How It Started
A close friend of mine, Jeffrey Oldenkamp (@jeff.o_ on IG), introduced me to longboarding. I saw him riding, got interested and he invited me for my first skate session in my hometown, Winschoten. That same day, I somehow ended up holding onto an old lady's mobility scooter while cruising around — definitely a terrifying experience, but it did make me realize how quickly I felt comfortable riding a longboard. Before I knew it, I spent most of my teenage years on a board.
From Borrowed Board to Bastl Team
I started out cruising on a board borrowed from my friend before buying my first longboard, a Hammond Ding Dong, which had just enough tail to start experimenting with my first no-complies, shuvits and other tricks. Watching videos of the OG freestyle and dancing scene inspired me to try whatever I saw, and things really took off when I got my first proper freestyle board, the Timber Boards Con Selecta. In 2017, I entered my first SYCLD in the non-sponsored category and unexpectedly reached the finals in both dance and freestyle, which opened the door to many more events and connections around the world. I proudly joined the Bastl Boards team back in 2019, and Air Trucks became my go-to trucks since 2022.
"Landing a new trick I've battled with for days or weeks feels like winning a little competition against myself, and soon after I'm already looking for the next one."Tom Bos
My proudest competition moment has to be winning Best Trick at SYCLD 2021 with an ollie late under varial heelflip, first try and clean. I've stood on the SYCLD Best Trick podium three times so far, taking third in 2019 and first place in both 2021 and 2024, alongside some of the biggest names in the scene. Best Trick is special to me because I love coming up with unexpected combinations, often inspired by skateboarding.
Riding Style
My riding is mainly technical freestyle, influenced by skateboarding but with plenty of longboard-specific tricks and combinations. I'm always trying to push the limits and figure out unique tricks, and I'm pretty picky when it comes to execution. This means: no tic-tacs, no toe touches, and preferably filmed on camera, in case I never land it again. Dancing plays more of a complementary role, but I love when smooth flow and consistency make difficult tricks look effortless, especially in a competition line.
The Setup: Bolero vs. Discofox
The Bastl Boards Discofox is my personal go-to because it hits the sweet spot between being too short and too big: it's light, extremely strong, and still feels like a proper longboard under your feet. The concave and kicks give me the board feel I need for technical flip tricks, while keeping it light and controllable even when throwing it around for bigger tricks. I reach for the Bolero when I want more space, especially for dancing, because the extra length gives me a bigger dance floor for more sophisticated steps and combinations while still keeping enough kick to do technical tricks. I pair the Bolero with Air Truck V2's for smoother, quicker carves and the regular Air Trucks on the Discofox for the extra stability I want when focusing on tricks.
"My dream trick is a textbook-clean 360 inward heelflip on flat. I've actually landed it once, but it's my wish to get it clean one day — and yes, I'm definitely doing that one on a Discofox, there's no way I'm trying it on the Bolero, ever!"Tom Bos — favorite trick / dream trick
Outside the Board
Coffee has become a big passion of mine outside of longboarding. I love making espressos, cappuccinos and flat whites, and I recently even took a barista course. Just like learning tricks, making good coffee takes time and a lot of experimenting; it doesn't always go well, but that's part of the fun, and tomorrow is another day. I also enjoy running and lifting weights at the gym — this year I ran my first-ever half marathon in Geneva, which helps me stay fit and keep skating even though work leaves me with less time to ride during the week.
Groningen to Switzerland
In Groningen, I was surrounded by a very active group of close friends and very talented riders, so solo sessions were rare. When I first moved to Geneva, I had to get used to riding more on my own, although the Lausanne crew quickly made me feel more at home and welcomed me to skate with their community and amazing spot. Now in Basel, I mostly meet riders coming from different cities, so meetups take a little more planning, but wherever I go, the longboarding community is incredibly welcoming and always happy to have another rider join. I do miss my crew back in the Netherlands and try to meet up with them a few times a year, but that feeling of sharing a session with good people is something I've found everywhere.
Advice for Beginners
My biggest piece of advice is to enjoy the process and your own progression. Learning tricks or dancing can be difficult, and there will always be someone who learns something faster than you, but everyone's learning curve is different, so don't let comparison take away from the fun. Most importantly, remember that you skate for yourself — as long as you're having fun, you're doing it right.
When I started, I wanted to become the next person I looked up to at the time, and I tried my best to ride like them. Over time, I realized it's much more fun to create your own style, do the things you genuinely enjoy, and become known for your own riding. I still get a lot of inspiration from other riders, but I've learned to pick the things that resonate with me and make them my own.
What's Next
For me, the main goal is simply to keep skating for as long as I can and stay connected with all the people I've met along the way. Deep down, I'd love to create a proper professional video part one day, so I'll keep grinding tricks and see where that takes me. I'm still open to competing, but I also enjoy contributing to competitions as a judge, where I feel my years of watching, learning and doing tricks have given me a good eye for technical riding.
You can find me on Instagram at @tomisboos, which is where I'm most active. I share recently learned tricks and lines, while continuing to document my progression like I've done since the very beginning. I occasionally share my coffee-making journey too. Feel free to reach out anytime — I'm always happy to answer questions, whether they're about skating, coffee, or anything else.
