Name: Rodrigo Barros Hurtado
Born: 06-14-72
Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Let me tell you why I love skateboarding. I started skating in 1986. By 1988, I turned pro in my country, Argentina. I won a couple of contests and also traveled to some cities. By that time my family was composed of my mother and my sister, as I never knew my father nor his family. I had no other family besides them. No brothers, cousins, grandparents, nothing. Between July and November 1989, my mother and sister died. I was seventeen. From one day to the other I was totally alone in this world. That’s when skateboarding took me and gave me a life and a purpose. I kept skating and in 1991, I got sponsored by URGH!(the premiere skate brand in Brazil). Where among my teammates were people like Bob Burnquist and, Brazil’s pioneer of modern street skating, Alexandre Ribeiro (xã...!!). This company used to fly me to Brazil many times a year and, also sent me to the European Contests in 1995, including Radlands’ Open in England and, the Munster World Cup in Germany.

Skateboarding has given me most of my current "family" and, has taken me to several countries through the Americas and Europe. It has taught me languages and, also a lot of what life really is about. That’s why I love this sport so much. That’s why I talk, breath, and, dream skateboarding.

After I quit competitions in 1997, I started working as a skateboard team manager for Argentina’s Reef Shoes team. I’ve been doing that ever since. In the beginning of 1999, I started working as the marketing manager for an importing company. They import such brands as Santa Cruz Skateboards, K2 Snowboards, Harbinger Pads, Independent Trucks and, others. By the end of the year, I realized that it was time for me to start my own company, which I did last February. It’s a skateboard marketing and distribution company. I have tons of energy and expectations for it.

I’m also founding an association that I believe is going to help skateboarding grow in my country, it’s called the Argentine Skateboarding Federation and, it will be functioning when you read this.

It’s a huge honor for me to be part of World Cup Skateboarding. Don and Danielle Bostick are both totally cool people and, I can tell they work hard to keep our sport progressing. We sure owe them both a lot! Oh, let’s not forget about soccer fanatic, Mr. Shrewgy, our head judge, who also does his part.

I want to say Hi! to my "brothers" and "sisters" Seba, Luis, Aleck, Juampa, Nico, Lis y Pato, Diego , Father, Pili, Nacho, Mauro, Juano, Sergio, Martín, Jorge Kuge, Alexandre, Bob B, Spiro, Guille, the Bengolea, Capurro and, Zubiaurre families and, of course my sometimes best friend, sometimes father, "The Master", Roberto Andreatta (82 years old), my biggest influence, ever.

In case you would like to get in touch, you can e-mail me at rodrigobh@infovia.com.ar Thank you.

Now what the heck are you waiting for?? Turn that computer off and go Skateboarding!