After this year’s SKTWK in Stuttgart we skipped the hangover and found ourselves in the streets of Wiesbaden. Raphae Ueda and Jake Yanko kept jumping on spots as if the crowd was still watching, on a mission to finish off as many spots from filmer Bennet Rahm’s list as possible in the span of a week. While driving from our base in Wiesbaden to neighboring Frankfurt and Mainz, the car often turned into Studio E with heated arguments and shots being fired in multiple directions. While Jake and Raphae are most certainly the nicest people you can end up in the van with, a certain amount of trash talking is essential to any skatetrip, and what is said in the van stays in the van. I can’t wait for when these guys eventually end up in the hot seat at “The Bunt’s Rapid Fire” segment and really start firing, but for now we’re here to cover some PG questions to get you familiarized with the two.
(Let me quickly take the chance and shout out “Ring Hotel” in Wiesbaden as the worst hotel on the planet though, bedbugs and everything – *gunshot sounds)
Favorite trick to do?
Switch flips feel heavenly.
What trick will win you a round of skate?
360 shuv gets the better of a lot of people (cheap I know).
Country you would like to visit?
Japan!
Country you could see yourself living in?
Portugal.
Frontside Bluntslide Flip out to Fakie
Favorite type of obstacle?
Ledges have been great lately, but any type of transition still got my heart.
What type of brand would you most likely want to start?
Clothing would be sick to dabble with.
Who would be the first person to ride for it?
My dad probably, got to get him in some fashionable shit.
One thing missing from skateboarding these days?
Full length videos. Give me the full hour bruh.
One luxury you’d buy if you had the funds for it?
If it was a tangible, buyable thing, the guts to hop on a rail.
Backside Crooked
Most talented skater from your hometown?
Tyler Baker, this homie I’ve grown up skating with that also makes great videos on his TRV.
Your career if skating hadn’t worked out?
Neurosurgeon or something in the surgical field.
Favorite trip in the past year?
Wiesbaden with Jake Bennet and Felix was probably my favorite (what a coincidence), tight atmosphere and amazing spots.
Ollie
One spot you secretly have a trick planned for?
That white quarter in LA, preferably without a car in front of the spot.
Best way to start the day?
Rolling out of bed without being sore.
One travel essential?
Headphones. Accidentally left them behind on a trip once and suffered.
Favorite thing to do on an off day?
Playing COD at the moment.
Frontside Noseblunt
A clip that lives rent free in your head?
Bobby De Keyzer’s Switch Tre at CBC.
Best skateshop?
Rose Street in Encinitas.
What 90s/early 2000s team would you like to jump in the van with?
New Deal, would be funny to kick it with my dad when he was my age.
Best snack to bring on the session?
Ice Cream, full fuckin’ pint.
Heelflip
Favorite ice cream?
Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked, think Jake might’ve put me on, might be mistaken.
SOTY ’26 prediction?
Joslin, but would love for Diego Todd to be up there too.
New gen skater everyone should keep an eye on?
Myles Furukawa, straight out of SD and gonna be showing up big soon.
Best recovery method after a long skate day?
Hot shower, but if I had them Normatec legs are always a go.
Most talented skater from your hometown?
Davin Wynkoop
Your career if skating hadn’t worked out?
Building roller coasters
Favorite trip in the past year?
Australia this past February
One spot you secretly have a trick planned for?
Lyon 25
Best way to start the day?
Getting outside
Boardslide to Feeble
One travel essential?
My diary
Favorite thing to do on an off day?
Trip to the movie theater or the hiking trail
A clip that lives rent free in your head?
Sluggo bailing like Jake Brown on a vert ramp and doing a front flip to save himself.
Best skateshop?
Resident skateshop in Melbourne, FL
What 90s/early 2000s team would you like to jump in the van with?
Alien Workshop
Best snack to bring on the session?
Ice cream
Frontside Boardslide
Favorite ice cream?
“Ben N Jerry’s” Strawberry Cheesecake
SOTY ’26 prediction?
Antonio Durao
Next generation skater everyone should keep an eye on?
Raphae Ueda and Matt Savidakis
Best recovery method after a long skate day?
Balanced dinner and some foam rolling
Favorite trick to do?
Back smiths on ramps and back noseslides on ledges
What trick will win you a round of skate?
None
Nosegrind
Country you would like to visit?
Japan
Country you could see yourself living in?
Australia or Sweden
Favorite type of obstacle?
Just a solid quarterpipe
Frontside 50-50
What type of brand would you most likely want to start?
A clothing brand
Who would be the first person to ride for it?
Emile Laurent and Evan Wasser
One thing missing from skateboarding these days?
Super wide mini ramps
One luxury you’d buy if you had the funds for it?
A jacuzzi
