Ending a hectic old year that saw him put together the first ever WeSC Camp in the UK as well as part ways with some longtime sponsors in favour of pastures new, Worksop native and Sheffield resident Mark Baines landed himself on the cover of the 2011 Buyers Guide back in November, scoring his second cover of the year.
CJ sits down with Mark to discuss the latest cover in his collection, his highlights from 2011 and his plans for the coming year…
For the past three years we have been doing the annual Sidewalk Buyer’s Guide issue. Had you seen these before and did you know you were getting this year’s cover?
Yeah I have seen these before, only in skate shops really but I always had a look through them to see what stuff was out there.
Where did you shoot the photo and did you have any problems with that rough looking run up and crazy paving style bank?
The photo was shot in Burton. It was a total nightmare. The run-up is so rough, more so with 50mm wheels. The paving was pretty terrible to pop off of too. It looks like the perfect spot on the photo but it’s pretty grim which is kind of what makes it a good spot. I don’t mind this kind of spot; it’s an extra thing to battle.
How come you were in Burton? Had you been travelling to shoot photos and film that day?
We’d been on a mission that day and day before. Basically shooting and filming the clip I have been working on for Fabric and Etnies, and for a Sidewalk interview. I was pretty much done from the previous spot when we get here but figured I would try and do something as you could see, as a spot, it would make a really nice photo.
With the Sheffield switch front shuv for Kingpin a few months back now, this is your second cover of the year. Having had an unquantifiable amount of video and magazine coverage over the past 15 odd years, do you still get excited when you get something like a cover?
I do for sure. When the Kingpin cover came out it was on my birthday so I was really pleased with that one. I had no idea at all so it’s nice. It’s also good as hopefully the people I ride for are stoked too and they help me out so much so it’s the best way to repay all that. The buyers guide was a nice surprise as well. It’s been a tough few months with some changes in companies I ride for so it gave me a little confidence in myself that I still have something to offer, and getting a cover is a great thing to get for anyone, it stokes you out for sure, and if it doesn’t there’s something wrong.
It’s been a busy year for you mate with the organisation and completion of your first WeSC skate camp down in Cornwall in the summer and plenty of skate travel to Europe. What have you got planned for 2012 as far as photos footage, travel and is there going to be another skate camp?
Oh yeah the camp was amazing. It was so much more work than I thought and I had to put a couple of trips off here and there, but it was important to deliver for the camp. WeSC gave me the chance to do it over here so it was a good opportunity and really rewarding seeing how hyped all the kids were. Since the camp I chatted to a few of them. They all got a heads up way before it was known that I had switched to Fabric. I asked them all what they thought of Fabric and they started getting suspicious, they’re not stupid. I am looking forward to next year. Another camp will be happening for sure, I have started working on this now and hopefully having one under the belt already will make the next one easier and even more enjoyable. I plan on doing a lot of stuff with Fabric, plenty of trips and video stuff. Hopefully shoot a Sidewalk interview as well when the weather gets better. I also am hoping to get something going with Etnies.
Mark and the rest of the UK WeSC family and friends take to Truro for the first UK Camp WeSC:
