Who is Gerard Cancio?

In the Philippine longboarding community, the name Gerard Cancio goes hand in hand with speed. But since almost everybody in the local community knows him, you might be asking as to why we featured him for our "who is" section. First reason is, this is our blog, and we can do anything we want with it. =P But on a serious note, the reason is more of curiosity.


We know who he is, but it is seldom that we get to know what his thoughts are, about the sport, his experiences, and his view about the local scene in general.


So to end my babbling, here he is, Mr. 55ft himself (no ladies, its not what you think... =P) Gerard Cancio


Being one of the most recognized name in the local DH scene, how does this affect your focus everytime you join a race? Do you feel pressured to win?

- That's not really what pressures me to perform well, but I guess my being active in sports since I was younger has somewhat instilled an innate competitiveness in me. If anything, this is probably the reason why I try so hard to do better every event.

Who would you say are your closest competitors locally and why?

- Actually it's amazing how everyone has progressed within a short span of time. Now it seems like every heat feels like a final, so when you ask who exactly are my closest competitors, there might be too many to mention. haha But if I have to give names, Paolo Villacorta, Kiko Meily, Sherwin Uy, and Dandoy Tongco. I've been in the finals with these guys the past few races.

Some outsiders have this notion that speedboarding, although fun to watch, is a dangerous sport and is only patronized by individuals who have no disregard for their own safety. What’s your reaction to this?

-To each his own? Whatever it is we do, whether we're walking on the street, riding a bike, or getting on a plane, there's always a risk. More people die from plane crashes, car accidents, and heart attacks right? But anyway, yes, I do believe the sport is dangerous but I see it as a calculated risk. You get into it, understanding that it's an extreme sport by nature, so I treat it and respect it as such.

Let’s go back in time, how did you get into skateboarding?

-Watching the X-Games on TV in the mid to late 90's? I started skateboarding in 5th grade, did it on and off in grade school and high school, then got on a longboard in college when my barkada decided to get into it.

What was your first set-up if you can still remember?

-For skateboarding it was a toy skateboard from Toby's. Then moved to a generic deck from Bombproof Gear in Galleria, Independent trucks, and Landway wheels from my friend's skateboard. haha

-For longboarding, Ladera Homegrown, Randal 150s and Abec 11 Retro Zigzags (Lemon 66mm), all from Whiskey Hill.

Any story worth mentioning when you were starting out?

-I was cross-stepping and doing FS stand-up 180s in Whiskey Hill 1, didn't understand what DH was all about just yet. Joined Whiskey Hill 3 as a competitor and crashed on my first practice run, I've got a scar on my left elbow to prove this. Then ended up lucky and won the race.

Fast forward 2010, Newton’s Playground, Australia. What was running through your head before you first headed down the course, and what was the feeling after you completed it?

-Oh the Bathurst track is just another kind of monster. Believe me when I say that photos and videos do not do justice. For those who've hit Mt. Samat, it has the same grade as the left hairpin for most of the course, then you get tunnel vision as you're hitting 100km/h on the final straight. My first run was with Rafe, Lasse, and Scoot. I think I was just lucky not to fall on that one, Scoot bolted from the start but crashed on Forrest elbow, and the Dipper took Rafe and Lasse. I barely managed to stay on my board.

At one time you got mistaken for K-Rimes. How did the people there react to a wildcard from a country totally unknown in the DH radar beating seasoned riders?

-I have no clue, haha. But everyone was nice and kind words were exchanged. In the end my lack of race experience and understanding of the track took me out of contention.

Did this boost your confidence, or did it add more pressure on you to perform?

-Both of course. I started out with a pretty okay qualifying time to secure me a spot within the top 64, but was not expecting to finish 10th by the end of my 2nd qualifying run. Was ecstatic about that, it was unreal.

Going back to the local scene, speed boarding is really starting to become big in the islands. Do you think that this is just a fad, or is it here to stay?

-As long as organizers keep making events, and riders remain responsible, I think it's here to stay. There's a reason why it's the fastest growing board sport in the world, and anyone who's gotten on a board knows this.

  
As for the Philippine longboarding scene in general, how bright is its future, and what are the stumbling blocks that you see if there are any?

-It's looking optimistic--events are better organized nowadays, there are many online forums where local riders can interact (whether negatively or positively), and more hills are being discovered. Oh, and they're asphalting more roads now, I've noticed. So these things are good, we're given more avenues to enjoy longboarding. As for stumbling blocks, there will always be haters, egomaniacs, and just plain irresponsible people who will ruin it for others. But best to just keep it positive right? I believe there's more good people in the world anyway, so I'll bank on that for now.

As my last question, what is longboarding for you, and what would you like to say to the local community?

-Longboarding is a part of my life, but it isn't my life. I enjoy it as a sport, sometimes competitive and sometimes just for the feel of it. It's a good way to spend time with my friends, and that's what's most fun for me nowadays. It can be many things for other people, a freedom of expression, a way to save the environment, or maybe something even more profound than that, but I won't force you to think otherwise and neither should you do the same to me or anyone else. Just respect the other riders and have fun with it. Skate safe.



Some images by Brendan Goco