Nike SB Gives You Four Olympics Perspectives In ‘Contest Legends’
Have you heard that skateboarding is debuting in the Olympics this weekend? Just kidding. Whether you’re sick of hearing about the Summer Games in Tokyo or you can’t get enough of the hot Games goss, Nike SB‘s recent video ‘Contest Legends’ is an enlightening watch. Competitive OGs Lance Mountain, Berrics co-founder Eric Koston, Elissa Steamer, and Paul Rodriguez (who has won several Berrics competitions, including the physically punishing Run & Gun and psychologically brutal BATB, over the years) share their perspectives on the value of contests in an activity that, arguably, is at its best when there are no rules.
‘I won $300 for Tahoe, but it cost me $350 to get there.’
The short, eight-minute edit covers several generations of contest lifestyles: you have Mountain’s ultra-bootstraps approach, paying his own way and being in the hole even after winning; Steamer, who was killing it before there was even a distinction between men’s and women’s divisions, reflects on the camaraderie and social importance of competition; P-Rod talks about how he had a rocky first contest season; and Koston reveals how he spent his entire prize purse on one single thing (looking at my Rolex, it’s about that time… to sell this watch).
Given the chance, all four of these legends would happily jump at the chance to compete in the Olympics. But you get the feeling that they’re satisfied with what they’ve accomplished, on and off the podium. (Can you imagine Koston in the Olympics, though, Fandangling on the world’s stage?) Nike SB should get a gold medal for this video.
Check out some of our work with these legends over the years, below:
