BASEBALL cap on, elbow pads strapped, and a mischievous grin in place — Juanjo Urbizu isn’t your typical pensioner.
At 88 years old, this Spanish daredevil is tearing up skateparks and turning heads as he drops into concrete bowls with the confidence of a teenager.
Locals in Bilbao’s gritty Begoña neighbourhood watch in awe as Urbizu – clad in joggers and a tucked-in tee – glides across graffiti-covered ramps like it’s second nature. Before every session, he carefully clears the skate bowl of pebbles. Safety first, even when you’re nearly 90.

Juanjo only took up skateboarding at 70, swapping snow sports for something cheaper but just as thrilling. Now, he skates twice a week and charms bar-goers with tales of his latest tricks.
In an ageing Spain, where over half the population is 44 or older, Juanjo’s story is a breath of fresh air. While experts fret over the future of the welfare state, Urbizu is proof that old age doesn’t have to mean slowing down.
To seniors thinking of joining him on the ramps? “Take it slow,” he warns. “Concrete hurts way more than snow. And don’t forget the full gear.”
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