SMAN STIRNOFF INTERVIEW

He does some of the highest airs in the sport throwing clicked turndowns, lookbacks, and tabletops. If you dont know that Im talking about Stan Smirnoff, you must have been living under a rock for the past 3 years. Stan was born in Russia, and later moved to the United States, where he found himself living in Tacoma, Washington. At only 10 years old he started borrowing other kids scooters and riding around. Now it must have been pure luck that he happened to move to Washington, where some of the sports top riders lived. Stan started riding more and more. He liked doing it because it was something different and when he saw other riders completely shredding, it pushed him to ride harder. When Stan came onto the scene, he faced a lot of adversity. English was not his first language, and life in America was still something he was getting used to. However when he was on his scooter it didnt matter where he came from. He might have not had the biggest bag of tricks to start out with, but he could air over hips and on quarters like he had been riding for years. He started to seperate himself from the rest of the riding community, doing barspins, inverts, turndowns, and tuck no handers over some huge gaps, and boosting them in ridiculously high airs. He was one of the first riders to start riding 20 wide bars, "20 Wide..So Yeaa". Riding wider bars only helped Stans style, and made his videos even funner to watch. It was almost like he was on a bmx bike, while riding his scooter. It comes to no surprise to know that Stan looks up to Bmxers, Chase Hawk and Mike Aitken, both guys having two of the best styles on a bike. He also looks up to fellow rider Coedie Donovan and skateboarder Bob Burnquist. These two guys are constantly pushing the limits of their sports. Something Stan also tries to do everytime he rides his scooter. Stan is a very ambitious rider, he has huge plans for the future. He wants to be the first rider to jump the Mega Ramp, and he wants to set the record for the worlds highest air on a scooter. Also being on the RAD Team with Team Manager Cory Mosbrucker, and fellow team riders, Cary Mosbrucker and Tyler Bonner, gives Stan something else to look forward to. Stan hopes to film one of the most groundbreaking video parts in the sport for the RAD Team video. Stan appreciates and likes where the sport is right now, but he also feels that it has to change. Riders have to start stepping it up, going faster and higher. Hitting bigger gaps, and develop some style to their riding, not just learn new tricks. Hopefully people listen to that, and start hitting bigger gaps, developing more style, and getting even higher on quarter pipes. Although no matter how hard they push it, It will be hard for any of them to hit the gaps that Stan hits, to have the style that Stan has, and to get as high as Stan gets.... on quarter pipes.. and well, in general.

- Steven T.


Interview done by Jordan Jasa


Name: stanislav victorovich smirnoff

Location: Tacoma Washington

Years Riding: 8

Sponsors: R.A.D., Micro, exode, sbw, and Mary Jane buds hhahaha

What year did you move to the states, and how long after that did you start riding a scooter?

i moved here in july of 2000 and thats when scooters just came out so i rode other peopless scooters cuz they cost too much and only in 2005 i got my own and started puttin in werk!!!

Was it tough learning English? Were you already fluent before you came?

yah it was pretty gay i hated it lol it took me 4 years to learn it pretty good

How often do you ride your BMX bike? Do you model your scooter riding after your BMX riding or your bike riding after your scooter riding? Or do they not have an effect on each other?

i ride my bike prolly 30% of the time and ride my scooter most of it haha but now ima ride bikes way more cuz this scooter game is wayy too easy

Does your high airing, park flowing style come naturally to you, or is it something you have to work on?

i think it comes natural because i love doing it and always seeing people flow my local park and just seeing chase hawk and aitken murder parks without warming up haha

What is the craziest place, or situation you've been in because of riding scooters?

i got chased by a drunk crackhead in downtown oregon hahahaa i was smashing through the streets and he was running atleast 28 miles an hour cuz he almost got me but i hopped this chain and manualed across the street with hella people and cars on the road lol it was super fun

Now Stan, I know jumping the megaramp is one of your biggest goals. Don't you think the people in power would rather let someone professional, trustworthy, and more responsible looking than a guy smoking weed while driving, jump the ramp? Not trying to bag on you, I'm just sayin.

hahaha who ever asked this question is a moron who dosent know what riding a scooter is all about lol im gonna destroy the mega ramp and blow blunts on the bottom of the ramp with some peeps and just film it haha

What would jumping the megaramp mean to you?

more time in the air for my no handers hahahaha and biggest air on a scooter for sure on the 27ft qp

You also want to land the worlds highest air on a scooter...how would you go about doing that? Is that a serious "lets do it now!" goal or something more along the lines of, "Someday..."?

im doing it on any quarter asap hahaha but i think if i air bobs 27ft qp i can learn how to air the vert ramp at mission valley 10 feet ish?

You're known for having some of the widest (if not the widest) bars in the sport (not to mention the tallest). Will there ever come a day when instead of becoming wider, they shrink a little?

--- NO!

If I were to tell you I could build you the skatepark of your dreams, but would only let you ride stock bars in it, would you take me up it? Why?

id say fuk that and move to arizona hahahahahhahaa oh wait im already doing that hahaha

When did you get sponsored by Micro, and how has that been going for you?

sometime in 06 iuno its been good i just have to wait too long for the shipping from Europe but when i went to swiss i got to choose whatever i wanted and just build a scoot and it lasted me a good while but i defiantly think they need a new manager who can run that --- proper naaaaimsaaain?

What has it meant to be on the RAD team? Its the most legit team ever lol we are all way too alike haha thats why we can kick it and ride for dayss!!!

Do you have anything special planned for the RAD DVD?

yah i will defiantly film a lot of street bangers and some creative ass lines hehe

Finish this sentence: "My name is Stan Smirnoff and I..."

Stay Higher then a vulture

Any last words?

yah people need to stop doing flyout bullshiet ass tricks and running tiny ass bars which look like your riding a fuking TOYY!!!! and just learn how to flow lol if you dont blow trees then i dont know how to explain to you how to keep it fresh haha
as soon as i move to AZ ima work on going over to bobs and jumping that big thingy!

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Stan R.A.D. web video from stanio on Vimeo.