Brent Atchley – Element Elementality (2005)

The back foot.

Brent Atchley caught a lot of flack when he debuted on Element in Elementality. The criticism wasn’t unfounded but it was very short sighted. Basically it boiled down to style. Brent has a very particular and unique way of riding his skateboard. His foot placement is unorthodox. His balance swings. His movement floats. And his trousers don’t drop despite sitting far below his posterior.

Yes, it’s a lot to take in and you can’t not notice it but it also doesn’t overshadow the sheer brilliance with which Brent skates Burnside and other uncanny Portland spots. His quick footed mounts and dismounts would leave most people picking up their teeth. His ability to rotate and squeeze into trasitions would leave most people stuck.

Unfortunately, rising is an internet era only a few years after the shock of previous Element amateur PJ Ladd’s shoot to stardom, Brent’s criticism settled like a sludge sediment that prevented him from blowing up as he should. I don’t think Brent was too bothered as he carried on killing it on a board and ignored the haters.