Vans builds a new story "Always Pushing" vol.3. skater Kaishinna Kaishinna looks back on the Paris stage.

Always Pushing. Always pushing, always more. Recognizing this, Vans riders repeatedly challenge themselves to push the limits of what they can do. This article is part of a Series that explores the mindset and motivations of Vans riders who are always seeking to improve their skills. In this third installment, we are joined by skater Shinna Hiraki. She recently took second place in the skateboard park at a competition held in Paris for the second time in a row, and we asked her to reflect on the competition.

Text_Shogo Komatsu
Edit_Amane Yasuda

The final in Paris was a showdown.

-Thanks for the Paris Convention. And congratulations!

Opening:Thank you very much. Tokyo was a no-show, but this time in Paris, there were twice as many spectators as in the past, so it was an exciting and enjoyable event.

-You came in first in the qualifying round.

Opening:I was surprised . . I was glad that I was the last one to go out. If I skied first, I would be the one being chased, but if I skied last, I could ski without worrying about the rest, because I only had to aim for the top.

-What did you think about before the final?

Opening:I had about four hours free between the qualifying round and the final, so I was thinking about something other than the competition. I hadn't had breakfast, so I ate, and we all talked about things that had nothing to do with the competition.

-I was in first place at the end of the second run of the final, but in the third run, I dropped back to third place, didn't I?

Opening:I was relieved that I was within reach of the podium, but I was nervous about the third run because I hadn't done what I wanted to do. I knew that in order to win, I had to do a run that I had never connected and succeeded in, so I took a shot at it.

-It must have taken a lot of courage to make the change at the last minute.

Opening:I felt like I had no choice but to do it. I have a very poor make rate for Flip Indy, and I'm lucky if I can ride it three times a day. . I'm glad I was able to make it.

-What have you been working on for Paris in the three years since Tokyo ended?

Opening:I was practicing to increase my speed and improve my skills, for example, by doing longer runs of grinds and incorporating airs, which I am not very good at. I had been doing only grinds, which I was good at, so my friends and parents advised me to practice more fancy moves like flying and spinning. For the competition, I was glad to be able to try out different types of runs, such as wallrides and kickflip indies on the jump box, which I hadn't done before.

-Do you practice and try new techniques in order to do well in competitions?

Opening:. more than the result, I want to give my best in the competition. . I also want to be seen by the people who support me and with whom I always skate. . I also want to be seen by the people who support me and with whom I always ski.

-. The people who support us are very important.

Opening:I would not have made it this far on my own, so my family is important, as well as the friends I have skied with since I was a little girl.

Each person has his or her own style.

-What kind of inspiration do you get from the people you ski with?

Opening:I started skateboarding because I admired the cool older brothers who skated at Hot Bowl Skatepark, which I have been going to since I was a kid, and I have always been more focused on style than on the difficulty of the tricks. Rather than practicing new tricks by myself, I find it more challenging and aggressive to skate with friends.

-. he said he honed his skills by skiing with his friends.

Opening:Ever since I was a little girl, I loved the time I spent in sessions with the adults. I used to ski in the evenings after school, but the adults would come about an hour before the park closed. I really looked forward to that time. During the sessions, I would practice new tricks like, "I want to show you this next trick, so let's work hard on it.

-I know there are a lot of hardships before you compete in the various world tournaments. How do you overcome them?

Opening:When I don't do well in practice, I divide my time between on and off time to concentrate and time to ski for fun. When I am practicing for a competition, I just repeat the moves I want to do. When I want to have fun, I try various combinations of moves I can do, or try new moves with my friends.

-Do you still have a hard time with new techniques?

Opening:. There are some new techniques that can be done right away, and some that cannot. If it is a new technique that can be completed by adding something to a technique you have already mastered, all you have to do is ride it and you will be good at it right away. But if it is a new technique that I don't know how to do at all, it takes me a long time to get the hang of it, so even if I can't ride it, I am happy just to have gotten the hang of it.

-Do you have a favorite Vans rider?

Opening:When I was in the first grade of elementary school, I watched an overseas competition called "Vans Park Series" on YouTube and thought it was cool, Lizzie Armant. . I wanted to skate with her, and I was longing to have a style like hers. . Nowadays, I get to skate and play with her in the U.S. She is a great skater, of course, but she has a great personality. I respect her as a woman and as a person.

-Do you sometimes refer to Lizzie's slip?

Opening:When I was a child, I admired Lizzie's style, but I don't use it as a reference because everyone has their own style. I think the good thing about skateboarding is that everyone has their own style. There are no detailed rules, and there is no age limit. Everyone can have fun and do the tricks they want to do. It's free. There are some tournaments that have uniforms, but basically, you can wear whatever you want.

. - even your clothes have style, don't they? You are a fan of "Skate High" shoes, what do you like about them?

Opening:Ever since I first started skateboarding, my shoes have absolutely been "skate highs". I like that my ankles are protected and it is easy to skateboard. I wear them in everyday life because they are easy to match with any fashion, but sometimes I choose "slip-ons" when I want to wear them comfortably.

-Finally, what are your goals for the future?

Opening:In the meantime, now that Paris is over, I want to go abroad to shoot and get the video part out. And I have to just skate hard so that I can get the signature on my deck. Right now I'm mainly focusing on park-style competitions, so I'd like to skate on the streets as well. . I want to continue to have fun and skate in various ways.