INTERVIEW | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KEVIN LITTLE @KEVINMLITTLE WORDS | MICHAEL MARSH @MIKEY_MARSH.SKATE @SPTJAM.OFFICIAL
Mike Marsh has been one of the United Kingdom’s most enjoyable skaters to watch for us for quiet sometime now. His skating delivery is always precise and naturally stylish and his trick selection is on-point and he also holds one of the most proper rocket fishbrains known to mankind. When we asked Mikey to do a “One Minute, One Spot” profile for us, he jumped at the opportunity and despite some serious adversities, he was able to release one hell of an incredible video showing off his amazing park skills. Peep it to see one of the U.K’s best up-and-comers and be sure and read his introduction interview below to get to know him a little bit better.
KL: To start, can you tell me your name, where you live and how long have you been skating for?
MM: I live in Southport, UK and have been skating for around 11 to 12 years.
KL: What first got you started into inline skating?
MM: I got in with a group of mates who chilled at the local skatepark and there was a local guy called “Freddo” who was an absolute shredder. He would let me go on his skates when he was tired and after a couple of goes I was hooked and I needed to buy some. It was literally just what I needed to get away from bad habits where I was doing some stupid stuff and getting in trouble a lot as a kid, skating really helped me concentrate on something productive and kept me on the straight and narrow and I’m forever grateful to skating for that.
KL: What are your some of your favorite obstacles to skate?
MM: I do love to skate transition and half pipes but my favourite obstacles are usually the ones that haven’t been touched by anyone else in the skatepark, you know the ones, the ones that are usually covered in dust and no one thinks about skating haha.
KL: If you had the opportunity to skate anywhere in the world, where would you go?
MM: I’d love to go over to America and visit some of the homies I’ve met at Winterclash and other competitions over the years! It’s definitely on the to do list for sure and will be happening over the next year or 2!
KL: What skate setup are you using currently?
MM: I’m currently skating the Rollerblade Blank Pigeon Skates. I love the feel of the new Blank skates by Rollerblade, the whole 1 piece soul plate system works a treat and I feel you can tell the difference with your frames mounted closer to the boot. I feel like they’re really a solid but clean-looking skate with a nice amount of flex so they work a treat with me. I’ve been riding on Kaltik Stealth frames for a while now, I love the lightness and feel of the groove on these when you’re locked into a trick, and last year I decided to go flat – I know, I should have done it years ago! I find it hard getting on with wheels as my local is pretty rough and when you want to do some cess slides it can destroy your wheels pretty fast. I’m loving the Kaltik Face Wheels 59mm at the moment though as they seem to be handling the local skatepark pretty well, and matching them with their emerald bearing has worked perfectly.
KL: Who were your favorite skaters growing up and who are your favorite skaters currently?
MM: When I first started I loved to watch Richie Eisler and Montre Livingston but a lot of my inspiration came from a local lad called Ross McNair, this guy was so stylish and creative it was so sick to watch in person. Now I’d still say Richie and Montre are some of my favourite and most inspirational skaters but Cameron Talbott, Austin Paz and Geoff Phillips have definitely inspired me a lot in recent years too.
KL: On top of being a talented skater, you are also working on event organization in your area. Can you tell me more about the upcoming SPTJam event that you are working on?
MM: We are currently organising the next SPTjam which will be held on the 5th of August 2023. This one will be even bigger than last year, with bigger brand names and bigger companies supporting it with even bigger prizes than you’ve seen previously. We will have extra obstacles added on the day again with several stalls selling merch, even a taco stand again haha. Make sure you check the SPTjam.official instagram page out for more details on this years Jam and for some sick pictures and videos of previous SPTjam’s. (Peep the SPTJam Be-Mag event report here)
KL: Aside from your obvious passion for blading, what else are some of your favorite activities?
MM: I love playing Snooker and have been playing for around 18 years now. It’s a bit like skating because when you pick your cue up and break off all you’re thinking about is the table and everything seems to disappear just for that time whilst you’re playing, just like when you’re skating. It’s a great way to keep your mind occupied and stay busy but in a safe way haha. Aside from skating and snooker I love going on walks in the woods and visiting castles, looking at museums when visiting different places with the girlfriend and friends and learning about the local history.
KL: Do you have any friends or family that you would want to thank for their support over the years?
MM: Thank you Rollerblade and Rollerblade U.K for the support with the new wicked Blank skates! Thank you to Kaltik for supporting me with some sick frames and hardware. So much love to the Watermelon_roll family in Barcelona who have supported me for the past few years. I do need to take this time to thank my Mother and Stepfather who have stood by me solidly the past few years, battling my epilepsy and fully supporting me by understanding that skating helps a lot when you’re trying to battle something that isn’t always visible. It’s pretty amazing to have parents that push me just as much as the homie’s, so a massive shout out to those 2.
Videography | Nathan Robinson
Editing | Dexter Dex from the Watermelon Crew
FOLLOW MIKE MARSH ON IG HERE
