The African Vacation pro skateboarding tour is less than a month away from our shores! Cliché’s Andrew Brophy, Almost’s Chris Haslam, Darkstar’s Ryan Decenzo and Enjoi’s Ben Raemers are hitting Joburg, Durban and Cape Town all in 1 week. It’s gonna be super epic. Check out the tour dates and venues below and join up on the Facebook event page HERE. Click “more” below for all the interviews with all the touring pros….

Friday 24 September - Boogaloos Brightwater Skatepark, Joburg
Saturday 25 September - Revolution Festival Mall Skatepark, Joburg
Sunday 26 September - Urban X Skatepark, Joburg
Tuesday 28 September - Stoneridge Skatepark, Joburg
Wednesday 29 September - Wavehouse Skatepark, Durban
Friday 1 October - Sport Unlimited Skatepark, Cape Town
Saturday 2 October - The Shed Skatepark, Stellenbosch

ANDREW BROPHY – CLICHÉ

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
I was hoping that I would make it to South Africa on a skate trip, my mum and dad have been there, and some of my friends from London are from SA and there fu*kin the best. As for other countries that were crazy, I would have to say Russia because of the crazy background they come from. It was a amazing place though.

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?
Someone in London was telling me that downtown Joburg has some good spots and Jason Dill had some footage down there too, but I dont really know any spots.
 
What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?
Meeting some people, doing a safari and being in South Africa.
 
Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.
I just finished my Cliché commercial and now im filming a section for my upcoming pro shoe on DVS, so im going to be workin my ass off!!

If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
I’ll take a shark please and hope to god it gets me good. I feel a lion is like a big cat and would probably play with you for a while, it wouldn’t be quick. Shit would suck eather way.

CHRIS HASLAM – ALMOST

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
Well I have been to Johannesburg one time already and that was amazing. I guess the only of the country I have been to that I never thought I would go to would be Belarus. 

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?

Yeah I have seen some of the spots there before but we never get to skate them because last time we were there we were recommended to NOT skate outside the place we were staying.


What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?

The experience. I’m with a new group of guys, a new distributor, which means new experieinces. It’s gonna be fun.
     

Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.

I have been touring and filming for the last ten years haha…


If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
Probably a lion because then I wouldn’t have to deal with the fact that I am drowning as well.

RYAN DECENZO – DARKSTAR

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
I definatly never thought I would travel to Africa for skating. The other crazy countries I’ve toured so far would be Panama, Philippines and Tahiti.

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?
I haven’t really heard anything about the skate scene I SA, other than there are people who skate out there… and that there must be spots because it’s a fairly developed country.
 
What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?
I’m looking forward to exploring the city and culture of SA as well as checking out the skate scene, skate spots and hanging with some people over there!

Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.
I’ve been doing some touring just mostly north America lately for the Dew Tour contest and events that my sponsors are putting on. I’m also filming street stuff for the upcoming Bones video, Busy Busy!
 
If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
I would rather be eaten by a shark because I would die faster in the water and it would be less painful.

BEN RAEMERS – ENJOI

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa ? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
I never though I would get the chance to go to South Africa! It’s one of the craziest countries going. The craziest country I have visited would have to be will still have to be Holland, I go there quite a bit, Amsterdam to be precise, there is some crazy things to do/see at that place, words can’t even explain. 

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?
No I have never been informed about South Africa’s skate vibe, I do not know what to expect when we go there.

What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?
Everything! The plane, the landing, the sights, the food, the drinks, the beach’s, the people, the music, the buildings, the animals, the music, literally everything! 

Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.
Yes I recently moved to San José, so we have been filming. We where on a enjoi trip to the the East Coast, I injured my knee so I had to have a month off resting, but I can skate again and all is well, I leave for a month es’ trip today, preety exited.


If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
That is a tough one! I would have go with the lion, as it would not be fun in water getting eaten, I would want the lion to bite my head off in one!

Check out the brand new Die Heuwels Fantasties music video for the song “Doodgewone Aand” with creative all by SA artist, Louis Minnaar!

Check out this brand new Real Skateboards commercial featuring Jake Donnelly HERE.

Ben Raemers is a machine from the UK who now lives in the States and skates for Enjoi. Gnarly huge bowls, ramps and rails is his bag and he’s coming to South Africa on the African Vacation Tour this month! We asked him a bunch of questions to find out how psyched he is to come down…

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa ? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
I never though I would get the chance to go to South Africa! It’s one of the craziest countries going. The craziest country I have visited would have to be will still have to be Holland, I go there quite a bit, Amsterdam to be precise, there is some crazy things to do/see at that place, words can’t even explain. 

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?
No I have never been informed about South Africa’s skate vibe, I do not know what to expect when we go there.

What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?
Everything! The plane, the landing, the sights, the food, the drinks, the beach’s, the people, the music, the buildings, the animals, the music, literally everything! 

Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.
Yes I recently moved to San José, so we have been filming. We where on a enjoi trip to the the East Coast, I injured my knee so I had to have a month off resting, but I can skate again and all is well, I leave for a month es’ trip today, preety exited.


If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
That is a tough one! I would have go with the lion, as it would not be fun in water getting eaten, I would want the lion to bite my head off in one!

Just before Ryan Decenzo filmed the Red Bull Traffik Jam, Skateboard Magazine Canada spoke to him about his recent part for Transworld “Hallelujah”…

Berlin is one hell of a city! Check out this new NikeSB Europe vid of the team hitting up Berlin!

This Friday there’s a skate jam and comp going down at the Stellenbosch skatepark. The comp starts at 7pm sharp and runs for an hour. Check out the Facebook event info HERE. Skating’s the best way to start your weekend!

Check out the new video from the latest Lakai Getting Nordical Tour!

Charles Collet by Ewan Bowman for Deja Vu from Cliché Skateboards on Vimeo.

Check out this brand new clip of Cliché’s Charles Collet from the new Deja Vu vid.