Vol. 13 No. 3 Winter 2014

VOL.13 NO.3 WINTER 2014

ALAN “OLLIE” GELFAND BRAZILIANS ABROAD:

KEEPING UP WITH SERGIO, AND A VISIT TO THE HOME OF THE BTEAM

POURING CEMENT IN MTL

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CONTENTS 12 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

WINTER 2014 REGULARS: 34 36 64 76 82 86 88 90

EDITORIAL - Rolling Through Times of Transition THE BRIDGE - Alan “Ollie” Gelfand MANUFACTURING PROFILE - Harfang Wheels ARTIST PROFILE - Andrew Szeto of Maru the Circle Brand NOTEWORTHY - Stuff You Should Know About EDITOR’S CHOICE - A Curated Collection of Stuff SWEAT EQUITY - Build a Hotwire to Cut a Foam Mold LONGBOARDING FOR PEACE UPDATEUpdates from Curve Lake, Blood From Boarders and Gun Buy Back

FEATURES: 40 HOW TO FILM (BETTER) Michael Alfuso explains how to get pro results 42 SKATELAB 11 Artifacts You’ve Never Seen Including the Notorious “Hobie Sundancer”.

48 SERGIO YUPPIE INTERVIEW From banking to fatherhood to some crazy experiences with tequila, the slide master explains it all.

56 B-TEAM RAMP We visit Mancha’s backyard dream come true 68 P45 SPOT CHECK The skaters of Montreal worked diligently on their concrete masterpiece

ON THE COVER: Sergio thinks corners are overrated Photo by Dan Bourqui

CONTENTS PHOTO: Franklin has kept this flag since his first year in the corp, and it stayed with him each time he deployed. This artifact has a lot of emotion invested in it. This photo marks a pivotal moment for him. Skateboarding is a passport, both physically and emotionally. Franklin’s passport just got another stamp.

Photo by Mike Scholl

CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 13

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EDITORIAL

ROLLING THROUGH TIMES OF TRANSITION

S

pend some time talking with any skater who has been riding for a number of years and you’ll invariably get to a point in the conversation that goes way deeper than discussing a plank of wood with wheels and trucks. For many, skateboarding has literally been their coping mechanism. It’s taken them through times of turmoil and transition.

Riding a skateboard goes way beyond a physical experience. It is a joyful, soulful and truly powerful way to connect with yourself and others. In the spirit that connects skaters everywhere, I’d like to share a very personal story about the power of skateboarding.

A number of years ago, my father announced that he had unfortunately wound up with a type of blood cancer. He was stoic in the face of the news and we were told he had up to five years to live. This past summer, my father tragically fell down the stairs after a blood transfusion. He was rushed to hospital and spent seven weeks trying to recuperate. Unfortunately, towards the end of September, he fell from his hospital bed. This fall, coupled with the cancer, hastened my father’s demise. The doctors were unable to do any more to help.

Soon after, he was brought to a hospice and made as comfortable as possible. While at the hospice, I had my skateboard with me and rode it around the parking lot to clear my thoughts and soothe my soul. One night, as I was leaving the hospice, one of the nurses asked if I was going to ride down the hallway. I was a bit taken aback, assuming I was being admonished. It turned out the nurse actually wanted me to take a few rides on the smooth wooden flooring. So, I started riding up and down the halls of the hospice. It was quite a surreal and a bizarre experience. Immediately, family members and hospice workers came out their rooms and started laughing at this grayhaired skate-geezer carving down the hall. In a place of grief and loss, my riding seemed to add light and joy. After a minute or so, I said my goodbyes, and left.

Two days later, my father passed away peacefully. When it came time to transfer him out of his room, he was placed gently on a gurney. As he was rolled down the hallway, I thought about the symmetry of us both moving forward on four wheels. For some this might seem somewhat macabre. However, I take great comfort in knowing that in such a difficult time of transition, my skateboard is there by my side. It is for this reason I am eternally grateful.

Roll in Peace,

Publisher 34 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

VOL.13 NO.3 WINTER 2014

PUBLISHER/EDITOR MICHAEL BROOKE | mbrooke@interlog.com

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Stacy Lowery

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Joey Bidner

PHOTO/COPY EDITOR Jordan Langdon

I.T. Department Head Rick Tetz of CalStreets.com

HEAD OFFICE 1136-3 Center Street, Suite 293, Thornhill, Ontario, L4J 3M8 Ph: 905.738.0804

Skateshop Distribution Buddy Carr Designs PO Box 1895, Carlsbad, CA 92018 Buddycarrdesign@gmail.com

Canadian Distribution Inward Supply 514-996-7138 Landyachtz 778-785-6855

CONTRIBUTORS (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE) Dan Bourqui, Mike Scholl, Rafael Fazano, Kurt Hurley, Craig Snyder, Jim Goodrich, Michael Alfuso, Todd Huber, RT Norland, Evandro “Mancho” Menezes, Ryan Bergante, Brian Fick, Adam Green, Babas Levrai, Lance Dalgart Concrete Wave is published by North of La Jolla Inc. Subscriptions (6 issues) are US$26 FIRST CLASS or CAN$26. Address change? Mag not arriving? Contact us - don’t go postal. We can sort it out. mbrooke@interlog.com.

Publisher’s permission is required before reproducing any part of this magazine. The views and opinions expressed in Concrete Wave are not necessarily those of the publisher. Printed in the USA.

Marc Escoda at Fourteen Curves in Italy - Rafael Fazano photo CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 35

THE BRIDGE

by Kurt Hurley

Our second installment of “The Bridge” will focus on the time after the skate gauntlet was thrown down, but before the demise of skate parks. Alva, Jay, and the boys had already shown the world how skateboarding could be done in pools, parks, ditches, downhill, and more. Parks were flourishing from the west coast to the east. Sessions were going on at every park with the rippers of those latter 70’s putting on shows for pro athletes, movie stars, and more. It was a real scene!

Aerials, lip tricks on vert, and switch stance carving (we used to call it fakie) were the maneuvers of the time. Almost all of us pro’s from the east coast were watching what happened in California, and putting our own spin on it. Trying to keep up with what was going on. The skate world was about to change forever, and this monumental change would come from a most unlikely little dude from South Florida.

THE GAME CHANGER

A L AN GEL FA N D

S

outh Florida was a fun place to be a skater in the last half of the 1970’s. We had 4 skateboard

parks within 25 minutes of each other. Skateboard USA, Skateboard Heaven, Solid Surf and Cadillac Wheels Skateboard Concourse. There were quite a few factions of skaters, but everyone skated everywhere and knew everybody for the most part. I was lucky enough to be a resident pro at Solid Surf in Ft. Lauderdale. There were quite a few skaters that killed it there everyday. From time to time we would go to other parks to skate different terrain, and of course try and see what the locals there were doing. I had heard of this little guy named Alan Gelfand from Hollywood who was doing a no handed aerial. What? Bullshit, right!?

No really, a no handed aerial. He calls it an Ollie. Little did I know at the time, that I was privileged to witness the most important skateboard trick of all time. What follows is my conversation with Alan; his take on those days, and what he sees going on in skating today.

Fellow Bones Brigade teammate Tim Scroggs makes Alan Gelfand laugh as Tallahassee skater Shawn Peddie looks on, Rainbow Wave skatepark, Tampa, Florida, March 1979. Photo: Craig Snyder.

From A Secret History of the Ollie by Craig B. Snyder. Used by permission of Black Salt Press.

Copyright © 2014 by Craig Snyder. All rights reserved.

36 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

Frontside Ollie Pop, Cherry Hill, NJ circa 1979. Photo by Jim Goodrich

KH: How did you get into skating in the first place?

AG: I moved to Florida, around 1972, from New York. There were a bunch of kids around my house that skated. I guess around 1974 my dad bought me a Powerflex board.

Were your parents into your skateboarding?

Not at first. My brother was into bowling, and my sister was into ballet. My parents kind of backed them. They never really paid much attention to my skating career until Stacey flew me to California and I was in all the magazines. I really kind of kept skating to myself, and actually used to steal skateboarding magazines from the school library. I guess I didn’t really want people to know that I skated.

In what year, and how did the whole process of creating the Ollie come about?

It was like 1976 or 1977 when I was skating at Skateboard USA. The park was kind of kinky, like most of the early parks they weren’t very good. I would go down the ramp into this big bowl and pump off the first wall into this oververt wall and kind of transfer. After a while I would try and get my knees to compress into my chest and not hold onto the board. Those were the first “Ollie Pops”.

Did you know that you were changing the whole history of skateboarding with that one trick?

I never had any idea that a 70 pound kid from Hollywood Florida would ever become such a big deal!

How do you remember the skate scene in Florida in those days?

We didn’t have much communication with the rest of the skate world in those days. We saw stuff in magazines, but as far as we knew what we were doing was just skating and having fun. The Florida scene really was unknown to the rest of the world. All that time I was doing “Ollies” here in Florida. Then when Stacey Peralta came to Florida, he said to me that if I could perfect the “Ollie” that he would fly me to California. The fact is no one was doing “Ollies” in California for months after my first photo shoot at the Lakewood half pipe.

When you first traveled to California, were you well received by everyone?

Yea, everyone treated me cool. We were ripping, so our actions kind of spoke louder than words. We just did our thing. I could hold my own, and, believe me, the skate parks in Florida were the worst. Skating the parks in California was easy cause they were so much better.

Of all the skaters you met in California, who were you most stoked to skate with or meet?

In California it was Eddie Elguera, the Alba’s, Cab, Duane Peters, CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 37

“The kids don’t seem to skate for the same reasons we did, they seem like they want to prove something to someone. We skated for ourselves.”

Right: Frontside Tuck-knee Air, Gainsville, FL circa 1979. Photo by Jim Goodrich Below: Alan Gelfand, doing a handplant maneuver called a “Depth Charge” on the big vert of the North Bowl at Skateboard USA, Hollywood, Florida, 1977.

This legendary skatepark was where Gelfand would create the Ollie Pop, the move that would ultimately lead to the invention of the Ollie. From A Secret History of the Ollie by Craig B. Snyder. Used by permission of Black Salt Press. Copyright © 2014 by Craig Snyder. All rights reserved.

Next Page: Alan Gelfand, Hollywood Ramp, Pembroke Pines, Florida, 1979. This photo was taken just weeks after the debut of the “No-Handed Ollie Air” in the January 1979 issue of SkateBoarder. In the background are Tampa skaters Mike McGill (standing) and Ray Diez (sitting). Photo: Craig Snyder. From A Secret History of the Ollie by Craig B. Snyder. Used by permission of Black Salt Press. Copyright © 2014 by Craig Snyder. All rights reserved.

Olson, Hackett and there were many more. In Florida, Bob and Boomer Bentley were insane. Everything they did was kind of crazy in every respect. They did airs higher than anyone that were nuts. But, everything they did was fast. They even drove cars that same way. Crazy!

I will just add that your buddies Kevin Peterson and Jeff Duerr were kind of your crew right? What were they like?

Definitely, and Rick Furness too. But we were all kind of the quiet, keep to yourself kind of kids. I remember one time Duerr rented a plane and he flew over South Florida searching for empty swimming pools to skate. That was pretty rad, cause we found a bunch.

Did you make any money back in those days considering your contribution to skateboarding?

We didn’t make any money at first. Stacy (Peralta) kept us amateur for as long as he could. Eventually I got like $1.00 for every board that sold. The only way you really made money is if you made the magazines and got paid incentive money for that.

But, we didn’t care. The way we really made money is in the fact that we got to travel a lot, and that seemed like a lot to me. I eventually did buy my first car in 1984 with skate money. It was a brand new Toyota Corolla.

How was it to ride for Powell-Peralta?

If you rode for Powell you couldn’t curse or anything like that.

You had to be professional all the time. I guess those were different days, and a different scene back then.

The Ollie is the basis of pretty much every street maneuver.

When did it really hit you that you had created a true game changer for skateboarding eternal? I mean think about it, there are kids that can’t even really skate, but they know how to do an Ollie!

Honestly, I was out of skating for a lot of years racing cars. I 38 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

didn’t know it was such a big deal. Every once in a while people would mention to me what was going on, but not till the 90’s did I say “wow” this is real. Mike McGill used to always compliment me on it though.

It’s unbelievable, and I really didn’t know it was this big. I definitely want to do some downhill and get slideways at 40mph.

Those videos are crazy, and there’s no bailing out when it comes to how close you get to those guard rails.

What do you think of skateboarding these days?

I’m not really sure, but it seems like everyone only cares about being sponsored. The kids don’t seem to skate for the same reasons we did, they seem like they want to prove something to someone. We skated for ourselves.

Are you a believer in having a quiver of boards, and riding all terrain?

Hell yea! I’ve got all kinds of boards, and I love having them.

I seriously have like 10 or 15 boards for any terrain. In bowls though I only ride one, the one I’m used to.

Have you ever done much downhill or sliding?

We road ditches and underpasses like Haulover and the ditch in front of I-95. We also used to go up to Palm Beach and ride down bridges. We would do cess slides and little berts. Oh, and in 2004 I went on a legends trip to skate this place they called “The Bear” in New Mexico with Reggie Barnes, George McCallum, Ed Womble, Paul Schmitt and others. We skated down these ditches like 30 mph on regular trucks. Guys there were riding these reverse kingpin trucks, but Reggie and I still blew by those guys.

At one point we came up to a tunnel with all kinds of junk in it and slid out. I grinded right threw my pads. We did skate straight down “The Bear” even though we didn’t know what we were doing at the time. It was super fun.

How much do you skate these days?

It depends on what’s going on in my life. Some weeks I can skate a couple of times, and then sometimes I can go a few weeks or months between skating.

Are you familiar with what is going on in the downhill/long board world?

How does being “Ollie” affect your life as a whole?

It’s pretty funny but it does give you credibility. I have a little shrine in my office of paraphernalia relating to it, and over the years I have sold some stuff. Once I sold a Federal Judge a car and he paid me sight unseen. He knew all about me and trusted he could find me if needed. But honestly, many people have said that they think I’m one of the most famous skateboarders nobody knows! My wife’s mother was a teacher, and she used to ask her kids, what is an Ollie, and who invented it? They all knew the answer.

CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 39

HOW TO FILM

(BETTER)

BY MICHEAL ALFUSO

“By now, everyone and their mom has a YouTube account to share videos of their cat, their family trip to Disney Land, and yes...even skate videos. You may not have the funds to buy a RED Epic right off the bat, but there are plenty of affordable quality cameras & camera gear on the market. Ain’t no shame in buying used gear. I still do.”

Tripod > It doesn’t matter if you shoot There are many ways to get pro results without having to take out a student loan or sell your kidney. Here are several things you can start with:

Camera > When starting off making skate videos, all you need a good camera with a few decent lenses. With GoPro cameras getting better and better every year, I suggest at the very least starting off with one before graduating to a DSLR style camera. You can do a whole lot with just one GoPro! Then if you feel like you’re ready for some different lens choices, I suggest the Canon t3i. The basic kit comes with an 18-55mm lens to get you started. It’s super lightweight, and produces great quality video when used right.

40 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

on a RED Epic, a Canon DSLR, or even a GoPro. Take the shake out of your video by investing in a decent fluidhead tripod. Unlike traditional photo tripods, video tripods have built in “drag” or resistance when panning or tilting.

This resistance is what gives camera movements a smooth, polished look. A simple system that will do the trick can range anywhere from $50 - $150. You’ll be happy you bought it...

Lenses > A good lens can open up a whole new level of creativity for you. Once you’ve exhausted your kit lens, I suggest a wide angle or fisheye lens, and at least one low-light capable lens. A good work-horse fisheye is the Rokinon 8mm f/3.5. You can get one that mounts Canon DSLRs and creates that “street skate” video look. Another good wideangle option is the Sigma 10-22mm f/4-5.6. I bought mine 4 years ago, and still use it today. Lastly, invest in a good “low light” lens like the canon 50mm f/1.8. It produces nice depth of field and is perfect for low light situations.

Movement > Adding movement to your shots brings a whole

Watch > The best way to get better is by watching other

new dimension to a video. By adding a slight pan or tilt to those shots that would normally be stationary, a boring road suddenly comes to life. Slider dolly’s are another tool that can bring a whole new dynamic to your footage. By pushing in or pulling away from an object, you can begin to incorporate the environment (trees, buildings, street signs, etc) in every shot.

Simple slider dollys are available on Amazon.com for about $100.

Even the slightest camera movement, whether you pan, tilt, or slide, opens up endless cinematic possibilities for your project.

videos, skaters, and artists (of any kind!) that inspire you. Look closely at what they do, how they do it, and then try to replicate it. Before I began filming longboarding, I vividly remember watching “Loaded Summer and the Orangutan Adventures” on the O-tang channel, and saying to myself, “THIS is what I want to do.” Next it was daily binges of videos by Adam Colton, Camp4 Collective, and Brain Farm digital cinema. As a videographer, photographer, or creative of any kind, we always need to be watching what’s out there, and pushing ourselves to the next level.

Coverage > The edit is where the real magic happens.

Getting multiple shots (or good coverage) of the same trick from different angles is an excellent way to bring your edits to the next level. Consider getting wide, medium, and close up shots of that next stand-up slide, and stringing it together as a sequence. Having coverage from multiple angles frees you up to experiment with editing a sequence in multiple ways.

Music > Think about what song(s) you’re going to use before you start to edit your project. Instead of just throwing a random song over the footage you’ve pieced together, try editing to a song you’ve picked out ahead of time. Before I even start editing a video, I have my music picked out. This gives me time to think about how the imagery will play along with the song I’ve chosen, and usually produces much more creative edits. Editing in rhythm and dropping action on a beat can be powerful editing tools.

Story > Videos that have a story are always more memorable. Try to work a short story element into your next skate video and see what it turns into. Whether it’s a goofy intro, lifestyle footage from a trip, or even a scripted scene, people remember a good story!

Experiment > The only way to learn is to try new things. Instead of limiting yourself to just longboarding videos and photos, try shooting a completely different sport or activity. You’ll find yourself applying these new styles or camera movements the next time you’re filming a skate video.

Patience > Too many video shoots are rushed and expected to be completed overnight. If you want your video to stand apart from the next schmuck with a DSLR, then prepare, take your time, and get creative. Talk to the rider you’re shooting with, bounce ideas back and forth, or even have another photographer there to work with you.

Take as much time as you need, because it’s quality over quantity, and whoever you’re filming will appreciate it once they see the edit.

CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 41

SKATELAB

Artifacts You’ve Never Seen

Words by Todd Huber - Photos by RT Norland

I

first met Todd Huber in 1996. At the time he was publishing a ‘zine called Skate Trader. Two years later, he opened up the Skate Lab in Simi Valley, California. The skatepark is definitely worth a visit but it is the museum that is a complete mindblower.

Todd’s extra-ordinary collection has been featured in numerous magazines and television shows. We’ve remained friends over the past number of years and occasionally see each other at trade shows. Recently, we decided to collaborate on a piece showing some of the truly rare items he has at the museum. A number of these items are not shown to the public. -Michael Brooke

The Pepsi Skateboard Van

by Revell Toy Co. 1979 I think we all loved the Pepsi Skateboard Van because it let the imagination run wild. Just imagine touring the country with David Hackett and Lonnie Toft doing demos at schools and amusement parks! Pepsi was so into skateboarding that in 1978 they produced a minute long skateboard ad shot at the Concrete Wave skatepark.

42 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

Skateball Pinball Machine

Z-Flex Jimmy Plummer Mold

This game is made by Bally in 1980. It has 3 flippers and allows for up to 4 players per game. We bought it from a guy in Utah who had won it at a pinball tournament at his local arcade when he was a teenager. On occasion we settle disagreements here at the office with a classic Skateball Battle.

This was the original mold from the 70’s that made all of the JP Fiberglass Z-Flex decks. My friend from Jacksonville, Florida, Todd Johnson, knew Jimmy had it in his garage and eventually it found its way to our museum.

Roller Derby Skateboard Kit

Skateboard Action Viewer

The Roller Derby Skateboard kit made it so you could make your own board out of wood. Many Kids in the 60’s wold make decks from wood in wood shop at their school then buy these kits.

They were made by National Skateboard Sales from Southgate, CA. The New Roller Derby Skateboard Kit contained two complete trucks, one wrench and two steel plates with hangers.

This device was brought out in 1977 by Ralph Lopatin Productions. It allowed the user to look through an eyepiece and view short skateboard movies via a film cartridge. The cartridge contains a series of still images which the user can cycle through using a lever on the side of the viewer. When cycled fast enough, the images appear to form a smooth full-motion video. You can even watch movies forwards and backwards.

CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 43

Mattel Magnum Racing Helmet.

The Skateboarder Lunchbox and Thermos by Aladdin Industries. 1977-1978.

This was donated to the Museum by Steve Kimmel. Steve was the lead designer for Mattel when they brought out a skateboard.

Sadly he passed away about a year after donating his collection of prototypes and rare Magnum pieces.

The Skateboarder is notable in that it was one of only a few of Aladdin’s lunchbox which did not feature a licensed television character, instead showing children skating through a park, older boys skating in a pool and other such scenes. The inside of the lunchbox’s lid has a poem about the importance of safety when riding. Of course, this is pretty ironic, considering that most of the skaters shown are not wearing safety gear. It has been said one side is has the likeness of Tom Sims and the other side Stacy Peralta.

Skaters Only Board Games This game was made in 1988 and features authentic skate companies in the game like Tracker Trucks, Gullwing and Skate Rags. According to the manufacturer, this Fast-paced competition gives each player the realistic feel of being a pro skater.?You have to compete in seven events and collect Pro Dough.?It even comes with a Pozers guide to gnarly lingo.?Yikes!

This was bought at a local garage sale for $1.00.

44 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

Charlie’s Angles - Beautiful girls Who Live Dangerously Accessory Set This is Jill’s Flying Skateboard Adventure by Hasbro. It includes a Charlie’s Angles skateboard, gogo boots, Hot Pants and a top.

NOS in box. Mid 70’s

Ick Sticks Badlands Skatecar This is the original skatecar and all that is missing is the parachute. It’s made from fiberglass with a tiny tinted windshield. The skatecar features Bones Wheels.

Hobie Sundancer You’re not hallucinating. This is actually a mono wheel complete fiberglass Skateboard. Back in the early and mid 70’s manufactures where experimenting with everything and this is a result. Obviously invented before the “axle grind” or they would have never bothered to produce this style of skateboard!

CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 45

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BANKING ON THE DOWNHILL SLIDE

Brazil’s Sergio Yuppie first came to the world’s attention in the video “Flow” from Gravity Skateboards. This was well over 12 years ago. His part featured insane slides at speed and combinations of moves that were unique and outrageous. For Sergio, sliding through fire and bombing down giant concrete slabs formed from bridges were as normal as a kickturn. As he tore up the streets to the sounds of the Dead Kennedy’s “California Uber Alles” viewers instinctively knew that he was going to leave a huge mark on the world of skateboarding. When I finally got to see Sergio skate live at Slidefest back in 2005, it was absolutely mesmerizing.

Sergio’s love of skating radiates around the world and his passion for riding has been passed down to his sons Fernando, aged 21, Sergio Junior, 19, and Christian, aged 8. Although we’ve met on a number of occasions and Sergio has had two covers with Concrete Wave, the timing has never been right to conduct a major interview. It just so happened that my trip to California in August coincided with his time there. I conducted two interviews in Laguna Beach. Waves crashed in front of us and the lifeguard was kept busy rescuing people. For Sergio, life as the world’s preeminent slider is pretty damn amazing and yet he takes it all in stride.

48 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

Interview by Michael Brooke: I heard that you had a promising career as a banker, but you gave it up to be a professional skater.

Yes, that’s absolutely true. There were some tests that I had to pass in high school, and I joined up with a bank in Sao Paulo at eighteen. I was working in the credit card department.

What was it like to work there?

I was a good worker, but it was an awkward situation. They liked my work but were somewhat wary of my skateboarding exploits. I would come to work and try and hide the epoxy that was stuck to my hands that I had gotten while building boards in my garage. On at least three occasions I had to film for local TV stations during work and it was very difficult to run out and shoot.

Were your co-workers aware of your contest results?

They did see me in the newspaper, and were impressed, but I am not sure they really understood me. They gave me a nickname that translates into “little crazy guy downhiller.”

You were a pretty young father at age 19.

Yes, I was. I was pretty overwhelmed at the time. Fortunately, my

manager at the bank was able to help me get through things. The bank even helped me with insurance and was very supportive when it came to informing my extended family.

How did you get into sliding?

When I first started, I had no information about anything. I didn’t know Cliff Coleman. The first time I got to understand skateboarding was with the movie “Thrashin”, in 1987. This is where I saw people sliding on skateboards.

So, if it hadn’t been for that movie, you wouldn’t have started sliding?

When I saw this movie it changed my life. Daggers forever! But soon after this video, I watched the Powell Peralta video that featured Cliff Coleman and Stacy Peralta downhill sliding.

Who were the Brazilian skaters you looked up to?

Fernando Bat Man, Daniel Kim. I watched these guys for years and so much wanted to ride like they did. I didn’t have the skills, but I was hungry to learn. They would actually show contests on TV that featured sliding. It was very popular for a time.

360 Flip - Dan Bourqui photo CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 49

50 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

Layback Nose - Michael Alfuso photo

Were your parents supportive of you skateboarding?

From the beginning, my mother was very much against it. She didn’t like it all. My father, however, was supportive, but they wouldn’t buy me boards. I started working at the age of eleven, earning some money and I put this toward skateboards.

In 1995, you became a professional skater at the age of 21. But you decided to quit the bank.

My mother thought I was crazy. My wife was supportive. I loved working with the people at the bank, but I decided to trust skateboarding.

“...I started working at the age of eleven, earning some money and I put this toward skateboards.”

How did you first get to California?

There was a guy named Plinio Curi. Plinio runs Plimax Distribution in Brazil and carries Santa Cruz. I was working for him in sales. He brought me to California and I met up with the people at Santa Cruz. Their focus was mostly on street and they weren’t really interested in what I was doing. I couldn’t speak English very well but I tried to explain that I wanted to make a video part. They passed but strangely enough, I had met Tim Brauch two years before in Brazil. I took care of him when he toured there. He told me “I have never seen sh*t like you are doing on a skate!”

How did you meet up with Michael Bream of Gravity?

I decided that I wanted to see if I could make it in California. So, I quit the job with Plinio and tried to get another sponsor. I had a few contacts including Linda Prettyman who worked over at Tracker Trucks. I was sponsored by Tracker and she showed Michael my video. I so much appreciate what Linda did.

So, then what happened?

Well, at the time Jeff Budro, Brad Edwards, Kevin Kennedy and Michael all watched my tape together. They brought me over to California and in 2001 and I joined the team.

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Bertleman - Dan Bourqui photo

Tell me about your video part in Flow?

I have such great memories of the time. It is one of the highlights of my career. When Michael Bream and I started this project, I leaped at the opportunity to show the planet how I can do my skills. I was excited to film all my crazy stuff, including the death drop under the big bridge.

It must have been somewhat crazy trying to make it here in California?

It was an adventure. I could barely speak English and I had very little money. At the time, the Brazilian money was not worth very much against the US Dollar. I knew that I had to make it and I worked extremely hard.

You are known primarily as a slider, but I wondered about the other types of skateboarding you’ve done.

When I first started, I was sliding, but at the beginning of the 1990’s, I was skating with my friend Marcos Et. He’s an old school skater and skates everything. He told me I needed to open my mind and start incorporating street skating into my tech sliding.

I enjoyed competing in street contests. I love to watch vert but there wasn’t much available where I lived in Brazil. I like mini ramps and I have even tried slalom.

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Was it difficult to incorporate street skating into your riding?

No it wasn’t. In fact I found that learning to street skate and do things like ollies made me go faster. When you learn other types of skateboarding it absolutely helps you progress.

What is your overall philosophy when it comes to the idea of skate everything?

I think when you are younger, many skaters tend to be focused on street, but as you get older, you start to discover that all types of skateboarding can offer something truly worthwhile. My friends, when they were younger only rode street, now they love it all.

What is your favorite place to skate downhill?

It’s Ladeira da Morte in San Paulo. When I skate there, I feel the vibes from the eighties. I remember my time growing up and seeing my hero’s skate this hill. In 2011 I competed in a longest slide contest and hit 67 meters (over 200 feet).

How did you finally meet up with Cliff Coleman – one of your skate idols?

It was 2001 and I was at Gravity Skateboards hanging out with Max Congai. I had my back turned and suddenly I feel this tap

on my shoulder. It’s this big guy and Michael Bream says “hey Sergio, this is Cliff Coleman”. Thankfully, Max had taught me Spanish and I was able to speak with Cliff. (editors note: Cliff has now taught himself Portuguese!) I gave him a hug and we started speaking. I never forgot that day. He is the true father of downhill sliding. We love traveling together.

Your most recent video has over a million views on You Tube.

Did that surprise you?

Yes it did. I just like to share my love of skateboarding with the world. I enjoyed making the video and I tried my very best. I got a good vibe working with people like film maker Michael Alfuso and it comes through.

You’ve traveled quite extensively. We need one crazy road story.

Oh man, I have a lot, but here’s one. It’s 2001. I am in Tijuana Mexico with Plano, Bream and other members of the Gravity Team. I started to drink a lot of tequila. It’s around 2am and I am

in a strip club. I gave the barman $5 and he winds up giving me a full bottle of tequila. I drink the tequila like water. Two minutes later, I jumped up on the runway and start dancing with the girls.

The girls got angry with me and told me to get off. So, I start jumping and dancing on the sofas. The security guy warned me to calm down. But I am like a devil. I am literally doing skate moves in the club. Eventually, they throw us out. At the front of the club, there is a rack of fliers for the establishment. I took the fliers and the security tells me to put them back. He then gives me a punch in the mouth. I started to want to fight the guy and my friends are holding me back. Then another security guy turns to Bream and says; “you better take this motherf*cker out because he can get killed with a shotgun here”. When I arrived at US Immigration, the officer took one look at my face and said “move on.” I was sick for four days after this experience. No more tequila.

Your three sons obviously have inherited your love of skateboarding. Tell us about your relationship with them.

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I am so proud of what they are doing. They inspire me to skate harder and to progress.

When I see the next generation skate hard, it makes me feel so happy. Fernando is now working with me at Curva Da Hill making decks in our shop.

Brazil just hosted the World Cup and a lot of money was spent on stadiums.

My country spends a lot of money on soccer and some would say this is to the detriment of other things like hospitals and schools. It’s sad to see the corruption.

Skateboarding is very popular in Brazil but it is very difficult to get funding for skateparks. It drives me crazy and I can only hope that things will get better in the future.

“I found that learning to street skate and do things like ollies made me go faster.”

When you look back on your almost three decades of skateboarding, could you ever imagine it would take you to where it has?

I love traveling and showing people the beauty of skateboarding. It saved my life and I am so happy to share my joy of skateboarding with the world.

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Seasider Slider - Dan Bourqui photo

Where do you see yourself in 10 years at age 50?

I want to ensure that I am in good health. I look up to people like Cliff and Victor Ernhart who are both in their 60’s riding skateboards with so much passion. My dad is 74 is still having fun fixing up old cars. I can see myself riding with my kids and who knows, maybe even my grandchildren!

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ACHIEVING A DREAM: THE STORY BEHIND THE B-TEAM RAMP

By Evandro “Mancho” Menezes

T

he vert ramp at the Encinitas YMCA was from the 2006 X-Games. It was 120’ long with two 18” extensions, a 60’ wide roll-in and a hip in the middle. After skating at the Y pretty much daily, I got to know the park staff pretty well, especially Heather, the skate park director. In the beginning of 2011, she gave me a heads up that they planned on renovating the park. Not that many people were skating vert there anymore and so they wanted to cut the ramp in half to make more room for other stuff. I asked Heather what they were going to do with the other half of the ramp and she told me they planned on just breaking it down and throwing it away.

Mancha, Frontside Invert - Photo Brian Fick

M

y eyes popped and I asked her if I could have it. She told me, “I don’t see a problem with that,” but she had to confirm with Mike, the park manager.

I went home almost giddy and told my wife, Courtney, I was getting a vert ramp.

My dream was finally coming true and there was no doubt in my mind that it was going to happen. We lived in a small condo with no yard at the time and Courtney asked me where we were going to put it. I told her I didn’t know but would figure it out.

The next day, I called Mike and asked him about getting the ramp and he told me he had to contact someone else and ask and would have to let me know. I told some friends I was getting the ramp and pretty much no one believed me. But no one ever believed I would live in the United States back when I lived in Brazil either, so I shook it off and didn’t let it get me down.

A few days later I went to skate and Mike told me that the project wasn’t scheduled to start until the following year. I was bummed but at the same time I thought that it would give me enough time to buy a house or figure out where I could put the ramp. Courtney and I casually looked at houses online but life continued without much change. She got pregnant and my daughter, Makena, was born in February 2012.

A few months later, in June, I received a text message out of the blue from one of the big wigs at the YMCA, who asked if I still wanted the ramp and invited me to a meeting. So I went and met with him and Mike and he told me that half of the ramp had to be out of there by the first two weeks of October. I said, “no problem” and went home to tell Courtney we needed a house now.

Brian Fick, Pivot Fakie - Photo Brian Fick, somehow

We immediately started looking at houses and found one in Vista that we both really liked. We contacted Courtney’s realtor friend, Gina, and told her basically out of the blue that we found a house we wanted to buy. We put in an offer right away but didn’t get it and we were super bummed. The clock was running out. We literally had three months to find a house, buy it and move the ramp or the YMCA would trash it.

We told Gina to keep looking, even though we had already looked ourselves and couldn’t find anything else that worked. It was hard to find an affordable house that met the needs of our growing family, and that could also hold a 50’ x 50’ vert ramp.

Gina sent us information on a house in Vista, a couple of miles from Bob’s house, and we immediately went to go look at it. As soon as I got there I went straight to the backyard to look. As soon as I saw it I knew it was the one. I measured everything and there was plenty of space. It was on almost half an acre, with half of the property making up the backyard and half in the front yard. I felt it was perfect because the kids could play in the fenced-in front yard and I could put the ramp in the back.

My wife wasn’t as convinced. She didn’t love the house at first but I knew I would win her over. After a few visits to the house and a lot of begging and pleading, I convinced her to buy it. We began the process in July and closed escrow in early August and started moving in. The crazy part is that my brother and his family were scheduled to arrive from Brazil two weeks after we closed escrow and planned on living with us in this threebedroom house. I thought they would be with us for just a few months before getting their own place but it ended up being

Bruno Passos, Backside Air - Photo Brian Fick

nine months. It was hard living with seven people in a small house, but in a way it ended up being a super important part in getting the ramp moved and built.

At this point, the YMCA could not give me a time frame for when the ramp would be ready, so it was a waiting game. But there was still a lot to do to prepare the yard and so at the end of September my friend, Augie, my brother and I cut down some gigantic palm trees. Two days later, Augie showed up with a bobcat and somehow got it into the backyard. A bunch of us worked to level part of the backyard, which had a big slope in the back that we had to cut into in order to make enough room. Augie had to leave the next day and I had to learn how to drive the bobcat and finish the job.

Augie had gone to the YMCA and measured the distance between the sections on the ramp template and my brother and I started to lay the foundation for concrete slabs. We worked every day for over a week, and just the two of us laid the wood frames and leveled the dirt. My neighbor loaned us a tilling machine but

Mancha over Fick - Photo Ryan Bregante

Alex Perelson, Benihana - Photo Brian Fick

it was still a lot of work for two people.

Around that time, the guy from the YMCA called and told me the ramp would need to come out in the next five days. At fist, they were going to hire a company to break down the ramp and have it ready for us to pick up. But then they told me they were keeping the Skatelite, which was one of the most expensive parts of the ramp. I went there and negotiated with the guy and offered to have my team break the ramp down instead of paying the company they hired, in exchange for giving me the Skatelite.

We still had to pour the concrete and now I also had to figure out how to assemble a team and the equipment needed to break down this monster and get it to my house.

I called a few skater friends and got everyone on board to help break the ramp down. Augie had a good connection for renting big trucks and a forklift. In the meantime, my brother and I went and picked up a few day workers at Home Depot to help with getting the concrete poured. We started one day at 6am to get the concrete poured, and left several hours later to the YMCA to start breaking down the ramp. My crew and I first pulled off the Skatelite. After that Augie marked the ramp while I cut it, literally in half. We then cut our half into 40 pieces. They were still super heavy and big and would not be easy to transport. Each section

was five feet wide and the transition pieces were roughly seven feet tall and weighed a ton with three layers of old, rotting plywood on top.

After cutting the ramp into sections, Augie and I knew we could never get them into our backyard. Augie had the brilliant idea of asking our neighbor, who has a huge, empty yard that borders our backyard, if we could drive a forklift through his yard to deliver the pieces. The neighbor reluctantly said yes, after I offered to replace the chain-link property fence with a new wood one.

Augie handled the forklift and began loading the sections on flatbed trucks. We took turns driving the trucks to my house to deliver the pieces, which we initially stacked in my neighbor’s backyard. We went back and forth between our house and the YMCA for three days hauling the pieces. Once we were done, Augie had to leave out of town for work and I had to figure out how to get the pieces from my neighbor’s yard into mine. I called Tony from California Ramps, who helped build Bob’s Mega Ramp, and asked if he could help. He agreed to come setup the first piece and then explained how to finish the job. I only had enough money at the time to rent the forklift for one day and we got maybe half of the pieces into our yard. Without more money,

we had to haul the rest of the pieces into place by hand.

We pulled off the rotting plywood surface pieces and took the ramp down to its skeleton to make the pieces lighter. I hired a few guys and we literally carried the rest of the pieces from the neighbor’s yard into mine, and then into place, all by hand.

Once the template was in place, my friends all pitched in some money to buy new plywood and supplies. We worked for several weeks painting and putting the plywood into place, and then retrofitting the frame to make it more secure. At that point it was mostly me, my brother, Bruno Passos, Christiano Goulart, Brian Fick and Jonathan Spooner. We worked all day, every day putting up support beams and trying to make the ramp as secure as possible.

We then rebuilt the upper decks and put those into place.

We never had a plan, it just came together as we went along.

Everyone who participated gave input and we made decisions as a team.

The last thing was to put on the Skatelite. I had enough sheets from the YMCA, but some of the pieces weren’t in great shape.

We sort of had to puzzle-piece smaller pieces together in order to make it all fit. The ramp was about 90% skate-able and we had

Augie, Switch 5-0 - Photo Brian Fick

our first official session on March 10, 2013. We still had to finish the roll-in.

The original roll-in was 16 feet wide. We reduced that to two separate 4’ roll-ins with one on each side. We skated the ramp without the roll-ins complete for a good couple of months before we finished those off. They were bare to the ribs, without plywood or anything. It was sketchy but we wanted to skate so bad we didn’t care.

Once we finished the roll-ins, Bob Burnquist came over to skate and said he had some newer Skatelite that he would give me.

He gave us enough to pull out some of the smaller pieces and it really helped smooth things out and made the ramp look a little more pulled together.

The entire process, from when we first leveled the yard to when we finished the roll-ins, took about nine months. Right around the time it was done, my brother and his family finally got their own place. It seems like it was meant to be, him staying here all that time and being my right hand man through the entire process. I still can’t believe how everything came together; everything kept falling into place at the right time, without any plans or anything.

Bob Burnquist, Frontside Nose Slide - Photo Brian Fick

B-Team Ramp at night - Photo Brian Fick

The ramp is now officially known as the B-Team Ramp.

Everyone always asks what B-Team stands for. It means the “Brothers Team,” or “Backyard Team.” I really wanted to bring back the spirit of the backyard ramps of the 80s and 90s that I always saw in the magazines and videos from when I was in Brazil. We work really hard to keep a chill vibe and keep it real.

This is the place you come to skate because you love to skate.

So many skaters have come out of the woodworks and started skating again just because of this ramp. It reminds people of why they started skating in the first place. Our motto has become “No stressin’, just session.”

I really want to thank my brother Eugenio, Christiano Goulart, Augie Rodriguez, Brian Fick, Bruno Passos, Jonathan Spooner, Sanford Lopez, Alex Perelson, Paul Luc Ronchetti, Nick Bautista, Joe Gretzer, Jimmy Wilkins, Ozzie from Blue Tile Obsession, Tim Tyson, Bob Burnquist, Leonardo Ruiz, Magdalena Ecke YMCA, Green Issue, Triple 8, Sambazon, and especially my wife for putting up with the mess and stress. And I can’t forget the countless other people who came by and helped or donated or just showed their love.

John Spooner, Mute Air - Photo Brian Fick

Mancha, Tuck Knee Invert - Photo Brian Fick

M.F.G.

By Joey Bidner Photos by Jordan Langdon

E

very day we are faced with new products that beg to be supported. How many kick starter campaigns have you seen this year involving a newly reinvented skateboard product? It is rare that we come across something truly ground

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breaking and genuine. There is no kick starter campaign behind Harfang, only sacrifice and ingenuity. This small owner operated brand is currently helping pros like Patrick Switzer, Jonas Richter, Niko Desmarais and John Barnet just to name a few. His product has solved an issue that every downhill skateboard racer faces; racing in the rain.

A third floor apartment in downtown Montreal is the home of Yann Lhermitte, and the headquarters of Harfang wheels.

The dedication Yann has to his brand is apparent the moment you walk into his house. His living room is a fully fledged workshop where he designs and manufactures one of the most innovative products in downhill skateboarding today.

Yann moved to Montreal from France in 2002 to study geological engineering.

After years of hard work he landed a job designing and building hydro electric dams in northern Quebec. Though he was certainly successful, and had made his parents proud, he would eventually give up this job, favoring taking a huge risk on pursuing Harfang. It all began with a trip to compete in the European IGSA world cup tour. Yann’s inventive mind spotted an urgency to develop a product that was begging to be refined.

Downhill skateboard races are rainor-shine events. Traction becomes the number one obstacle in the case of rain.

Rain wheels, at the time, were not being

professionally made. Only those who took it upon themselves to groove lines in their own wheels had the technical advantage.

People would use box cutters, hack saws, or pocket knives to score the necessary grooves to gain traction in the rain. A light went off in Yann’s mind, and he returned home to the drawing board.

He wanted to go beyond what was currently being done.

Yann began to research car tire treads and compared the physics in order to create a tread that was specific for downhill skateboarding. Keeping lines that kept traction, and removing lines from the pattern that were particular to slowing down.

He immediately bought a CNC machine. After 6 months of trial an error, and a rebuilt custom made CNC, he finally created something that went beyond his expectations. Yann soon jumped in with both feet; giving up not only square footage at home to a committed workshop, but also leaving his engineering job.

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True innovators and visionaries have a different outlook on the world around them. This personality trait became apparent to me when I asked him what he thinks of all the kooky brands that are popping up right now. So many are trying to ride the wave; producing and reinventing downhill skateboard products. I was expecting an answer that would involve some pointing and laughing. Yann appreciates every contribution that is brought to the table.

He told me: “Innovators should always be welcomed. For sure some products don’t always answer a real need, but there is always something to take and learn from what somebody else has done. Even the kooky products have something behind it. Look at Shark Wheels; I don’t necessarily believe in the product, but from this we have learned about the possibilities of mold making. So, from a manufacturing perspective, even they have taken a step forward.”

This attitude and constant attention to the product, instead of opinion, is something to admire; it reveals the true nature of an innovator.

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At this point Yann has successfully developed four separate tread patters for particular weather conditions. Currently you can make personal orders with him, and he’ll cut his tread pattern into wheels from most major brands. Harfang is about to release the rain-shedding patterns on their own wheels. These will be available in your local skate shop very soon.

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P45 SPOT CHECK - PT. 1

words by Adam Green, photos by Babas Levrai

When I was a kid and someone asked me what I liked most about skateboarding. For as far long as I can remember, I would always answer: “it hasn’t been wrecked by the rest of the world”.

8 Dudes, 3 Wallies, 1 Wall. Respect.

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There is something about skateboarding that is just so f**king pure, and that in itself is not always so crystal clear, but when a bunch of shitbags get together, thinking the same way, it gives birth to places like P45.

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Gabriel DeLery - Backside Noseblunt

MaxGauvin - Kickflip To Fakie

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Gabriel DeLery - Frontside Ollie Crail to Tail

Ever since my first session at the project, it brought out that ‘kid’ mentally in me.

Whether it was raining or blazing sun, P45 sessions have always lit a fire in me. This is actually something that I have been lucky enough to realize, and even after this realization, it has never changed.

Connor Neeson - Hurricane

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ARTIST PROFILE 76 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

Maru The Circle Brand with Andrew Szeto

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Andrew Szeto, Frontside Feeble - Photo Jordan Wiens 78 | CONCRETE WAVE - WINTER 2014

Interview by Jordan Langdon: Sup, Szeto!! How are you, man?

Chillin mang! Just got back from a rad motorcycle run (#twointhebush2014), skateboarding a bunch, and getting things into production.

What inspired you to begin the Maru journey?

Maru came out after spending the last 7-8 years being in school and working full time during that period. I work in engineering and finished my Masters in 2012. It was awesome, but it was also hell! I’ve been shooting photos and skateboarding for quite sometime and I really wanted to do something related to that! So I started Maru the Circle Brand to do exactly that, and to shed some light on homies behind the lens too!

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Maru seems to have a very distinct art direction, yet it is project oriented. What is the process like keeping the vibe yet working so diversely?

That’s a great question, haha. The process of keeping the vibe is just to try and keep it real. Behind every collection or piece, there’s generally someone really rad involved(ie: Drew Mosley & Ricardo Gonzales). It’s not just the brand name made a million times over in China. We really take the time to showcase who these individuals are via our vids, and ultimately our vibe is to really showcase real people who we’re pumped on and pay them properly for their work. We then hopefully do them some justice and try and produce as much as we can domestically. For things like our camera straps, they’re all made in house, and our website allows folks to customize their straps. We’ve connected with some really amazing people thus far!

That care definitely shines through. The imagery and projects the brand presents seem very invested in the hands on approach. How important are analogue processes to you?

Analog processes are pretty key! During the days, I still work a 9-5 as an engineer and shoot for the skate mags during the evenings to support things. Most of this work goes down in a completely digital type of environment, but film is a pretty magical thing and I try and shoot a roll with either my M4-P or Mamiya 7ii as often as I can. Thus far, with every order, we ship out a film print via Jai Tanju’s “Film Por Vida Print Exchange Program”.

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What’s around the corner?

Dude, I’m pumped! Working and finalizing production on our canvas camera straps!

They’re super fun. Also working on some leather moleskine covers with my good friend Ben Jensen, a.k.a. Waybad. Hoping to drop both products by the late August/September time frame. Both products will be fairly customizable, to really give folks a personalized experience! Moving into 2015, we’re producing some canvas photo jackets!

Damn, I’ve never been so aware of my need for a canvas photo jacket! It’s been a pleasure catching up. Who could you not have done this without?

Oh man! Soo many people! Jordan Wiens who’s helped me a ton with the videography and photography this year! Drew Mosley, Ricardo Gonzales, Neil Magadzia, Chris Lascelle, Top of the World, Proskates, Antique, Victoire, Ian at Boarderline, the homies at Raised by Wolves and everyone who’s made an order via the webstore. Super stoked on all the support! More awesomeness to come!

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NOTEWORTHY

- THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

MOONSHINE

NEVER SUMMER

We are always pleased to see boards built by craftsmen within their own manufacturing facility.

The team behind moonshine have been building wakeboards, wake skates and kiteboards for years and have poured all their experience and technology into this passion project. The Hooch is Moonshines free ride/downhill deck and it is armed with some interesting technology. You will find urethane sidewalls for impact and dampening along with a vertically laminated core, and milled out channels for weight reduction. moonshinemfg.com

Never Summer has released two new boards, the Avalanche and the Revival. Both are built with their bombproof technology derived from their snowboard line and manufactured in Colorado. The Avalanche is a Downhill free ride deck with a micro drop and rocker. It is offered in drop through and top mount.

IONIC FLUX

STRANGE HOUSE / MOB GRIP COLLAB

All bearing lubes do the same thing, right? Wrong. Ionic Flux “Black Steel” lubricant is different because it uses a combination of molecular chemistry and nanotechnology. You’ll get maximum friction reduction (as a result of polarized molecules), and you’ll also get a lube with a nano additive that provides a self-restoring effect by polishing away surface deformities. Nerdspeak aside, what does this really mean? Your bearings will last longer, and you can haul serious ass. ionicflux.com

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The Revival is meant to skate everything. With a wheelbase of 15”, it is small enough to rip bowls and skateparks, but big enough to free ride and charge hills.

Neversummer.com

This artwork was created by Bobbydrawsskullz (aka Bobby Brown). Bobby has worked very hard for years at his craft and Strange House has enjoyed it and purchased it from him for years.

They’ve been limited over the years as to what they could do with the artwork due to limited funds. Discovering that Mob Grip was willing to work with Strange House to see this through was a great bonus. strange-house.net

RIPTIDE

Riptide has changed the street truck bushing game by finally applying longboard bushing technology to street trucks. You will no longer be limited to your average barrel cone combo, get custom with your board feel by having a choice of five board side bushing shapes and two roadside shapes within four different durometers. riptidesports.com

ZAZA The new Australian Outbacks are here. They are designed with a center set core at 84a and a contact patch at 38mm for your freeriding pleasure.

These mates come with a stone ground surface. The 65mm wheels are a great medium, giving your trick arsenal no limits. zazawheels.com

OX ENDURANCE FORMULA

Ox Endurance is a different take on energy drinks. According to Chris Smith, founder of Ox, the ingredients in the majority of energy drinks are exactly the ingredients that contribute to hypertension, heart arrhythmia, deterioration of stomach lining/ulcers, and of course, obesity. Their formula is a combination of high grade sport performance supplements. Skaters of all disciplines and skill level will greatly benefit from OX. It is a convenient travel size sport supplement mix that increases long term endurance and the ability to build/retain all of the small and large muscle groups needed for their sport. It also greatly increases mental focus and alertness which is critical when practicing new tricks or avoiding wipeouts and collisions with other skaters. oxendurance.com

HASHTAG BOARD Co

OUTDOOR TECHNOLOGY

Everybody loves the guy who brings tunes to the skate park. The Big turtle shell connects wirelessly, so you can cruise around with your phone in your pocket while it syncs up to the speakers. You don’t need to tip toe around this thing, its shock proof and water resistant so don’t sweat leaving it to close to the coping.

Outdoortechnology.com

If you turn into a sweaty beast while you hike a run, it might be time to get into some tech wear to help you from dehydrating and stinking up the place. The guys at Hashtag Board CO have a new line of clothing with moisture wicking properties to evaporate the sweat and keep you from overheating.

Hashtagboardco.com

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NOTEWORTHY MY RULES

- NOW YOU KNOW

THE HANDMADE SKATEBOARD If you’ve ever thought about making your own deck or you currently create your own wooden masterpieces, this book will captivate you.

Author Matt Berger combines the history of skateboarding with tremendous detail on the board-building process. The photos and illustrations are superb and the profiles of board builders are inspiring.

World-renowned photographer Glen E. Friedman released this book in September of this year. It marked the 20th anniversary of the publication of F**K You Heroes.

ICE MULE COOLER

My Rules comes in at a whopping seven pounds and will astonish fans of skateboarding and music.

It is 11.5” x 13” wide and is 324 pages. It contains the best of both F**k You Heroes and F**k You Too (both of which are out of print). Many images are full bleed and over 100 photos have never been published before.

Essays from many of G.E.F.’s favorite and most respected and interesting subjects over the years add to the overall enjoyment of the book. It is published by Rizzoli and would be a fine addition to any coffee table. Just make sure the table can handle the extra weight!

AGENTS PROVOCATEURS Road trips are part of a skater’s DNA. Keeping things cool during a trip just got a lot easier with the IceMule Cooler. It is the world’s most portable high-performance soft cooler. Only the IceMule’s patented insulated dry-bag design gives you the portability of a backpack with the performance of a hard cooler. It keeps ice intact up to 24 hours and rolls up for easy storage. There are no zippers and the welded seams means that nothing breaks apart. The IceMule even floats! icemulecooler.com

XSHOT

Seb Carayol, a writer for Thrasher and SkateBoarder magazines, has put together a wild collection of skate graphics from the 1990s to present day. If you enjoyed Sean Cliver’s Disposable, you will very much like this book. Featuring a number of key artists, the book chronicles some of the most upsetting, outrageous and hilarious graphics ever to grace the underside of a deck. Published by Ginko Press.

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If you are tired of helmet cam shots, and want to put together an edit with a bit of variety, you need an extender pole. The XSHOT is telescopic and extends from 9 inches to 38 so you can get up close and personal. It’s insanely light which makes it easy to hold while filming a raw run, and is compatible with a variety of cameras.

Xshot.com

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A CURATED COLLECTION OF PRODUCTS WITH AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS AND REVIEW.

BY JOEY BIDNER

SKANUNU BEARING CLEANER & LUBE Before something like this came along, bearing maintenance, when done right, was always a huge drag.

I personally would dread the task of taking out all my bearings to degrease and re-lubricate them.

Skanunu has thankfully released a two in one bearing cleaner and lube. All you have to do is drip some in your bearings, while still in the wheels and give it a good spin. It breaks down the grease and relubricates the bearings. I have literally un-seized fully rusted bearings with this stuff. If you want to do a thorough job, take your bearing out of the wheels and slosh them in the skanunu solution, put them back in your wheels and go out riding. In my opinion, the simple drip and spin method works amazingly.

We are really hyped on how well this stuff works. www.skanunu.com

RIPTIDE PIVOT CUPS- INDEPENDENT TRUCKS Riptide has been killing the pivot cup game. Their urethane pivot cups are precisely made to reduce slop and friction from your hanger to base plate. They were recently only available for most longboard trucks, but have finally stepped into the skateboard world. Up until now, only plastic, or rubber pivot cups have been available for traditional king pin trucks. Everybody knows they shred in no time and are always sloppy. These urethane pivot cups will literally be the last ones you ever buy. They are made specifically for Indy, but happen to fit in ace and thunder trucks. www.riptidesports.com

KING FOAM INSOLES If you get heel bruises or arch pain from skating, King Foam insoles have been made specifically for skate related impact injuries. They go beyond what gel sols are capable of by using nanotechnology to absorb the impact. This does a lot more than simply cushion you from a big drop. If you need orthotics, but hate how rigid they can be as most are made of fiberglass, King Foam makes a heat molding insole with all the absorption technology built-in to the custom foot bed. I personally love how supportive even the base model, non-heat molding king foams are. www.fpinsoles.com

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hlers

Longboards

Zenith 36.75” Maddeer 39.75” Maddeer 2 39.75” Switch Ninja 37” Lonely Pirate 37”

Made in USA

Huntington Beach, CA

www.ehlerslongboards.com

Road Warrior 36.75”

LRV1 40”

LRV2 40”

EP40 40”

SWEAT EQUITY

BUILD A HOTWIRE TO CUT A FOAM MOLD

Building foam molds can be tedious. It is most often done by hand, which gives inconsistency and inaccuracy, especially when introducing rocker, camber or kick tails.

A hot wire foam cutter was always my favorite tool in the shop. They are cheap to build and make precise profile cuts on the fly for quick and accurate prototyping. Here is an instructional guide on building a hotwire to modify your foam mold using the Roarockit mold building method.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: - 2” insulation foam for the mold - Steel guitar E-string (.16m) - Power Supply - Electrical wire - Old skateboard - 2 nuts, bolts, washers and wing-nuts

Q STEP 1 CUT YOUR HOTWIRE FRAME Recycle an old skateboard or workshop scrap to make your hotwire frame. This frame will suspend your guitar string, which will heat up and run on templates to cut your mold. Be prepared to face a bit of trial an error as the width of the frame will depend on the thickness of your guitar string and the strength of your power supply. If it is too short and your power supply is too strong, the string will break. So take a bit of time and find the size that works.

R STEP 2 FASTEN YOUR WIRE You can get creative with choosing how to mount your guitar string to the frame. It’s key to be able to adjust the tension because as the string heats up it will get some slack. I find it’s simple and effective to use a bolt and wing-nut. Tighten the wing-nut to gain or release tension. Use the washers to sandwich the guitar string.

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R3 CONNECT TO THE POWER SUPPLY As you put a current of electricity through a metal with resistance, it will heat up. So we are attaching a wire to each end of our guitar string and connecting it to the power supply.

Choosing your power supply is very important. Find one that will allow you to adjust the voltage and or amperage.

With a basic guitar string you will want to run low volts and amps, or the string will break. Generally around 11 volts and 1.7 amps will do the trick. You can find something like this at Walmart.

Q STEP 4 S TEMPLATES The hot wire will be guided by templates attached to both sides of your mold.

Use scrap veneer or plywood for this.

Just cut the shape of rocker or angle of kicktail into the template and screw it to the side of the foam. Gently guide your wire along the templates as it cuts through the foam effortlessly. Once you are done cutting your shape you can go back to manually shaping your concave.

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L.F.P.

NEW PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABS

LONG BOARDING FOR PEACE

LFP is proud to announce that we have formed a partnership with Swappow. Swappow is a new mobile and online marketplace where action sports participants and the industry can swap, sell and share any pre-owned equipment in exchange for cash, credits, or just to help others get riding/rolling more economically. Swappow.com

We also teamed up with the folks from Sports Tag ID. This precision made ID can make a huge difference in an emergency situation. The ID contains engraved vital information such as your name, blood type and key emergency contacts. Sportstagid. com

Longboarding for Peace is a global movement of peace, balance and justice powered by longboarders. We empower people to step on, step up and make great things happen in their communities.

Visit longboardingforpeace.org for more information

CURVE LAKE

BLOOD FROM BOARDERS October was our month to kick off our annual blood drive. Texas based artist Jay Cronin created this exceptionally cool poster to promote the October blood drive campaign. If you missed giving blood last month, you can always roll up your sleeve and (blood) bank your karma right now.

Our friends at Restless Boards organized a blood drive in Montreal, Quebec.

Canada is currently undergoing a blood shortage so we were proud to help spread the message.

LFP traveled to Curve Lake, Ontario in July to participate in a workshop called SK8LIT. We presented our balance program to First Nation students. They learned about literacy, photography, art, and how to skateboard. Deborah Berrill helped create the program and she understood LFP’s desire to teach balance coincided with The First Nation Medicine Wheel. The wheel is divided into four equal parts. If a person is grounded in all four quadrants; intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical, then balance and harmony are achieved. Thanks, once again, to a generous donation from Landyachtz, Curve Lake is now enjoying a quiver of eight completes. The students also had a special guest artist attend – Kieran McGregor, formerly of the Oasis Skateboard Factory. Kieran customized each deck with stencil art.

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Latitude Longboards created a custom deck for Blood from Boarders.

The company will be on Indiegogo to fund a limited production run of this model through November. latitudelongboards.com

In honor of all those boarders who gave blood, artist Rachel Tribble created this painting.

GUN BUYBACK SAN DIEGO - Photos by Lance Dalgart A huge debt of gratitude to the following companies who generously donated product: ABEC 11, Adrenalina, Buddy Carr Designs, Buck Trucks, Badlands Skateboards, Carver, Churchill MFG, Deville, Globe, Ladera, Landyachtz, Loaded, Madrid, Navigator, Ollie Angel, Orangatang, Paris, Rainskates, Riviera, Stella, Silver Trucks, West Coast Ride Shop

MEXICO

In San Diego, over 115 guns have been stolen in home burglaries in the first six months of this year. The goal of a gun buy back effort is to get some of those unwanted and unsecured guns out of homes before they fall into the hands of criminals. The first gun buy back took place last year in San Pedro California and was the brainchild of Neil Carver.

Our second gun buy back built upon the initial success we had in San Pedro. The local media were all over the story and traffic was blocked up for over a mile. People brought in a wide variety of pistols, sawed-off shot guns and even Uzis. One person even brought in hollow-point bullets.

Skate legend, Dennis Martinez, worked in conjunction with the United African American Ministerial Action Council. His Off the Streets program has worked with UAAMAC on a number of previous occasions. Special thanks to Harvey Hawks who spent countless hours gathering and building the skateboards.

In late August we received a report from César Bojórquez on behalf of LFP Tijuana. The donation of twelve helmets from Predator has gone a long way to ensuring these kids ride safe.

Note Cesar’s last sentence.

“Last Sunday was a happy one at “El Tunel” which is the spot where we usually skate down in Playas de Tijuana. Not only was it a beautiful sunny day but we also gathered to give out the helmets we got from Predator. The kids from Niños de la Promesa were so stoked to get them I could hardly get them to gather for a picture. Connie sends her thanks to you and everyone involved in this act of kindness. My friends and I from Longboarding Tijuana are also grateful for the help and will continue to work on making a difference in these kid’s lives.

BTW I’m donating blood for the first time in my life this October.”

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Volker Dietrich

best wheels & bearings packages • free priority shipping

We’re changing.

Lowest Veneer Prices Flexible Veneer Ordering (choose your quantities)

New Website (it’s about time, huh?)

The Original Skateboard Building Supplier.

AND WHAT‘S YOUR WINTER THING? MORE INFO ON WWW.POGO.BIZ

DHR-II » new design

contact: buddycarrdesign@gmail.com photo: donez

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contact: buddycarrdesign@gmail.com