London’s finest, Oliver (@oliver_deane), has been rollerskating for a while now — and it was only a matter of time before he dropped a killer section for us to enjoy. “Pear Shaped” features technicality and audacity on multiple London spots.

This project has been in the works for several months, and thanks to his dedication and the high standards he holds for his skating, it's no surprise that the part is packed with technicality and clean tricks, plus a few heavy hitters.

Enjoy this great chat with Olli, where we dive into his experience putting a project like this together, how protective gear has helped him overcome mental barriers and rise to the challenge, and some solid advice he shares at the end of the interview.

Give us a little introduction, where and how long have you been skating?

Sure! My Name is Oliver, but most folks call me Ollie. I’ve been rollerskating for about 10 years in total, and park skating for five and a half years currently. The majority of that time was spent living and skating in London, but I am from Yorkshire originally, so I spent just over a year in Harrogate and Leeds back in 2020 and 2021.

 

Your part has been a long time coming. How was the process of putting a section like this together?

Overall, the process was an absolute blast, having a project to work towards every session was such an unexpected blessing, it drove me to try things I normally wouldn’t and analyse my skating from a new perspective; that being, someone who is creating a project over the course of ten months. It also helped me accept my failures and my limitations as a skater. That, despite not quite meeting my lofty goals, at the end of the process, I had fun, and I’m proud of the end product.

That said, the part was a really challenging experience for me in a lot of ways, and the process required a level of forethought and consideration I rarely put into my skating. The main reason is that the individual tricks stopped being just singular challenges or fun ideas, but suddenly became smaller elements of a larger overall project that I had to think about and plan. Before even getting to the street spot, I had to plan a list of potential tricks based on what I could reasonably land, but also on what is currently missing and where in the video's pacing that trick might fit. In addition to being more premeditated than I initially thought it would be, another challenge was that street skating forced me to confront my limits fairly regularly. I couldn’t hide behind the flimsy notion that I was just going to have a ‘chill session’. Having bold and ambitious plans that melted away once confronted with the actual challenge of the spot made a lot of my plans turn out… well… pear-shaped.

 

You wear your helmet for the whole part, how do you feel this has impacted your skating? does it helps you go harder on specific tricks?

Having my helmet when skating is part of my ritual at this point! It’s honestly been so good for me; the protection from the helmet helped me deal with a lot of the fear associated with sizing up and getting ready to skate scarier spots, for sure. Like all people, I got those nervous, intrusive thoughts, those nasty what-if questions in the back of your mind looking down a rail or a big drop, you know? It's comforting to know that at least my head and my good ol’ brain are safe when I fall. And ‘when’ is the crucial word; you have to know you will fall and come to terms with that. I’ve found that sentiment a lot easier to accept when I’ve got my helmet on. Plus, I think it looks cool too! (and it helps with my long, silly fringe)

 

What would you say is your skate style?

This is an interesting one. The skate style that I have now is honestly quite new. In the last year or so, my skating has become more relaxed and expressive in contrast to a few years ago. A combination of consistently skating street and switching to heeled skates really helped me find my style. I think I used to be quite a bit stiffer and more stompy. I like to consider myself a bit of a generalist, but I definitely do like the challenge of a lot of spins, switch-ups and unconventional tricks, so I think it's fair to call my style techy.

 

How would you describe the skate community to be in London?

I would describe it as THE BEST dude! We have unbelievable shredders, lovely people and a real sense of friendship and community! I know a number of cities and communities that have been affected by the post-COVID dip, and London is no exception, but we are incredibly fortunate to have a mixed quad & inline community still going strong. Pear-shaped wouldn’t have been possible without my quad and my inline homies.

 

It's been a few months since you visited Colombia. How was the experience to skate in such a different environment?

Colombia was just incredible! Both Medellin and Bogota had really cool skateparks and spots, which were made all the better by the passionate and talented skaters. The environment was certainly an issue at points! With Bogota being so high altitude, it felt like I was gasping for air between runs, and the heat in Medellin was very different to what I am used to in the UK, as you can imagine. But I found myself getting swept up in the tenacity and enthusiasm of the Colombian skaters, pretty much every session we went to, it felt like folks were pushing themselves and each other in such an encouraging way, I think it's what all scenes and communities should aspire to.

 

Is there anyone you'd like to shout out?

Yes! Absolutely, I would like to shout out my filmer, Elouen. They have been instrumental in making the part. Without their dedication, skills and wisdom, it really might not have happened. I also want to shout out Miret, who saw an early release of the video and encouraged me to release the edit without too many additions or revisions and really embrace the core concept of the video that the name alludes to.

 

What's next for you?

More projects and more parts! You’ll all be seeing more from me. This process has been really great for me, and the excitement to one-up myself and capitalise on my momentum is strong. I took a nice big break over the summer to go on holiday and skate more transition, but I am now back in the streets working on more stuff, so keep your eyes peeled.

 

Anything you'd like to add?

Yeah, for those who’ve read this far, I want to impart to you that the time to start making that project is right now! Set yourself a deadline, find a homie to film you and make something! Don't focus on greatness or excellence, and try to remember that getting good at things takes consistent practice, which includes skating and also skate videos! Our community deserves to exist outside the realm of short-form content, and if you have an idea and a few months, you can make something you and your friends will enjoy.

Check out his part “Pear Shaped” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it54cB7YaYA