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Bodhi Keen - Omen Longboards European Ambassador

September 24, 2015

Bodhi Keen has been traveling through Europe this summer and has been stopping at a considerable amount of different events. We finally got a chance to catch up with Bodhi after his Summer Travels and ask him some questions about life on the road while skating.


Bodhi Keen (right) with Aaron Hampshire and Teammate Ed Kiefer. Photo by Lada Nayevo. 


 Nate: How have things been going for you?

Bodhi: Not bad! just chilling after a bunch of weeks over in mainland Europe. Preparing for the winter over here.

Nate: What major events have you attended this year, I saw that you were somewhere new every weekend?

Bodhi: To start we hit up Eat Concrete early in the year but for the Eurotrip, we started at Eurobash followed up by Kozakov and then down to KNK, then a little drive thru the Alps, and then onto Woodwings!

Nate: Dam, you went to everything I was frothing over all summer! What has been your favorite place to skate so far?

Bodhi: I always have a blast at KNK but I think this run up in the Alps takes it for me, it feels like a road built for fun, and after a few runs trying to get it right, I had everything I wanted dialed in for a film run.


Bodhi grabbing and leaning during the KNK Freeride Festival. Photo by Erwin Boekee.

 

Nate: When did you film this raw run, where was it filmed, you can be vague to keep the secrecy?

Bodhi: I cant name any roads but its somewhere in Europe. The whole run is 45 mins long but the top section is a tuck and grip, and the bottom is blind, and under the tree line, which means shady and patchy, while the middle section is perfect in every way.

Nate: How was it skating an 8 minute road, did your legs turn to jello?

Bodhi: It was a struggle, at about 2 minutes in, I come out of a right corner and my leg starts shaking while I was in my tuck. I got to the bottom of the hill and lied on the ground for about 10 minutes! This was the last run I skated down due to my inability to make my legs work afterwards.


Bodhi Keen's new video called Alpine Kush.

 

Nate: What was your setup, deck, wheels, trucks?

Bodhi: I was rocking an OMEN Kush with AERA K3s (46/38). With some wedging they are sitting at 50/19 with Slide Perfect Momentum 86a Wheels. Combined together, it was a really great setup for the conditions and road!

Nate: How did your setup handle the long twisting descent in this Raw Run?

Bodhi: Well, the best thing about low split angles is that the straights are super chill, and there is time to think about what is coming up, and how to interact with you surroundings is the only thing to focus on, because stability is guaranteed, so you dont have that voice in the back of your head telling you to stay stable. I am a huge fan of not riding the normal or trendy stuff, so an OG style setup is super rad, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Nate: Trewth to that! How many times did you need to film that run to get the version you wanted?

Bodhi: This is a one take wonder of a run. I had a practice run down in the morning, seshed the top few curves for an hour or so, then hit this up! I doubt I got down the hill more than 5/6 times in 2 days the run is so long, you take a run in the morning, then eat breakfast, take a run after breakfast then eat lunch, take a run after lunch then eat dinner. Eating and Tucking is all I was doing.


Just a quick stop to enjoy the view with Bodhi and the gang as they traveled Europe.

 

Nate: Who drove the follow car? How long have you known them?

Bodhi: Big shout out to the one and only Finbarr Crowley for keeping close and not quite hitting me! The whole trip was with 2 of the SlidePerfect team riders, and they really made everything really rad!


Bodhi getting pitted at Kozakov in the Czech Republic. Picture by Mery Merian.

 

Nate: What is next on the agenda for Entrepreneur Bodhi Keen?

Bodhi: There are a few plans under way including some events being organized, but the next trip will be to some Spanish Islands or to down-under land. You will just have to wait and see! Oh, I am also testing some wheels and burning some old ones, "protohyping" as they say. ;)

Nate: Stoked to be able to catch up Bodhi, do you have any shout outs, mom, dad, grandparents, sponsors, any advice for traveling skaters?

For sure to Alex at Newton Shred for hooking me up with a fresh TSG for the trip! Also shout out to my dad for getting my van fixed so I didn't get stuck out there just before I left. That would of ruined everything!


Bodhi tucking hard as Newton Shred gets the shot.


Thanks Bodhi for being cool and skating hard this summer. We are looking forward to seeing all the fruits of your labor as the winter progresses. 

-Nate
Love You, Mean It.