Humxns of Wheels of Fortune 11
10/20/2022
Wheels of Fortune brings together people from all over the world, not just to skate, but to party and connect. Afterall, it's the people that make any scene great. Check in with a select few stars of the weekend to get their sense of the event.
Interviews by Emanuele Barbier
Photos by Sabrina Sellers
Name: Rosie Archie
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
That’s an easy one, Kristin Ebeling. She is queen. I love her so much, and anything she does, I will support it 150 percent.
What has been your favorite moment?
Reconnecting with friends after COVID and all the love here. This is a great spot to be right now.
Who is your favorite skater?
My favorite skater is in London on a Krooked trip, Una Farrar. But my favorite who is here, Itzel. Give her the money!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
The work has just begun. We’re on a movement here, so get on or get off. Just kidding, but for real, let’s make this community the safest around.
Itzel Granados and Ana Rendón
Name: Itzel Granados
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
So many of my friends are here and I wanted to watch them skate, but also I came to party!
What has been your favorite moment?
The opening party was crazy. Seeing everyone there, singing our hearts out and watching Nicole turn pro, it was really cool.
Who is your favorite skater?
Lore Bruggeman, undeniably.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Being inclusive of everyone—skateboarding is fun and should always remain that way!
Name: Jaime Reyes
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I came to support and watch all the great homies kill it.
What has been your favorite moment?
There are so many, but maybe the SeaSk8 session before the Witch Hunt—also seeing everyone come together, kill it and have fun.
Who is your favorite skater?
All of them. I can’t pick one; it’s too hard.
Okay, who is your least favorite?
Hmm, me!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
There still are nice people out there.
Name: Candy Jacobs
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I have heard about it a billion times, seen all the clips, and this year I was finally able to put it on my calendar.
What has been your favorite moment?
On the first day I came back from riding my bike feeling so at peace. I never experience that, even with my skateboarding, but here I experience this peace every day.
Who is your favorite skater?
Marbie. She has been killing it the whole time. I can’t wait to see her skate the fingerboard contest.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
The responsibility to create a space like this will always be on us.
Name: Kien
Pronouns: they/them
Why did you come to WOF?
To hang out with friends.
What has been your favorite moment?
One of the challenges we had for the Witch Hunt was get a pro skater to sign your body, and Marbie signed all our bods.
Who is your favorite skater?
I’d say Maité, Nora and Breezy.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Every single year, I learn the community is bigger than I thought.
Name: Karlie Thornton
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I have always wanted to come, and they flew a couple of us from froSkate out here as part of the SIC mentorship program. It’s such a dope collection of all fem, queer and trans skaters.
What has been your favorite moment?
The people—I feel happiest when I am with queer and fem skaters. This is the happiest I have been all year!
Who is your favorite skater?
Nora. Every time I meet her, she is super nice and engaging. I admire that, and she’s who I look up to.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
It’s important to keep creating spaces like these to show other skaters like us that we are out here and it’s normal—you’re normal. You have a place in this.
Name: Jackie Michel
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I came to meet new people, get together with the community and have fun.
What has been your favorite moment?
Aside from the skating and socializing, going to the bars is really fun. You get to see people’s true selves.
Who is your favorite skater?
Honestly, meeting Maité was really funny!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Friendship lasts for a long time, especially in a community like this; you can’t really trade it for anything else.
Name: Andrea Paar
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I came with froSkate, which is a BIPOC Women Queer-Centered skate collective. It sounded amazing to be with so many non-traditional skaters, which is really different from what I usually see at skateparks.
What has been your favorite moment?
I really loved the Skate Dreams documentary. Going to that premiere was really exciting.
Who is your favorite skater?
Breezy. She is super gnarly. I met her at the welcome party and she also signed my arm for the Witch Hunt!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Seeing how much women’s skateboarding has grown, and how widespread it has become.
Name: Eunice Chang
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
To party.
Short and sweet. What has been your favorite moment?
I kissed three girls! Seeing all the hottest skaters in one place, too. It’s crazy, in the best way.
Who is your favorite skater?
Been a big fan of Breezy and Fabi. Oh, I got a picture with Elissa Steamer—that was sick. This is the best skate trip I have ever been on.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
This event embodies the real spirit of skateboarding. It’s a very judgment-free zone. It’s liberating and cool. It makes me love skateboarding.
Hora Martinez and Mariana Chitty
Name: Hora Martinez and Mariana Chitty
Pronouns: she/her and she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
We both came as volunteers from the Skate Like A Girl SF Bay chapter, and we have been wanting to come for so many years.
What has been your favorite moment?
The Witch Hunt.
Who is your favorite skater?
There are so many, but Fabiana Delfino. Her parents are from Venezuela, so we’re stoked.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
The workshops, the networking and seeing the behind-the-scenes organization—everything we learn here we take it back home to our collective Patineta Para To.
Briana (left) and Sienna Matcha
Name: Briana King
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
Last year, I was uncomfortable with myself and I wasn’t able to get the full experience. I wanted to run it back now that I feel 100-percent freaking good!
What has been your favorite moment?
Bringing my bestest friend Squink, sharing our emotions and growing our friendship at WOF.
Who is your favorite skater?
Squink. They have the best energy, the best style and send it no matter what.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
You gotta run it back again, do things you didn’t like because we are always growing and evolving. Run it back; run it back; run it back hey, hey!
Name: Sienna Matcha
Pronouns: they/she
Why did you come to WOF?
I have always wanted to come. I love fem skaters, queer skaters and all skaters. I wanted to be around that.
What has been your favorite moment?
Definitely Nicole going pro. That whole day was so sick.
Who is your favorite skater?
Tris or Elissa Steamer. I can’t even look over there.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
We are all here to skate, and everybody having that one thought in mind can bring us together and make something like this happen.
Left to right: Steph Reid, Cami Best, Kava Garcia-Vasquez, Yasmeen “Yaz” Wilkerson
Name: Kava Garcia-Vasquez
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
To celebrate our community! I feel like a lot of us come because we crave this type of connection, opportunity and visibility.
What has been your favorite moment?
I loved skating down Gas Works with my friends. Then I also loved speaking on the panel with some of my idols and friends. It was an affirmation of what I can contribute to this movement.
Who is your favorite skater?
Ah, that’s such an unfair question. I am surrounded by my faves!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
We got us. We are the ones we needed when we were younger.
Name: Anaheed Saatchi
Pronouns: she/he/they
Why did you come to WOF?
I wanted to attend after going to the Skate Like a Girl camp. Plus, people in Vancouver said, “This is where you go to meet queer and BIPOC skaters.”
What has been your favorite moment?
Watching my teammates explode a watermelon between their thighs, also seeing people lean into fear and all the efforts put in by the team here.
Who is your favorite skater?
Norma Ibarra because she lives, breathes, eats and drinks skateboarding in a way that is so inclusive.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
You can make small moves that make really, really big waves.
Interviews by Emanuele Barbier
Photos by Sabrina Sellers
Name: Rosie Archie
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
That’s an easy one, Kristin Ebeling. She is queen. I love her so much, and anything she does, I will support it 150 percent.
What has been your favorite moment?
Reconnecting with friends after COVID and all the love here. This is a great spot to be right now.
Who is your favorite skater?
My favorite skater is in London on a Krooked trip, Una Farrar. But my favorite who is here, Itzel. Give her the money!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
The work has just begun. We’re on a movement here, so get on or get off. Just kidding, but for real, let’s make this community the safest around.
Itzel Granados and Ana RendónName: Itzel Granados
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
So many of my friends are here and I wanted to watch them skate, but also I came to party!
What has been your favorite moment?
The opening party was crazy. Seeing everyone there, singing our hearts out and watching Nicole turn pro, it was really cool.
Who is your favorite skater?
Lore Bruggeman, undeniably.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Being inclusive of everyone—skateboarding is fun and should always remain that way!
Name: Jaime Reyes
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I came to support and watch all the great homies kill it.
What has been your favorite moment?
There are so many, but maybe the SeaSk8 session before the Witch Hunt—also seeing everyone come together, kill it and have fun.
Who is your favorite skater?
All of them. I can’t pick one; it’s too hard.
Okay, who is your least favorite?
Hmm, me!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
There still are nice people out there.
Name: Candy Jacobs
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I have heard about it a billion times, seen all the clips, and this year I was finally able to put it on my calendar.
What has been your favorite moment?
On the first day I came back from riding my bike feeling so at peace. I never experience that, even with my skateboarding, but here I experience this peace every day.
Who is your favorite skater?
Marbie. She has been killing it the whole time. I can’t wait to see her skate the fingerboard contest.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
The responsibility to create a space like this will always be on us.
Name: Kien
Pronouns: they/them
Why did you come to WOF?
To hang out with friends.
What has been your favorite moment?
One of the challenges we had for the Witch Hunt was get a pro skater to sign your body, and Marbie signed all our bods.
Who is your favorite skater?
I’d say Maité, Nora and Breezy.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Every single year, I learn the community is bigger than I thought.
Name: Karlie Thornton
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I have always wanted to come, and they flew a couple of us from froSkate out here as part of the SIC mentorship program. It’s such a dope collection of all fem, queer and trans skaters.
What has been your favorite moment?
The people—I feel happiest when I am with queer and fem skaters. This is the happiest I have been all year!
Who is your favorite skater?
Nora. Every time I meet her, she is super nice and engaging. I admire that, and she’s who I look up to.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
It’s important to keep creating spaces like these to show other skaters like us that we are out here and it’s normal—you’re normal. You have a place in this.
Name: Jackie Michel
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I came to meet new people, get together with the community and have fun.
What has been your favorite moment?
Aside from the skating and socializing, going to the bars is really fun. You get to see people’s true selves.
Who is your favorite skater?
Honestly, meeting Maité was really funny!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Friendship lasts for a long time, especially in a community like this; you can’t really trade it for anything else.
Name: Andrea Paar
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
I came with froSkate, which is a BIPOC Women Queer-Centered skate collective. It sounded amazing to be with so many non-traditional skaters, which is really different from what I usually see at skateparks.
What has been your favorite moment?
I really loved the Skate Dreams documentary. Going to that premiere was really exciting.
Who is your favorite skater?
Breezy. She is super gnarly. I met her at the welcome party and she also signed my arm for the Witch Hunt!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
Seeing how much women’s skateboarding has grown, and how widespread it has become.
Name: Eunice Chang
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
To party.
Short and sweet. What has been your favorite moment?
I kissed three girls! Seeing all the hottest skaters in one place, too. It’s crazy, in the best way.
Who is your favorite skater?
Been a big fan of Breezy and Fabi. Oh, I got a picture with Elissa Steamer—that was sick. This is the best skate trip I have ever been on.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
This event embodies the real spirit of skateboarding. It’s a very judgment-free zone. It’s liberating and cool. It makes me love skateboarding.
Hora Martinez and Mariana ChittyName: Hora Martinez and Mariana Chitty
Pronouns: she/her and she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
We both came as volunteers from the Skate Like A Girl SF Bay chapter, and we have been wanting to come for so many years.
What has been your favorite moment?
The Witch Hunt.
Who is your favorite skater?
There are so many, but Fabiana Delfino. Her parents are from Venezuela, so we’re stoked.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
The workshops, the networking and seeing the behind-the-scenes organization—everything we learn here we take it back home to our collective Patineta Para To.
Briana (left) and Sienna MatchaName: Briana King
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
Last year, I was uncomfortable with myself and I wasn’t able to get the full experience. I wanted to run it back now that I feel 100-percent freaking good!
What has been your favorite moment?
Bringing my bestest friend Squink, sharing our emotions and growing our friendship at WOF.
Who is your favorite skater?
Squink. They have the best energy, the best style and send it no matter what.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
You gotta run it back again, do things you didn’t like because we are always growing and evolving. Run it back; run it back; run it back hey, hey!
Name: Sienna Matcha
Pronouns: they/she
Why did you come to WOF?
I have always wanted to come. I love fem skaters, queer skaters and all skaters. I wanted to be around that.
What has been your favorite moment?
Definitely Nicole going pro. That whole day was so sick.
Who is your favorite skater?
Tris or Elissa Steamer. I can’t even look over there.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
We are all here to skate, and everybody having that one thought in mind can bring us together and make something like this happen.
Left to right: Steph Reid, Cami Best, Kava Garcia-Vasquez, Yasmeen “Yaz” WilkersonName: Kava Garcia-Vasquez
Pronouns: she/her
Why did you come to WOF?
To celebrate our community! I feel like a lot of us come because we crave this type of connection, opportunity and visibility.
What has been your favorite moment?
I loved skating down Gas Works with my friends. Then I also loved speaking on the panel with some of my idols and friends. It was an affirmation of what I can contribute to this movement.
Who is your favorite skater?
Ah, that’s such an unfair question. I am surrounded by my faves!
What’s your biggest takeaway?
We got us. We are the ones we needed when we were younger.
Name: Anaheed Saatchi
Pronouns: she/he/they
Why did you come to WOF?
I wanted to attend after going to the Skate Like a Girl camp. Plus, people in Vancouver said, “This is where you go to meet queer and BIPOC skaters.”
What has been your favorite moment?
Watching my teammates explode a watermelon between their thighs, also seeing people lean into fear and all the efforts put in by the team here.
Who is your favorite skater?
Norma Ibarra because she lives, breathes, eats and drinks skateboarding in a way that is so inclusive.
What’s your biggest takeaway?
You can make small moves that make really, really big waves.
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