‘To be honest boys inspire me more than girls’
Madeleine Larcheron
Fun Skater
October 2024
‘Just for fun’ it says on your IG account. Anything that is not fun around having fun?
This is precisely what I never want to forget: everything must absolutely remain fun. Doing something thoroughly and seriously doesn’t have to make it sad or unpleasant. I love skateboarding and the people I share it with too much for it to become unpleasant.
You were the youngest member of the French Skateboard Delegation during Tokyo’s Summer Olympics in 2021. Were you happy with your skating and the overall experience of the event?
Yes, I was 15, honestly yes I was very satisfied with my skate: the qualifying circuit was very long. With the Covid it was extended by a year. I think it really created links between all skaters, from all countries. For me, skateboarding is above all a human experience and even if we were a bit stuck in a frame on many aspects, the human experience was really there. I had times that I will never forget and met some amazing people. For all that I’m really very happy with my skateboarding in Tokyo: managing to be there was the hardest part and we were there, I managed to do everything I had in mind: when I skate, I don’t fight against others but against myself and that day it went wonderfully!
How did you pick up skateboarding in the first place?
I had an old skateboard at home when I was little, and I skated on the sidewalk in front of the house with my neighbours. But the first time I really wanted to try was when a skatepark was built near my house and I saw skaters for the first time!
‘Having your passion eaten away for the wrong reasons is the worst thing to do.’
What were some of the local skaters that you looked up to at the time?
There was George Poole who was amazing and so nice! Even today he is one of the people I can always count on, he helps me whenever I need it, always encourages me. But the list is long, there are incredible skaters here who have all amazed me AND made the skate community love it so much: Florian & Aurelien Cerruti, Romain Covolan, Vincent Milou, Hugo Westrelin…
What are some of the women skaters you look up to at the moment and why?
To be honest boys inspire me more than girls, I have a little trouble with the separation between girls and boys anyway, so I would say Cory Juneau. I think she knows how to turn any basic trick into a phenomenal trick. The hyper acrobatic tricks that we see more and more are really not what amazes me the most, whereas a fs rocknroll slide done by Cory Juneau…
Any advice for other 16-year-old girls on what to do follow a similar career than yours?
I’m not sure I have much advice to give, things happened gradually without a pre- established plan. Doing things thoroughly, so you can’t regret and because doing them halfway is useless. But it’s advice that goes for everything I think. Always have fun and surround yourself with caring people, and for that I was very lucky because there were some for me.
Any advice on what not to do?
Forget what you really love about skateboarding. I’ve seen people put enormous pressure on themselves and lose all the fun of what they’re doing. It’s really a shame, especially since I think that the day you fall into skateboarding is really not for that, so having your passion eaten away for the wrong reasons is the worst thing to do.
What is your proudest moment in your skateboarding journey that you can share with us?
There are a lot of moments of which I am proud, but they are not necessarily linked to big competitions or big events. There are some very simple moments that I remember like it was yesterday: the first time I managed to get over the birthday cake steps in the Capbreton bowl, a session with the “big guys” during which they were banging their boards to encourage me. But otherwise, the competition that marked me the most was The Kantera Invitational, I was 12 years old, it was my first international competition and I had never imagined that we could have so much fun around a pool! In the end, I think what I’m most proud of is the encounters I’ve been able to make, that’s really a gift.
Last question. If you could interview one person, who would it be and why? What would you ask?
It’s a difficult question, especially since I’m more of the type to ask without filter when I need to know something, regardless of the person. But I’ll think about it, it’s a good question! So, I would say maybe it’s people who haven’t behaved very well with me that I’d like to ask, “so what happened?”
‘Everything must absolutely remain fun.’
