Photos by Trey Tomsik (click to enlarge…)
Birthdate: 2/10/76
Birth sign: Aquarius
Birth place: San Francisco, CA
Currently residing: Truckee, CA
What was growing up like? I grew up in San Francisco. S.F. has so many different people and stuff, so it helped me keep my mind open. S.F. is also rad cause it has rad hills to skate. That’s what I grew up doing, although I don’t skate anymore.
When & how did you get into wakeboarding? I started skating when I was about 7 or 8 and then got into snowboarding. One day when I was in a local shop I saw a skurfer. … It was on after that. Ron Depp was the first dude to get me hooked up. Ron has always been good to me. What up, Ron.
Do you still get a rush from wakeboarding? Yes and no. Yeah, because if I learn something new that’s a good feeling, but most of all riding is like being at home to me. It’s good for the soul. Jumping some sh@! on a dirtbike, that’s a rush.
Give us a few of your influences: Lance Mountain, Steve Graham, Josh Smith, Jamie Lynn and Kevin Jones. Oh yeah, Bubba, ’cause he’s tight.
Where do you usually ride? Come on, y’all! The lakes here are busy enough. Uh, Jackson Meadows?
How is it riding for Thruster? Tight. Those guys are rad. They all have soul and are true. Things are starting to go off, and it’s about that time again. Randy Harris and Steve Wahlman are killing it. So yeah, Thruster’s rad. I’m stoked.
What made you want to start a camp? I was just fed up with a lot of crap going on and decided to do something for myself. My partner Chuck just got back from a tour and got burned (by the company), so we decided that it was a good idea and it should be done.
What can people expect when they go to Westside Wakeboard Camp? At Westside the only set things are meals. Everything else is up to the rider. We allow whatever. We don’t have timed pulls and we promote “freeriding”. We’ve also tried to make the camps more personal by keeping the amount of riders per week low. Basically, it’s just a good time.
What is your definition of true freeriding? Free – riding. Free of everything. Hell, if you want to carve your whole set, do it.. I hate being pressured to do something. So I guess freeriding to me is where you can do whatever without feeling any sort of pressure. Doing it your way. Whichever way makes you happy.
What other things do you enjoy doing? Spending time with my family. Moto-ing with my homies. What up, y’all. Dreaming of designing the “chopper” I’m gonna build.
How many tattoos do you have? About 7. They’re all pieces.
Which one did you get first? The iguana head on my shoulder. The body was added later and I never looked back, I guess. It’s really addicting. I wish I was bigger so I had room to get more.
Does any one have a significant meaning to you? The alien on my forearm sticks out. A friend at the time helped me realize that it doesn’t matter what others think of you as long as you’re content with yourself. It was a big stepping stone for me to get that piece, because there was no going back. It’s a really nice piece, though. Lucky hooked it up fat. I’m still waiting for his punk ass to come back from Euro-land.
What can we expect to see from Igor in the next year? You’ll have to check out the next Treehouse Video Magazine for that info.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Easy. Kids at grandma’s and grandpa’s while Julie (wife) and I are on the open highway on a tight “chopper.”
How about 10 years? Still walkin’. Helping my family grow. Maybe build another “chopper.”
Who would you like to shout out to? My wife Julie, Chuckie, Thruster for having soul, Black Flys for being flys, Artie and Bubba, Concrete — the binding trend-setter bad-asses, Summer and Trey at Treehouse for their help and support, Nautiques, Thin Air, all of my partners, my parents and anyone who has helped me get here, yo yo!
Give us a quote of the day: We’re born different, but we train ourselves to be the same.
8/3/2000
