Diogo Canina interview. By Colin MacKay

Oct 17, 2008

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 10932 times

Name: Diogo Canina
Age: 25
Sponsors: Diamondback bikes, Vans shoes, Staff BMX
Hometown: Amparo, Brasil

Ok can you give us a short version of how you ended up in America?
Diogo: Well, basically I was about to go to college in Brasil, but I wasn't feeling to do that before I try ride my bike on all the spots that I had seen only on videos and internet, so I kind did a go for it all the way to U.S. to see with my eyes! It was definitely the best thing I did in my life, not because it actually worked better than I thought, but because the trip by itself was the best experience in my life, and I’m thankful for BMX for making myself do that.

What year was that?
Diogo: July of 2004

How was the language barrier and was it hard to learn English?
Diogo: Definitely, speaking English was definitely another rock on my way, but as far as studying I’m really determined, and a year and half before I booked my ticket to U.S I was studying English almost everyday for at least 4 hours each day, I was really into it. English was actually a bigger factor once I got in the U.S I would say the biggest challenge to me when I was still in Brasil was to make enough money and get the visa for U.S.

There is no way with a regular job you save enough money to afford a trip to U.S. unless you work for 3 years, 8 hours a day 5 a week straight, saving 100% of all you are making. I guess that would not work... my riding would be gone. So I focus myself on my riding and my English studying, at that point I was lucky to have the Mom that I have, she wanted me to go to college but she also was the one that gave me the money to come to U.S in 2004! She thought it was going to be a Trip overseas before i get on the college. She was right, it is just taking a little longer that she had planed! hahhaha

You live in Greenville most of the year but how often do you go home?
Diogo: Officially once a year, I always spend the whole summer in Brasil (winter in U.S.). If I get hurt and have to be off my bike for a while I try to go to Brasil as well, not always though.

What are some things you miss about Brazil?
Diogo: My parents house with my dogs barking around the table on Sundays lunch, ride my bike around my city just because, the mountains in Amparo, my friends from high school, my mom's food, the air from my hometown and session with my friends that have been following my riding since day 1 at my local park!

You are self-representing the Brazil scene in the States, is there any shredders back home we should know about?
Diogo: For sure, even that BMX has strong scene only in countries with a strong economy we still have amazing riders! Mike Moura is one of the best dirt jumps out there, Leandro Overal has style for miles, Valvoline its a well known in Greenville, plus my cousin Denis Canina is one of my biggest influence right now!

This year you achieved a 2nd place at your first X Games in America, how did that all come about and was the X Games all you expected?
Diogo: Probably the podium helps the X games be one of my best experiences, but mainly for two other reasons. It was the first contest in U.S. within those 4 years in America that my family and friends from Brasil got the chance to watch live and cheer for me, and ride on X games was one of my dreams when I was younger, it felt real good just to be in there and remember those days that I would dream in bed that I was riding the X games! It was definitely a dream that came true! I couldn’t be happier... the podium just made it better!

You have arguably the best 3 table in the business, what’s your inspiration behind that?
Diogo: It doesn’t really matter if the rest agree with you or not, these words coming from one of my hero’s means more than anything! The reason I like doing those is that everyday I ride my bike I want the feeling of going as fast you can to the lip lean down and let explode it as high it goes, drop my shoulder gently and tuck my legs as close it goes to each other. And from up there my heads down and I see the whole thing between my arms...

You seam to know the unwritten rules of how a trick is supposed to look, is that important to you?
Diogo: I don’t consider myself a style cat and I would love to be one... There is so many details that make the difference between the good and the not so good, and knowing it its the essential to avoid the little "mistakes".

Leg straight or bent?
Diogo: Straight legs kills it! Trying too hard, relax dude!

It's pretty cool that the way BMX is these days with all the triple whipping, quad whipping and 1080ing going on, that Mike Aiken won the 4th Stop of Dew tour Dirt cranking look-backs and such, I really think BMX might be coming back to how it should be, getting rewarded for your talent not what you learnt in the foam pit. What do you think?
Diogo: I couldn’t be happier for Aitken and for BMX. So Bohan dropping in shorts and proving that BMX is Art and not a cardio training thing every time you try to get out the foam pit. Foam pit is good for BMX, but whatever is overdone cant be good, and that’s what is going on right now!

Most of the guys on the Pro BMX schedule sleep in then check there myspace all day go ride for a few hours and call it a day, but your studying all day then riding then studying again, anything from German to Stocks. What’s the deal with that?
Diogo: I had the laziest days in my life! Nowadays I’m all about using my time to learn new things... Exercise the brain is just as important as exercise your body. Learning keeps you excited about life, makes you young and opens the windows for opportunities... Now that I feel the benefits I’m not stopping!

I’m definitely into stocks, but it only happened because I like economics for death, which got me dragged into stocks. The history of how the trades started, how everything works, the rules, the governments side, all that is very interesting to me, its one of my biggest passion with BMX! German is a side project that I know will take years to accomplish but Im down to make happen. Don’t ask me why I chose German; it could have been French... I want to live in Europe for a while to learn more about the society over there, they have a lot to teach me and I guess speaking one of the language over there is the only way to get deep inside the culture!

What’s your future plans?
Diogo: Feel better and better on my bike, get on college any day soon, learn German and a bit the Dow Jones index...

5 bad things about BMX?
Diogo: I like everything about BMX besides injuries, specially the ones on my face! Everything else is awesome!

5 great things about BMX?
Diogo: Friends, trails, travels, Shop at Vans for free, trouble!

Like to give a shout out?
Diogo: Always... Mom, Dad, my Brother, Jerry Badders at Vans, Trevor (Diamondback ), thanks for supporting me and give me the chance to be who I want to be!