During lunch (OK, burgers and fries) with Lore, her mother Inge and our photo crew, the subject of skate tricks comes up and especially how one can know the difference between all of them. “Do you remember the kickflip, mom?”, Lore asks, only to promptly take out her phone to use it as a skateboard and demonstrate a kickflip with her fingers. That pretty much says it all. Lore is a skateboarder all the way, which is easy to notice when you’re talking to her but even easier to see when she rides. We got to spend a rainy afternoon with her in and around Kortrijk and had the best time.
How do you combine skateboarding at this level with still going to school?
Well, there’s always a lot going on, between World Championships, European Championships, Belgian Championships and what not. Plus, sometimes things are announced super late. So, it isn’t easy to make it all work but I manage. For skateboarding, there’s no sport status like there is for soccer or tennis. Luckily, school is very flexible and understanding.
Congratulations again on that Belgian title by the way. How would you describe the vibe at such an event to an outsider?
The location (‘t Kuipke in Ghent) was perfect. The whole setting was constructed especially for the championship and then broken down again afterwards, but it was great. It was easy to have a nice overview and to see everyone in action. The atmosphere was really fun, it’s almost like small family reunion. Keep in mind that there aren’t that many female skaters, so it really is a close-knit group. There’s no competitive vibe, we all root for one another.
With skateboarding becoming an Olympic sport, there’s been a lot of debate. How do you feel about the subject?
You can definitely notice an increased attention from the media. Which doesn’t have to be a bad thing, because it’ll expose more people to skateboarding and could result in some more appreciation. I might go and it could be fun, but it’s not necessarily a goal. I try not to take contests too seriously, not even the Olympics. What matters most is having a good time on and off my skateboard and seeing different places.
Classic question, but how did you get into skateboarding?
I was around 12 when I got into it. At after school care, a friend of mine would often skateboard so through him, I started trying to do the same thing. A little later my dad took me to a toy store to get my first board, in plastic (laughs). When my mom dropped me off at the local skatepark for the very first time, I was a little girl surrounded by all these older skateboarders. They probably were surprised at first, but they immediately accepted me and took me under their wings.
Were there any other girls there?
Just one. Evelien, who’s about 10 years older than me and who actually is my coach these days. Nowadays, the two of us are still there, plus a bunch of other female friends like Sara, Aura and Maithé.
You were seriously injured while you were in Brazil last year. Are you back at 100% now?
I wouldn’t say 100%, but it’s going well. I can’t do everything that I’d want to do yet, but we’re getting there. It’s been a year now, which may not seem that long, but it was long to me. Mentally, it was tough at times, because I started thinking that maybe I would never be able to skate again. The healing process took longer than anticipated, so that was scary.
What did you do to occupy your mind during those months?
I went on holiday with my sister, without a skateboard for once (laughs). I drew a lot too and, of course, there was schoolwork to do as well. I was seeing the physiotherapist 4 times a week so that kept me busy too.
You’re already very independent for someone your age and it’s clear that your parents support you and give you a lot of freedom at the same time. Was it always that way?
Always. They immediately noticed how much I loved doing what I do, so they were always supportive and helped out where they could. For them, the important thing is that I’m happy. I often hear stories about parents that think skateboarding is for criminals, or at least kind of sketchy. I’m so glad that my parents never felt that way. Because they were always there with me when I started out, they know all my friends too. They know what goes on and know that they don’t have to worry.
That sense of community is definitely something that makes skateboarding a unique subculture.
It’s a very open minded and creative culture. People support one another and even if you skateboard solo, you’re never skateboarding alone. You learn tricks together, you hang out together, encourage each other. I love the freedom that it offers: you can choose the tricks you want to learn, when you want to go skateboarding, how you want to skateboard. Everyone’s unique and has their own style.
When did you realize that you were good and wanted to keep doing this?
When I noticed that I could keep learning new tricks and progressing. That’s the cool thing, everyone can progress, even the best skateboarders can learn new tricks. The variety is enormous and keeps growing.
Do you think it could ever turn into something you make a living off?
Maybe. The popularity seems to keep growing and I think that if you really focus on it, it may be possible. I would be into that for sure. Doing what I love all of the time seems like a cool idea. But honestly, before you asked me that question, I’d never really thought about it (laughs).
Skateboarding is full of personalities. Is there anyone in specific that inspires you?
Someone that I think has an awesome personality and incredible skills is Nora Vasconcellos. She’s very creative on and off her board too. I love her style.
You’ve already travelled a lot, what are some of your favorite places so far?
Rio de Janeiro. It’s a huge city that has everything. Mountains, the ocean and great skate spots. Some of the world’s best skateboarders are Brazilian. It’s like they have the ultimate discipline and the will to become the best.
And in Belgium?
When it comes to indoor parks, nothing beats Rampaffairz. It’s not only the biggest Belgian indoor park but also the best. I’m lucky to live so close to it. There are some good outdoor parks too, but those are less my thing.
You must be kind of used to being interviewed and having your picture taken by now. Is it still weird at times?
I can deal with it pretty easily. I don’t really think about it too much. I just do my own thing and as long as the vibe is relaxed and easy-going, it’s cool.
Thanks Lore!
Words
Bjorn Dossche
Pictures
Victor Pattyn
