Its different that it used to be back in 2000s. But even tho there has been some dump within the industry of rollerblading I think the social media has been helping to bring it all back and maybe and I hope, one day it will be as big as it used to be. Our biggest competitor was skateboarding but now its scooter. I hope that one day rollerblading will be taking place at X-games next to scooter skateboarding and bmx. They are all aggressive sports and noone can say which one is better or worse. We all should support each other.
Michel Prado presentation

Michel Prado

Team Gawds Pro

Michel Prado action Name and age: My real name is Michael Prado, but in Spain, the people call me Michel. I`m 30 years old.
Country: I’m from Brasil
Current City: Barcelona Spain
Brief description of yourself: I’m Michael Prado. I’m Sushi-Chef. I love to make sushi. Somedays I make sushi and after making sushi, I’ll do some bangers on skates hahaha.
Blading for Gawds since: I start skate for Gawds in 2018.
Skate Setup: Frankly Morales 2, Kizer fluid V, Michel Prado Gawds wheels, Wicked bearings

The best thing about skating? Travel around the world and meet different people on skates.
Street, park, contest, filming? Your preference and thoughts.
Street and filming some bangers. I like parks, but in Spain, we do not have too many good parks. All the parks are the same, weird ramp, weird stuff.
Who is your favorite skater?
When I started to skate, I always watched Franky, Demetrios George, Pia (Carlos Pianowski) sections. For me, those are my favorites skaters.
What makes blading unique?
Good point, I think we make blading unique, everybody has a different style and different vision This makes unique the blading.
What keeps you motivated to skate?
For real I don’t know hahaha is a joke. Is hard to explain, but when I was so close to dying, the doctor told my family, if your son survives, he won't walk and speak again, because he has a serious brain injury. I was 1 month in a coma, thanks to God everything comes well, and I back again, strong than ever. This keeps me motivated to skate and put my best because I won over death once.
What is your favorite trick? Hurricane Top Soul
What is your favorite moment in skating?
This is a good question.
Winterclash 2018. I’m not talking about tricks and hammers, I’m talking about the connection I felt. After too close to die and recover well and back skate again. This day at Winterclash I felt the massive energy of the people to me. When Miguel Martinez did the presentation of the riders and he said MICHEL PRADO RETURNS WITH US TO STAY, everybody starts to make noise and clap hands, dude I started to cry. Too much positive energy and love. This is the best moment in skating for me.
How do see the sport today and also it’s future?
About the level and more, I think is good, right now new faces are coming, new generation and more skaters return too. I believe everything changes for the better right now. I hope to see better things in the future.
Tim Franken presentation

Tim Franken

Team Gawds Pro

Tim Franken action Name and Age: Tim Franken 33 yrs old
Country: USA
Current City: Long Beach Ca
Brief description of yourself: Organized and outgoing. I won’t stop till the job is done.
Blading for Gawds since: 2017
Skate Setup: Gawds FM2s, My Pro wheels w / anti setup, Wicked bearings, Kizer fluid 4 Frames

The best thing about skating?
Traveling and networking. The traveling will help your skating and also allow you to grow and learn more as a person. I’ve met a great web of people with all kinds of skills and talent.
Street, park, contest, filming? Your preference and thoughts.
We didn’t have too many parks locally so when I started skating so we always did street. Later on, as I started to travel and that times changed and there are parks and plazas more accessible, I fell in love with the park skating. I enjoy both but even still till today I prefer street skating.
I live for the competitions. It an opportunity to go full speed and send it. Some of the wildest stuff I’ve ever landed have been in contests. I like the pressure.
Filming me has also played a special role in skating for me. It’s a way to capture your skills and use that as a stepping stone to progression. Always take it one step further with every section you drop.
Who is your favorite skater? Chris Haffey
What makes blading unique?
For me what makes blading unique to me is that it is an individual sport where you only get out what you put into it.
What keeps you motivated to skate?
It’s great for the mind and body. When you lace tricks it builds happiness and confidence into your character even with other day-to-day activities.
What is your favorite trick? Fakie 540 Pornstar
What is your favorite moment in skating?
This was a contest in 2002 I believe and it was called the redline comp and I saw Casey Geraghty 540 kind grind the marring Luther king down rail in NYC. My mind was blown.
How do see the sport today and also it’s future?
I see more Bladers than ever and with the new currents times in society, it’s not going anywhere and will be around for a long time!
Zack Savage presentation

Zack Savage

Team Gawds Pro

Zack Savage action Name and age: Zack Savage 22
Country: United States
Current City: Detroit Michigan
Brief description of yourself: just trying to have fun and push my limits as far as possible
Blading for Gawds since: 2018
Skate Setup: FM2 skates, Kizer frames, Zack savage wheels

Best thing about skating?The fun and The freedom to do what you want and knowing there no limits on how big you can go.
Street, park, contest, filming? Your preference and thoughts.
I like them all but really depends on the season, summertime I’m all about street, contests, and filming. While in the wintertime I’m in the park training.
Who is your favorite skater? Tie between Montre and Jon Bolino
What makes blading unique? How many different styles and techniques make it unique to me. You got people that wanna go as big as possible and push the limits on what people thought was possible, then you got other people that just wanna chill out and skates curbs and get the same enjoyment out of it.
What keeps you motivated to skate? Knowing that I can always go bigger than what I did before, right when I land a huge trick I’m already thinking about how I can make that trick even harder to do because I know it could be done and I wanna be the one to do it
What is your favorite trick? Ally oop top soul in any variation, straight up, full cab, 540, or even spinning out, that trick is just dope to me
What is your favorite moment in skating? Probably when I did fakie 720 AO top soul, I was just trying it kinda as a joke and ended up lacing it 3rd try! Maybe I’ll 900 into it soon.
How do see the sport today and also it's future? The sport today I feel is the best it’s ever been. Everyone is linked up through social media and every day you get to see new clips from anywhere in the world at the touch of your hand. For the future of the sport, it looks really bright in my eyes. I’m constantly seeing young bucks popping out and learning really fast. seeing those kids skate gets me super hype just seeing them having fun and learning the sport. Blading has a bright future without a doubt!
Paul John presentation

Paul John

Team Gawds Pro

Paul John action Name and age: Paul John 36
Country: USA
Current City: Chicago IL
Brief description of yourself: Film Director.
Blading for Gawds since: I was the first rider Franky asked to be on the team in 2014.
Skate Setup: GC frames, Gawds Wheels, Current FM 2 Boots.
The best thing about skating? Being your own coach.
Street, park, contest, filming? Your preference and thoughts.
Born and raised a Street Skater and Competitor. I love competing and pushing the limits no matter how old I get. Favorite thing to do is film on tour with the crew.
Who is your favorite skater? Franky Morales.
What makes blading unique? The idea of being able to do more creatively on street than any other extreme sport.
What keeps you motivated to skate? “The older I get, the more life starts to make sense, and the less I care”
What is your favorite trick? Sweatstance
What is your favorite moment in skating? Best trick Windy City Riot 2007.
How do see the sport today and also it's future? Hardcore til the day we die.
Chino Sin presentation

Chino Sin

Team Gawds Am

Chino Sin action

Name: Chino Sin
Country: United States
City: Bronx New York 

Im a Passionate & driven individual. I walk around with my chin high carrying confidence & positive energy. Consider myself an adrenaline junkie, which is why Skating & I bond so well. 

Blading for Gawds since? - September 5, 2020
Skate set up? - I’m riding the (FM2s) Franky Morales black & white PRO boot, standard stock set up Kizer frames with some Gawd wheels.
Best thing in skating? - when I first read this question first thing to mind was competitions. But I’m going to have to go with meeting with friends from all over the world and filming for projects. When you film for clips & have the right crew, correct guidance, and influence that’s when you skate your best.
Favorite skater? You know ima go with the prince of skating which is Brian Aragon & Franky Morales. I grew up watching Aragon his style, spins & tricks was on point. I chose Franky as well because he was my favorite character in this video game called “Aggressive inline” for PS2. It’s crazy how he was in an actual video game & has been applying pressure throughout the years from X Games & major competitions all around the world.
What makes blading unique? I believe blading is what you make it, not a lot of people can skate. But to be able to set the bar high grinding rails & doing stunts …that’s a different breed for me. It’s different like of culture that not everybody can do or master.
What keeps you motivated to skate? Besides my goals in getting my own pro wheel & skate, I would say just throwing on the blades & having a great time with friends. It’s the little sessions that count the most when everybody is learning & having fun at the same time.
What’s your favorite trick? Personally 270 back unity, it’s a cool whip around trick where your feet look crossed & both of your middle of your frames are locked in.
What is your favorite moment in skating?  Lacing a banger trick on camera‼️
No other satisfying after that trick as took you 30 tries but you finally get it. About a month ago I was in California filming with ERod aka Erick Rodriguez & we caught a fire clip on this school kink rail. That was definitely one of my favorite moments in skating.
How do you see the sport and also it’s future? I see the sport progressing & gaining the hype again. Before the sport used to be in the X games, now they throwing $100,000 competitions across the globe. It’s pretty dope to me, I’m definitely seeing a lot more skaters around my way & a lot of my friends wanting to start blading. The futures pretty bright for blading, shout out to my sponsors Gawds skate brand, Ghetto community, & Bladergangworldwide. This for 4L

Johnny Yoon presentation

Johnny Yoon

Team Gawds Am

Johnny Yoon action Name: Young Sun Yoon aka Johnny Yoon
Age: 29 1992.01.11
Country: South Korea
Current City: Suwon City
Brief description of yourself: I’m Johnny Yoon from South Korea and a GWADS brand team rider.
Blading for Gawds since: 2018 November for 2years
Skate Setup: Franky Morales V2 with old 50/50 Jon Julio frames

The best thing about skating?
Until now it was the best thing for me to have various experiences such as meeting various skaters, such as age, gender, and race, enjoying skating together, and going on tours. I think that if I hadn't been skating, I wouldn't have been able to meet and experience diverse people like now.
Street, park, contest, filming? Your preference and thoughts. Of course, I like everything, but I prefer shooting on the street.
The street is always new and thrilling. The joy when I succeeded in the trick is good, and if I see myself by putting it in a video, I can see more accurately how I ride and in what kind of posture, which is very helpful in developing my skating further.
Who is your favorite skater?
My favorite skater is Franky Morales and Dominic Sagona. I still often watch their old videos.
What makes blading unique?
Even though skating uses the same tricks, I think it is really attractive and unique to express themselves in different ways with different feelings and different styles.
What keeps you motivated to skate?
I watch a lot of the aggressive inline videos I watched when I first started skating.
Looking at them, it makes me want to go outside with my skates right now, just like when I first started riding.
I also often look for “fail edits” to watch, and these videos seem to help me see the process of success in the end even if I keep failing and fall, and it makes me less scared when skating and helps me to continue challenging
What is your favorite trick?
My Favorite trick is Torque Topsoul to True Spin Topporn. I love the feeling of this switch-up.
What is your favorite moment in skating?
Even if I fail when I do a difficult trick, I think it will be time for me to continue challenging and succeed.
I can’t forget the moment when I hit my head to the floor hard but got back up and succeeded with that tricks during the 2018 Blading Cup competition.
At that time the crowd cheered and like it very much.
How do see the sport today and also it’s future?
If you look at Korea as a standard, the aggressive scene is very small, but these days, there are a lot of new kids who ride well like Jay Yoon and Mina Lee. Through them, the scene can be getting bigger and bigger.
However, most of the skaters in Korea only ride in the park, but I think the more aggressive scenes will grow as more friends ride the street.
With kids like Mina and Jay, the Korean aggressive scene is likely to grow bigger in the future. Of course, I will continue to try to expand the Korean aggressive scene.