ILARDI Jake

Preferred stance
Regular (theboardr.com, 01 Jan 2020)

General
HOME SKATEPARK
In 2021, ahead of competing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, he raised over USD$19,000 for a quarter-pipe to be installed at his local skate park in Sarasota, FL, United States of America. He said it allowed him to increase his training level while at home as well as giving something back to his local community. "I owe everything to that park, to be honest. If it wasn't for Payne Park I wouldn't be here today, doing what I am doing you know. I've grown up here. I know the park like the back of my hand. It's home to me. It's more for me to get speed for the 'big rail'. In the Olympics, my skating, I skate on the rails a lot. It gets very muddy over there. It gets awkward running through the mud and having to throw down. We're putting it there for the kids to have something new to skate on, and also, it's a win-win for me because I will have more speed to practise my tricks and won't have to be running through the dirt." (abcactionnews.com, 05 Apr 2021; mysuncoast.com, 10 May 2021)

GROWTH OF SKATEBOARDING
He believes the introduction of skateboarding at the Olympic Games will have a profound effect on the sport. "Skateboarding being on such a big platform and being legitimised as an Olympic sport is really going to change the way people look at skateboarding. I think it's going to make it a lot more accepted in the world. There's probably going to be more skate shops open up, more skateboards are going to sell. Also, skateparks - I think there's going to be more skaters. It's going to grow skateboarding that much more. It's going to be super sick to watch it unfold." (WorldSkateSB YouTube channel, 07 Jul 2021)