EESTI ESO #239 Risto Kalmre. Simple Session, rula, BMX, tõuks, uisk, sponsorid, tänavakultuur

Overview

Risto Kalmre, host of the Estonian ESU show, explains the history and evolution of Simple Session—an arena-based, multi-sport action-sports festival that blends skateboarding and BMX (along with related board/cycle substyles such as street, park, and women’s/men’s categories)—and what has driven its growth in Estonia.

Origins and growth in Estonia

• Kalmre frames Simple Session as beginning with necessity and lack of local infrastructure: Estonia had very few riders (at one point only a small number of skateboarders/BMXers nationwide), and Tartu had no proper skatepark, so the community built and used DIY spaces.
• The first “session park” grew from city-provided space and early DIY culture (magazine-making, graffiti, and street culture). This gradually evolved step-by-step—from small elements to a major concrete park.
• The event gained momentum by bringing in international role models, especially from Latvia, and later expanded beyond Estonia.

Why it became expensive and professionalized

• Kalmre contrasts early budgets (including an estimate around 10,000 kroons) with today’s scale, emphasizing that modern editions require major production costs.
• A major shift involved moving to large venues and producing high-level live broadcasts (including major arenas and cooperation/partners over time such as Red Bull TV/X Games platforms). He describes this as far more complex than covering scripted events because tricks and park layouts constantly change.
• He argues that effective broadcasting requires people who are deeply familiar with action sports—not just camera know-how. Coverage must clearly communicate fast, chaotic action to viewers, not simply rely on distance/telephoto shots.

BMX vs skateboarding: audience appeal and mainstream visibility

• Kalmre suggests BMX often looks more immediately impressive to broader audiences due to higher air and more visible risk, while skateboarding is frequently perceived as more “stylish” and culturally expressive.
• He notes a historical difference: in some countries, skateboarding has had clearer paths to celebrity breakout, while BMX’s top tier often remains more age-stable (top riders tend to be older).
• He also comments on how influencer/social culture has changed athlete visibility: modern athletes can build careers through social platforms, not only magazines/videos.

Street culture vs parks; what happens to “street” riding

A key question is whether street skateboarding/BMX will disappear as parks become more common. Kalmre says it won’t vanish because street riding remains:

• More accessible (it doesn’t require skatepark infrastructure),
• Often the most popular substyle overall,
• Visually compelling in video culture.

He also highlights a contradiction:

• Street riding historically includes illegal activity, yet later cities and organizations sometimes support it via parks and events.
• However, he implies that this support can’t fully eliminate street riding’s underlying “rebel” nature—people still look for spots not intended for riding.

International scenes that influenced Estonia

Kalmre credits regional influences:

• Finland as a major driver: a large skateboard/snowboard community and early waves crossing the border after freedom in the early 1990s.
• Latvia for BMX/street style role-model effects and a high “raw energy” performance culture.

He emphasizes that what riders can see around them shapes what feels possible—US-level filming/videos can seem unreal until you realize those riders grow up with that kind of infrastructure.

Event format, logistics, and impact of COVID

• Simple Session works like a mini-festival and road-trip lifestyle: multiple practice/competition days plus side events such as jams, film, and exhibitions.
• The show addresses how COVID disrupted pre-pandemic momentum. Attendance sold out for years until corona. Afterwards, they adjusted to smaller formats with more free side activity, and later returned to a larger arena format.
• Kalmre notes that finding funding remains difficult, but long-term partners and collaboration networks help make it workable.

Looking ahead: a summer street-race direction

• For the near future, Kalmre says they’re planning a BMX-focused street race, followed by expanding into city jams in Tallinn and Riga (including transporting riders by bus).
• He frames this as maintaining the essence of Simple Session even as the format shifts away from the classic arena event.

Presenters / contributors

• Risto Kalmre (main contributor, interviewed)
• Host / Interviewer (unnamed in subtitles; the other speaker throughout the conversation)