Go Skateboarding Day with Million Dollar Challenge Awardee Gonzalo Gonzalez de Vega Estrella

Nearly 28,000 HERO10 Black clips from 131 countries were submitted for the chance to be featured in the fourth annual Million Dollar Challenge highlight reel. Ultimately, 62 creators made the cut, earning $16,129.03 a piece.

This series celebrates the stories and the creative processes of these talented creators. We hope these behind-the-scenes looks inspire you as much as they did us. 

Today is an extra special edition of the Million Dollar Challenge creator series because we have the honor to highlight the uber-talented skate filmer Gonzalo Gonzalez de Vega Estrella, aka Gochi, on Go Skateboarding Day. 

Gonzalo is based in Spain and is not only known for his skate filming talents, but also his expertise of flying FPV, especially around skate parks. He is THREE time Million Dollar Challenge awardee and an amazing part of the GoPro Family. 

We caught up with Gonzalo to talk about Go Skateboarding Day in addition to the inspiration behind his awarded Million Dollar Challenge clip. Check it out below.

GoPro: What will you be doing to participate in Go Skateboarding Day (GSD)?

Gonzalo: I’ll be in the streets skating around Barcelona with my friends, GSD is a really fun day in Barcelona!

What does skateboarding mean to you?

It has a lot of meanings. It’s freedom, it’s a unique way to express yourself, and it’s friendship because even though skateboarding is not a team sport, you’re never alone!

What do you hope to promote with younger generations through your skate videos and projects?

If I get at least one kid to pick up a board and go out to skate after watching my videos, I’ve accomplished my goal. Also, I try to reach a non-skate community and show them about our sport and change their mind so they realize that skateboarding is not a sport made up of outcasts or “bad” people.

Looking to the Million Dollar Challenge (MDC), what motivated you to submit?

This contest let me create what I really want to create the whole year, with freedom and without being worried about money. That’s why I always participate.

You were just awarded $16,129.03 USD! Congrats! What do you plan to do with your earnings?

This ensures I won’t have to worry about money next year, and that I can focus on creating the content I want to create. Thanks to last year’s MDC, I was able to create the San Skate GoPro For a Cause video and the “Girls with Attitude” MACBA skate video.

When did you first start using GoPro?

When HERO3 came out I started using it for filming skateboarding and look where I am now—thank you!

What inspired your awarded clip?

Trying to find the best combination of good light, good color and a really good trick.

What shots are you excited to chase on HERO10 Black now that you've seen the final video? Any new inspirations?

Some of those FPV shots!

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience with the Million Dollar Challenge?

For sure! These are the most fun three month of a year. I love the challenge so so so much! I maybe don’t like the rollercoaster of emotions you get the days before the challenge in announced, but that’s something everyone who participates has to live with! I’m really thankful for this challenge because it lets me create content the whole year after the challenge. Winning this challenge for third time is a dream. Thank you so much, and I love you all.

Watch the HERO10 Black Million Dollar Challenge reel here.