Here is a little interview. Big up to the boys at
CALIBER
Danny Fuenzalida: Living the Dream
This is my buddy Danny Fuenzalida. He’s pro for San Francisco-based Think Skateboards. Danny and I first met here in The City a little over 13 years ago. I was 18. He was only 14 or 15. Deluxe Distribution flew him out here from Chile to skate and hang out for the summer. I believe he was staying with original Sick Boy Mic-E Reyes in the Mission or something, which must have been quite an interesting experience for a teenager from Chile.
Danny and I skated and hung out alot that summer he was out here, then we just sort of lost contact after he returned to Chile. I only see Danny once every couple of years now, but still keep up with him in the skate mags and videos. Danny is revered as being one of the most talented yet underrated skaters in the game. I knew early on that he was going to do great things with skateboarding. Some people just have “it.”
Over the years, Danny has lived in a handful of different cities and countries around the world, including Perth, Brisbane and Groote Eylandt in Australia, Port Hardy and Mill Bay on Vancouver Island in Canada, as well as San Francisco, San Jose and Miami here in the States. He currently resides in San Francisco’s TenderNob neighborhood.
I shot this photo of Danny the other day after running into him and some other local rippers on Bush and Stockton streets. They were on a filming Mission. That was the first time I’ve seen Danny in probably three years. It’s always nice running in to old friends that are doing well and living their dreams, especially in these trying times.
Cheers, old friend, and congrats on getting 8th place at this year’s Tampa Pro contest. That’s huge!
Interesting fact: Danny has been riding for Think Skateboards since ’99, making him the company’s longest running pro. Riding for the same company for 11+ years is almost unheard of, especially these days when skaters are jumping ship left and right.