Shot by @samuelashley

Ebou Sanyang is a skater from Spain who’s sponsored by Polar Skate Co. His immense pop on his board and ability to easily boost over benches and bikes and blast into grinds on tall ledges that most wouldn’t look at as a spot, stands out in the majority of his clips. With each new release of his footage, we’re always looking forward to seeing what popping tricks he’ll be up to next. Aside from his creative skills on his board, Ebou has been on a series of trips and travels over the years that have changed his perspective on his skating and approach to it and he’s working on some interesting new projects at the moment.

So we hit him up to ask him how he originally got into skateboarding, ask him how he got sponsored by Polar and Converse, the stories behind a series of his standout tricks in the Carhartt Inside Out video and ahead of their latest release Precious, discovered what he’s looking forward to seeing the most in it and also find out his favourite skaters, videos, tricks and spots of all-time and more along the way.

Read the Ebou Sanyang interview below to find them all out for yourself.

Ebou, Frontside Tailslide: Shot by Rich West

What’s your full name?

Ebou Sanyang Manneh

Where did you grow up and where are you living at the moment?

I grew up in a town called Teià and now I’m living in Badalona.

When did you first see skateboarding?

When I was around 7 maybe, this old guy came to my neighbourhood with a skateboard and I couldn’t stop trying to learn how to Ollie on it for hours.

Sick. So what was your first setup and where did you get it?

I can’t really remember the exact setup, it was an old skateboard from one of my older sister’s friends.

Who was in your first skate crew and where did you go skate?

Mostly anyone who was at my high school and had a skateboard.

So growing up in Teià, which is near Barcelona, what was it like growing up close to one of the biggest skate meccas in the world?

Teià, and El Masnou it’s almost the same haha.

Well I don’t really know how to answer that, I guess I got to see more skateboarders skating around but I didn’t really used to go to the city!

What was it like skating in Barcelona for the first time?

I remember I was really hyped about it. I was 15 or so when I first went on my “own” with my homies. Maybe it wasn’t the first time in Barcelona but probably the first at MACBA. I challenged Stevie Williams to a game of skate, because he was one of my favourite skateboarders, and he beat the shit out of me and ended up giving me a t-shirt

What’s your favourite skate spot in Barcelona?

I don’t go to skate there often but I’d say either Sants or Picnic.

What was the first skate video you had on rotation?

I think it was the Rock Adio video because the only guy I knew watching skate videos had a pair of Adio shoes. So I guess he was hyped about the shoes and got the video. He would play it over and over and play the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game on the Playstation.

Who was your first sponsor and how did you get hooked up by them?

A skateshop called Rokipa. It was through my friends Nico and Emili

At what point did you realise that you wanted to skate for a career?

I’m not sure. I don’t think there was an exact moment.

Your Ollie over that Motorcycle in Inside Out for Carhartt in that line was gnarly. How did that line go down and what was that like?

I wanted to skate the street gap, but I also wanted to do a trick first and then I saw the motorcycle while trying to figure out what to do and that was it!

I remember feeling good because after the Ollie I had less time to think before the Heelflip which is what I need.

Your Backside 180 out of the ramp over the street barrier at London Bridge Train station was next level! What was the hardest part about nailing it?

I don’t remember if it took long, it was hot! Then it was just about waiting for the people and cars to cross…

What was your favourite trick you filmed for Inside Out?

Fakie Ollie Fakie Manual up the stairs in Milano.

Who had your favourite part in Inside Out?

Probably Felipe Bartolome.

How did you get on Polar?

Through my good friend Roman Gonzalez

Ebou: Shot by Rich West for Polar Skate Co

How did you meet Pontus Alv?

I met Pontus on his birthday, he invited me to a Brazilian BBQ and even got gifts for me.

Back to London. You did an Ollie over to 5-0 at Big Ben Road gap on that bollard. How did you come up with that trick?

It’s funny because I don’t remember it at all. I was hyped, it was raining and Romain was somewhere else filming another trick. Then Sirus Gahan showed up and we filmed the trick.

Where was your favourite spot to skate in London?

It was definitely the road gap, I was really into skating that kind of spot at the time.

You skate for Polar, Carhartt and Converse but who are all of your other sponsors?

I’m also sponsored by Ace Trucks, Pepper Grip and Nozbone Skateshop.

Ebou: Shot by Rich West for Polar Skate Co

Where is your favourite place to skate at the moment?

Probably Bobila, because it’s pretty similar to street skating

What advice would you give to skaters who want to pop their tricks higher?

I think my main advice would be to repeat the trick over and over and then take it over obstacles!

Your Ollie up that tall three block in Madrid was sick, how did that go down?

Every time I go to a spot that has been skated a lot I try to do the opposite of everyone, so I had to go up the three block instead of going down it.

Ebou, Ollie Up: Shot by Clément Le Gall

What has been your favourite Carhartt trip to go on?

There’s so many of them that is hard to just choose one, but I’d say the first trip we did to Madrid which was the beginning of the project, maybe I’m wrong but I really liked to meet some of my teammates for the first time and see them skating live, that is always exciting.

Ebou, Backside Nosebluntslide: Shot by Rich West

Have you been on a trip with Polar yet and if so, how did it go?

Yeah! It was a small trip to Marseille with Paul Grund, Roman Gonzalez, Rich West and Sirus Gahan.

I was recovering from an ankle injury but it worked pretty well, I even managed to film that little welcome clip

What has been your favourite skate trip to go on outside of Spain?

Definitely Brazil, it was my first trip overseas and with Converse. So of course it’s a good memory, and Brazil really hits different and on top of that we got invited to a BBQ at Kaue Cossa’s place with his family! Such a vibe.

Ebou, Kickflip, Brazil, Shot by Jon Coulthard

What motivates you to skate so fast?

When I was really young there was this guy saying: “Patina rápido, patina seguro” which means skate fast, skate safe so I really took it. And it feels great actually, just going full speed and doing a Kickflip on flat feels like a trick!

What has been your favourite trick to film so far in your career?

That trick is not out yet, so I can’t say.

What was it like filming for Precious?

Nothing new actually! Just being out again with my friends trying to to find something exciting to skate.

Do you have any memorable stories from skating for Precious you want to tell?

Eddie Cernicky dropping that huge and steep bank while the others were on the way to another spot, and then he just fucking went on switch stance like he was dropping off a curb

Whose footage in Precious are you looking forward to seeing the most?

I’m looking forward to basically everyone’s footage but I am really excited to watch Noah Mahieu and Willow Voges Fernandes

Anything else you want to add about filming with Joaquim Bayle for this video?

Filming with Joaquim is always fun and mellow because he just wants us to be us and he might be somewhere filming you without you knowing!

Where is Always Skateshop and how did you get involved with them?

That used to be the local skateshop in Badalona. It was awesome, a really cool spot to hang or meet. It had a little patio inside so we could all really chill there and smoke tons with Frankie, who is the owner.

What’s your favourite kind of obstacle to skate?

Either a jersey barrier or a huge ledge where I can practise my tricks.

What’s your favourite thing about skating with the Mômes crew and what has been your favourite edit to feature in?

The hype of course! They just wanted to do things for themselves which I really respect.

What has been your favourite Mômes crew edit to film for?

Probably the “totallyspicychickenwings” edit. That was my favourite.

How did you get on Converse?

That’s a long one, but basically first I got some help through the shop, and then Pali Negrin, who’s in charge of Spain, hooked me up. After that I got introduced to Luidgi Gaydu who basically raised me when it comes to skating and finally Lee Berman came in.

What’s your favourite model of Converse to skate?

Chuck 70’s! They really grippy

You’ve got a lot of pop on Fakie tricks. You don’t see that often, especially over big blocks. What’s the key to skating over Jersey Barriers Fakie?

Just figure out when you pop and the speed. That’s all and just know how high you can jump.

Where is your favourite place to skate in Paris?

Maybe the old Bastille plaza or Place des Fetes, but they look totally different.

Your One Footed Backside 360s are stylish. What’s the key to doing that trick?

That’s funny you noticed that because I’m always struggling to not do the one foot. I just can do it that way, because I learned to do that Fakie No Comply Backside 360 first.

That’s tight. So why do you think making creative spot selections is important?

Just to make it more appealing for myself, sometimes the trick might be hard on the spot, even if it’s simple. But just seeing how good it looks makes me want to do it.

Ebou, Backside Tailslide, Shot by Jon Coulthard

Do you make any other kinds of art?

All of them. I don’t think I’m creating anything I just put on a piece of paper whatever’s on my mind when I draw or paint, depending on how I feel the outcome is different.

You’ve also filmed with Romain Batard. What’s your favourite thing about filming with him?

He is so mellow! Even if you don’t ask him he’s there filming and encouraging you to do any trick you like, so you might end up just trying your best for him.

What’s your favourite trick you’ve filmed with Romain?

That Fakie Manual in Milano

Are you working on a new video part or filming for any new projects?

I’m working on a new part for Converse and filming for Polar. Stay Tuned!

Ebou, Ollie Into the Bank, Brazil, Shot by Jon Coulthard

Who’s your favourite skater?

I can’t choose just one but lately I’ve been watching a lot of Sean Sheffey

Who has your favourite style on a skateboard?

Sean Sheffey, I don’t know why, I just like him a lot

What is your favourite skate spot in Spain?

Muvim in Valencia, because it’s really funny

What is your favourite skate spot in the world?

Bobila!! Because it’s my local spot!

Any shoutouts to friends or family that you would like to make?

Of course! Mom, Dad, my lovely daughters, all my friends and especially to Lee Berman, Joseph Biais, Luidgi Gaydu, Pali Negrin, Nico Cook and everyone I’ve ever met!

Any last words for people reading this Ebou?

Eat a lot of greens, drink a lot of water and do whatever that pleases you as long as it does!