Who are some pro's besides Franky Villani who skate this shape?
I believe Franky rides his with Thunder 151s and 54mm spitfires.
I dont know if anyone has mentioned it, but I think this board shape is actually very practical and a little bit slept on. for me going to this shape felt really easy from always skating 8" boards, because it basically has the nose and tail of those size boards. you just get a ton more room in the middle to land on. also, since they typically have a tucked in wheelbase, and stumpier noses and tails (in relation to how wide the board is, you see 6.5"-6.75" tail / 7" nose, and 14.25 wb) it 360 flips a lot easier.