“You’ve got dudes from around the world having an opportunity”
Urged on by video parts and skate magazines, Hinson, like any young skater, imagined what it would be like to be a professional but he never dared to give it serious thought.
“That’d be really cool,” the Brit says, remembering at the time the thought process. “But obviously, I’m from such a small place and skateboarding is so far away from here, it makes it super hard to even think that’s possible.”
Somehow, against the odds, Hinson eventually found sponsors. First ‘Billy’s’, a skate shop in Cambridge, and then a small English company. After that came the distribution place for an American company and until finally the American company directly.
The increments by which his sponsors came point more broadly to the trend behind Hinson’s journey. At a time when social media was in its infancy the Brit had to prove his worth on the contest circuit, as he says, was the way for most English skaters. Slowly through his appearances and his results, he was able to raise his profile.
In 2022, Hinson’s skateboarding trajectory shifted again when he was invited to ride for Skateboard GB’s Street Skateboarding Team. He received the nod having clinched victory at the National Championships that year, and his second overall. With his spot on the roster, the door to the Olympics was opened and Hinson was immediately eager to make the most of the opportunity.
“I’ve not had the luxury to travel very much because, growing up, it’s just not been a thing. It’s only been in the last couple of years where I’ve had sponsors that are able to support me to do that. So it’s been great getting to travel, skate with pros and skate the amazing parks that are built for these events.”
Being a confessed “massive skate nerd” Hinson found himself in his element brushing shoulders with the cream of world street skating.
“When I met Jamie Foy, it was kind of trippy because he inspires me to skate really big rails. He inspired me really to skate big kink rails and just rails in general. Now, like whenever I see him at a contest I end up speaking to him. I end up knowing and speaking to these guys a lot now being at these events and that’s pretty cool.”
It’s not just for those like Hinson the World Skate Olympic qualifier events have been transformative. The pros too, have had to adapt as skaters from each corner of the globe try to push their way through. Upsets have become commonplace as the hungry newcomers capitalise on the exposure.
“It’s definitely shaken up a bit,” Hinson says, reflecting on the global shift. “You’ve got all the Japanese dudes now coming out. You’ve got dudes from around the world having an opportunity to put themselves out there. I think that’s really great. With the internet and with these contests it’s become less US-based and it’s now international. You can be on an American company but be from Japan or England or wherever in the world.”