Trial & error, a Marta Dávila Mateu portrait
For those who’ve been following YOW since day number one, you’ll probably know that Marta Davila Mateu and her imperishable style on a board are two things we can hardly get enough of. Inevitably, for the first profile in YOW's portrait series, we take a deeper peak into the life of Marta, who’s talents go way beyond just skateboarding.
Born in 1998 in a little seaside village called Sitges, often overshadowed by the neighboring city of Barcelona, Marta was born in a family of five. Residing by the ocean and with the skate capital of Europe a stone’s throw away, the sea and the beach quickly became Marta’s playground. Through her mom and dad — both water people themselves — she quickly developed an intimate relationship with the ocean, but it was her two brothers that got Marta into skating and surfing. As a means of getting places, she happily tagged along to the beach and skateparks with them, and quickly started ripping better than her two teachers.
For anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of meeting Marta, you’ll know she’s one of the most adventurous, genuine women out there. Marta is one of those humans who seems to do everything. She surfs. She skates. She sails. She travels. She studies. Much like finding lines, curves and transitions in the skatepark, the world of mathematics and science opened itself up for Marta. Not merely out of an interest in technology, but out of great curiosity in the world around us, she ended up taking a step off the well worn path into the direction of computer science.
A passion will bring you places — whether it’s new cultures, new surroundings or new ways of living — it’ll bring you the spice of life. After finishing her studies in the Netherlands and due to a lack of surf and skate, Marta ended up where she helped humans in understanding our planet better. The next adventure led her to the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, where she developed vital software for rocket flights and safety during rocket launches. I know, it’s a lot to take in. Now, deep in the mix of Southern California’s cultural fabric, Marta is based in the city of angels, LA. Here, she pursues a Master in Computer Science, where other than skating and surfing, she actively works towards a better future for humanity through technology.
Softly spoken, with a gentle breeze to her character, Marta talks about the similarities of her many interests, where falling and getting up, is the essence of succeeding.
