ANTHONY FINOCCHIARO - THE CHILD STAR TURNED AMBASSADOR​

ANTHONY FINOCCHIARO - THE CHILD STAR TURNED AMBASSADOR

Alongside us, you (re)discover the joys of gliding and share your passion with the strollers.

These are the values that unite the Flaneurz community and our ambassadors. Anthony Finocchiaro, an iconic skater from the 2000s, has recently joined the Clique. Known for his high-level athletic career in the world of roller skating, and now residing in Spain, he is passionate about being part of our adventure to promote our innovative concept.

The time for a round trip Barcelona/Paris, “ The Finch ” took the time to stop by the Flaneurz SkateLab to answer our questions.

© the_finch

 

/A PRODIGY CHILD

 

/Tell us a little about yourself, what discipline(s) do you practice and how did this passion for roller skating come about?

It all started in a pretty original way. At 10 years old, I asked my parents for a skateboard for Christmas. I dreamed of being able to go "riding" in the legendary Bowl du Prado in Marseille. To my greatest disappointment, they gave me a pair of quad roller skates! For the record, I was so disappointed that I regularly went to exchange my skates for skateboards.

Little by little, I became friends with people from the roller world. During our outings, I discovered street skating thanks to them. I realized that to keep up with them, it was in my best interest to keep my skates. Very quickly, I adopted roller skating as a way of life and I have never stopped since I was 10 years old. I have logged 22 years of practice.

 

In terms of disciplines, I started with aggressive rollerblading, which means doing tricks on ramps or urban furniture with inline skates. However, I was fortunate to be educated by veterans of rollerblading. They practiced on quad skates, which allowed me to have no prejudice against the different disciplines of rollerblading. At that time, quad skaters and inline skaters did not socialize. I didn't mind; I am an open-minded person. As a side note, I would go to the skatepark on quad skates and had my street skates in my backpack. Once I arrived, I would change my skates. Later on, I practiced jumping, downhill, and I even have a suit for *buggy rollin (*Armor or suit equipped with wheels at the various pressure points of the human body.)! However, I am unable to do slalom or roller dance. I am not technically patient enough.

To summarize, I am a fan of sliding sports. I also skateboard and do BMX Flat. I am curious and interested in all extreme practices.

© the_finch 

 

/Are you able to live off your passion? How do you incorporate your roller skating practice into your daily life?

Roller skating is an integral part of my life, but I don't live exclusively for that.

Only 6 months after I started roller skating, I began competing in freestyle competitions. Very quickly, I gained the status of a roller skating prodigy. Few kids could do what I was doing at my age. Soon, many brands in the roller skating world became interested in me, and I was quickly sponsored. I participated in the FISE from my first year in roller skating and I finished in the top 10 amateurs. This allowed me to travel a lot and make a living from it. At 25, I stopped competing at a high level to focus on other projects.

Ten years ago, I joined the group Seba as an art director. I worked on the visual development of the brand through photo and video editing, the blog, and social media. I also participated in the development of their product line dedicated to street culture. Since I was the only one within the brand coming from this background, I was able to bring my expertise. We created a team of professional "riders" and I played the role of beta tester, just like Poupa avec Flaneurz.

In my daily life, my skates are an extension of my body. In Barcelona, I never take the subway; I do everything on skates! I’ve kept my habit of going to the skatepark on quad skates and with my street pair in my bag. Sometimes, I even jump straight into the bowl with my quad skates.!

© the_finch 

 

/A USER BEFORE BEING AN AMBASSADOR

 

/How did you find out about Flaneurz? What do you like about this concept?

I discovered Flaneurz during their campaign Kickstarter. As I engage in urban mobility, I have been waiting since my beginnings for a concrete project that meets the expectations of roller skaters, of which I am a part. Since I started roller skating, I have been creating my own quad roller setups by screwing my sneakers onto plates with wheels. Kryptonics. I have "sacrificed" a certain number of pairs of Nike Air Force One ! For example, before I got my first pair of Flaneurz, I would make 4 homemade quad roller setups a year. Under the Barcelona sun, I can skate all year round.

 

Moreover, I was surprised when I received my pair of Fila Cage Socks. I expected the shoe to be too soft and the system too fragile. Once I got used to clipping and unclipping, I realized that I could jump the steps of my porch every day without any problem..

Flaneurz represents the culmination of roller skating; I no longer need to carry two pairs with me all the time. For me, it’s the perfect combination of roller skating and shoes, it’s the best of both worlds: being stylish on quad skates..

 

/What does it mean to you to be a Flaneurz ambassador?

First of all, being contacted by a brand to become an ambassador is a form of recognition. For me, Flaneurz has two aspects.. 

The first is to bring my perspective as a user because I am a passionate roller skater before being an ambassador. I use them every day. I love sharing my vision of this sport by explaining that it’s a pleasure to skate with Flaneurz on my feet, not a duty. I feel invested because it’s a product that sparks curiosity. When people stop me on the street, I do demonstrations for them. I always have my key with me to unclip, and I don’t hesitate to let others try my own pair if they ask!

 The second aspect is the educational and playful notion that my role as an ambassador brings me. Thanks to my ability to communicate with the roller community through social media, I showcase the role of quad skating in the history of roller skating while trying to erase the barriers that sometimes exist between different disciplines. I enjoy advocating for the multidisciplinary nature of roller skating by breaking the norms. I must lead by example and educate both practitioners and other future roller skating enthusiasts.

There is a form of neutrality with Flaneurz: it is not a product created for a specific practice but for all roller skaters.

© the_finch

  

Like Anthony, do you want to help advance the world of roller skating alongside us? Then follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram et LinkedIn), sign up for our newsletter and talk about it with those around you!

 

With Flaneurz, let yourself be carried by the wind with style and elegance.