Name: Haimona Ngata.
Age: Turdy (30)
Home town: Tolaga bay, a small town on the coast of the north island, just outside of Gisbourne, best secret surf spots ever!
Sponsors: Vans, Mountain Dew, Burgerfuel, Pro-Tec, Oakley, Subrosa, The Shadow Conspiracy, Twhites bikes, 666 distro! (WAZMAN tattoo studio from time to time as well)
What’s your favourite Vans shoe? Gotta be the Authentic, Just a good all round classic shoe, can wear it to work, riding, then out to the bar.
What tunes would I find in your mix? Mmm, Lil Wayne, Mogwai, Explosions in the sky, Deez Nutz, Poison, Burt Bacharach, this could go on forever…
How long on the bike? 16 years PLUS! Whew!
Why BMX? It was the only way for me to get to high school, 16 years on it’s the only way for me to get to work!
Best place to ride? Anywhere, anything, anytime, just being able to peddle down the street is the best feeling in the world.
Last time you dug some trails? Do you remember when star wars was at the movie theatre…not long after that.
Who are your influences, when you started, and now? Mum and dad, family, friends have always been the biggest influences, anyone who is doing something different is an influence. The old school classics will never die, Matt Hoffman, Dave Volker, Gerry Galley. I get stoked on skating as well, just people doing their own thing and not worrying about anything else. BMX companies who are doing their own thing, T-1, shadow, subrosa, tempered, cult, the bank, defgrip.
What can you not live without? A good pair of Vans of course, My Daughter, my bike, the skirt, Burgerfuel, Friends, Family, Beer, Gin, Narrowneck beach, and anything that apple makes. I could do without work.
What’s your favourite trick? Nothing like just lofting an air, roasting a quarter is the best! Just holding on. Partial to a turndown here and there as well, a good manual down a hill is a buzz too!
Blondes or Brunets? Mmmm, I’ve gotta admit, I’m partial to both, hell, any hair colour is great, as long as it’s on a girl. MMM, maybe not grey though.
Who's coming up right now? There’s a lot of people coming up for sure, going at it. Again I’m stoked on people who are doing different things and on their own buzz, there’s a guy in Christchurch named Robbie who I’ve never met but seen footy and photos and he’s got a cool style and likes to get drunk so that’s two ticks in my books! Also a couple of young kids from my hometown of Gisbourne who have got skills. Some buddies in Australia who are just chipping away but doing big things, Ben Pigot from Sydney and Mat Lawton who runs tempered BMX, working class heroes who I’m stoked on.
And most importantly, how many tail whips can you do no your scooter? How many fingers have you got to count on? That plus more! Love that shit!
Thanks / Shout outs. All the companies that support me in any way, (insert sponsor list here) totally appreciative and thankful for having my back! Twhite, wazman, zombie mike, the 4x4’s, the usual crew. The skirt, the nugg, narrowneck beach for being my spiritual drinking place, most importantly mum and dad for being mum and dad and letting me ride that stupid little kids bike for all those years! Word!
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icegrind
