[ JAPANESE / ENGLISH ]

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Special thanks_Vans Japan

VHSMAG (V)：　How did you feel when you heard the news that you had won Slam's Australian Skater of the Year?

Rome Collyer (R)：　I felt really, really stoked. The surprise was definitely the best part for me. It was just a normal day street skating in Melbourne, and we went to this spot where I had previously gotten a cover. All my friends were there, and they surprised me with the trophy. It was nothing but good vibes.

V：　You released a part with both Thunder and Vans— which one do you think was the deciding factor for receiving the award?

R：　Um, I’m not sure. I think having that second part—the Thunder part—probably helped a lot. With that part, I had a Slam interview, and a lot of the photos were from clips in that video part. I also got the cover of that issue, so I definitely think that played a part. I guess I kind of had a feeling I might get SOTY, since I had two video parts and the interview, but honestly, I think it was just a combination of everything.

V：　What does that SOTY title mean to you? I've checked the past winners and the list is amazing.

R：　It means a lot. I’m super grateful to now be a Slam SOTY. You could say it’s been a dream ever since I was a little kid. Growing up, I’d watch all those guys skate and get Slam SOTY, and I’d be like, "damn, I wanna do that one day."

V：　Let's talk about the two parts from last year. I can tell you did a lot of traveling for the Vans Petals part but how were they different when you compared the two?

R：　Yeah, so the Thunder part was all Australian footage—pretty much just Sydney and Melbourne. The Petals part was definitely more travel-focused. I went on a bunch of trips with the APAC crew, which was really sick—lots of fun times. I think we started filming for Petals back in 2023. There was a trip to Malaysia where we got a good amount of footage, and that kind of set the tone. At first, the idea was to make a montage of all the trips, but everyone ended up getting so much footage that it turned into a full video, with individual parts for each skater. So yeah, the main difference between the two parts is that Thunder was all based in Australia, while Petals was more about traveling through Asia with the crew.

V：　What are some of the most memorable moments from the Petals part?

R：　For me, probably the most memorable trick was the 180 nosegrind I did in KL. It was definitely the biggest one I’d done at the time, and the feeling of landing it and rolling away was unreal. That was actually our second trip to KL, and it was kind of meant to wrap up the part—to get some heavier clips, heavier tricks. So yeah, that one really stands out.

V：　What about for the Thunder part?

R：　As for the Thunder part, I’d say it’s probably between my ender— the 5-0—or the second-to-last clip, the kickflip backlip around the curb. We call that spot “the sausage.” The 5-0 just felt so good to finally land, since it was a bit of a battle. And the kickflip backlip was pretty satisfying.

V：　My personal favorite is your first trick. There were tons of people at that spot.

R：　Yeah, so that spot’s a cathedral right in the middle of the city in Melbourne. The clip where everyone’s walking up—that was actually because a lot of people get married there. So there are always weddings going on and people walking through. On the day we tried to film, we had to wait for this massive group of people, 'cause someone was getting married. The spot itself has this kind of medieval vibe, and no one had really grinded that rail before. I think someone had ollied the stairs, and someone else firecrackered them, but the rail hadn’t been touched. I thought it’d be cool to try something on it, and I’m glad it worked out. I mean, I probably could’ve gotten smoked with those big stone pillars at the bottom, but yeah—it all came together.

V：　How do you think your style has developed over time? Has your local environment or friends influenced it in any way?

R：　From when I was really young until now, I’d say my biggest influence has probably been my dad. He used to be a surfer, and when I was born, we lived on the coast—right by the beach. Then we moved inland to a place near Newcastle when I was still really young. He also used to skate when he was younger, so when we moved away from the ocean, skating kind of became the next closest thing to surfing. He got me my first skateboard when I was two or three, and I’ve loved it ever since. We used to watch so many skate videos together. I remember watching a lot of Dennis Busenitz, Shane Cross... and especially Volcom's Let’s Live video. That one had a big impact on me.

V：　I hear the younger generation these days don't really watch skate videos and don't care much about the history.

R：　Yeah, I feel like I grew up—well, I’m still growing up—but during a kind of funny time in skating. Like, I came up right after… I’m not sure what era you'd call it, but it was that point where technology and social media really started to become part of skateboarding. That’s the era I feel like I grew up in. But I still got to watch all the older skate videos and take in that history, which I think is important. I definitely think kids today should do that too—watch those old videos, learn about the culture, the history, all the OGs and the GOATs.

V：　It's already April now, but are there any projects you’re planning or things you’re looking forward to this year?

R：　I got on Red Bull last year and I’m working on a project with them—been filming for it recently. I’m also filming for a new Volcom video that’s coming out later this year, which I’m hyped on. And if it works out, I’d love to do something with Vans again—or maybe something with Deluxe.

Rome Collyer
@romecollyer

Born in 2006 and raised in Newcastle, Australia, Rome Collyer has used the skills he honed from an early age to earn Slam’s Skater of the Year title, securing his place among the greatest in Australian skateboarding history.