Here's Sugar Skateboards golden boy, one of the hardest working skateboarders in the Industry. In Mexico everyone knows the name Mario Saenz even those who don’t skate. Mario visits LA at least three to four times a year, eager to skate all the new spots and parks. When you see Mario Skate you can tell he is at a Professional level, a contest killer too. I feel like Mario’s English has improved a lot over the past few years which is why we put Spanish aside for this Interview, enjoy.
RastaLA: How were the past couple weeks in Los Angeles?
Mario: It was pretty good we hit some spots filming for the new Sugar video.
RastaLA: When was your first trip out to Cali?
Mario: My first trip was five years ago when I was 15 years old. I got to Hawthorn and it was gnarly, I was super impressed. I was so happy and excited to skate LA spots.
RastaLA: How did you get on Sugar?
Mario: It was five years ago I was skating everyday at every skate park. I started hanging out with Cricket and Furby(Salcedo) they took me to some spots to film and shot photos, that's how I met Marko(Jazbinsek) one time at Santa Monica High School. I skated for JJ skate shop and Marko would come by, I gave him my sponsor me tape and he started to hook me up.
RastaLA: How long did it take you to go pro?
Mario: After three years of hard filming and representing Sugar you know, it was pretty good.
RastaLA: So whats the first thing your going to do when you get back home?
Mario: For sure chill with my family and I miss my girl you know... well my plane gets there at 12AM, so tomorrow I'll set up a board and skate around. On Sunday I have a demo in a city it's called Puebla, it's about two hours from Mexico City.
RastaLA: You have a son does he check out your skate videos?
Mario: Yeah when I put videos on youtube I'll say hey Andrew' and he'll say "Let me see Let me see", he likes it. He's young but probably in like a year he can start skating.
RastaLA: What are your plans for the near future?
Mario: Pretty much my plan is to finish the new Sugar video I've been working on it for like three years already. So I have a lot of footy, I just need to pick up the best ones. Just like keep skating, I wish I lived in LA. But maybe I'll move over here and just start skating different spots and keep doing what I'm doing you know.
RastaLA: How would you compare Mexico spots to American spots?
Mario: Where I'm from Mexico City has a lot of spots, the problem is the spots are super ruggy like they are so hard to skate. We never skate schools because the police gives you crazy tickets over there, so we just skate street spots. LA spots are gnarly big spots but at the same time they are perfect, just like perfect stairs, everything just looks pretty nice you know.
RastaLA: Explain what a 'Carnal' is?
Mario: Carnal means friend like a dirty friend, like when you call somebody a homie. It's like when you say 'hey playa' (laughing) but in Spanish.
RastaLA: Thanks Mario have a safe flight back to Mexico see you soon 'carnal'!.
Mario: Take care.
