The surfers at La Santa and Famara aren’t the only board riders on Lanzarote. The island also has a long-standing passion for skateboarding, with several skate parks dotted around the island. And one of the brightest hopes for Lanzarote skating is 11-year-old Kayden Hewson Cantoni, from Güime.
Kayden first jumped onto a skateboard on a summer camp at the age of five. His grandfather Bob said “I couldn’t believe it. It was an old scrap board, but his balance was amazing.” After more camps, Kayden started attending the Extreme Center in Playa Honda, an indoor skate park just down the road from his home in Puerto del Carmen, where he has received expert coaching for the last five years.
He’s been wowing the judges at various competitions over the last couple of years, and his latest achievement was in the Mojo Wheels competition last November, where he won the under-12s competition and placed third in the under-16s, more than holding his own against older, more experienced skaters.
Bob says “He’s made for it. His coaches say he’s got a “skate brain”. They also say he’s a bit crazy, the way the best skaters have to be.” Kayden’s suffered a few injuries while skating, but sponsorship means that he always skates with the best protective gear and equipment.
When he’s not at the Extreme Center, Kayden heads up to Famara or Arrieta to skate with friends, and he also plays as a striker for the Puerto del Carmen football club. However, even though one of his trainers is convinced he’ll be a natural at surfing, his parents are still a little nervous about seeing him on the waves at Famara.
At the age of 11, Kayden still has years to practice and perfect his skills. “This year and the next year will be a real learning curve, for him” says Bob, But he’s willing to go anywhere. He just loves skating.”
Kayden’s coach at Extreme Center, Diego Rosende, says that the competition calendar for 2023 is still being finalised, but he hopes that Kayden will be competing on the Canarian circuit in Tenerife and Fuerteventura, and , hopefully, over on mainland Spain, too. “He learns fast and his progress over the last two years has been incredible,” says Diego.
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