Words and pics by Jenna Selby.
Emma Richardson came onto the scene a couple of years ago when placing second at the European Championships in Birmingham, this was after she’d only been skating for a short while. She’s since placed consistently in all the comps she’s entered, recently taking second to last year’s European Championship winner Sabrina Goggel at a competition in Germany.
She is known to her team mates as “Exotic Emma”, which was actually self proclaimed on passing a drive-through sex shop on the way to St Neots skate park, and has yet to live this down.
It is generally advised not to share a room with this girl as the energy she exudes gives her verbal diarrhea throughout the night. However all can be forgiven thanks to her generous and dare I say somewhat funny personality. She is an extremely talented all round skater, and has recently come back from coaching at the Girlie Camps on the continent.
Hello Emma, can you introduce yourself?
Well I’m Emma Louise Richardson, I’m 18, I live in Birmingham and I like skateboarding! I skate for Rogue Skateboards, Roxy and Epic shop/skate park.
You’re one of those people that wouldn’t be forgotten in a hurry, why do you think that is?
I’m not sure, I enjoy life and like making friends along the way, I’ve made a load of friends on my travels this summer, well since Easter really till about now and it’s been different funny experiences.
Perhaps it’s the punk thing; I hear you’ve been spotted in white bloomers recently.
Well yes, I like wearing odd things I guess never been the one to blend in with a crowd.
Or maybe it’s the Birmin-ham ting?
I reckon that’s Burrminisnm, don’t you?!?
Or perhaps it both of the above mixed with Haribo – what precisely is your weeks consumption and why?
Well the sweets are just immense. When I go skating I always buy some so that’s a lot I guess.
Do you have a recommended diet for a skater?
Ummm, coke (cola!!) and haribo, to make you hyper….I rely on sweets to give me energy, when I shouldn’t.
You’ve recently come back from coaching at the Girlie Skate camps in Europe, how’d it go?
Well I had an opportunity to teach them this year, in Prague for one week and France for 2 weeks. It was amazing to experience so many bars in different countries because now I’ve turned 18 I’m taking full opportunity of killing off my kidneys. Ohhh and the skating were quite good too! Nar Prague was a beast! That spot starlin plaza on the top of the hill with like a billion stairs up to it, that’s a bit well enjoying…once you’re there then there’s like the best hill bomb back down after your skate. Smiles every day there.
How did you get roped into teaching at the last minute?
Well Lucy (Adams) was pre booked because she is Miss Super Star so she very kindly recommended me for it, but I weren’t complaining.
Could any of the poor lasses you were teaching understand a word you were saying though?
Yer haha they kept on complaining but JB the other instructor on the camp he was with me for the 3 weeks understood me by the end of the 1st week so that’s the secret just spend a week with me and then you can understand me!
Partying late night with the likes of Rodney Clarke on the Quicksilver boat whilst you were out there, sounds like it couldn’t have been much fun?
Haha JB told me it’s the same every year everyone walks on and everyone falls off…it was the funniest thing going from there to the other Mystic cup party and needing the toilet and walking into this hotel like we were a guest and falling over across the reception hahahaha.
And now you now think Prague is the place to be, why?
I dunno, I think it’ll be different the next time I go but places change and it’s never the same when you re-visit some where but it could be even better couldn’t it!
How though does it compare to the Brum scene?
Brum scene is pretty divided, but everyone is friendly on both sides. But I kept on seeing the same people in Prague and made a few friends quite quick, but skating there is amazing and Brum is as good as you make it to be and that’s why I love it.
You seem to be one watch out for at the moment, I hear there’s a bit of scouting going on for your services, how does that feel?
Well I guess i’m just doing what I love, and just want to carry on been a planker person..
You’ve always been good but your skills seem to have exploded this year, could you let us plebs know the secret…I’m sure it’s that Haribo!
I reckon its just people that i’ve been skating with lately, but this year every time I get on my board its amazing and don’t wanna stop.
So what’s your next plan of action?
My A-level results come out real soon and then after that in September I start my foundation degree for a year so I guess that.
Shout outs:
Granny, Mum and Dad sister hell-bell. Rogue-Jenna, Laura, Sadie, Lucy and Maria. Katryrna, Karyn, Greg (low profile). Lewis, Skiff, Diane from Epic, Zippy from Ideal, Marika and JB from Girlie.