Name: Otto Pflanz
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Age: 23
Sponsors: Conspiracy Skateboards, Vans (flow).
What set-up are you riding right now?
Conspiracy Bloodstain 8.25”, Independent 149s, Conspiracy PC’s 56mm, Jessup Grip.
What’s the most fun DIY, skater-built or renegade spot that you’ve skated lately?
Fort Collins has a rad DIY called Northside or Jerry Hahn’s Frankenstein ramp creation The Recycler.
Have you ever built something to skate?
Besides little sidewalk bank ramps and quarter pipes when I was a kid, not much. Colorado has a ton of things to skate and it’s all really good stuff. I do have a little double-decker slappy in the alley behind my apartment made of a 10’ 2×4 with a small PVC pipe screwed in the front side and a larger one on the back. It’s my way of having a “backyard skatepark”. Haha.
Who do you like to skate with these days?
Basically the whole Colorado backyard scene. Conspiracy crew, SkateColorado, FTC, Arvada Army and a bunch of other good peeps. They are all rippers and are there to just have a good time. No matter if it’s at the skatepark or in a backyard, the vibe is always welcoming and stokes me out.
Best skate graphic you have seen lately?
Not just because I ride for them, but the Conspiracy decks are always sweet. Lindsey has been an artist his whole life and always has a new twist on his graphics, which are unique and not seen anywhere else.
Best thing you’ve skated in a skatepark?
I’d have to say the snake run at Apex in Arvada, CO. Team Pain made it, so it’s perfect, and has everything I like in one section. Flowy banks, hips, gaps, big vert, oververt, all that good stuff.
Favorite skateboarders of all time?
Chris Miller, Bucky Lasek, Danny Way, Rune Glifberg, Lincoln Ueda, Daewon Song, Bob Burnquist.
Is there anything that hasn’t been built to skate yet that you’d like to see built?
If somebody made the Turning Point full pipe again, that would be sick!
Best road trip you ever took?
A few years ago, Lindsey took us on a road trip out to Utah. We stayed with Bryan Pennington for a couple days and skated tons of parks. It was my first real skate tour and it was rad to skate with such a solid crew at every session. Good times.
Any skate-related charities you support?
Other than just stoking kids out at the skatepark, unfortunately, no.
What music have you been listening to?
UGK, Tupac, Dr. Dre, Big KRIT, Rittz.
What do you consider the responsibilities of a professional skateboarder?
Be humble, don’t put yourself above anyone else, and love skateboarding.
Which skate shops do you support most?
Any shop that isn’t just a business and gets out to skate with the local community has my respect. I like to support those shops.
Favorite skate photo of all time?
Jay Adams carving around a cone on Bicknell Hill by Craig Stecyk III.
What is your take on girls skateboarding?
I think it’s awesome! Skateboarding is for anyone and, if they rip, then it’s even more awesome.
What skateboarding memorabilia do you have that means the most to you?
Lacking in the memorabilia dept. as of right now…
Who contributes the most to your local skate scene?
The skaters and all the guys who build our amazing skateparks.
Top three favorite skate tricks?
Bs tailslide, crail grabs, Miller flips.
Do you think skateboarding should be in the Olympics?
I think it would be cool to represent your country skateboarding, but would lose the essence of skateboarding and what it is about. Skateboarding is about fun and self-expression. Don’t get me wrong, competition is good and propels the sport forward but, at the Olympic level, it would be too much in my opinion. The world wouldn’t understand it and respect it like we do everyday. It would showcase skateboarding for all the wrong reasons and would be too mainstream.
What is your proudest moment in skateboarding so far?
Proudest moment(s) in skateboarding is being able to show up at a skatepark and kids or anyone really can recognize you by your skating. That blows my mind whenever it happens and makes me proud that my enjoyment on a skateboard can do that.
ABOUT THE JUICE MAGAZINE STATE OF SKATE:
When we started Juice Magazine 22 years ago, you could count the number of skateparks on one hand and grindable pool coping was mostly a distant memory. Now there are thousands of skateparks all over the world, along with a vast quantity of DIY spots built to skate. In 1993, the majority of skateboarders listened to punk rock or hip hop exclusively. Now skateboarders listen to almost every kind of sound created. Two decades ago, skateboarding related charities were non-existent. Today, there are numerous non-profits giving back to skateboarding in many ways. One of the most important differences between now and then is that, 22 years ago, there was a clear division between old school and new school skateboarding. Now that wall of separation has followed the same path as the Berlin Wall, allowing for an unprecedented unification of skateboarders all over the globe. Great strides have been made for girls that skate as well as the acceptance of skate history and long overdue recognition for skateboarding’s pioneers and its artifacts. At the same time, the current generation of skateboarders is taking skateboarding to new heights, previously unimaginable. As the landscape of the skateboarding industry changes on a daily basis, and the topic of skateboarding in the Olympics rears its head once again, along with the disturbing subject of who controls skateboarding being tossed about by corporate entities, we decided it was time to take a good look at the State of Skate. We asked 20 questions to 100 skateboarders, ages 8 to 58, and found that skateboarding is as diverse as the skateboarders that are addicted to it, no one controls skateboarding except skateboarders, and the State of Skate is savage and strong. Now get out there and skate tough!
JUICE MAGAZINE STATE OF SKATE features interviews with 100 skateboarders including: Tony Alva, Dave Hackett, Chris Strople, Duane Peters, Steve Olson, Dave Duncan, Steve Alba, Tony Magnusson, Pat Black, Jesse Martinez, Bill Danforth, Jim Murphy, Ric Widenor, Lester Kasai, Glen Charnoski, Bryan Pennington, Peter Furnee, Jeremiah Risk, Ryan Smith, Jason Jessee, Omar Hassan, Cam Dowse, Jen O’Brien, Depth Leviathan Dweller, Brett Roper, Travis Beattie, Chris Gentry, CW Dunn, Chris Albright, Charlie Wilkins, Cairo Foster, Pierre-Luc Gagnon, BJ Morrill, Dr. Lenore L.A. Sparks, Sid Melvin, Jesse Irish, Packy Fancher, Greg Lutzka, Jimmy Larsen, Adam Dyet, Luis Tolentino, Greg Harbour, Frank Faria, Ryan DeCenzo, Dave Bachinsky, Johnny Turgesen, Casey Meyer, Edward Sanchez, David Gravette, Ben Hatchell, Brian Geib, Felipe Gouveia, Eric Santos, Kyle Smith, Cameron Revier, Josh Stafford, Justin Grubbs, Etienne Eden Archila, Sanzio Piacentini, Josh Elder, Eddie “Mighty” Moreno, Kevin Kowalski, Otto Pflanz, Jeremy Smith, Adam Wiggins, Jimmy Wilkins, Danny Gordon, Jake Hilbish, Corey Blanchette, Adam Legassie, Nick Santos, Trey Rounds, Curren Caples, Justyce Tabor, Andy Anderson, Sarah Thompson, Coral Guerrero, Collin Graham, Derek Scott, Ace Pelka, Sonny Rodriguez, Jarren Duke, Mikayla Sheppard, CJ Titus, Noah Schott, Emily Earring, Julian Torres, Wyatt Wisenbaker, Josh Forsberg, Nathan Midgette, Roman Pabich, Yago Dominguez, Jack Winburn, Jonas Carlsson, Kiko Francisco, Bryce Ava Wettstein, Desmond Shepherd, Matty Jessee and Luke Kahler.
FOR THE REST OF THE STORY, ORDER ISSUE #74 BY CLICKING HERE…
