Brad Gauley

Mixed in between the web edits and insta gold there's a tonne of real life personality that sometimes gets lost in the digital shuffle.  And what better way to expose this personality than by random text messages.  First up?  Brad Gauley.


Where are you?

BG: Currently I'm at work, where are you?

Sabotaging Connor's chair since he's not here today.  Hopefully it doesn't break before he reads this and he gets all paranoid waiting for it to break.  Is there snow outside at work?

BG: Haha, nice work.  There's snow but not as much as the north side of Barrie.  There was 6 inches on my car this morning but only a dusting here.

Hopefully something opens this weekend.  Did you ride yesterday?

BG: Blue's blowing snow but I haven't heard an opening date.  I went out with Mike Chmil yesterday around Barrie and did some roof drop then went and screwed around at a school yard with a hill.

Maybe Mt. St Louis on Friday or even Horseshoe. I saw your insta nose pick. Street stuff your priority this year or are you going to turn into a contest rat?

BG: Horseshoe....wouldn't go even if it did open, Louis would be fun though.  I'm not sure if I'll do any contests, to old for that shit.  Street stuff is my priority, hopefully I can get more than 30 seconds of footage this year.

Haha Horseshoe.  Speaking of being old, why do you think skateboarding embraces and celebrates its elders (ie Hawek, Grosso, Hensley, etc) and snowboarding doesn't?  Or maybe I'm wrong......

BG: You're part wrong and you know it hence the "...." at the end of your sentence.  That quotation looked like a face...I have to go sign out but I'll text you after with your answer because I like the question.  I have to pick Hudson up on my way home.

Sounds good.  This isn't meant to be done in a day, it will probably take a few.

BG: Alright.  Well I'll answer that question later anyways because I already have an answer for it.  Just short on time to text it.

A few hours later

BG: Back to you last question.  Skateboarding's roots run deeper than snowboardings.  It seems like skateboarding is more of a lifestyle.  Young skaters embrace it and have more resources to study its background.  Most young snowboarders these days only know about double/triple corking contest riders or big brand riders.  The resources are there for younger snowboarders to learn about there forefathers but most don't.  The ones that do seem to be the ones that last and stay around snowboarding.  I don't know if thats what you meant by that question or if you meant snowboarding as a whole but whatever, the answer serves some sort of purpose.

For sure.  Skateboarding actually promotes the elders.  Look at Vans and Independent.  I guess part of the challenge is once your past that 12-18 year old contest kid stage, there not much out there for older shreds that are still part of the community especially in Ontario.  For instance Bakers got the banked slalom which is a great event for everyone and lays a strong foundation for the scene in the Northwest.  Do you think something like that would work here?

BG:  Totally, if it was done correctly and involved the right people.  Something fun and semi-competitive for the older generation.  Even something like the office boyz contest they used to do out west.  Sayer's been chatting about something like that for a couple of years no its just never come through.

That would be great especially since Sayers not in my age bracket.  Any advice to the kids coming up from what you've learned along the way.

BG: Nope there's not much to say these days.  Either be really good, let your riding speak for itself by putting yourself out there filming and making edits or have rich parents that can foot your bill to your snowboarding fate is determined.

Jaded? Is there a better process?

BG: I don't know if there's a better process.  I'm just an advocate for the people that work and and deserve it rather than the rich parent route.

Ontario up and comers to keep an eye out for?

BG: Who do I think is up and coming in Ontario?  Mark Goodall is my easy choice.  Chris Fellner is sick and has awesome style.  Chris Mullins is super good but flys under the radar.  There's a few good younger dudes.  I like a bunch for different reasons.

Last words?

BG; Not really.  You? Actually yeah...who do you think is on the come up in Ontario, or who do you think rips even if they're not necessarily "on the come up"?  Are  you allowed to say or is it a conflict of interest?

Hmmm, good question.  Obviously, Mark Goodall, Chris Fellner, Cam Veenstra, Cam hill.  Jeffrey Robinson kills it.  Tyler Ashbee is always good to watch.  You.  Sayer.  Anybody with good style, it doesn't have to be double cork madness just smooth and unique.  Kevin Koning's has great jump style.

BG:  I agree.  Cam Veenstra was part of my "bunch for different reasons" he's like a mini Ashbee.  Jeff Rat....yup.  Chmil is good, just has to grow some balls.  That was me intentionally calling him out.  Oh and Craig Gouweloos.  There's plenty.  Alright I guess were done then eh?

Yeah, I forgot about Craig.  Lots of up and comers.