Leon Chapdelaine Interview

September 21, 2021

Interview by Tommy Berlin.

Where does the story start for you?

I grew up in Northern Quebec, pretty much in the woods.

When did you make the move to Montreal?

I had been skating hard since I was about 10, and I was just over being around people who were only into cars so I moved into the city when I was 16.

Did you play any sports when you were growing up?

My parents kept me really active, which I’m super thankful for. I did a lot of skiing, swimming, soccer and stuff like that, rollerblading too when I was really young. I played a shit ton of sports.

Did you just start off solo when you started skating?

I’d be solo or I would try and tag along with my brother and his friends, but they were a bit older and I couldn’t always hang.

When did sponsors start coming in for you?

I got on a shop up north, and then when I moved to the city Vans started hooking me up pretty soon.

Did it change skating for you at all? Did you start going on trips right away?

It sort of did. I got second place at this contest when I was 16 and that gave me enough money to just go to California for six months. I went to SF for pretty much the whole winter. Then from there I kept going on trips, but paid trips picked up a bit later when I started going on more trips with Dime.

Have there been any places you’ve traveled that really stand out to you?

Probably Europe. It’s just unreal to skate and the lifestyle is incredible.

Any favorite city that you’ve visited?

I mostly want to go to cities that I’ve never been to. I’d go back to Athens. I’d love to skate Portugal too. All my trips were pretty short so we never really got to go to all the spots.

Do you have any stories from those trips?

I mean every day is just special with Alexis, Will, Jake, and Phil. There are just so many hilarious moments. Hiking a volcano to watch it erupt was a nice time. It was on the last night too.

How important is it for you to have these companies support you and help you out?

It’s amazing! They make so many things happen.

Being around you the last little bit I noticed you try to take good care of your mental and physical health. Have you always been conscious of these aspects?

No, not always. I’ve kind of taken care of it as it’s surfaced and as I’ve been ready. It’s a hard thing to face when you’ve pushed it down for a long time and don’t understand it.

What are some things you’ve been doing recently that have helped?

I’ve been going to therapy, meds, medication, for a few. I deal with depression and anxiety, and Bipolar Disorder so there’s a lot of big moods and emotions that can be unbearable at times, that’s just scratching the surface of symptoms though. Self compassion is extremely hard when all you know is self shame and a dysfunctional way of coping.

How has the process of learning about what’s going on with your mental health been?

It’s been crazy. I definitely wish I could have opened up about it and started to address it sooner, since I’ve felt this way forever. There have been very low points, suicidal thoughts, trial and error, and unstable feelings.

You seem pretty careful about what you eat, how does your diet affect things for you?

I’m kind of obsessed with diet and physical exercise. I don’t follow any strict diet, but I’m mindful about what I put into myself.

Are there any hobbies or anything that help you keep your mind at ease?

My mind races so much, but I try to be creative. I like helping others, exercising, and I’ve been working at a thrift store. I’m constantly trying new things. It would be sick to try more natural ways of healing and learn more about it. With everything I do now, I still have bad days.

Thank you for sharing that, I know it can be scary opening up about these issues. I think it’s really important to de-stigmatize mental health issues, is there anything you would like to add for people that might be feeling the same way?

Thanks for asking! If you’re feeling hopeless right now I’d say that you matter. Your thoughts are real for you, even if they aren’t real facts outside of your head. And please reach out for help. I hope to take a class and become a mental health worker of some kind in the future.

What sparked the move to Vancouver?

I had visited on some skate trips and I thought it was cool. I just really wanted to change things up. I was in a really stagnant place in Montreal and was depressed.

Have you been enjoying it here?

Yeah a lot, I like that it’s not that big of a metropolitan city compared to Montreal, so it’s just less overwhelming in general. I’ll probably stay for a while, but I’m not planning far ahead. Honestly going one day at a time mostly.