Photos by Rubén González
Interview with Juan Pablo OV (@juanpablorotava) by Jonathan Hay
You’ve had a few names for the spot, such as “OV Gnar Spot” but what are you calling it now?
No names! Jaja. OV means Orotava Valley and that’s where we are from. La Haza is the old name of my mom’s property. She was the one that let me build it, so I used to say that it was Doña Maria’s ramp, jaja… but I don’t like to call it with names.
Where is the DIY located or is it a secret?
It’s a very special and particular place… I have been rescuing it from the abandon and making a little paradise to go to and hide and stay away from the new world order disaster.
Why did you decide to build your own DIY spot?
I was thinking about it since I first saw that ruined place, almost twelve years ago… but the principal reason was to quit going to skateparks where there is plenty of stupidity and fake people – small places big hells – I started right after the pandemic paraphernalia…
Did you design it and did you get inspiration from any other spots, or just build something that fits your style of skating?
I had an idea about the shaping, but no plans, just organic. No measure, no level, “Al Ojimetro”, but the idea was to do a little channel.
Who helped you with the build?
Thankfully there are still good people around. I received help from some friends like Ruben, Lolo, Angelito, Mirko, Pedro… but the one that helped me the most was Enrico, now he is in Basque country helping at Ramputene. He introduced me to some good guys from Spotter in Barna… Richi, Nanaki and Weeman… such great human beings. They helped me a lot by donating radials of wood and 23 pool copings, also with a big piece of concrete and let us know how to make it properly! Much thanks and love to all of them.
Has anyone from the penninsula come to skate the spot or from any other places?
The thing is, I don’t like to bring people here. Only the people that help me to make it or people that invite me to their ramps – just camarades or gentlemen. Lazy and pros can go to public skateparks. Here only camarades and people with humility that I know. At the moment, people that skated from the mainland or europe are camarades that I know: José Noro the one that inspired me to do it, Danny Lenhert from Berlín, and a friend of Richi, Nanaki and Weeman called Max from Barna.
Are there good skate spots in Tenerife?
On the island there are good places to skate, not as many as in the big city, but there are good skate spots and they are building some good skateparks and a lot of crappy ones like everywhere.
What else do you do in Tenerife when you aren’t skateboarding?
When I’m not skating I’ll usually will be at the finca enjoying doing garden work. I like to be around plants and birds. I also love going to the sea and I enjoy riding waves. But in my free time, my favorite thing to do is to go and work on this project.
Tell us something about the history of skateboarding in Tenerife?
The scene in Tenerife…. I don’t really know because I’m not used to go skating with too many people or go to skateparks that often. I used to skate with the OV homies who are Angelito and Mirko. We have three fun ramps and we help each other. We are also learning vert skating. Thanks to Jose de La Rosa that let us skate his ramp – such a legend and old dog – he opened an indoor in SC (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and we go there once a week.
What else do you have planned to build at the spot?
I have to make some rounded quarters with pool coping but not much more. I’ve planned to build another diy in another place, up in the mountains, under pine trees, but in the future…. no hurries.
