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The Piedmont Highlander

Essert skates worldwide, gathers experiences

Speeding down the hill, swerving around corners, successfully winning two events in the mountains of Colorado, otherwise known as a typical week for senior skateboarder Byron Essert.

Essert, who is sponsored by Skate One Corp, Aera Trucks, Muirskate.com, has traveled across not only the United States, but the world, competing in competitions such as the open class and junior class events at the Buffalo Bill Downhill Bloodspill 2012, which Essert won on Oct. 6-7.

Essert became a professional skater about six months ago, and as a result has ventured to such places as Pyrenees in France, the Dominican Republic, and all over the U.S. and Canada. He said the travelling is easily the best part of turning pro because of the entire experience of it all, ranging from the different parties and food, and being able to spend time with the “foreign chicks”.

“The good food while traveling is hard to come by but key,” Essert said, adding on that learning the language is an essential part to the trip because knowing how to speak their language allows you to order food and talk to girls.

Essert said his favorite place that he has gone so far has been Pyrenees because of the “crazy views and most epic scenery and hills.” In addition, he has trips to Japan and Brazil scheduled in the near future for him.

Sophomore Austin Willard, who skates with Essert often, said he was amazed at Essert’s talent but, at the same time, his ability to stay himself and that he hasn’t changed since going pro.

“I think the best way to describe Byron is that he’s real. He’s himself, 100% of the time, that is a trait that’s pretty hard to come by these days,” Willard said.

Willard said that he enjoys not only skating with Essert, but also enjoys just sitting back and watching him skate, saying that he’d much rather watch Essert do a standard trick because of his personality and style than a random stranger do a more complex one.

“He can do all these amazing, mind boggling tricks, and he does them with such ease. The way he skates, it’s just fun to watch,” Willard said.

Essert’s favorite thing to do is compete in races downhill and skate in parks during his free time.

“The first time I saw him skate he just ripped, I mean, I knew he was super good at skating downhill, but he can really skate a bowl,” Willard said.

He started skating when he was in 5th grade and thought that skating professionally made all the sense in the world.

“I have a passion for it, so why not get paid to do what you love,” Essert said.

Both Willard and Essert’s brother have confidence in his future. Essert’s brother, Miles, a graduate from PHS last year currently at Sonoma State, also has skated professionally. Miles believes that Essert has what it takes to succeed in competitions because of the drive he sees in him.

“[When I look at my brother] I see some serious skill that, along with all the hard work he puts in, will lead him to do extremely well,” Miles Essert said.

“I think that to succeed in skateboarding you gotta have the talent, and you gotta have the soul, the love for skateboarding. Byron has got both, more than just about anyone I’ve ever met, and that’s going to take him far,” Willard said.

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