INTRODUCTION & INTERVIEW: KEVIN LITTLE, @kevinmlittle
WORDS: CHAD HORNISH, @chadhornish | PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO: GINO GOTELLI, @ginogotelli
Iqon recently announced a few new signature wheels for their pro team and none other than the People’s Champion, Chad Hornish, was given his very first, of hopefully many, signature wheels! Chad decided on a 60mm classic white urethane wheel with a 90A hardness and sporting a rounded profile for ultimate maneuverability and performance.
Chad linked up with Gino Gotelli to craft a fitting video promo for his much-deserved pro wheel and the result is jaw-dropping as you would expect from the Arizona stuntman. From seam-less connections to huge drops and disasters, Chad puts it all on the line with one of his best profiles to date.
We had a chance to speak with Chad about how he feels about his new signature wheel and catch up with him about how life has been treating him lately. Check out the interview below and be sure to pick up a set of Chad’s new wheels which are available here now!
KL: Hey brother, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today! And first off, congratulations on your new wheel. With all due respect, it feels like you deserved this accolade about a decade ago, how does it feel to be FINALLY given a signature pro product?
CHAD: It feels great. It’s a life goal I can finally check off the list. I’ve always dreamt of having a product with my name on it, And now it’s here and I do feel accomplished, but I’m stuck asking myself “What’s next?”
KL: What was your inspiration for the design behind the wheel and was there any significance to the wheel graphic?
CHAD: As you mentioned, I don’t think it’s “overdue” I just thought I’d have my first pro product before the age of 32. So I went with a clock to just signify that time is always ticking and that after all this time spent watching the clock, the moment finally happened.
Also- for my smokers… you know what time it is… 4:20. The clock hands are set to just the right time. And if you can’t read a clock. Maybe you can read the Roman numerals on the wheel.
KL: You recently moved from your Arizona homeland out to Dallas. What was your reason for the move away from Arizona?
CHAD: A job offer. I’ve gotten away with skimming thru life with gig-style jobs (Uber/Lyft) but finally, I was offered a Job mining Bitcoin, that I couldn’t pass up. It was big boy time. Unfortunately, I was let go from the job in June, just short of a year there. (I wasn’t fired)
KL: Your new video profile was absolutely bonkers with some mind-blowing hammers throughout the video. How long were you and Gino filming for it and what was the most difficult trick to accomplish for you in that profile?
CHAD: Thank you very much. We, Gino and I, have been filming essentially since I moved here last June. So about a year, but I was working just about the whole time. So we were limited to Sundays. But yeah, maybe we’d get a solid clip 2-3 times a month for the past year. To be honest- none of the tricks scared me too much. But the ender for sure was the most hyped I have felt in a long time. And the zero back royale was maybe the best feeling trick I’ve ever done.
KL: Yeah, that back royale was flawless! You have been on the road quite a bit the last few years competing and releasing some of the most stunt-filled profiles around. Out of all of the miles traveled, where is your most memorable trip and why was it significant to you?
CHAD: I’ve been traveling less since being here, but for sure one of the most favorite times was at Franky’s comp (FM invitational), it was a blast. It was a single-day trip. I flew in at noon and flew back home at 8 pm. It was short but sweet. I left before the results were officially announced, and Chris Edwards being on the mic, had everyone give me a near-standing ovation and a heartfelt goodbye.
KL: You put yourself through lots of abuse with the type of skating that you do. What were some injuries that you were trying to overcome during the filming of your newest profile?
CHAD: Honestly I haven’t suffered too bad of an injury for this part. The hardest thing was having to deal with jumping into a full-time job and trying to just juggle being an adult with a significant other, animals, a full-time job and being a professional skater.
KL: Do you do any exercises or stretches that you do regularly that help keep you limber and in your peak performance?
CHAD: Nothing too crazy. I do stretch a lot. Not yoga or anything like that. But I’ll touch my toes regularly, sit in the butterfly position and push my knees down. Figure 4 stretches are good. I am just moving around until I feel that pull, then hold it and rotate.
KL: You have been a part of the Iqon team almost since the beginning, can you give us any news on upcoming products or projects that you are working on? Maybe a pro boot down the line, hopefully?
CHAD: Yeah man being a part of this whole thing is great. I’m super grateful for Montre and everyone involved. As far as future products go… 1 thing at a time. We’ve got the best skates and the best wheels on the market. And I’d say this even if I wasn’t sponsored by Iqon. Seriously. Whatever we come out with next, will be the best product available. Like everything we offer now.
KL: Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us, brother. Keep up all your hard work. Do you have any friends or family that you want to thank for their support?
CHAD: Many! Firstly I dedicate this edit and every edit I have done in the future, to my Best Friend Luke Kimberly. A fellow rollerblader who recently passed away. Luke, I love you and miss you so much, And I wish so badly you were still here to see all of this. I also wanna thank everyone from Arizona who is supporting me still. I miss you all. My Mom, Ryan Buchanan, Andrew Scherf, Kenny Scherf, and everyone else in the scene.
REST IN POWER, LUKE KIMBERLY 💗
FILMED & EDITED BY GINO GOTELLI, @GINOGOTELLI
