Hey Letitia, thanks for speaking to us before such a big female skate event.. The global skateboarding scene seems to have exploded for women in a mainstream way over the past year, what are your impressions on how the scene is changing?
It’s great. Having more people participate in skateboarding is cool to see. I love that there are a lot more competitions for the women this year too.

Did you start skating as a young girl?
I picked up a board when I was nine years old and never put it down.

When you started skating, were there many other girls on the skate park?
There weren’t many girls when I started skating in Brazil. I skated with all my friends, who were mostly boys, but they were great and taught me a lot about skating.

Skateboarding is heading to the Olympics, what are your thoughts on this?
Its a great, global opportunity for people to discover the sport. It’s an honour to be able to represent Brazil. It’s beyond anything I could have imagined for Skateboarders. A few years ago, I don’t think any of us could have dreamed that we would be Olympians, but now it’s happening and we’re all freaking out with excitement. It’s going to be so awesome.

How do you feel about the SLS Women’s division with an additional Women’s Qualifier event taking place at the SLS Pro Open?
I think it’s great as it gives the opportunity for more women to come out and compete.

How does it feel to be the first female skater to be picked up by Beats? How did the partnership come along?
The Beats by Dre team is great, they really support skateboarding. I was lucky to represent the brand with SLS one year and once we started working together we figured out this could really be a great partnership.

“I love traveling to new places and discovering skate spots, from the super popular to the hidden places”

What does being “Defiant” mean to you as a woman in the skateboarding world?
As a Skateboarder it means – No Rules. No Limits. No Boundaries!

How does music play a role in your skating and what are your top tracks to get you hyped for a competition?
Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N Roses and Blitzkrieg bop by The Ramones! They get me focused and pumped up before I go out and ride.

What’s it like to travel and meet people from all over the world through your job?
I love traveling to new places and discovering skate spots, from the super popular to the hidden places, it’s fun to ride new spots. Traveling can be tough, especially finding healthy food options on the road, but we figure it out. I also love to meet new friends and fans.

What do you feel best wearing for a comp? What kind of skate clothes make you feel empowered?
When I’m skating, I don’t want to worry about what I’m wearing, I like to just focus on skating. I choose to be as comfortable as possible, style definitely plays a role in skating but for me it’s about feeling confident that my gear will allow me to stretch, jump and move to nail the run.

What are your goals for the next year?
Stay healthy, film a new skate part, continue to compete and look forward to the Olympic season.