Interview: Manu Oberle!

AY YAI YAI!!! An interview with Manu! He is one of my favorite fingerboarders to watch and is also really kind as well. If you want some updates about the European scene, and the recent Fast Fingers 11 contest, read on. Here we go! 

Can you introduce yourself?

Hi, my name is Emanuel "Manu" Oberle. I'm 19 years old; I live in Switzerland, Europe. Fingerboarding is an important part in my life and I love it.

Can you list your sponsors? ^_^

Blackriver-ramps, Gripskin ( soul sponsor), Arctic, WW'z

How long have you been fingerboarding, and what got you into it?

I bought my first TechDeck back in '99. But I wouldn't say this is when I started fingerboarding. It was just a big hype in our school and I learned an ollie (with sticker instead of griptape). But then I forget about it and time passed. I got back into it 5years ago, 2003, when I was in school with a friend of Boris Dietschi. He brought his Berlin Wood in the school and landed a kickflip. I was so stocked and couldn't stop fingerboard myself

So Fast Fingers 11 was this past week, how did the contest go?

What can I say.... no words can ever describe the feeling you get at such a great-organized fingerboard event. The contest itself was pretty sick. The first round was very long and a little bit boring with the time. But then again it's cool to have so many starters. The skill level was very high this time, but also the creativity of the riders is awesome.

Yeah, it's amazing what the scene over there has accomplished haha

It shows the rest of the community what can be accomplished and sets an example for others to follow.

Thx, god... uhm..

Yes it's cool to see what you can make out of fingerboarding. But therefore you need someone who lives for fingerboarding. It's hard work to get the respect from shop owners and skateboarders it deserves.

The thing is: Skateboarders always wanted the respect of all the people, and now they got something like that... But now they are also ignorant.

Yeah I just wanted to tell the people out there a little bit about what's really going on at such an event. 99% of the people are there to have fun, meeting people and fingerboard together. The whole contest thing is cool, but it's not like a football game where people forget the fun.  

I had some really great experiences this year. I met a lot of funny people and we laugh and drink a lot together... We also had a nice after contest party and skate sessions. :)

That's great! I have a feeling a lot of people  would really be focused on the contest itself rather than the social event.

But I can understand when people from the US that come to Europe for fingerboarding try to be good. Like Mike Schneider ;) he was very good. But you know, it costs money for the flight and some time to travel. So I think I also would try to be good ^^ This year there were no prices anyways. Everybody went outside the building after the final to smoke and chill. So they just threw the stuff out of the window.. It was very funny. But some thought it was unfair...

So are there any more events coming up?

Uhm there are quiet some I think. There is at least one skateboard exhibition where brr has his stand. Then there is WeissWurstiss-Jam in Munich. Everybody goes there and Winkler leads through the city to some outdoor spots ;) There will be a European championship at the 22nd of November in Austria, organized by Fingaspeak. And I hope to have some great sessions this summer with a lot of guys

Shoutouts?

First of all, thank you for interview ;) keep it up with this blog. I know it's a hard work, but it's worth it! There should be more fingerboarder like you. There are too many haters out there. Support fingerboarding and stay positive. I want to thank every fingerboarder out there! Have fun and stay real. Fingerboarding never dies!

Thanks to Gripskin-/, NWDC-/, BRR-/, WW'z-teammembers. Thanks to all the ones I forget and I want to meet again this year.

Thanks a bunch Manu for the interview! You are a great fingerboarder!