Robert Brink - Writer

Cara-Beth Burnside

October 29, 2008 | Skip To The Comments (2)

Cara-Beth Burnside
Words: Rob Brink
The Skateboard Mag September 2008

Cara-Beth Burnside has been skating for a looooong time. She’s won, and is still winning, lots of contests. She had the first female pro model shoe—ever. Back when having a pro model skateboarding shoe actually meant something. She’s been in the Olympics for snowboarding, but she’s over that now—strictly skating. She’s a brown belt in karate, so don’t call her Cara or she’ll fuck you up.

As a kid, Duane Peters personally mentored CB. Imagine having the Master of Disaster teach you how to skate concrete? I’ve seen forty-year-old men fanning out over that dude—hesitant to approach him for an autograph.

Cara-Beth’s got a couple horses and degree in Human Development that she’ll most likely never use. She’s a pioneer and a role model for female skateboarders all over the world and she’s got the respect of some serious skate legends in her back pocket. Now she’s got a long-overdue second interview in a skateboarding magazine. And, after you read this, just to be safe, run outside and see if your mailbox is still in tact.

When was your last interview in a skateboarding magazine?
Not for a long time. I haven’t had a lot of coverage in skate mags. I’m stoked to have an interview.

You already shot the photos?
I’m still trying to shoot a couple. Mostly concrete stuff. I haven’t been skating vert lately. I do for X Games but there are so many concrete parks and pools now. That’s where I want to skate. You can go to different parks and it’s easier to be more creative, instead of going back and forth and trying to learn a technical trick. I love going to a new place and figuring lines out.

You had the first female pro model shoe?
Yeah, like ’96, ’97? I’m not actually sure. It did really well in the beginning and Vans really promoted it.

You were also in the Tom Petty “Free Fallin’” video, right?
Somebody wrote that in one of the magazines, but that wasn’t me. I always wanted to tell that guy who wrote it, “That wasn’t me, dude.” I’m actually a Tom Petty fan and I can’t stand that song. It figures they have some girl in there wearing Spandex that can’t even skate.

She had a harsh toilet-bowl style. Gator is in that video too. I was gonna ask about working with him…
I actually did do a soft drink commercial in Bogota, Columbia with Gator just before he went to jail.

Was he normal?
He definitely had things going on. Gator was always really nice to me and helped me with skating when a lot of guys might have vibed me out. I had fun skating with him. He just snapped I guess. It sucks for that girl and he’s paying the price now.

Have you ever skated the Mega Ramp?
Just the quarterpipe. I haven’t been out there in so long but I really want to. The gap is just so big right now at Bob’s. What scares me is the quarterpipe… landing the gap and you’re not used to the speed.

Do you keep up on street skating?
I get magazines and watch some videos. I’m stoked on the new Cardiel video. He’s one of my favorite skaters. He’s always has been really cool to me too.

Who else are you into?
Duane Peters has been a big influence on my skating—since back in the day. I was just this little girl, like eleven years old, with a crush on him. And he was like, the man—this total punker dude—and he used to come to the skatepark and hang out with me! He was always so cool and taught me tricks. He encouraged me because I always had boys saying, “You’re a girl, you can’t do that.” I’d be trying a trick and he’d be like “Fuck it! Just fucking do it! You better do it right now!” That’s what I grew up with and it had a lasting impression on me. I have a lot of respect for him.

What happened with Julie Kindstrand at the Pro Tec Pool Party last year?
Yeah, that’s been an ongoing drama. I don’t even know how to explain it where it would come out right. I’m always cool with everybody. I don’t want to be having any drama. I was about 30 seconds into my last run and then Julie dropped in on the other bowl. We eventually collided and her board hit me in my knee really hard, just above my kneepad.

When we got out she was apologizing and I snapped and grabbed her on the throat for a second and was like “What are you doing?!” Her dad was pissed I apologized. All my friends were pissed at her. I guess it’s a respect thing. I have a certain skate etiquette and there are just people I wouldn’t drop in on if they're already skating. It’s an unspoken thing and if you don’t know it you’re kind of clueless.

I saw her months later down at Claremont. I’m not one to hold grudges so I had her come over and skate with us. I apologized again and it's water under the bridge.

Tell me about being at a bar for Duncan’s birthday and breaking some chick’s nose?
Oh my God! Who did you hear that from? It was back in our raging crazy days. Some psycho Mexican chick was getting on Jen O’Brien about something and I butted in and the girl was all pissed. I was like “Yeah, Jen is my business!” Then her friend came up and next thing I know, me and Jen are both wrestling some girls. It’s kind of blurry. I just punched her in the face and broke her nose. Somehow we all got out of there and I had blood all over me. We found out later she had a knife on her and just got out of jail a couple of days before.

What about wrecking your mailbox?
I hate the mailboxes that are in front of my driveway. They’re just so ghetto. I was in a really bad mood one day and I got out of the car to get my mail. I had my cowboy boots on and was like “I really hate these friggin’ mailboxes!” And I just kicked them right off. I don’t know why, I just snapped, but it was pretty funny because the mailboxes just went flying.

Later that day my sister came home and was like, “I found your mailboxes laying on the street and tipped them back up. What did you do to them?” She totally knew.

After you kicked the mailboxes, did you just bask in the glory and stare at them on the ground?
I just walked away. Left ‘em lying there on the ground. I’m not normally like that. It was just a moment.

You showed up at your neighbor’s house with nun chucks one time?
Yeah, I have some illegal nun chucks. I don’t know what happened but he was being crazy. I had a friend of a friend staying at my house and she was like “Oh my God where are you going?”

I put the nun chucks in the back of my pants and walked down there. I didn’t know if I was going to have to whip them out and crack someone over the head with them or not. She probably thought I was crazy, but I mean, other people have guns…

What’s the last book you read?
Horses Never Lie.

Oh, that’s right, you own horses. Is it fiction?
It’s a story this horse trainer writes about his personal experiences with horses.

Does it get all sad? Did you cry like I did at Sea Biscuit?
Um… not in this book.

Did you go out last night after the Pro Tec Pool Party?
No. I was so over it. I wanted to stay out but I couldn’t even drink a beer… and I like my beers.

What’s your favorite beer?
I really like this beer from Montana called Trout Slayer.

Trout Slayer? Damn. People are always calling you a tomboy. Do you ever have a moment and get really girly?
I guess because I like sports and ride a motorcycle or my horses I’ve always been called a tomboy. I have a feminine side but it’s subtle. I like to get a manicure and have my nails nice. I like to go shopping. I don’t get all gaudy. I’m stoked because Element just sent me some stuff and they have really cute girl clothes.

Has the industry had your back over the years or have you had to do it yourself?
I’ve pretty much been out there doing it myself. Vans has been my main sponsor the whole time. They’ve always taken care of me. There aren’t many girls that have full sponsors where they’re making good money and getting coverage. I put my whole life into skating and I love it, so it’s cool to have an interview. I had one interview in Thrasher way back and also the cover in 1989, which I have hanging on my wall. Maybe I’ll get another cover someday…

What’s been the pinnacle of your career so far?
I feel like I still have something to do. Like it hasn’t happened yet. I mean, I’ve had all these great things but there is just something else out there. I’m a believer that we are all here to help others and make things better. I feel inspired to keep going and stay positive and to always try be nice to people.