Shaun Witherup, young, hip, South African-born pro skater, was my stranger encounter from yesterday. As I was cruising around Covent Garden I spotted Shaun taking a break down an alley near Neal's Yard. At first I couldn't muster up the courage to ask for a photograph but as he got up and walked away, I pulled myself together, gave myself a stern talking to, and went back and asked. So glad I did. Shaun is one of the UK's top street skateboarders and a lovely guy to boot.
Shaun rides for Adidas, King Apparel and a host of other sponsors and the word on the sidewalk is that he has "one of the biggest ollies this side of the Atlantic!". Unfortunately Shaun was unable to show me his ollie, big or otherwise, as he has done the ACL* in his right knee (a painful, painful injury) and is out of action for the time being. Shaun started riding relatively late (for a skater) at age 16 and hasn't stopped. The secret to skateboarding is apparently co-ordination: hence Shaun is a brilliant skateboarder and I am not :)
Thanks Shaun so much for the chat and the photographs.
*Anterior cruciate ligament (This is for the benefit of the A-listers: to show I still remember my stuff- kind of!!)