Ventura’s Heroes, Kindness, and a Conversation with Skateboarder Curren Caples

By Visit Ventura

  Ventura is proud of our hometown heroes for so many reasons, but mostly because they’re actually heroes — they’re just good people. Whether it’s Curren, or Kevin (Costner), or Scotty (Morris, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy), or Super Duper Kyle, they haven’t forgotten the importance of doing right in this world. Maybe they are global figures, but to us, they’re just talented locals with grounded values. In Ventura we don’t care what you are, we care who you are. And how you treat others Which ties in perfectly with the X Games Shred Hate campaign. October is Bullying Prevention Month, and, in support, the X Games is launching their first-ever Shred Hate day (Thursday, October 22). Yes, we all know how we should act. But sometimes each and every one of us could use a reminder. It’s the simplest thing, and equally heroic too. It adds up perfectly. Kindness + Empathy = A Better World So here, a few words from one Ventura hometown hero. Curren’s interview appeared in our 2020 Inspiration Guide (get your free copy here), but it is timeless Ventura.  

 

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A post shared by Curren Caples (@currencaples) on Jul 28, 2020 at 3:19pm PDT

Curren Caples Real talk with Ventura’s skateboarding superstar Professional skateboarder Curren Caples is known worldwide for his seemingly effortless integration of street tricks and master skills. In 2010, he became the youngest athlete to compete that year at X Games. We caught up with the Ventura native to talk skating, surfing, and why there’s no place like home.  

 

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A post shared by Curren Caples (@currencaples) on May 8, 2019 at 3:23pm PDT

BAREFOOT BEGINNINGS “I started skateboarding when I was four years old. One of my earliest memories is seeing kids skating down the street and thinking, ‘I want to do that.’ I skated in front of my house barefoot. I would never wear shoes because I couldn’t feel the board as well. My dad was a pro surfer, but I was always interested in skateboarding. I liked it so much, my mom would have to bribe me to stop skating.” VENTURA’S COOL SCENE “There are a lot of really good skaters that have come out of this area, including my best friend Jake Anderson and his older brother. The skaters are humble here. It’s a cool culture.” FAVORITE VENTURA SKATE “There are certain little spots everywhere. At Gigi’s Cocktail Lounge on Grand Avenue, there’s a rail meant to keep cars from hitting the building’s wall — it’s actually a perfect little flat bar, if you can find a time when there are no cars parked. I grew up skating at Ventura West Skatepark.”  

 

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A post shared by Curren Caples (@currencaples) on Jun 18, 2017 at 9:29pm PDT

LOCAL CRAVING AFTER INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL “Surfing. I can’t wait to get home and go to C-Street. Anytime I want to surf, I go back to Ventura. We’ve got better waves than anywhere else around.” FAVORITE HOMETOWN STOP “My mom and I just opened up a store on Main Street, Contrast. We’re having a lot of fun with it. We have mid-century furniture, vintage clothing, and also surfboards and hand-picked products from companies that I like.” WHY EVERY CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP SHOULD INCLUDE VENTURA “It’s a little off the beaten trail and that’s what makes places cool. You actually get real culture — real beach town culture, real California culture. This is what a California beach town is. Even when I travel, I find beach towns in the countries I visit to go hang out at. I need that vibe. In the long run, I can’t really see myself living anywhere else. I hope Ventura never changes, and I don’t think it will.”