Kirill Galushko: On life, blading, and his first pro wheel

Edit by Rodion Korneev
Photography by Vasya Hooi
Interview by Boris Gaisner

Be-Mag: Hello, Kirill! Firstly, how are you? What’s been keeping you busy over
the last couple of weeks?

KG: Hello. More or less all’s good, recent sunny days bring the cool
vibes. Lately I’ve been spending most of my time on the new computer
editing fresh videos. A couple of times I visited the new skatepark in
Moscow. Despite the fact that it’s quite boring to skate alone, I
still had a pretty good time while learning new tricks and preparing
myself for the upcoming russian skatepark event in Siberia called
International Kartel’ – 15 and 16 March.

Be-Mag: Sounds productive, the sun is really nice. What do you
think about the new Moscow indoor park? Can you compare the joy of
skating there with the street-skating experience you got while filming
for the fresh Scribe promo-edit?

KG:  Right now it is barely a skatepark, cause there is almost no
obstacles, except the really nice and big fun box. Plus there is a
nice trapezium grind box from Adrenaline skatepark, which easily turns
into disaster box with the use of little kicker. Of course you can’t
compare the feelings from park/street skating! Park shredding gets
boring quickly because of it’s cyclic recurrence and monotony. Street
skating is completely different, especially when you lace a trick on a
completely new spot. The street makes you more excited and worried,
thus providing new incomparable sensations. Street also brings me
flights of fancy and creativity in skating.

Be-Mag: Talking about street and your newest Scribe Wheel Promo – when
did you film it? Tell us a bit about the vibe and the people, who was
skating those spots with you on warm sunny days?

KG: We started gathering footage on our trip to small town Yaroslavl’
in the beginning of summer. Big respect to all the locals for the
hospitality! After that I injured my back once again and had to take a
break from skating for a month. Later I was working hard to make my
back stronger and slowly came back to business, you’ll notice that I
jumped some gaps. Before, I was scared to do them because of my back.
After that we were gathering footage from the whole season without any
exact aim. Skated in my hometown Sergiev Posad, also filmed in Moscow
and Kiev (Ukraine). The vibes and people are always different, but most
of the time it’s me, the filmer and the people who supported. My favorite
person to film with is Rodion Korneev, because he makes it easy to
fully focus on the skating and forget about the camera!

Be-Mag: Can’t agree more, Rodion really knows what he is doing. What
would you like to highlight about his approach to blading
cinematography? Probably anything you’d like to change about it?

KG: Unconventional approach to filming and great taste in choosing
music for his videos. Change? Hey Rodion, when are we going to film a
swag-edit?

Be-Mag: Kirill, talking about the word SWAG. Look at this prototype
design of your Scribe Wheels, which we never used. What do you think
about it, Mr. Swag?

KG: Humour is always good! This design made me smile 🙂

Be-Mag: What does it mean for you to finally get your first signature
blading product? Tell us a bit about the support you receive from
Scribe Industries.

KG: Being a part of Scribe team is big honor for me, all of them are
amazing skaters. Just recently I was a kid getting hyped from
their skating vids, I could never think about becoming their
teammate (Casey Bagozzi, Colin Kelso and others). Foreign people
started recognizing me after Scribe dropped the wheels, and this
recognition will only grow with the release of this promo-edit. But
what really satisfies me is the fact, that I left a small russian
trace in the history of rollerblading! Talking about Scribe’s support
for the team – it is on the highest level possible, I like Daniel’s
approach to the team!

Be-Mag: Sounds cool, but it’s too early to talk about your trace in
rolling history, you still have a long way to go. You’re not done yet!
Mind sharing your plans for the spring and summer? Do you have any
exact ideas about skating, participating in contests, trips and
filming for the upcoming season?

KG: First and most important thing for me now is to finish
university, pass my exams and write my diploma. Next trip is March
8th – 23rd, Krasnoyarsk, International Kartel’ contest! I love this
Siberian city! And answering about future plans I’d like to use one
Laozi quote: “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on
arriving.” Time will show!

Be-Mag: This quote is great! Any advice for the young skaters, who
look up to you and dream about becoming pro?  Please share one random
blading-myth, that you heard about pro-skaters and their lifestyles in
the streets.

KG: First of all don’t pursue profits, earning big money by your
skating is a myth. Secondly, enjoy yourself and get free, skate for your own
pleasure – this is the formula of success.

Be-Mag: Besides skating you seem to have a deep involvement in
cinematography, recently you bought yourself a new iMac. Share some of
your favorite edits you produced yourself, and also let us know about
recent/upcoming video-releases you’re working on.

KG: Recently I became more self-critical, most of the old edits don’t
really make me happy anymore. Can’t highlight anything particular.
Recently I edited Spartak Alemasov section for RazorsNews (releasing
this week). Last week I released Gorilla-energy edit from Sportex
Skatepark (Siberia) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiF0uPkNp6s , also
recently filmed a snowboarding event in my city and gonna start
working on that one soon. Here is the non-blading video I produced –
https://vimeo.com/49548592

Be-Mag: Kirill, you seem to be a very well-rounded person and always
manage to appear everywhere. Tell us a bit about your parents. Is this
big talent you got coming from them?

KG: I would be nowhere without spiritual education and support from my
parents! I love them so much! Thanks to them for THIS!

Be-Mag: This interview is out of control, it’s almost 8am now. Kirill,
it’s time for thank you’s and shout outs.

KG:  “If  you  want your life to smile at you, then smile at your life
yourself  first” – John Smith. Thanks to Boris Gaisner for helping me
to  move forward. Thanks to Daniel Fabiano for believing in me. Thanks
to  my  Asian  friends. Thanks to Be-Mag for the opportunity to speak about
myself. Thanks  to  Vasya  Hooi  for  the  photos. Thanks to all the
supporters! Thanks to God for everything.
P.S. Girls, where you at? It’s boring without you…