Gochiestrella: How Marisquiño’s incredible skate shots are filmed

If you’ve ever watched one of those videos where it looks like the camera is glued to the skate, passing inches from a handrail or following a rider in the middle of an impossible line, chances are Gonzalo González de Vega Estrella, better known as Gochiestrella, was behind it.

Born in Madrid and raised in the Dominican Republic from the age of ten, he started skating as a child. Like so many other skaters, he also began filming his friends with the camera that was at home. What began as a way to document sessions ended up becoming, years later, a profession. Today he is one of the world’s leading specialists in skate filming with GoPro (and other cameras) and works at some of the most important events on the planet, including Street League Skateboarding. And, of course, also at Marisquiño.

A trip to Vigo that has already lasted eight years

His story with the festival began like that of many other riders, but with a difference: "At Marisquiño I signed up to skate in 2018, but what I ended up doing was filming. And in 2019, since the digital team liked it, they contacted me to work with the festival".

That summer was especially important for him. He began to earn the skaters' trust. "People didn't like GoPro, but when they saw how I filmed... they changed their minds." And that, trust, is the most important thing: "I film practically from the front, and that can be a bit annoying. But they know I'm going to move, that I know how to handle the situation. I'm not just anyone who suddenly shows up in front of them and they don't know how they'll act". 

Everyone wants to come, and not only that: once they discover it, they always want to come back. It used to be like that at Náutico, now at Samil… it's crazy"

He also explains that he tries to explain it to children as well. And that many times he is the one who takes the first step: "Especially at Marisquiño I try to cover a lot of people. The youngest ones almost never come to ask me. They think they are bothering me. And not at all. Sometimes I’m the one who approaches and suggests filming a line. With Abbie Burns, the 2025 winner, it was like that. She would never have come up to me because she was -not anymore- very shy".

"Marisquiño is one of my favorite events. I even skipped the Paris Olympic Games when I could to come to Vigo"

The festival I always come back to

Despite working at some of the most important events in the world, Gochi knows which one is one of his favorites: "I prefer Marisquiño. I even skipped the Paris Olympic Games when I could to come to Vigo".

The explanation goes far beyond work. "On a personal level I feel that we have grown together and that we have grown the networks together. On a global level, it is one of the few competitions where a lot of people come who don’t even want to compete. They come for the atmosphere. Skaters, BMX riders, MTB riders… gather together and, although they are different disciplines, in the end they are all the same type of person. Everyone wants to come and not only that: once they discover it, they always want to come back. Before at Náutico it was already like that, now at Samil… it’s crazy". Gochiestrella will return this year to Vigo beach to get more incredible skate videos.