Vol. 8 No. 4 Winter 2010

WINTER 2010

EDITORIAL ......................................................22

LETTERS ........................................................24

NOTEWORTHY ................................................26

SILVERFISH REPORT ........................................34

PRODUCT PROFILES ........................................38

THE VOICE OF DISSENT....................................40

VIVA LOS BARRIOS ..........................................42

THE TAO OF SKATE ..........................................48

VIGNETTES ....................................................56

CAUTION: OUR KIDS ARE IN THE FAST LANE ......62

VENICE BOARDING SCHOOL ..............................68

LIVES ON BOARD ............................................70

CATCHING UP WITH MIKE WEED ......................72

THE STORY OF THE BUENA VISTA POOL ..............76

PARADISE FOUND ............................................82

THE BOYS OF TEAM GREEN ..............................84

IGSA REPORT ..................................................88

ARTIST PROFILE ..............................................92

NEXT WAVE ....................................................94

Brian Holden.

Photo: Jeff Nass

PUBLISHER/EDITOR Michael Brooke • mbrooke@interlog.com

SENIOR EDITOR Blair Watson

ART DIRECTOR Mark Tzerelshtein • MarkintoshDesign.com

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Mike Moore | Buddy Carr

DOWNHILL EDITOR Jon Caften

DOWNHILL PHOTO EDITOR Jon Huey

QUIVERS EDITOR Dave Hackett

IGSA WORLD CUP EDITOR Marcus Rietema

SLALOM/FREESTYLE Richy and Maria EDITORS Carrasco

STREET EDITOR/WRITER Marcus Bandy | marcusbandy1@hotmail.com

CORRESPONDENTS Jim Kuiack | Mark Kessenich | Kilwag

INTERNS Matt Livingston and Sydney Goldberg

LATIN AMERICA, SPAIN Diana Gracida | Pablo Castro AND PORTUGAL

AUSTRALIA David Pang | William Fonseca | Nick Sable

I.T. DEPT. HEAD Rick Tetz of CalStreets.com

COPY EDITOR Jonathan Harms

HEAD OFFICE 1136-3 Center Street Suite 293

Thornhill, Ontario L4J 3M8

ph: 905.738.0804

SKATESHOPDISTRIBUTION Indaba Group PO Box 1895, Carlsbad, CA 92018 tailtapinfo@yahoo.com

ph: 760.722.4111

CONTRIBUTORS (In order of appearance): Dan Bourqui, Alex Lyngaas, Chris Garrison, Katie Grasso, A.J. Kohn, Erian Baxter, Di Dootson Rose, David C. Kennedy, Alex Mancuso, Mike Mahoney, Tim Ebaugh, Adam Colton, James Kelly and Louis Pilloni, Niccolo Giannotti, James Pisano, Robson Sakamoto, Maxwell Dubler, Shelby Grimnes, Christopher Vanderyajt, Pablo Patineta, Boneyard, Segway Steve, Lorrie Coleman, Andrew Monahan, Gary Gruben, Sam Warsh, Lee Cation, Heidi Lemmon, CT Punk, Jack Smith, Pat Malpass, Warren Bolster, Marco Perez, Bill’s Wheels, Rodney Rodrigues, Gregor Rankine, D Byte, Carole Rubin, Abel Hansen, Alexandre Maia, Chris McBride, Melissa Ransom, Bob Mahaffey, Mike Kapica, Butch Zachrel, Brian Hilbish, Plex Photography, Z Studios.

concretewavemagazine.com

Concrete Wave is published by North of La Jolla Inc.

Subscriptions (5 issues) are US$26 FIRST CLASS or CAN$26 (US$38 outside North America). Address change? Mag not arriving? Email us... don’t go postal. We can sort it out. mbrooke@interlog.com. We will notify you when your subscription expires. 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. We happily accept articles and photos. Please contact the publisher directly at mbrooke@interlog.com before you submit anything. We are looking for a variety of stories and images as long as they are skate related.

COVER: Nilton Neves. Photo: Dan Bourqui

OPENING SPREAD

Steve Daddow survives an epic crash at the 2009 IGSA World Championships in Bathurst, Australia.

Photo: Alex Lyngaas/Dampling Productions

Distributed by

ph: 416.754.3900 f: 416.754.4900

Printed in Canada

ISSN 1708-3338

Canada Post Publication. Agreement number 40671108

WELCOME TO THE FINE PRINT: Are you ready for 2010? The start of a new decade always seems to bring with it a reflection on the past and a desire to infuse hope toward the future. At the start of this decade, Concrete Wave didn’t exist. The Internet was about go through a highly damaging bubble. But from that bubble emerged some pretty incredible things. Speaking of things that didn’t exist in 2000, we didn’t have iPhones, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia or YouTube. In terms of skate websites, The Berrics, Silverfish Longboarding, Skull and Bones Skateboards and CalStreets.com were not around in 2000. Jump ahead 10 years and collectively, these four sites reach hundreds of thousands of skaters per day. Some of you are spending a huge amount of time on these

websites. In fact, if you want to see where things are going, you only need to look at what’s called the “attention economy.” The concept first came to light in 1971 and was developed by Herbert Simon. His words were prescient: “…in an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.” As I have often mentioned, more is published in ONE DAY on the Internet than I could create in a LIFETIME of publishing Concrete

Wave magazine. So where does this leave a magazine publisher? Simple. If you aren’t deeply resonating with your audience and creating a truly remarkable magazine, your audience will not give you any attention. Once that happens, you are on a slippery slope to becoming irrelevant.

This is why I spend so much time thinking of ways to keep Concrete Wave not just highly relevant, but something that truly speaks to your passion for skateboarding. We know that the act of skateboarding is much more than just pushing four wheels. Our goal over the next decade is continuously polish the magazine – to keep hitting you with exceptional images and stories. But more than this, we see our goal as one of connecting the world’s skaters. We also want to give back to skateboarding. To

this end we are working with a number of independent skate shops to ensure they are successful. Our recently released iPhone Application is there to offer you great deals on purchases. That’s right, your 99-cent investment actually does something useful: It saves you money. The more people who download this App, the more you’ll be helping indie shops and skate companies. Here’s a bonus: 30 cents goes to help Silverfish handle their massive bandwidth charges. Their growth has been so explosive that it’s getting completely ridiculous.

In 2010 you will see Concrete Wave magazine popping up in a lot of places. If you happen to be one of the many who are planning to visit the Warped Tour, make sure you stop by our booth. We are working with a number of non-profits on

the Tour to help spread their message. In an upcoming issue, you’ll learn more about a unique passport program we’ve developed. We know you will enjoy participating. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, you’ll have a chance to win more than $50,000 in merchandise. For those of you who can’t make the Tour, don’t panic, there will be an online version. They say that 1990 was the year that skateboarding changed. I know one thing about that year: It was to be the last year I would buy a skate mag for quite some time. At the time, it seemed that skateboarding had changed in a direction that I couldn’t quite comprehend. It didn’t seem to be about inclusion. For the past 20 years I have wondered when the tide would turn. When would we get to a place in skate-

boarding that embraced all skaters? When would we get back to the simple pleasure of just riding everything and not worrying about wearing the fashion of skateboarding? I am not sure what the 2010s will bring. All I know is that you can never go back. With each year that passes, the messages contained in CW continue to resonate more widely. You can sense the momentum; you can see the change. A number of people are wondering, when does the tipping point hit? I figure it will happen when it happens. Meanwhile, I wish you the very best not only for the new year, but also for the new decade. No matter what happens, we won’t waver in our commitment to create a magazine that deeply resonates with you. But then again, if you read this far, you probably already knew that!

EVERYTHINGIS ILLUMINATED

Welcome to 2010. An entire decade is now behind us. Considering what we encountered as a planet over the last 10 years, that’s probably not a bad thing! Then again, 2002 was the year I launched Concrete Wave, and we’re still standing. At times like this, of such unpredictability and volatility, I am glad I have my family, friends and skateboarding. I sense you feel exactly the same way.

I chose the above photo because it combines so many things in one image. I love how the photo showcases not just skateboarding, but also words illuminated against classic architecture. It is truly a stunning piece, and it fits perfectly as a metaphor for the combination of digital and real-world.

This is also something I feel we accomplish with the publication of each issue. By using the power of the Web, we harness the creative energy of dozens of writers and photographers from around the world. This is one of the reasons that Concrete Wave is truly a unique publication. We want to keep improving your experiences with the magazine. To this end, we have undertaken three significant steps forward:

•We have revamped our entire website. Thanks to the hard-working folks at dangerdynamite.com, we now have a website that brings us into the new decade. It’s a nice layout, easy to navigate and best of all, you can see all the ads

from the current issue — complete with links! Thank you, Frank Collins, for an awesome job.

•We launched an iPhone Application. This was something I had been trying to get rolling for quite some time. You can view featured artists and photographers, along with ads, and post a pic or words on the “wall” section. But the real benefit of the application is that a number of retailers are offering special offers. Just visit the iTunes Store and search for Concrete Wave. You’ll find us!

•We’ve teamed up with the 2010 Warped Tour to help non-profits. This is a significant departure for the magazine, but we know it will increase our exposure. Thanks to the tremendous support of our sponsors, we’ll be at every stop of the Tour. Make sure you stop by our booth and get involved in learning more about some of the amazing non-profits at the Tour. You’ll learn more about what we plan to do, but suffice to say we’re giving away more than $50,000 in prizes during the Tour.

We have lots more surprises to come. My sincere thanks to all who support Concrete Wave. I get the feeling this is going to be a spectacular year…and decade!

Enjoy the issue, Michael Brooke, Publisher/Editor

Braden Wahr.

Photo: Chris Garrison

THANKS, BUT NO THANKS

What were you THINKING?! Since subscribing last year, the arrival of Concrete Wave magazine has become an event in my life. The treats have brought a smile, and have all been put to good use. Then, last week, the Holiday 2009 issue. Grabbed it at Landyachtz, and laughed with delight over the articles and pics with Carly and Charles. Amazing pics of Sergio and Christian and another whole dimension with the Zombies ad. Hilarious letter about a secret love, and promise of more laughter to come with the discovery of “Life Aboard the Loco Express.” I couldn’t wait to get on the ferry and have a good read.

I had a few minutes before we left the shop, so I kept browsing. Then I saw the ad on page 92. It jumped right out and soured my day. Michael, you blew it. If I wanted to see T & A, I’d pick up a copy of Hustler Concrete Wave does not need to run ads like this, and frankly, I will cancel my subscription if another one shows up. Women have been fighting for respect for so friggin’ long in this sorry world, and still have a huge row to hoe in the skateboard community. Ads like this demean us, your magazine and skateboarding. Sinking to T & A and “suggestive” copy to sell a product put me right back in the ’50s, and I so don’t want to go back there. So please, grow up, grow some respect, and tell companies who submit ads like that, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Carole R. Garden Bay, BC

Carole,

Letter of the month receives a prize pack from Original Skateboards

Thanks for your e-mail. I deliberated with myself and my wife when this ad first crossed my desk. I had a suspicion that it would probably raise some eyebrows. I even took the time to contact the advertiser. My initial thought was that it probably made sense to simply ban the ad. But then I started to think about what that really would mean. The fact remains that the woman pictured in the photo is wearing a bikini. It’s not something you’d see in Hustler – because in that magazine, you wouldn’t see the bikini. I thought about all of the Reef Brazil ads and other types of images I’ve seen over the years, and I realized that this ad wasn’t that out of the ordinary. I am sorry that the image has offended you, but I sense that to ban this ad would have led to a slippery slope of censorship that I am not prepared to go down. – Ed.

ELIMINATION OF SILLINESS

I hope all is well. I just want to take some time to suggest that you reduce/limit or eliminate images of skaters without helmets in your magazine or/and website. Given the increasing number of injuries, I do not believe that you are contributing to the elimination of this silliness that some skaters like to call CORE.

Regards

Bola

All Boards Sports, Colorado

MONDAY, MONDAY

I just hung up the 2010 CW calendar in my office and noticed a slight issue. It seems each week ends in a Monday, not a Saturday. So throughout 2010 we seem to have two Mondays per week and no Saturday. Bummer. Love the thing otherwise; awesome pix!

Mike S.

This was a pretty brutal error, but not as brutal as what we originally had – due to a computer meltdown we had the 2009 calendar for the 2010 calendar. We caught that error, but unfortunately we didn’t catch the extra Monday. We sincerely apologize for the mistake. By the way, the calendar is still usable. Just remember what the Mamas and the Papas sang: “Monday, Monday” – Ed.

THE WISH

I just picked up a Concrete Wave for the first time. I just had to write to you, because there is not often that I read a magazine and think something like “Wow, what a magazine.”

I run a small snowboard brand called Alien Snowboards., It’s been small for some years, and [I’m] now in the process of making it better known and getting boards in the shops. Well, I wish someone was making [a] magazine like yours of snowboarding!

Sincerely,

Jari N. Finland

BROADENING INTEREST

I have recently re-subscribed to CW and wondered whether we would receive the November edition. I ask as it has a write-up on the Eastbourne Speed Days which my son and I would particularly like to have. CW is an absolutely top product. My 11-yearold and I started skating about 18 months ago with no previous history in the sport. I find that we both re-read the articles again and again. This is a real testimony to the quality and depth in the magazine. Also it has definitely helped us broaden out the interest we have - we now skate slalom, downhill and park, and CW has definitely helped inspire our interest across the different areas. Many thanks for a quality product.

Tristan B. Brighton, United Kingdom

BORN FREE - letter of the month

I recently bought the Landyachtz Evo, 41.5 inches of streamlined downhill decadence for this Holiday season. With it came a Concrete Wave magazine and an “Evolutions” DVD. After reading the magazine and watching the movie, I realized that in skateboarding the rider makes his own rules, unlike in other sports. I saw all of the team riders on their boards looking extremely happy and I was stoked. I couldn’t wait to bomb some hills or do some freestyle sliding. I have fallen hopelessly in love with my board and I am attached to it. Concrete Wave inspired me to do more freestyle riding with my downhill board. I thank Concrete Wave for the birth of my freestyle “career.”

Josh K.

Nick Grasso braves the cold. Photo: Katie Grasso

NOTEWORTHY PRODUCTS, PEOPLE, EVENTS

PARADOX

ventional methods were challenged and materials were reconsidered to develop this deck. The board is designed with maple, biaxial fiberglass, a hyperlite wood core and ash enforcements. Special features include a high concave and wedged flushcuts for Crail trucks which give the board sharp turning, controllable slides and stability at speed. customlongskates.com

CW READERS’

CHOICE AWARDS

All readers of Concrete Wave are invited to cast their ballots for their favorite skate companies. These are our first annual awards and are presented by tailtap.com. One lucky winner will receive a $500 shopping spree from Tailtap. The deadline is fast approaching: February 15, 2010. Visit bit.ly/6xfrKv

PARIS

2010

CONCRETE WAVE READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Paradox Grip is the first technologically and spiritually advanced grip tape on the market. The new “Paradox Shaolin Grip Tape Formula” is approved by Master Greg Yao to improve your balance, flexibility, power and endurance on and off the board. Its construction will increase traction with its flexible liner and 70- and 80-grit silicon carbide. Ten percent of their gross profits are donated to the Doogood Conservatory, a non-profit organization that provides free skateboards to underprivileged children. paradoxgrip.com

COMET

The Voodoo Doll is yet another collaborative skateboard release from Comet Skateboards. Comet team members and riders from Northern and Southern California started chopping their Voodoos down and letting Comet know all about it. The result is a 36” topmount with two wheelbases and burly wheel wells. cometskateboards.com

NERSH

What does nersh mean?

Nersh = Rad. They went with rad because they’re from Cali, and their wheels are hella gnar-bar wide –70mm. getsomenersh.com

a leader in advanced core engineering since 2006, is proud to introduce wheels molded with its new “Mini-EC” core. Designed for wheels 70mm and smaller, the new core saves weight and adds rebound energy to the inside lip — like its larger inspiration, the original “Energy Conversion” core used in Speed Vents and Blast Waves. First out of the gate are the 69mm Hot Spots in orange 78A and blue 81A, and the 66mm Hot Spots in blue 82A. The new core makes them the world’s lightest carving wheels in their size category. Visit seismicskate.com or call (720) 937-8948.

RIVIERA

The new 195mm Paris truck should be out right about now, and it’s sure to please folks that have been asking for a larger cast hanger. The 195s come stock with two 90A Divine barrel bushings and a flat washer on top, so these trucks are very race-ready out of the box. Even though they said “out of the box,” it doesn’t mean they actually come in a box. It’s just a figure of speech, so please don’t e-mail them asking where the box is! paristrucks.com

SK8KINGS

Sk8Kings has just released a new gear bag –featuring rugged canvas, fully padded construction and heavy-duty stitching for added durability. The clamshell-style lid zips open for full easy access to the contents. The bag has a moisture-resistant inside lining and a large zipper pocket under the lid and is sized at 39” x 11” x 9” to carry two completes, safety gear and plenty of accessories with ease. Black with white logo screen – 100% custom made in So Cal. Available now at sk8kings.com

LANDSHARK

Landshark Skateboards was conceived from a passion for surfing and other board sports. Each skateboard is hand shaped using the finest woods, and a little bit of soul is carved into each unique board. Landsharks are designed to emulate the feel of slashing on a wave, with Original Carving Trucks. As a gesture of our love for the sea, Landshark will donate 5% of the proceeds from the sale of each board to various shark and ocean conservation efforts. landsharkskateboards.com

SEISMIC

Most skaters don’t know that wheel cores cost far

New for Winter 2009/Spring 2010, Riviera presents their Great Wave (9.5” x 46”) and La Ola (9” x 44”) decks and completes. They come standard with the new (Riviera exclusive) Paris Truck Co. color combo and the new Divine Urethane High Grade 70mm Touch wheels. These decks are pressed with 10-ply hard rock Canadian maple, then inlaid with three strips of mahogany for that classic retro skateboard look and feel. Visit rivieralongboards.com or call (949) 515-6209.

MADRID

The Bubbler is a dual-purpose mini from Madrid. Not only will it keep you rolling, but it will lighten up your day when used as a bubble machine. The Bubbler is 27” long and 8.25” wide. It comes with Fly Paper grip tape, 56mm Cadillac wheels and a small bottle of bubbles. fullcircledistribution.com

SURF-RODZ

Surf-Rodz produced a perfect example of limiting steps and maximizing abilities in the creation of their new precision truck system. Not only is the system adjustable, trucks can be fully customized per order. A rider can go from a 200mm standard length from axle to axle up to a wide 240mm length. Surf-Rodz also introduces a “no-nuts construction,” where riders will use a hex (Allen) key to remove and swap axles, wheels and bearings from the truck hangers. surf-rodz.com

NIMBUS

more to develop than wheels themselves – which is why most brands use generic factory cores. Seismic,

More than a year of development, with race testing done by some of the top riders in North America, has culminated in this final production model. The front and rear hangers are individually designed to serve different purposes; each pivots on a 50° baseplate, but due

NOTEWORTHY PRODUCTS, PEOPLE, EVENTS

to the adjusted placement of the axle, the front hanger turns at a 48° angle and the rear at 40°. nimbustrucks.com

HILLBILLY

Hillbilly is a slang term referring to people who manufacture skateboards in the crowded coastal areas of the USA. Due to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory. Hillbilly Skateboards is a welcomed side project from the crew at Splitt Lipp Manufacturing in Southern California. At first glance a Hillbilly board looks like just like it sounds, a board made on a Hillbilly budget. But a closer look reveals something quite different. All Hillbillies are handmade in the USA with American maple, the finest adhesives, and with great attention to detail. The graphics are done in-house by Chris “Woogie” Schirner. hillbillyskateboards.com and/or splittlipp.com

DIVINE

Divine wheels are made in the USA, using a longlasting, high-end, race-inspired formula. The unique placement of the core and larger I-beam frame makes for a faster and more solid ride. Once they’ve been slid down a bit and worn in, they will be a little easier to drift with, but will still have excellent grip through turns where grip is required. The longer-lasting formula means that it holds its shape better throughout the life of the wheel, which means they stay grippy as hell until worn down to the core! Divine bushings are poured with a super high-rebound urethane that has more snap back than your average bushings. divinewheelco.com

LUCKY DICE LONGBOARDS

ZOMBIE HAWGS

Landyachtz put these wheels through countless tests and redesigns from their riders in order to bring longboarders the ideal wheel for freeriding. The shape and urethane have been optimized to ensure the smoothest, most predictable sliding, and the wheels have gone through a stone finishing process so they don’t need wearing in. landyachtz.com

EARTHWING

for more turning leverage. Also new are the Black Spoked Core wheels, which are 78A durometer and ride crazy fast. iaboards.com

BLACKKROSS

LVBC is proud to introduce their Lucky Dice Longboards. Made from eight plies of premium Baltic birch, the boards are some of the lightest, most flexible longboards on the market. The 9” x 47” pintail is available in six colors: red, blue, green, yellow, orange and pink. Available with either Randal or Paris 180mm trucks and 70mm Retro wheels or 71mm Bennett Alligators. All Lucky Dice Longboards are made in the USA. lvbc.com

BC LONGBOARDS

BC Longboards hand-builds bamboo/fiberglass composite boards designed to carve bigger hills and push rider performance to its limits. Boards are built with concave and convex cambers to provide a very lively and responsive ride that is loaded with energy. Free custom graphics come with every board. bclongboards.com

Engineered and built for speed by Earthwing, the Supercharger now features a graphic that conveys the true power of this longboard. Inspired by ’70s drag racing and muscle cars, this graphic designed by Kaspar Heinrici makes it look like it’s hauling before the wheels hit the ground. This model has won the Broadway Bomb with Kaspar pushing it four times consecutively; it is only fitting that it now bears his artwork. earthwingskateboards.com

CONSPIRACY

Lindsey Kuhn, owner of Conspiracy Skateboards, has been screen-printing since 1984. Conspiracy has also been helping to revive the lost art of the Rock Poster. For the past 18 years Lindsey has been creating posters for shows around the world, keeping his D.I.Y. ethic alive by printing and selling his own work through his print company called SWAMP. “Lure of the SWAMP” is his first book. swamposters.com or swampco.com

POWELL-PERALTA

Powell-Peralta has just rereleased its first video, “The Bones Brigade Video Show” in a Special Edition DVD. It has been completely remastered and features director commentary from Stacy Peralta. It also comes with bonus footage including Steve Caballero at the Turning Point Ramp and the Del Mar Skate Ranch. powell-peralta.com

INSANE ASYLUM

The 10” x 41” Creep is a newly designed all-around speedboard. The seven-ply Canadian maple construction with taco concave makes the deck an amazing board for dropthrough or topmount riders. Drop it for low, tight-to-the-road feel, or top mount it

Blackkross is proud to announce the arrival of their new skatepark Pool decks in collaboration with Consolidated Skateboards. These decks are seven-ply rock hard maple and come in four sizes: 7.50”, 7.75”, 8” and 8.5”. Original graphic by French local artist and friend Jean Rémy Tessier. blackkross.fr/boutique

THEEVE

Theeve set out to design the strongest, lightest and best skating truck to date.

Titanium was the obvious choice when it came to taking trucks to the next level. It has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal and is 40% lighter than steel. Theeve has used some of the best computer-aided design in the world to create not only a stronger, lighter truck but a truck that probably turns the best out of any truck on the market. With the unique titanium alloy blend used in the casting process combined with the 6/4 aerospace titanium axle, you get less chance of axle bend and a 40% weight saving over traditional steel axles. theevetrucks.com

STRANGE-HOUSE.NET

The redesigned Nino Almazon model has a steep, wider tail and nose and is lighter than its Formica-bottom brother. They are also introducing a smaller version of the same deck, but with a steep concave, for the vert rider looking for a unique shape and great functionality. The 2010 Purple People Eater is an old-school style spoon-nose concave deck with a wide, surfy tail. Call (703) 869-2499 or go to strange-house.net

NOTEWORTHY

PRODUCTS, PEOPLE, EVENTS

POOL KING

The latest addition to the Power Station Project, a design collaboration between Alva Skates and Pool King Skateboards, is the “ P.P. Cujo,” a mini diamond-tail shape on a pop-deck mold. This deck is ready for street, tranny or cruising. Measurements: 8.75” x 32”, 14.5” WB. One of four models out now. poolkingskateboards.com

TSG

The Kraken is the first-ever helmet that automatically adapts to the head shape of its wearer with the helmet’s inner shell hugging the head like an octopus. This is achieved through segmented EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam. In case of an impact, a chassis keeps the EPS parts together while allowing for enough flexibility to adjust itself to the individual head shape. The Kraken provides enhanced allround protection due to superior fit with improved wearing comfort. ridetsg.com

LANDYACHTZ

school feel with a new-school shape. Also new is the Soldier topmount. Using the same high-quality composite material and construction methods as in their dropthrough model, their exclusive rocker design lowers your center of gravity for stability and locks your foot in for ultra-quick response. Vertically laminated split-core technology with hickory hard wood stringers, exclusive STS fiberglass and Texalium top skin provide a super-solid and responsive platform. Their exclusive RDS rubber damping system uses elastomeric foil around the truck-mounting areas to absorb vibration for added stability and reduced foot fatigue. neversummer.com

SABRE TRUCKS

about the bigger picture. The Gringo 30 is the latest addition to the Gravity line. Built around the principle that boards should be fun, the Gringo delivers on this promise. Super light and maneuverable, the Gringo is a favorite among college campuses and local neighborhoods. Made of the finest maple here in America, she can handle all the abuse you throw at her. gravityskateboards.com

SPORT SCIENCE LAB

Landyachtz decided it’s about time that smaller riders get a dropped board of their own. The Grom Race is a 37” long deck perfect for groms and features a counter angle at the back of the board, giving it greater stability at high speeds. The board also has graphics carved directly into the base, giving it quite a unique look. landyachtz.com

LOADED

In November, Loaded Boards moved into a new location in Culver City, California. Rumor has it that in the downtime of dialing in the new space, the crew has been eating at a sweet local vegetarian Indian dive, drinking Leffe beer like it’s going out of style and skating local spots around town — including a secret fullpipe. Sorry, but it’s a secret. loadedboards.com

NEVER SUMMER

After two years of intense R&D, Never Summer is proud to introduce the Rival. Hard rock maple and thermal-plastic composite construction creates a strong, snappy and light board ideal for pools, sliding, ditch riding or street. The Rival has an old-

Sabre are proud to announce the release of their new 190mm longboard truck – shipping to distributors worldwide now. It features a 190mm hanger, 45-degree baseplate and is built stock with aftermarket Sabre F-Type bushings. sabretrucks.com

KAHUNA

Kahuna Creations just released the Haka Cruiser longboard. The Haka Cruiser delivers in control, stability and soul riding.

The deck is 10” x 47” and features original Hawaiian tribal tattoo artwork by David Ray Gould. kahunacreations.com

FACTORY13

If you are looking for a unique approach to become a better skater, you might be interested in what the folks at Sport Science Lab have developed. They have created a number of unique exercises that quickly develop core strength and more. ImBalance Disks improve foot and toe strength, flexibility of the ankle, balance and leg strength. These disks replicate the exact body position used in skateboarding. Training with these disks ensures the central nervous system is constantly challenged to control itself. You learn to better control your body, and you’ll skate with more speed and strength. sportsciencelab.com

SCHTANK

Factory13 experimental skateboard mfg. has moved once again and now is up and running full tilt. Focusing on small/custom runs, they can pursue almost any idea or design we can come up with. Silkscreening and unique color schemes are on the plate for today; creativity is the most important ingredient. Design, shape and silkscreening are all done in house, by hand. Call (440) 488-0315 or check out factory13.org

GRAVITY

The Burning Spear 35 is a revolutionary new board construction. Using the strength of natural jute fibers, this board avoids using any fiberglass or epoxy in its construction. Truly a unique board, this is the perfect campus cruiser for the individual that thinks

Oregon. The 20-year-old is ranked 27th in the world and climbing. We’re always looking for more real core shops to sell carry our brand. schtankskateboards.com

SOCALSKATESHOP.COM

SoCalSkateShop.com (SCS) are pleased to announce the opening of their first retail store, in Mission Viejo, California. After serving their online customers for six years, SCS are stoked to finally have a retail store. Feel free to visit their “brick and mortar” shop or their online store. Drop by the retail shop at 24002 Via Fabricante, Suite 205, Mission Viejo, CA 92691, call (949) 600-5876 or go to socalskateshop.com

Schtank Skateboards welcomes David McKee from

PRODUCTS, PEOPLE, EVENTS

COLLECTION AGENCY

By Michael Early

This is a Brewer deck that was given to me by the current owner to restore. Brewer Surf Company entered the skateboard scene with riders like Rodney Jesse (RIP) blazing incredible lines at many of the new parks in southern Cal. (Do a check on Rodney and you will see what I’m talking about!)

This deck is an oak channel bottom with beveled rails, a step up from the typical decks of the day. It also has a wedge tail, inserted into a slice in the tail and shaped around the edges. It had the typical dings and gouges to it but was overall a solid deck. After hand sanding it and filling the damage (taking care to preserve the original silkscreened logos), I refinished it in the original lacquer and set it up with ACS 500 trucks and Hang Ten wheels. This is a great collection piece. It’s a 28” x 7¼” single kick, circa 1975-1976. Approx. value: $400 to $500.

LOADED COLLEGE TOUR

On Nov. 25, 2009, Silverfish welcomed a new Kingston to the session.

When you got out onto the floor everyone was cheering after the announcement of your name, and when you landed a trick everyone went crazy. It was how it is supposed to be and how I dreamed it could be! There was a real sense of community among the skaters as well as the spectators, who I think all appreciated the show, which opened them up not only to this form, but to skateboarding in general. To emphasize this, there was time built into the schedule to allow anyone who wanted to learn to skate the opportunity to do so. Needless to say, the floor was packed full of people who either wanted to learn new tricks or to get on a board for the very first time. Many of the top pros and amateurs from the competition got out on the floor and taught a lesson or two before the finals. It was a great way to really connect with the community and show appreciation and respect all around.

The first Loaded College Tour took place in fall 2009, bringing smiles and sore legs to college campuses everywhere. Louis Pilloni and James Kelly trekked to 11 schools in California and Arizona with the focus of beefing up longboard clubs and communities. At each stop lessons and demos were available to trap innocent, meandering students into giving skateboarding a try. To get your school involved, e-mail louis@loadedboards.com

GIRLS RIDERS ORGANIZATION

Girls Riders Organization (GRO) builds awareness and participation of girls in action sports through inspiration, education and a network of support. 2010 marks GRO’s fifth National Tour of workshops, contests, demos and more, as well as Local GRO Crews growing in communities coast to coast. From boards to bikes, there is something for all females no matter what their age or experience. To find out more and to learn how you can get involved, visit girlsriders.org

The second annual Boost Mobile Rock the Cradle for Johnny Romano Memorial Contest took place October 24, 2009 in Houston, Texas. More than 1,500 fans came out to the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark to watch this World Cup Skateboarding competition, which is a fundraiser benefiting the Johnny Kicks Cancer Foundation. Pictured in the photo is Councilman Edward Gonzalez, presenting a $5,000 donation from Boost Mobile to Julie Romano, mother of Johnny Romano and founder of the Johnny Kicks Cancer Foundation. Professional skateboarder Pierre-Luc Gagnon (in white) shows his support for the cause. Photo: Eric Sauseda.

FREESTYLE IN THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN

By A.J. Kohn

This was the best contest that I had ever seen in freestyle since the new movement began in 2000! The organization and scheduling were fantastic, and the setting could not have been more perfect – right in the middle of one of the most popular and busy malls in Tokyo – so we had huge crowds of 10,000 throughout the weekend. During every event people surrounded us on three sides on the bottom floor and four sides upstairs and on the escalators behind the jjudges' area.

Speaking of skating, let’s talk for a moment about our hosts and the Japanese skaters. Not only were they amazing skaters with an array of different styles and tricks, they were also all really friendly and kind. Most of them already knew who all of us were, and after the first day of skating all of the foreign skaters had a bunch of new friends and fans. They embraced us like we were family. Speaking on behalf of all the foreign skaters, we will never forget that courtesy and respect.

Many thanks to Murasaki Sports for being the headline sponsor and securing the space, and to the many other sponsors of the event. It will be an event I will always remember, and I can’t wait to come back here. Domo arigato, Nippon!

Pro 1. Günter Mokulys

2. Moichi Shigekazu Suzuki

3. Rene “Shigueto” Marubayashi

Am 1. Greyson Asthon

2. Lyrics Guizhou Suzuki

3. Daiki Suzuki

Girls 1. Yukiko Murayama

2. Sayaka Iino

3. Yoko Rock Hatsukaiti

PUSH FOR THE CURE

By Erian Baxter

This 150-km longboard push event from Hope, B.C. to Vancouver is a celebration and continuation of the

Yoko Rock Hatsukaiti

Shannon Sexton

Per Canguru

PRODUCTS, PEOPLE, EVENTS

ride so far. They kept it all going strong all the way through Burnaby, along Hastings through the downtown east side and into Stanley Park.

publicity. No manager putting it on your schedule.

cross-Canada ride that happened four years ago as a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Then, four riders – Rob Lewis, Aaron Jackson, Carlos Koppen and Benjamin Jordan –came together through a common love of the sport of longboarding and a desire to do something for the people that matter most in their lives: their mothers, sisters, girlfriends, wives, daughters and best friends. Push for the Cure focuses especially on capturing the attention of the younger demographics in order to educate them that the average age of individuals affected by breast cancer is becoming steadily younger.

Now, the Push continues. Starting on October 12, 2009 at the skatepark in Hope, about 50 riders pushed through to Agassiz, about 35 km. The next morning they started out from Agassiz and pushed approximately 70 km to Maple Ridge. We joined this crazy crew at the start of their second day in Agassiz. It was pretty amazing to find all these longboarders fueling up with Tim Hortons doughnuts and A & W food, about to travel more than 40 miles on their boards. They were so stoked and so pumped to get going. My gang (Quinn, Hannah and Kevin) joined in.

Organizer and lead car driver Lori Friesen (also known as Raggie English’s mom) guided the riders along the roads, followed by the affectionately nicknamed “A**holes”; these stellar longboarders worked hard to keep all the other riders safe by going ahead and holding intersections for the convoy to come through and then playing catch-up again. Following this gang was the Albertan truck with original Push rider Rob and friends; the Loco Express, with the ever-entertaining Matt “Hoodie” Shaw; and last but certainly not least, Heather Slota (also known as Mike Slota’s mom) driving the follow car with lights flashing, making sure all riders cleared intersections safely.

This colorful convoy traveled all day, pushing their way into dusk to make it to the Agridome in Maple Ridge for Thanksgiving turkey dinner cooked by family and friends. This was a treat to arrive to, and was well appreciated by all.

The next morning, riders were again fueled up with coffee and doughnuts graciously delivered by Tim Hortons community host, and then they were off again. There was a bit of excitement when they were pulled over by the police, and all the riders promptly posed with hands up against a nearby fence. But the police were just following up on calls about the unusual caravan traveling through the neighborhood. They were impressed, and congratulated the team for being so organized and well planned – and they even phoned ahead to the upcoming municipalities to let them know we were on our way.

After one last rest break at the end of the Barnet Highway, the riders were totally stoked to be coming into Hastings Street and the busiest section of the

This was our family’s first time joining the Push, and it was an amazing experience. Our kids managed to raise a bunch of money, have an unforgettable journey and participate alongside all these other longboarders of all ages and backgrounds, and all for a great cause. The best part of this event is that absolutely anyone can be involved. Just come out, have a good time, and make a difference in your world at the same time. Next year we’ll be there for all three days. See you all in Hope!

VIVA LA COSTA

By Di Dootson Rose

The reunion idea started in the Spring of 2009 as Peter Camann, organizer of the ’70s “Another Roadside Attraction” racing series in Colorado, was saying he was coming to San Diego for business. I said we had to meet up for drinks, dinner, something – just to stay in touch. He said, “Sure!” I asked if there was anyone else in San Diego he’d like to see. He said, “Sure.” I contacted them. They contacted others. And off it went. Soon we were talking to old friends who had moved far away, and they were making plans to come. What developed was a weekend opportunity for us all to meet up.

“Viva La Costa” – so what do those words mean? When I coined the phrase in the ’70s, I knew it captured the feeling we had. We wanted it to last forever. I put it on a long-sleeved blue T-shirt, and I carved the words into a ceramic plaque. Coming together in those hills for four years was magical. We knew it then. It was exciting, challenging, and we were happy. It launched the second generation of the skateboarding industry. We carried those feelings for decades. Those feeling were heartfelt and physical. You only had to turn off I-5 onto La Costa Ave. for your nerves to wake up and start your energy running. When you actually turn onto the top of Box Canyon and drive your car to the top of the “course”, your body reacts and you know it’s the right hill. Your body tells you you’re back. It looks different, but you look right and left and think: “I know that curb.” As you drive down the “course” you think: “I can feel the drop and turn in the fall line.” Kinesthetic memory lives forever.

I knew we needed to be at La Costa. If all those skaters were coming to La Costa, I knew they needed cones to run and racers to watch. I called Tiger Williams to see if he’d find us a place and set up a course. Tiger agreed, and took over setting up something we’d all like. With more and more people planning on coming, I knew we’d need a place to meet up and talk over dinner. John Hughes is friends with pro skater Matt Hensley, who owns the Flying Elephant Pub in Carlsbad, close to La Costa. John also made lodging connections with two motels close to the activities and arranged for a special event discount to those coming to the reunion. “Master Webmaster” Chris Yandall offered his talent to promote the event on two websites. Stan Strocher put all the information together on a detailed flyer. I had been tracking the names of skaters we had lost through the years, and Jim Goodrich agreed to make a “Memorial” poster of them. He then decided to make a “keepsake” poster of the key figures from La Costa racing.

The speeches made at Hensley’s by Tommy Ryan, Mike Williams, Denis Shufeldt, Bob Skoldberg, Henry Hester and Chris Yandall can be viewed on YouTube. The posters are available for free from nationalskateboardreview.com and lacostaboysracing.com, or by contacting Jim Goodrich at jimgoodrich@cox.net

SKATE FOR THE TROOPS

By Alex Mancuso

Mike Mahoney

That’s what we brought back to La Costa on the reunion weekend of Dec. 5, 2009. “We” are those that were there then and those that feel it now. It started the way we did it then: One person brought a friend, and they brought a few more. We brought who we liked and did what we liked. No sponsor. No

On November 14, 2009, thirty-two skaters rode from Oceanside to Torrey Pines State Beach in southern California. These skaters, young and old, rode their boards 27 miles to raise funds and awareness for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. This not-for-profit foundation uses donations to help support injured Marines and Sailors in the American Armed Forces. The event, hosted by Honey Skateboards’ Derek Smith, earned $838 on the day of the event. This does not include any online donations to the Semper Fi Fund. Even though the event is over, you can still donate to the cause. Just visit semperfifund.org and select Skate for the Troops to donate. Thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers.

Photo:

Photo: David C. Kennedy

NOTEWORTHY

PRODUCTS, PEOPLE, EVENTS

GRIND FOR LIFE

By Tim Ebaugh

Wearing a vintage powder blue “Grind for Life” T-shirt (and a pair of those rugged Barbie knee pads), a young lady of no more than 8 years old tugged incessantly at her father’s finger. “Daddy, Daddy, is that him, the guy on TV?” She stared, star-struck, as pro skater extraordinaire Andy Macdonald flew by and somewhat over her little blonde head. Moments later, Andy Mac, Sharpie in hand, asked the little girl her name, patted her shoulder and signed her shirt. The very next Monday, that little girl – my daughter Lauren – took her Andy Mac-signed, vintage powder blue “Grind for Life” T-shirt to school for show and tell.

This was just another little stoke-generating moment that typifies a Grind for Life event, the latest and aforementioned being the 7th Annual Benefit and Awards Ceremony held Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Cocoa Beach (Florida) Skatepark. I sat down with Grind for Life founder and two-time cancer survivor Mike Rogers to get his take on this year’s event and the seventh season of the GFL Skatepark Series in general.

Tim Ebaugh:From your perspective, how did this year’s event stack up against those of years past?

Mike Rogers: Every year is off the hook. The level of skating is top notch. It’s always great to see everyone come together at the end of the year to help others and have fun skateboarding.

TE: Who were your major sponsors? Who were the skate pros involved this year?

MR: PacSun was the title sponsor this year, and we had product sponsors like Powell, Bones, DC, 187, Hurley, Toy Machine, Skullcandy, Matador, Sambazon and SLINGZ. The pros that skated the demo in this year’s event were Andy Macdonald, Tim Johnson, Buck Smith and Cody Eurich.

TE: I know that this event brings out a lot of legendary Florida skaters. Other than those already named, who else showed up?

MR: Dan and Andrew Murray, Bruce Walker, Mark Buncy, Mike Barnes, Mark Lake, Mike Lake, Charlie Crank, Todd Webb and Robbie Weir, to name a few.

TE: GFL is such a great cause; can you share with us how much money was raised at the benefit and maybe tell us a little bit about how these funds go to help cancer patients?

MR: $6,350 was raised at the event, which included a $2,000 donation from SLINGZ Skateboard Strap. The funds go to help people with cancer who are traveling long distances for treatment. Grind For Life also educates and inspires people about cancer survival and recovery through sharing my story of surviving cancer twice.

TE: I know that you travel extensively and have the support and backing of several high-profile skateboarders and sponsors, but for those who may not have heard of the cause, how can the ordinary Joe or average skateboarder help or donate to GFL?

MR: GFL takes donations online at grindforlife.org or on our Facebook Cause Page or by PayPal. We also have a thrift shop called Thrift For Life, so both new and used merchandise can be donated. People can come out and attend our events to show support. People can also volunteer their time or services.

TE: I went with you to the Dew Tour in Orlando this year, where Grind for Life was presented a check for 10 grand by Matador (Jack Link’s Beef Jerky) and their team rider Adam Taylor. That was awesome! Was this the biggest single donation the GFL has ever received?

MR: It was one of biggest donations to GFL, and we were really grateful to be able to immediately help a 14year-old girl traveling from Orlando to North Carolina for treatments. Matador is changing lives!

TE: Congratulations on being nominated into the Florida Skateboard Hall of Fame this year. You are most deserving for sure. Any final thoughts you’d like to share?

MR: I would like to thank all the GFL supporters out there! I would also like to thank the doctors in New York who saved my life Sept 3, 2003. Now, I am able to skate around the world to share my story and give hope to others who are fighting for their lives.

2009 Grind For Life Skatepark Series Final results:

9 & Under: 1. Julius Jimenez 2. Tyler Hunger 3. Cameron Miller

10-12: 1. Jamie Foy 2. Brennan Campbell 3. Isaac Crawford

Girls: 1. Marlee Miller 2.Molly Kirk 3. Lea Taylor

13-15: 1. Anthony Henderson 2. Ryan Classe 3. Gage Boan

16-29: 1. Brad Horner 2. Eddie Castro 3. Randy Tepper

30-39: 1. Rich Payne 2. Scooter Newell 3. Steve Workman

40-over: 1. (tie) Mark Buncy, Kurt Thuemmler 3. Will Cox

Sponsored: 1. Alex Sorgente 2. Cason Kirk 3. Marshall LaFrance

Grind for Life gets a big check from Matador and Adam Taylor.

Photo: Tim Ebaugh

Skate Reports, Forecasts, Stoke and More…

Slidin’ Time is Now!

Each November brings the big kahuna of sliding comps, Gravity’s SlideFest. In a week that also had slide events on both coasts, skaters from all over the US, Canada, Europe and Brazil showed up to rip their best on San Diego’s infamous Pump Station slalom hill. Talent and stoke were everywhere and King Sergio uncorked his magic yet again to conquer the Pro class. The judges were blown away by how far sliding has progressed in a few years, and how many outstanding, tresloucado Brazilians were out there! Check out the Forums, Galleries and links to YouTube’s Silverfish Channel to see what went down. Pick up the stoke and put together your own local slidefest! Wet asphalt? Snow? Ice? Hot Aussie summer? They all work, so go do it!

Skatin’s Dead, Long Live Skatin’!

If you judge your sport by what’s been happening at the trade shows, you’d think skateboarding was stale and dead. “Innovation” for some is only in the form of new tshirt designs and, huh?... longboards from just about every “street” company that’s still in business! The fauxcore thinks it’s how to say “beer run” and have tradeshow booths with some dude to tell y’all about what you’re already skating! It’s the ASR show, baby, and we’ll stomp the halls, photo the hot models and give you daily peeks behind the frayed curtains of commerce this January. Hit the ‘Fish to see and read all about it and don’t worry ‘bout a thing: skateboarding’s better than ever!

Paste ’em and Post ’em.

Where’d you slap your ‘Fish sticker? Bottom of your board, taco shop wall, locker door, Police Chief’s bumper, Vanessa Hudgen’s cat… all good places to enhance with your Silverfish decal! Stick it on, take a pic, post it up for fame and then, Go Skate! In February, longboarders will show where they’ve put skate stickers and score some schwag for doin’ it. Log on with yer mobi thing and check it out.

SANTA CRUZ SKATEBOARDS CRUZ MISSILE II

Santa Cruz has re-engineered their famous long-lost multiangled and rockered Cruz Missile II Concave mold with great success. Although not yet available at the time, they sent us the Jeff Kendall and Steve Alba shapes sans graphics (Jägermeister and Tiger, respectively) – just to see what we thought of the new mold. The decks were mounted up with Independent 169 Stage X trucks, 60mm, 95A Bullet wheels, and the wheels were loaded with the hot new Independent bearings. The Kendall measured up at 10” x 31.5” while the Salba came in at 10.3” x 31” –both offering an adjustable wheelbase by being dual-drilled on the front. We were stoked beyond belief after rolling for just a few minutes. The footlock provided by the Cruz Missile concave is remarkable. Oddly, I don’t remember such a setup being that good back in the day,

ware. We opted for Sk8Kings Slasher wheels loaded with Powell Swiss Ceramic bearings.This thing is fun! Our need for speed, grip, rip and grinds was copiously fulfilled –a very cool ride with all the parts contributing to it. johnnymojo.com

DECKCRAFTERS CUSTOM MONOCOCH

sandwiched between an upper and lower laminate layer. Mix in a really nice concave with the Monococh construction and you’ve got a super-stiff deck. It goes where you point it, hard and fast. This is the kind of deck that you don’t think about, because it’s just right. Deckcrafters has a full line of ready-to-go “Model” decks, but if you’re into customs, they’ve got you more than covered. When ordering a custom you have two constructions to choose from: seven-ply and Monococh. You then have 10 concave/wheelbase options to choose from; it would be really hard not to get exactly what you want. To top it off, Deckcrafters’ craftsmanship is absolutely outstanding.

deckcrafters-skateboards.com

but these are nothing short of awesome! Both decks have taken up a permanent spot in my quiver. The decks, complete with graphics – the Kendall available in a light blue dip and a black dip, and the Salba available in blue and white dips — were due to be released in mid-December and are probably already in the shops as you read this. Get one. Or two. santacruzskateboards.com

I had heard from normally very reliable sources that you could do no better than a Deckcrafters deck from Mr. Chuck Hults — a serious claim that had to be investigated. I contacted Deckcrafters through their website and ordered a custom-shaped “Monococh” 34” deck. I’d been playing with a shape for a while and wanted to get Chuck’s take on it. The deck is 34” long, 9” wide, 7” nose and tail, drilled for old and new baseplates. My mainstay of riding is ditches. I set the Deckcrafters up for just such work. The Monococh construction is basically maple plies

Rotule is based in Quebec, Canada. Over the past few years the company has started to really ramp up their production along with the overall quality of their boards. They are detail-oriented and bring a sense of precision and flair to their product line. The Brainwash model is designed for carving but functions equally as a downhill board. Rotule don’t just use wood in their deck construction. They also incorporate carbon fiber. This gives the board some real energy. Another unique feature about Rotule is their use of graphics. The company uses a super-abrasive clear grip on the tops of their decks, which allows for the placement of graphics. It’s an unusual effect, and it makes the board stand out. The Brainwash deck has quite a bit of concave; combined with the abrasive grip, your feet will feel locked in. The Brainwash came with Retro BigZigs and Bear trucks. It made for a truly fast ride. While Rotule is somewhat new, the evidence clearly indicates that they are creating some very worthwhile products.

rotulelongboards.com

AMERICAN NOMAD MONTY NOLDER

’80s skate legend Monty Nolder has joined the American Nomad team and has a hot new deck as a result. The new deck measures in at 9” x 32.75” with a 14.75” wheelbase, a 6.75” tail and a whopping 7.25” nose. The concave is nice, too – providing ample footlock and pop and rating in the upper medium area in terms of depth. We mounted it up with 60mm 97A Creature OJ III wheels loaded with Powell Swiss 6 bearings hung from Stage X Indys, which were outfitted with Khiro’s red 90A bushings and bolted down with Khiro’s awesome risers. We liked the 60mm OJs as much as the 63s we reviewed recently. The six-ball Swiss bearings allowed them to rev up nice and fast, while the Indys provided great turning, solid grinds and stable landing gear. Although the wheelbase on the Nolder is rather short, it felt nimble and easily maneuvered. Fully stoked on this one. americannomadskates.com

POWELL JORDAN HOFFART

The Hoff’s new stick on Powell is an interesting one – despite its fairly standard street configuration of 31.75” x 7.75” with a wheelbase of 14”, a 6.875” nose and 6.625” tail manifested in a basic popsicle shape.The Hoff deck features Powell’s new Ligament™ technology – a trio of reinforcing polymeric straps added to the layup that, according to Powell, make it break-resistant, while increasing the pop, and without making it heavier than a regular maple deck. We set the Hoff deck up with Stage X Indy 149s loaded with blue Khiro 85A bushings and 54mm Bones STF wheels loaded with Bones Reds. The Indys fit perfectly and grinded forever, and the STF wheels were sufficiently grippy and fast while allowing one to revert out of anything. The blue 85A Khiro bushings made for some real turning. The deck was stiff, strong and served up some serious pop – the K12 concave being in part responsible. Unlike Powell’s ill-fated foray into alternative interior layup material in the ’80s with Boneite™, Powell’s new Ligament™ technology seems to be a winner. skateone.com

SPIKE SAYS SUBSCRIBE!

BENNETT 29AT & 34TG

It’s been forever since we’ve seen a deck out of Bennett, and they don’t disappoint with this duo of completes. The 29 AT (All Terrain) measures in at 8” x 29” with a 15.5” wheelbase and features a nice mellow concave, while the 34TG (Tommy Gun) sizes up to 7.75” x 34” with a 19” wheelbase and features a slight rocker. Both are seven-ply hard rock maple. Both decks are set up with Bennett’s deep- and fast-turning Vector 5.0 “truks” and their unique urethane bushings — which make the already hot geometry seemingly ignite in the turning department, with exceptional rebound. Hung off the Vectors are 62mm, 78A limited-edition glitter Alligator wheels — for full bling effect. Don’t be fooled, the bling is accompanied by plenty of sizzle. The distinctive hole in the nose serves to facilitate hanging it up with a nail or locking it to a bike rack. Both decks also have wheel wells positioned optimally for the Vector geometry. Available via tailtap.com

The world needs another skateboard company like a skateboard needs a third truck, 5th or 6th wheel, a set of magnets, straps, etc… But hey, that hasn’t stopped countless would-be Einsteins and Edisons from giving it the ol’ college try, so why not:

★ START YOUR OWN SKATEBOARD COMPANY.

Like most things, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, or should I say skin your knees?

Seriously, folks, always wear your helmet when starting a skateboard company. Hell, you should probably put your helmet on before even reading this.

I’m going to tell you how to build a board press and, you know, really start your own skateboard company. I have no real experience in that department, outside of watching it and talking to people who do it. I’ll be talking about having boards made somewhere. Even if you do not press your own wood, you can still be involved in some of the production aspects, depending on your desires.

Some folks in the industry are bound to get annoyed by the fact that I’m giving this advice. It always seems to happen when you try to teach people how to do something themselves instead of just buying someone else’s finished product. But nobody is going to lose their job over this. If you have the

drive to really give this a go, you’ll figure it out on your own anyway, or your bank account may die trying. This article will not create skateboard companies out of thin air, but it may give some people a gentle push or a leg up.

★ FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR ANGLE IS.

Why are you starting a company? Do you see some segment whose needs aren’t being met? That’s a bit far-fetched in this marketplace…but maybe there are a few niches that aren’t being exploited yet. Is it purely because you think your own designs are boss? You don’t have to have some deep meaning be-

hind your motivations; it could be as simple as thinking it would be fun. The important thing is to be honest with yourself, because that will make a difference in how you execute your plan. A common battle cry among small startups goes something like this: “I just want to provide quality skateboards at a price that kids can afford.”

If you honestly believe that there already aren’t affordable, quality boards available to the general skateboarding public, you are delusional. Skateboards are a commodity for the most part – so much so that some of the Chinese blanks available on eBay have gotten cheap enough to offset the shorter lifespan caused by the drop in quality. Some skaters find it cheaper to ride these boards for a shorter period of time and then break out a fresh one when they snap or go soft –almost like a pack of gum, and truly, Disposable. This is what you are up against, and it would seem like an impossible situation, but don’t worry, it’s not as grim as it sounds. Fortunately, skateboarders tend to be more emotional than rational as a population. I’m going to break down some very broad gen-

eralizations of motivating concepts for starting your own skateboard company.

Artsy-fartsy: You’ve got an aesthetic that isn’t being done by anyone right now, although better check back next week because one of the majors might decide to play with a style for a quarter or two. Maybe you are an artist, or an art appreciator. I know of a small company that started off as a lark and has since morphed into a series of limited runs from artists that catch the eye of the owner. Originally the owner came up with design concepts and had them executed. He’s had more success and personal fulfillment by licensing paintings from artists he appreciates. These are not necessarily skateboarding artists either. I get a lot of emails from people who want to design skateboards, and of course, get paid for it. Some of them even offer to do a design pro bono just to see it in production. Sure, your reproductions will ultimately get destroyed, but build your company around your art if you can.

Next issue: more generalizations.

Note: The views of this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, publisher or anyone else in all likelihood.

Skate and Annoy! – Kilwag

It’s an exciting day when your first shipment arrives – or frightening, depending on how much you’ve leveraged your credit cards.

This could be your basement empire if you decide to give it a go. Metal shelves, $70 from local chain of hardware stores. Polydactyl cat is optional.

CITY OF FLOWERS TARMA, PERU Riding the Andes

Pablo Seoane of Chaman skateboards contacted us. He had convinced the Peruvian government (PROMPERU) to sponsor an exhibition of longboarding, helped organize a race and coordinated a featured segment on longboarding for Peruvian TV. They covered the flights and off we went. Louis Pilloni, James Kelly, Adam Colton and Pablo Castro.

We landed in Lima to a throng of adoring fans. Ok, maybe not. Pablo Seoane picked us up and we gathered our strength for a first day session in Lima. A late night session down a steep and fast hwy with 2 long hairpins turns that you stick. We waited until 1 am so the traffic on the Hwy would die down. Then once you were at the bottom of the hill you hitched a ride back up by jamming into a car or skitching a ride on the outside.

Next morning we stayed around Lima hitting up local favorites. Nestled in this new developing neighborhood was Adam’s favorite hill of the trip. A dusty, dirty road with a really fun awkward right hairpin to session. Then next to this hairpin was a path tucked away going up the hill.

This tight path was probably only 60 feet long but had 3 turns you had to drift through, the top 2 being a tight ‘s’ curve to a right hairpin dealio. It was such a pleasure to skate and you had to be quick on your toes because once you exited one turn the next turn was right there to drift into. Knees scabs all around.

There are good hills with hairpins to skate throughout Lima, but many of them seemed to be in the richer areas which are gated off and

Words by: Adam Colton, Pablo Castro, James Kelly and Louis Pilloni.

Photos by: Adam Colton and Niccolo Giannoti

guarded by security guards. Most of the guards were friendly but there were a couple that we had to talk our way past. Speaking of Lima, the DH scene is kick ass. There is a local board company called Kamikaze. Kids are totally rocking the local boards which is so great. Keep on exploring!

Adam used the trip to work on his landscape photography experimenting. Particulary neutral density filter combined with HDR editing. At one point we were driving and trying to out run the rain because our windshield was fogging up. We got past the rain and looking behind you could see the rain chasing us as water droplets were devouring a lake beside us. Adam rushed out of the car and got off a shot as hail and rain began to fall.

Then came Tarma. 5 hours North East of Lima in the Andes. A beautiful little mountain town rich in color, its nickname is the City of Flowers. It’s a town of 60,000 people at an elevation of 3,000 meters (9,000 feet). It’s a great place for a downhill race. The Tarma Downhill was Peru’s first major downhill event. The racetrack ran right into the heart of town: A perfect 3 mile road with 4 hairpins . The people of Tarma were so excited for the race and all the downhill racers invading their town. A lot of the locals came out to watch the race. There was quit a crowd. They were all very impressed by the downhill skateboard race and its athletes. It was great to feel so welcome in such a foreign place.

One of the coolest things about the race was the fact that all 50 racers were able to stay at the Los Portales hotel during race weekend. For the practice day all the skaters rolled out of bed and got on shuttles

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from the hotel to the hill--skating to their hearts’ content. It was not a far skate back to the hotel and finding a shuttle was easy. Also, the Los Portales hotel had an incredible awards ceremony and party in the club disco. After race day everyone danced the night away.

Being it was their first major race we did our best to help out with our past race experience. The only issue was that the course called for 1000 hay bails and we only had 150. It definitely raised the intensity of racing. It is one thing to be charging full bore on a closed course. Here there were moments of exposed guardrails, stray dogs, and minimal separation between crash zones and spectators. The organizers stayed on their toes and kept everything under control.

It was a milestone event for the Peruvian scene. For many of the riders it was their first time on a closed course. The opportunity to push your limits in a controlled environment always puts smiles on faces. Each run the locals were clear progressing, going faster and faster.

We can’t thank everyone enough who made this trip possible: Pablo from Chaman Longboard Store, PromPeru, Los Portales Hotel, Vicente Rivadeneyra, Carlos “Conan” Muñiz, Erick Agreda. Dirección de Turismo de Tarma, Luis Morales Caceres, Juan Diego Leon, gerente del Hotel Los Portales Tarma, Jorge Angulo, Comandante en Jefe de la Policia de Tarma, Lucrecia Lafora de PROMPERU, Jessica Carrasco and everyone at Loaded and Orangatang.

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The Tao of Skate

By JAMES PISANO

Someone once said, “The sage has fun, but he never has a good time.” A Taoist has a dual purpose to everything he does, in that he sees everything in life in part as an opportunity for spiritual development. As someone with a deep yearning for spiritual growth, I’d like to share with you how I am approaching skating. I hope this article is insightful but fun.

I became interested in skateboarding, specifically longboarding, about two years ago at the age of 40. It came to me strangely, out of nowhere, something I had never considered before. I went into a skate shop I had passed hundreds of times before, looking for a pair of flat-soled shoes. The guy who helped me was really cool, and I was immediately taken in by his vibe and the vibe of the store, so much so that I looked around at the longboards. I told myself I couldn’t afford an impulse purchase of $150 or more on something I’d never use, and left figuring this impulse for a skateboard would go away soon. It didn’t. I kept thinking about it until a week or so later I saw a kid cruising along in my neighborhood on the biggest board I’d ever seen ridden (probably a 45”); the impulse grew stronger. I grappled with it for a few weeks more, figuring it would go away. But it didn’t, and eventually I bought my first complete: a 38” Sector 9 general-purpose deck. Today I have five completes and I want three or four more, all different and for different purposes. I use my boards just like everyone else: for transportation, exercise and fun.

I became interested in Taoism in 1988 in college when I first read the Tao Te Ching, by Giafu Feng and Jane English. Something about the poem really piqued my curiosity and “touched a chord” or “rang true.” Today I have eight translations of the Tao Te Ching and 13 of the I Ching. When I first began studying Taoism, I had no idea what I was getting into. I suffered from anxiety and depression and was seriously struggling in college and looking for something that made sense. Gradually, over the years, I began to deepen my interest and my understanding. Today I’m just beginning to feel like a real student of “The Way,” and I have a genuine

concern for my spiritual development, the condition of my death and how I live my life.

The object of a Taoist’s life is to realize The Way and achieve immortality. This partly involves aligning oneself with The Way, or God, or the truth, so that one is merged with it. This is done through specific energy work, which is supported by accumulated and realized virtue. Essentially, one tries to learn positive truth and accumulate it and then eventually outgrow the need for it. One attempts to build oneself up in a positive way and then to transcend being anything at all and achieve emptiness. In advanced stages, one also learns and engages specific energy disciplines that lead to immortality. Taoism is very integrative and regular or normal; in that it does not ascribe – one must try to achieve enlightenment through austere practices somewhere in retreat – but portends that one may achieve oneself spiritually in the midst of the grind of everyday life. There are layers upon layers upon layers upon layers in Taoism, and I am not an immortal or a realized teacher, so the goal of this article is to share some solid, basic principles to integrate into your consciousness and life to help you enjoy the stoke and exercise of skating and infuse your skating with spirituality that furthers spiritual growth.

When I decided to buy a skateboard, I cast the I Ching about it several times. I was actually scared to get involved in something just for fun. I had spent about eight years living in an area outside Baltimore I didn’t like, feeling isolated, working a job I didn’t like and generally living a gray life. I was working hard at my spirituality, but I was missing something important, something I never really had before in my life: joy.

But skating has brought me immense and indescribable joy. I knew somehow it would be fun, but I was scared to lose control or to lose my spiritual edge or impetus. So I began working to infuse my skating with spirituality and to have skating serve my spiritual development. I’ve come to realize joy is spiritually important, and not just as a way to refresh yourself for further work, but as an expression of your inner self, a way of opening up to and experiencing the divine within yourself.

Tony Schaar, 9 years old.

Photo: Robson Sakamoto

As skaters, we call joy “stoke,” which although I don’t know the etymology, I assume refers to a fire burning hotter when you stoke (feed) it, a pretty apt way to describe how we feel during and after a good session.

I have found four primary ways of getting stoked from skating:

•By doing something dangerous and invoking adrenaline, which is a sharp high that can cause giddiness and, depending on how scared you get, can last for a number of hours;

•By doing something you couldn’t do before, developing greater skill at something, causing a less sharp high that doesn’t seem to last as long;

•By physical exertion, causing a high that is more subdued and lasts a long time – likely similar to “runner’s high”; and

•By the simple act of moving through space and time on a skateboard, not particularly fast, but just enjoying the lack of goals or striving – the childlike pointlessness of it –which causes a light buzz. I’ve had a distinct experience where I got totally stoked just to put my foot on my deck before I even pushed anywhere. I literally put my foot down on my speedboard and before I even began pushing, I felt a huge and tangible sense of relief. This happened after a long period (two weeks) of no sessions due to the weather. Other ancillary things can create stoke, too: meeting people along the way; having someone give you the thumbs-up or beep their horn at you or just smile as you go by; enjoying the scenery, whether it’s a new neighborhood you haven’t passed through or a beautiful full moon, or a sunset – and for me, enjoying the wildlife.

Getting stoked is a wonderful, necessary part of living. It adds color to life and makes life worthwhile. It can even help make us better people, as we are only able to share and spread the joy that we have ourselves.

But while getting stoked is important, it’s not enough for my life. I’m concerned about my death, concerned about my character (the kind of man I am) and very curious about the truth. What’s beyond my senses? What is eternal or constant? Study physics and you’ll see physicists are finally butting against walls that are causing them to sound like philosophers and mystics. What’s the real nature of reality? Due to all this, for me getting stoked isn’t enough, and I don’t believe it’s the ultimate pursuit for one’s life. If one applies Taoism, one realizes the ultimate for skating is also blending or integrating whatever is happening in skating

with what is happening in your normal, daily life – “the grind,” if you will. It’s taking what you learn in life and applying it to your skating, and taking what you learn from skating and applying it to your life, with an eye toward your ultimate spiritual achievement – whatever that is, depending on your path or discipline.

So the question becomes: How can one enjoy the stoke and exercise of skating and infuse skating with spirituality that furthers spiritual growth? Shortly, we will discuss several principles one can learn to apply to life and skating, which will further one’s spiritual development, and likely improve one’s skating; at least that’s what they did for me.

Before coming back to our question, let’s go on one final detour I realize will be a little tricky to understand, but seems a necessary background. The I Ching is the source of all philosophy and religion that is uniquely Chinese. The I Ching was published about 1,500 B.C. but has origins dating back a few thousand years earlier. In fact, only the Vedas of India are older than the I Ching, and also gave birth to a philosophy and culture that still exist today in Hinduism and Buddhism, vs. Chinese Taoism and Confucianism. The lessons of Taoism are aptly described in the I Ching, although they require much reflection and contemplation and are best championed with the help of a teacher. As I said before, I am not a realized teacher, but I have been working with the I Ching intensely for several years and have arrived at several lessons that can help one enjoy skating while infusing it with spirituality.

The I Ching is a binary system of on and off, much the same as the binary system underlying all of computer technology. The black and white serpentine, yin/yang symbol used by Town & Country Surfboards and found in other corporate graphics describes this on/off binary basis and how it translates into the 64 conditions in the I Ching and helps provide the basic lessons we can apply in our skating. The beginning of the yin/yang symbol – or, more appropriately, the “Tai Chi” or “Supreme Pole” – is whatever the underlying circle is represented on, e.g., paper. This represents emptiness or something completely beyond our mind and imagination. It’s the source of the universe or multiverse or whatever exists. This emptiness, I believe, can include the concept of God and Truth – although one must be careful not to project certain qualities onto this source, as Taoists believe this emptiness or source is neutral and impartial, beyond good and bad, male and female, and beyond all opposites and ideas that spring from the discriminating ego-mind.

Next comes the underlying circle. This represents wholeness, the underlying metaphysical unity or oneness of everything that exists. Next are the two serpentine halves of the circle, one black and one white. (This level is before the addition of the smaller opposite-colored circles within the two halves.) These two represent duality, or the existence of the two polar opposite energies or concepts in their pure state. These two are what are used to create the “10,000 things” (mentioned several times in the Tao Te Ching) or myriad realities in the universe, which are represented by the third level with the addition of the smaller opposite-colored circles into the two serpentine halves. This third level represents the departure from wholeness and emptiness to the discriminating ego-mind that recognizes all the objects in the world and puts a desirable or undesirable spin on them, i.e. labels them as “good” or “bad.” So the Taoist philosophy represented by the Tai Chi goes from emptiness to wholeness/one, then to duality/two, then to three, and then to the existence of every individual thing in existence.

The 64 conditions or hexagrams of the I Ching are created by multiplying the eight trigrams by each other. These eight trigrams are created by taking the eight possible combinations of three of the on and off (binary) possibilities. These eight combinations of three are created by adding each of the original pair to the four possible combinations of two of the original pairs of opposites. The interpretations of the 64 conditions or hexagrams in the I Ching are based on these laws and do not violate them. Further, if one studies the I Ching sincerely with an open heart and mind, one will expand on that sound advice, as there are many themes or principles found throughout the I Ching’s 64 conditions.

The principles are all designed to assist one to live in harmony with The Way (natural law

Billy Meiners

Photo: Jon Huey

and your own uniqueness or individual path or way) and ultimately to realize The Way so that one naturally harmonizes with it without intending to. I have pulled out eight principles based on the universal law and outlined in the I Ching that I have been using in my life and in my skating in an attempt to realize The Way and live in harmony with natural law, with people, the flora and fauna and with the universe in general.

These eight principles are explicitly explained and described in the I Ching as numbered conditions or hexagrams, so you could look them up in a copy of the I Ching and review the “judgment” and the “image” (the commentary) for yourself. (If you choose to do this, please realize each I Ching is translated differently, and if you want my input regarding the translations, you can contact me at the e-mail address listed below.) The eight principles are listed in their order of importance for me, but they are all important and probably have more or less relative importance depending on one’s stage of development and individual path.

#52 –Centered, quiet, still, calm.

#20 –Aware, observe, contemplate.

#60 –Discipline, regulate, moderate.

#61 –Unadulterated authenticity; sincerity.

#30 –Deliberately channel/embody positive energy.

#11 –Balance opposites, yin and yang, especially strength and flexibility.

#15 –Modesty with people, reverent with God, the source, truth.

#53 –Constant progress, not fast or slow. Whereas for me this list has tremendous meaning, upon reading it you may feel unaffected or nonplussed. This is partly because I have used language that I believe is most appropriate and makes the most sense to me, and partly also because these principles came to me over time and study. It’s likely improbable to simply read this list and begin to apply them, but hopefully you’ll begin to wonder about them and maybe look into it a little, and perhaps some of the following examples and stories as to how I’ve been applying them in my skating will help. Due to space limitations, I could only cover a few of these eight principles. The extended article is available online at the Concrete Wave website.

I really like skating because I get immediate feedback as to whether or not I’m applying the principles. For example, when I’m sort of in the zone or going with The Way, I feel I’m able to smoothly move through traffic, I don’t get stopped at red lights as much or have to stop to wait for people driving cars or avoid cars parked on the side of the road or whatever. The object is for one to strive to emulate these principles until they become a part of you, so you no longer think about them and they become nonissues or second nature.

PRINCIPLES #52 AND #20

I’d like to discuss these two together, as they are so intertwined. Essentially, these two are the basis for any spiritual achievement. Without them, one is like a cork bobbing on the ocean, with no knowledge of where one is going or why and with no sovereignty. When you follow The Way, you don’t go aimlessly through life; you deliberately seek to apprehend the law or rules and harmonize with them. Take sailing, for example. When you sail, you are at the mercy of the wind (natural law), but you do have a rudder and sails and you should learn how to use them (deliberately harmonize). You don’t go out in the ocean without a sail or rudder and bob around and see where you end up. You practice sailing and using the different sails and learn how to harmonize with the wind and the currents. For purposes of this metaphor, you also try to take your cues as to your destination from within and without –from your heart and from where the wind seems to want to take you. In any case, none of this is possible without being centered and aware, without constantly exercising your awareness. Being centered allows you to listen to your heart and differentiate the impulses you have that are from conditioning and society vs. those that are uniquely and naturally you, and to differentiate the negative/destructive impulses from the positive/creative ones.

Furthermore, these two provide the foundation

James Kelly

Photo: Maxwell Dubler

of the other six principles, as it is necessary to be fully aware in order to even remember to apply them. These two involve being centered, which basically involves not being attached. I try not to be attached to skating in general, because I’ve found my mood goes up and down with the weather. When skating I try to avoid being attached to how gracefully I’m carving hills or to how fast I am pushing up hills, orbombing down them, to how smoothly I am moving through traffic. I try not to get attached to these things and have found this helps prevent me sometimes from taking unnecessary chances like bombing a hill that’s “closed out” due to too much traffic or gravel or rain. It helps me to remain cautious and check the pavement on hills for new potholes or gravel or tree branches before I bomb them, and not to bomb hills or go on long pushes when I’m tired and am not at 100%. It helps me to maintain my concentration when I’m carving aggressively so I keep my speed down and don’t fly into an intersection, especially with distractions like a girl walking on the sidewalk or a dog running toward me barking or a car pulling out of a driveway.

Sometimes I feel I’m skating gracefully, where my footwork on the board and my balance are on, and other times I feel more clumsy. This usually has to do with my level of concentration and focus. One can be too focused or not focused enough, as was brought to my attention in the book “Zen in the Martial Arts” by Joe Hyams, in which the author uses running fast down a set of steps as an analogy. If you try to focus on each step you will trip, but if you’re preoccupied by another matter and not concentrating, you may also trip. In the book “The Inner Game of Tennis” by W. Timothy Gallwey, there is a lot of discussion about this appropriate level of concentration. Being in the zone or focused appropriately is a function of being centered, aware, relaxed and detached.

#61

This involves sincerity, which is particularly important to Taoists. This involves having 100% unadulterated authenticity in your life: being yourself, channeling your inner divine spirit and expressing your inner truth. This involves using skating as an expression of yourself, following your natural inclinations and developing your own skating style. I realized my style involves using my boards for transportation and exercise. I’m usually going somewhere on my board. I don’t enjoy driving to some hill to bomb or freestyling around my neighborhood as much as I enjoy going on errands, going on my workout loop or going to the coffee shop, etc. I had to

realize that I wasn’t going to pursue some ideal of trying to go as fast as someone else or buy a certain board, truck or wheel because someone else looked so cool riding it in a video. This principle involves riding what you like because it feels right and riding how you like for the same reason and not caring what others think. Find your own way or path and follow it.

#30

This involves deliberately choosing to follow and channel positive energy rather than negative energy, and appreciating how deeply you need this energy and its sustenance. Positive energy is life-affirming and creative, while negative energy is destructive. Positive energy makes

you expand and feel buoyant, while negative energy brings you down and makes you contract. I don’t want to mislead people to think positive energy always “feels good,” because while this is generally the case, sometimes learning to cultivate virtue can involve challenging and even painful learning experiences. In any case, I am reminded of the lesson of #30 when I feel myself getting rigid and hardened (which I am prone to doing). I am pretty optimistic, but tend to be serious and even brooding, so skating is like therapy for me; and it seems I just need regular doses of the therapy. Skating helps me to stay open to others and upbeat about my life and open to good things happening in it.

This principle means one must pay attention

Dustin Cutlip. Photo: Shelby Grimnes

to the types of thoughts one has and how one feels and how one affects others and other life in general. Sometimes it’s very difficult to channel positive energy. When others are attacking you physically or non-physically, or during a time when the economy is down and money is difficult to come by, one tends to react negatively. This principle can require great strength and perseverance to integrate. Once when I first began speedboarding, I was bombing a short hill in a nearby neighborhood, practicing and trying to pull a right (backside for me as I’m a goofy foot) turn. I made the turn the first time and went wide; then I looked up and was staring at the grille of a minivan that had just crested the next hill, heading right for me. I had a split second to notice a soccer mom driving, who I don’t think even saw me. I bailed into the grass and, thank God, she didn’t run over my board; she passed over it. Anyway, I kept practicing the turn, and then a woman came out of a house across the street and gave me a hard time because I was making her dog bark inside her house. At one point I thought she was going to call the police – which, although I didn’t want to have to deal with it, I agreed was fine with me, as I felt confident I wasn’t breaking any laws. I did my best not to respond in kind; I empathized and realized I was in her neighborhood. And despite feeling she was being unreasonable about it, I finally negotiated an agreement with her: I would not play on that hill on weekdays after 4 p.m., because that’s when she got home from work. The point is that I was able to respond positively to her negative attitude and make an agreement with her that was satisfactory to both of us. She is the only person in my two years of skating that I’ve remotely had a problem with, a record I feel good about and really want to continue. This principle is especially important when one remembers law #7, or the law of karma. If the energy you put out is reflected back, it is wise to be careful about what kind of energy you’re going to harvest in the future.

#53

This involves making constant, gradual progress, not too fast and not too slow. I have tried to emulate this principle in my skating by using it to guide my skill development. I’ve only been skating about two and a half years, but I’m sure my speedboarding skills could be greater if I’d have been more aggressive. I have chosen to progress more gradually and err on the side of caution, so I am healthy enough to go to work and skate again the next day. There have also been times when I realized I was being too cautious and not letting myself take some fun calculated risks. Part of the image describing this principle in the I Ching describes the difference between a tree and a weed growing. The weed grows much taller, much faster, but has a poor root system compared to a tree and is easily uprooted, while the tree grows slower and grows down almost as deep as it grows up and is thus much stronger, more stable and longer lasting. This is the idea behind this principle. I try to be constantly growing in my life, but not so fast that I hit a wall and crash, and not so slow that I lose my momentum. This is especially tricky for me, as I tend to push myself pretty hard, and this principle is one of many I need a lot of work on.

I’d like to close out this article by guaranteeing everyone certain results from embarking on a spiritual path or furthering their spiritual development, but this would be very misleading. Remember what Morpheus told Neo in “The Matrix” when he offered him the red pill? He said, “All I am offering is the truth…” Engaging this spiritual process should not be done lightly. This process has been highlighted by some extremely painful experiences for me: I’ve been forced to confront things about myself and life that I would have most definitely avoided otherwise; and further, using the I Ching has brought me to some really low points, due to my negativity and flaws being reflected back at me. Besides that, though, these principles have helped keep me safe in my skating and have helped me to do it harmoniously with people driving cars and with homeowners while skating in their neighborhoods. They have become a major part of my spiritual process, made me feel connected to God and really improved my overall quality of life. However, I don’t advise anyone to get involved with these principles lightly or to adamantly expect specific results. I should also say that life has its ups and downs, and you will likely continue to experience the ups and downs even after you begin working with these principles.

Most of us are either feeling unhappy, trying to be happy, or feeling alternately happy and un-

happy, or we’re struggling to maintain some happiness we feel. As you’re reading this, how you receive these ideas (assuming you haven’t heard them before) depends on where you are right now regarding happiness. If we apply law #2 to happiness, we must accept that in order to be happy you must also be sad. In order for happiness to have meaning, you must have felt sadness, and in order for sadness to hurt, you must have felt happiness. In the Tao Te Ching, it says, “Happiness is rooted in misery, and misery lurks beneath happiness.” Further, if you apply law #4 to happiness, you must accept that happiness cannot last forever. Regarding joy and happiness, the harder one looks for joy, the more elusive it becomes. You cannot try to find happiness, you can only be happy. This is a paradox and cannot be explained; you’ve got to struggle with it until you’re done with it. But here’s a hint: “The sage is sick of sickness, therefore he is not sick.” Fortunately, what you find when you outgrow this cycle is something else: a sort of happiness, but defined differently, not according to having certain material things or people or even your health, but rather as “what happens.” I do not remember where I first heard this definition, but happiness is what happens. This is a very advanced stage, and I believe this is how an enlightened one would define happiness.

When I first started deliberately practicing spirituality, I thought enlightenment was a plateau or an end. But now I know enlightenment is a beginning, and that furthermore, enlightenment happens moment by moment. I speculate that it’s sort of like standing on a beach ball submerged in the water. Gravity and the force that pushes the ball to the surface are acting against you, and you must concentrate constantly to maintain your balance. Enlightenment is like learning to maintain your balance on the beach ball indefinitely. It’s not an end; it must continue moment by moment.

Writing this article has been a help to me; as the old saying goes, “Whatever you really want to learn, you must teach.” The process of explaining this and putting it into words has really been helpful. I hope it makes you think about or question your own spirituality and make your skating more spiritual. I really feel blessed to have gotten involved with longboarding. I hope this article was entertaining and insightful. Keep on pushing. ¶

Editor’s Note: This is a fairly unusual and complex article for a magazine about skateboarding. I hope you have enjoyed it and gained some valuable insights. If you’d like to read an extended article, please go to concretewavemagazine.com.

Photo: Christopher Vanderyajt

Daby N. Sacrum found this pipe in the dark recesses of Mumbai, India. He said that just after popping this dark ollie, he and his photographer hurriedly ran to an awaiting rickshaw and were taken away, narrowly escaping death from the hands of three angry, knife-wielding security guards with red turbans. Scary, dude! Photo: Pablo Patineta.

VIGNETTES

By MARCUS BANDY

There is a magic that occurs when skateboarding and artistic photography meet — a beautiful mess that stops us in our tracks and forces us to take pause. Such imagery can evoke powerful memories, and sometimes even provide us brief foreshadowing. The words to follow, although they are not in direct reference to the accompanying photographs, are short, impressionistic scenes inspired by skateboard photography.

Pusher

Two o’clock a.m. Glendale, Atwater, Santa Ana or Garden Grove: Anywhere, Southern California. The generator growls: Grrrrrrrr-uhgrrrrrrrrrr-uhg-rrrrrrrrrrrr-uh-grrrrrrrrrrrr.

I stand with one foot on my board – hidden in the darkness of the night – just outside the reach of the gasoline-powered light stands. I think about speed – about hanging up on the landing. I think about saving face. This shoot is all my idea: “Let’s go and shoot this thing –could be sick.” So now we’re here (Lance the photographer and I) and it’s a bigger gap than I remember. Seems as if the distance has grown larger since last week? For a brief moment the “Grrrrrrr-uhg-rrrrrrrrrrrrr” of the generator is hushed to a faint hum in the background. The sounds of my thoughts quiet its hoarse voice. I stretch my neck and do a couple of stationary ollies to warm up my feet, readying myself for the speedy pop: Clack, clack, clack!

I watch impatiently for Lance to set up his flashes and find his angle. It is all about the speed. And there is plenty of run-up for this thing; I can do this. Antsy, I look to see if Lance is out of the way yet. He is. I throw my board down and start kicking. I notice right away that my ankle’s a bit stiff. The stiffness throws me off balance a little, but only a little. As I get closer, I lay into a long, barking wheel-slide, stopping inches before the gap. Lance looks up. The generator burps and grinds on. Eyes shift away again.

“You ready to do this?” Lance yells over the generator.

“Yeah, I just wanted to give it a test run.”

“Sh*t, I’m ready when you are, man.” Lance proceeds to lie down in front of the gap, looks through his camera and throws a thumbs-up in my general direction.

“All right!” I say, heading out of the light and back into the void of the dark parking lot.

It is strangely quiet in the dark hours of morning. No people. Not many cars. There’s a street-sweeper truck in the parking lot across the way, threading between parking blocks, stray shopping carts and an old van with a dim light on inside of it. I begin to wonder about the van with the dim light: Who’s in that van? No home to speak of?

Lance’s voice interrupts my thoughts: “All right. Ready.”

The generator buzzing, I kick around a bit, fire off a few ollies in rapid succession. Snapsnap-snap – ankles feel looser now.

“OK, let’s do this!” I say as I calmingly touch my tail to the ground a few times, throw the board down and begin kicking like hell toward the gap. One, two, three. I like to count out my pushing exactly. This one is a 10-count for sure. Four, five, six. I begin to enter the ring of light emanating from the gasoline-generated light stands. Seven, eight, nine. Almost there. Ten! I snap the ollie at the last possible second, jumping with the flight of the board, guide with hinging ankles. Holding…

Landing comes quickly. I touch down on all four wheels, still moving fast. I compress my knees just enough to buffer the impact, rolling away out of the light and away from the generator’s motor-mouth.

I feel it; the reason is in this, right here, in the sound of the urethane on ’crete and in that

My friend Ginger Bittermann and I used to skate Cherry Park on a daily basis. Then the city put a 15-foot grass perimeter around the stage so we would leave. We left, but Derrick Wilson has returned to wave his single-finger salute to the Long Beach bureaucrats. Huge switch heelflip. Photo: Boneyard.

The only time I ever skated this spot was when I hippie-jump toe-grabbed (double grabbed, bro!) the rail. I thought I was so tight for doing that. Then I saw this photo of Felipe Nery shifting a cleanly caught kickflipper; what a dream shatterer. Thanks, Felipe! Photo: Segway Steve.

vibration. I begin to smile. I look back and see Lance getting up with a similar grin painted on his face. In a long, slow arch I turn back toward the light.

“You want to do another one?”

“Yes,” I reply, moving on further – pushing into the blackness of the morning.

Behind The Orange Curtain

“Excuse me.”

“What?”

“Why are you sweeping here?”

“There’s a lot of dirt.”

“Yes, there is. But why…do you live around here?”

“Um, close…I’m just trying to be a good neighbor.”

“Well, thank you!”

“No worries.” I move to the side and let the balding Indian man proceed past me down the path, along the sidewalk and down the street. He doesn’t look back.

I continue with my sweeping.

“Dave, where you thinkin’ you’re gonna shoot this thing from?”

Dave looks up from his camera bag and points above me on the path. “There.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool.”

“Do you want to skate around a bit before we do this?”

“Sure.”

“Which way should we go?”

Dave throws his hand over his right shoulder; thumb out, pointing directly behind him. “I say we go back that way.”

“OK. Do you want to put anything in the car first?”

“Yeah.”

We put our wallets and my jacket under the passenger seat of Dave’s Rodeo.

“Lock that sh*t, fool. This place is sketchy.”

“OK.”

We skate around, away from downtown, deeper into the adjoining neighborhood: kickflips, curb ollies and powerslides. The sun is bright but not yet hot. Everything is still cold and drowsy from the preceding Pacific night. We ride in and out of the cracked concrete driveways and across the ancient convex streets of San Pedro. We see whole tribes of cats lying around on fences, cars, on a dresser sitting at the curb – and under some bushes a fat calico, a greasy white longhair, a black cat with a bobtail and a oneeyed Russian Blue. Two blocks more and we pass an old and weathered pink apartment complex with three coffee-skinned teenagers standing out in front – a pair of boys and one girl, all wearing bright-colored clothing that makes their skin seem too dark.

As we pass I say, “Good morning”, throwing a peace sign, but kind of pointing at the same time.

They do not reply. They do not return my smile. The silence is awkward. I can feel their eyes following us as we skate past.

Down the block a bit: “Well, that was lame.”

“They didn’t even say anything,” says Dave.

“I know. Probably not used to seeing…um…people skating around at eight in the morning.”

“What?”

“I said I guess they’re not used to seeing skaters this early.”

“Oh? Yeah, yeah… You ready to go back and do this?”

“Yeah, I’m warmed up. I’m ready. Let’s go back.” “Yeah.”

We skate back to the spot, take the photos we want, and are back in Huntington Beach by noon. ¶

CAUTION: OURKIDS ARE IN THE FAST LANE

By LORRIE COLEMAN

Brianne Davies at the Ride the Giant contest.

Photo: Andrew Monahan

It’s morning in Golden, Colorado in the Staub family kitchen. Mother and father sit at a table with steaming cups close at hand, a newspaper spread out in between them. It is a weekend and no one is in a hurry to go off anywhere, until Calvin comes into the room. The 17-year-old clearly has something on his mind, and it isn’t the news that his parents are poring over. Their conversation unfolds something like this:

“Mom, Dad…” Calvin says, as he shuffles at the floor in his socks. “Can I go to the mountains to ride?”

They look up from their paper.

“There’s a mountain session today,” he continues.

“And?” Calvin’s mother asks as she cools the liquid in her cup with a quick breath.

“Well, I’d like to go,” Calvin says. He looks at them. “I’m not going alone; I’d be with another boarder.”

His father puts down the paper and looks him in the eye. “What’s this guy’s name?”

“Jim Callahan.”

“Well, how old is this Jim Callahan?” his mother asks.

“Around 30,” Calvin says. “And I don’t think that’s his real name…”

“And where did you meet him exactly?” His mother’s voice reveals her concern.

Calvin is quick to try to put his mother’s concerns at ease. “On the Internet,” he says.

His father pushes his cup aside. “And what does he do for a living?”

Again, Calvin attempts to reassure his parents. “I think he skates and might be unemployed.”

Perhaps surprisingly, the parents’ tones begin to lighten. They are assured, it seems, with Calvin’s in-depth knowledge of his newfound friend.

“So where are you two meeting?” his mother asks, now having resumed sipping her coffee.

Calvin holds his breath and lets go with, “Somewhere on the top of Loveland Pass,” a nearby mountain spot they all know well.

His father smiles. “Okay, have fun.”

“Call us with updates,” his mother adds.

“I don’t think there’s cell phone service,” Calvin calls as he grabs his board and bag and dashes out the door.

What strikes me as poignant about this scene isn’t that the parents questioned the identity of their son’s riding partner, or that they were concerned about a friend almost double his age, but that they sounded just like me and my husband as we spoke to our son Wolf Coleman in his early days of riding here in Vancouver, British Columbia. I am not for a moment advocating hustling our kids off for an afternoon of fun with just any unknown adult whom they met on the Internet. Nor am I suggesting that everyone with a longboard snugly tucked under their arm or sliding under their feet is by virtue of their sport a quality friend to be trusted without question. But what I am saying, not just suggesting, is that the longboard community is an exceptional one, where young and old mingle over a common desire to conquer new pavement, take on the gnarliest

Theresa Davies with her daughter, Brianne.

Photo: Andrew Monahan courtesy of Rayne Longboards.

hairpins and go as fast as humanly possible with the aid of only gravity and a good setup. Our kids have found homes away from home with other longboarders where they share campsites, trucks and tales of their mountain conquests.

In this digital era, in which kids have thumb cramps from social-network texting and carpal tunnel syndrome from game-controller overuse, and suffer from obesity at an unprecedented rate, parents ought to be thrilled to see their kids out and active. The group of parents with whom I have spent the last several weeks chatting over the phone and over beer, exchanging e-mails and notes on, yes, social network message boards, are parents like us: parents of high-velocity kids (a kid being anyone who still goes home for the holiday to get Mom to cook up a nice fat roast, turkey, pot of chili or whatever the kid’s favorite dish is). So some of these kids are under 16 years of age, and some are over. But once you are a parent, they are still your kids, and age doesn’t define that. Here several parents share their stories, hopes and fears, and the support they offer their own speedy offspring.

I set out to learn what other parents make of their children’s sport, what goes through their

minds as their offspring suit up head to toe in leather and aim down their road of choice, and the advice they’d offer other parents. I started by asking my husband, Graham Coleman, what his advice to other parents would be. He put it rather directly: “Longboarding is a crazy sport; discourage your kids before it is too late! But failing that battle,” (which clearly we have) “support them with everything you’ve got. Keep them safe, and cheer them on.” Every one of the parents I interviewed had a different story to tell about what supporting their longboarder meant.

RAISING A GROM

Erian Baxter of British Columbia has supported her son, Quinn, through his induction to the world of longboarding. Since Quinn was barely 9 when he first started racing, she has been and is very close at hand at his events and practice runs. “The Vancouver longboarding community already had the concept of ‘Grom,’ but they were mostly teenagers,” she said. “The community didn’t have a lot of experience with kids [younger] than 10. Since it can be a bit of an ‘alternative’ community, we all worked together to find our way. They were all a bit weirded out by having parents around, but also accepted us and Quinn quite gracefully. In turn, we have

tried to not impose a whole lot of judgement or other issues on them, since we are coming into their world. They have all really looked out for Quinn throughout this process.” Erian, her husband, Kevin, and their kids Hannah and Quinn are firmly fixed in our local longboarding scene. At this year’s Maryhill Festival of Speed, Quinn raced stand-up again and Hannah rode classic luge, with the encouragement and support of the local crew. Then, at the most recent King of the Forest race, Quinn, Hannah and their dad all participated — a total family event.

While Erian has continued to encourage Quinn and advocate for him with other riders and race organizers, the sport itself has evolved. Quinn’s first race was in 2008, when Mischo Erban added a Juniors category in the Vernon DH race. Next, Erian worked with the Maryhill organizers to discover that, with a signed waiver, their race could accept riders as young as Quinn. “The IGSA has welcomed and embraced the growth in the Juniors categories, even if they haven’t been quite prepared for it. Longboarding as an organized sport has grown so quickly that, understandably, there are some growing pains. Yet everyone we’ve met really loves that the young groms are coming out more.”

DAD ON THE RUN: MARK STAUB

Being an advocate, a cheerleader, a driver and a volunteer is all part of being the parent of a longboard racer. But to Mark Staub, supporting his son Calvin meant actually getting on a board himself and riding the roads together. Calvin taught his dad how to footbrake and carve a hill. They bought him NJK leathers and a Charly helmet. After a while they were bombing 12,000-foot mountain passes at 60 mph!

Calvin’s parents set the bar high; Susan and Mark would drive him up to Lookout Mountain at 6:00 a.m. and shuttle him for an hour before his high school classes. At dinner, they’d talk about his trip in Colorado High Country or a session at a local hill. Calvin’s parents love the details, the speed, the descriptions of the ride, the crashes — all of it.

Then there are the races they take him to. When Calvin was 16, he asked to take a couple of kids to California to race the outlaw events for a week — to which, of course, his parents agreed.

In November 2008, Calvin and Mark raced each other in the same heat at the IGSA race in San Dimas, California. It was a Kodak moment at the finish line, to be sure — one of the rare, if not only father-son heats in the history of the IGSA circuit. And this past September, Calvin took 2nd place in the 14-17 age group at IGSA’s Maryhill Festival of Speed.

Calvin Staub at the Squaw Peak (Utah) Outlaw, where he took first place. Photo: Gary Gruben

GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS (WHATEVER THAT MEANS)

Another rider-parent I spoke with is Jessica Galli from Maple Ridge, British Columbia. You won’t find her daughter Hanna’s name in any of the IGSA stats — yet. Hanna is a typical kid in many regards. She likes vampire movies, would live off pizza if given the chance, listens to Metallica, the Ramones and Green Day. When she’s not hanging with her friends, she’s longboarding or bugging her mom to take her longboarding. You see, Hanna is just 7 years old. She’s been riding since last February, and she’s hooked. This spring she walked up to her mom with a very serious face and said, “Mommy, I want to bomb hills like you.” Jessica was so happy to hear these words come out of her little gal’s mouth that she cried.

When I asked Jessica what reaction she gets from other parents in her community, she said, “Well, they already think I’m nuts… I get a lot of comments [about] how I should be getting her involved in more appropriate things for little girls, like dance classes or something. Yuck.”

The more I heard about Hanna and her family, it seems less surprising than at first glance. Her older brother, Trevor, has been skateboarding since he could walk. Riding is something they do as a family; how can you go wrong there? Jessica hopes to be able to enter a few races with her daughter sometime in the future. She would have taken Hanna along with her when she volunteered at the Ride the Giant freeride event, but wasn’t sure it was such a good idea, especially while camping, as there is a certain amount of “adult” humor and recreation that happens at race campsites. So until Hanna is a bit older, they’ll have fun bombing their local hill.

ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP!

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” is a tune that my 9-year-old daughter, Chloe, and her pack of friends bop to around the upstairs. But race star and reigning Women’s Downhill Skateboarding Champ, British Columbia’s Brianne Davies, gives the phrase a whole new meaning. A few weeks prior to Brianne’s most recent win, I shared stories over a pint at a cafe along Vancouver’s Commercial Drive with her mother, Theresa Davies. I asked her where she thought these kids, our kids, get their guts, their drive and their fearlessness. So she told me:

“Brianne’s dad, Wayne Davies, and I met at the drop zone. We were both skydivers for about a decade, so Brianne comes by her drive to push herself into an extreme sport honestly. As well, her dad was a member of the Canadian

ParaSki [combination event consisting of parachute landing accuracy and downhill ski racing] team, and he traveled to Austria to compete internationally. He also raced cars at Westwood in Coquitlam and in Portland, Oregon. These sports require a high level of concentration and accuracy, along with the speed.”

If there is anything to the genetic link in the adrenaline-rush addiction, maybe this is it. I looked back to my own rather timid roots, and if you skip me, it makes some sense. My father is a single-engine pilot and a motorcycle rider, and my grandfather flew a Spitfire — one of the fastest planes in the air at the time. He was also reckless on a motorcycle, with the injuries to prove it. Perhaps Wolf has acquired my caution with his great-grandfather’s desire for speed. Who knows?

THEY NEED THEIR SPEED

When I asked Peter Lang of British Columbia where he thought his son Nate got his drive for longboarding, he told me, “Nathan has always liked to go fast. When he was 8 or 9, we would tow him around the bay on a tube, affectionately know as a biscuit. Naomi, his older sister, would shake her head back and forth for us to slow down, [but] Nathan would be frantically giving the thumbs-up sign: ‘Speed up! I need more speed.’”

There are a lot of ways we parents can support our racing kids. For example, Peter Lang takes some serious photos of Nathan and others riders at various races. That in itself is an accomplishment, especially at the kind of speeds at which Nate regularly rides.

Peter is proud of Nate’s accomplishments, such as making four finals this year, including

2nd place at both Gold Rush and Vernon DH.

“Being a dad of a longboard racer has its challenges,” he said. “I’d be a fool to suggest I didn’t worry about Nathan when he’s training on roads that aren’t closed like Cypress, Mount Seymour or the Rash. But then driving from Squamish to Vancouver is very dangerous too. So is being a bike courier. We just have to trust his common sense and his ability to make good choices. We love watching Nathan race and get nervous every heat he’s in. It’s fantastic to see your kids do what they love, be passionate about it and get a sense of competency from a sport, and Nathan’s made a bunch of friends — people who are not arrogant or self-important, just kids having fun and enjoying being together. We’ve met a lot of great kids who do this sport.”

SHARING THEIR GLORY AND PAIN

Like Peter Lang, Theresa Davies also keeps track of her daughter’s accomplishments, and she’s there when she’s needed. She makes the point that it is different when your child is also an adult; she says they still want you involved, and they want you to share in their glory and in their pain. She’s right; that’s what we do as parents. Theresa says she raised Brianne to believe she could do and be whatever she wanted, and she’s doing it now. “I keep in touch with her achievements and activities. I go to some of the races and regularly ask how she would like me to support her, and then I do it. Since she has a car and a job and lots of sponsorship, she never asks for anything.”

Theresa has also had the opportunity to understand and appreciate her daughter to the fullest extent when she takes time to be with

Justin, Emily and Nick Ternullo at Vernon.

Photo: Sam Warsh

Brianne at races. “I see firsthand the respect she is shown and gives to others, her extraordinary longboarding skills and the dedication and love she shows for the sport and her friends,” she said. “This makes me feel so proud and lucky to have her for my daughter.”

A NEW DIMENSION TO PARENTAL SUPPORT: JUMPING IN WITH BOTH FEET

Parental support takes many forms, from driving to early morning skate sessions, footing entry fees and funding safety gear to cheering from behind the hay bales. But some parents have a unique level of support; I cheer them on for their extraordinary efforts. Judy Edmondson, a selfadmitted super-enthusiastic mom, was the powerhouse behind the creation of the Cathlamet DH Corral. Her son, Addison Fox, a 14-year-old longboarder, had an idea that he’d like to start a push race around Puget Island, Washington, where his grandfather lives. He set out one morning to prove how long it would take, and by the time he returned two hours later, his mother and grandfather had dreamt up the three-day event (which went without a hitch this past August). Addison competed in the push and downhill races. His mother found it a rush to see him racing with the likes of Kevin Reimer and Patrick Switzer. The event and all the experience were a great boost to her son’s confidence. She could tell he was really concentrating on his race, even though he didn’t expect at all to win. She thought that maybe she should have been nervous with his racing with such a high-caliber group of racers, but she wasn’t. “As much as Addison claims to love speed, he’s very cautious about it,” Judy said. A sensible lad, I’d have to say.

Cheers to Judy and all the organizers that put on that event! Starting a new event is a challenge for even the most experienced crew, but to start one based on the dream of your 14-yearold son… that has a special bit of heart in it!

GUILTY, THAT’S ME

I missed my son’s last event, King of the Forest, an annual endurance race through the Seymour Demonstration Forest in BC. He was Grom of the Forest last year, when he was 14. He headed out the door to this year’s race with the souvenir cheque in hand that he had won last year, ready to hand it over to this year’s reigning Prince of the Forest. But Wolf proved to be of Forest royalty after all when he took the title of Prince. I cheered for him and his older brother Akask (who was in his first longboarding event) in my heart, quietly from home. My support is more of the driving, cheering and bragging variety.

Though I am proud of his skills and his fortitude, I still wish for balance in his life. It isn’t all racing, it isn’t all longboarding, but at the same time it is his passion, and I am there for him on that front. After all, I was there cheering the throngs of sweaty and exhausted guys and gals in pink as they rode into the Totem Pole parking lot at Stanley Park after a three-day push from Hope, BC to Vancouver to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (an event not to miss if you’re a coastal longboarder).

PUSH FOR THE CURE

Lori Friesen, mother of Rylan “Raggie” English, has become the event coordinator for the annual Push for the Cure Hope to Vancouver. One of her proudest moments was watching Rylan and Bricin Lyons meet the four guys from Push for the Cure (Aaron Jackson, Benjamin Jordan, Carlos Koppen and Rob Lewis) for the first time. “The boys had gone in opposite directions across Canada, and by fluke, they never met on their trips, so when the first annual finale came along, the boys met in Hope, BC. There was a lot of emotion rolled up in that moment.” For Lori, watching these sometimes considered “misfits” pour their hearts and souls into something so important and selfless is very emotional.

she passed away. Heather says that if her mom were here, she’d be very proud of him. He knows it.

Mike has been riding since he was 9, but his first race was the 2008 King of the Forest, and his first downhill event was the 2009 Shawnigan Shredder, an event that hosted a junior category. She would love to see him fulfill whatever dreams he has, and one that he has is to stand on the podium amongst his peers and heroes. In the meantime, she says, “I am with Mike 200%! If he wants to go somewhere and bomb a hill or go to an event, I’ll always do whatever I can to get him there.”

FEAR FACTOR

At the other end of emotions, an area that we parents would rather not admit looms all too closely, is the fear factor, and I don’t mean the TV show. We are afraid of our kids getting hurt, or worse. That’s it. What else is there? Health is critical, and so is well-being. So when I read Lori Friesen’s e-mail about Raggie’s crash at Danger Bay 5 in 2006, my heart lodged itself in my throat and squeezed until it hurt.

RIDING WITH HEART

I can attest to the impact this kind of an event has on riders and their supporters alike. Heather Slota of Vancouver Island, BC, mother of 14year-old Mike Slota, is immensely proud of her son and his efforts. For the third year in a row he has been top pledge collector for the Push for the Cure. Mike is passionate about this cause, as he lost his grandmother, Heather’s mom, to terminal cancer when he was just 5. She’d lived with Mike and Heather right until

“I was standing on Carnage Corner at Danger Bay, where I was volunteering, and there was a reported crash on Turn #1,” she says. “I was waiting for the report when I saw the ambulance take off up the hill. No one would say on the radio who it was, and I realized it was Rylan. I wasn’t going to worry too badly, until my daughter’s boyfriend came to get me. [Rylan’s] helmet was split in three. His speech was slurred, and he couldn’t feel much below his waist. They were bringing in the Helijet to take him to Vancouver General. I was able to see him to the helicopter and I watched them airlift my son away. I raced to the ferry, demanded they let me first off and arrived at the

Wolfgang Coleman at Salt Spring Slope & Steez.

Photo: Lee Cation

hospital in record time…that was the longest ferry ride of my life.

“By the time I got to the hospital, the doctors had already examined him and, amazingly enough, found only some swelling in his neck! He climbed down from the stretcher a little wobbly, but excited to get back on the ferry and make the awards concert at the end of the race. That day, and every day since, I count my blessings.”

Lori sums up my fears, and undoubtedly those of many other parents. We are proud of our determined and highly skilled kids. We trust that they know their limits, but there is no accounting for chance, for the random accident. Safety gear and solid skills go a long way to comforting me, at least, and likely others. But we have to be realistic; from time to time, bones will be broken, skin will be embedded with bits of asphalt and rubble. These are the inherent risks of this sport.

Mark Staub, both a parent and rider, puts it bluntly: “Whether you support it or not, they will ride if that’s what they want to do, so I suggest treating longboarding as if it were any other sport or activity. Pay for good leathers and a good helmet. Longboarding is different; you have to adjust and live with the knowledge that as responsible parents you are condoning breaking the law, raising the risk of serious injury or death, just for perfecting a tuck, for a little more speed, some more skills, a new experience. If you can’t live with that, then you will have a hard time with the sport, because racing is only a small part of the scene. Accept the fact that your kid will have permanent bruises and road rash, constant dings and pains and twisted limbs and broken bones and near misses. He’ll also be a part of something that only a few people will ever experience.”

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Erian Baxter quoted some of the common questions that we parents hear all too often, such as, “Oh, my God, how can you let him do that?” She answers that one the same way I do; how can I stop him? She also raises some important general parenting concerns: “How can I try to make him safe? How can I help him to make good decisions in his longboarding and his life? Well…you just try to do your best navigating your way, and you hope your kids will do their best on and off their longboards.”

Another question she responded to was: How can you watch?

“Okay…first race, Vernon DH 2008, Quinn’s barely nine years old. I almost threw up when he did his first qualifying run, and then for his first heat, my heart was in my throat until he cleared the corner. I relaxed a bit, only to hear over the walkie-talkie that there was a rider down on Corner Two…heart back in throat and now…running down the road…OK…not Quinn, but as I watched the rider in total pain [from] a dislocated shoulder, I was seriously questioning my own judgement as a parent for aiding and abetting Quinn’s entry into the longboarding world. Then this year at Paskapoo, Quinn crashed, and it was caught on the Jumbotron, where they showed Quinn being splayed out on the pavement forward then backwards, then again in slow motion, and again… That was hard to watch. But he got up and rode it out and was no worse for wear. So you don’t make a big deal out of it…but you do give thanks for gear helping to keep him safe.”

OUR KIDS HAVE CHANGED OUR LIVES

Theresa Davies said it best: “Having kids makes you desperately aware of your fragile existence and your mortality and helplessness; it’s magnified…” Longboarders, who are our offspring, have forever changed many aspects of our lives. We’ve become even more aware of the delicate nature of life, and have been sensitized to the stigma that our kids wrongfully endure due to frequent public misunderstanding of the sport, of the community and culture. But they’ve also changed our everyday, average encounters with the outside world. I will never see a stretch of highway or a curve of freshly paved blacktop in the same way.

DESCRIBING THE ROAD, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY

Kim Ramsay from Chilliwack, BC, Nick Ternullo’s mother, fondly remembers driving

Nick, his twin brother Justin and older sister Emily, along with a couple of other longboarders, to Maryhill, Washington for a freeride session over a weekend: “The drive was hours and hours of funny dialogue with ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from for the back of the vehicle every time I took a sharp corner or started down a steep part of the highway — ‘longboarding of the brain,’ as they wished they were out of the vehicle and riding their boards. When we arrived at the lookout spot at Maryhill, I saw awe and excitement on their faces as they took in the vista of the winding open road; it was a longboarding holy moment. Longboarders gathered from Alberta, BC, Washington and Oregon that weekend just to freeride the hill for a couple days. The camaraderie was strong, and the event was memorable. No trophy, no winner, just the ride for the love of it.”

Theresa Davies also talked about the camaraderie among longboarders, along with her own excitement of watching her daughter race. “The first time I went to a race was Danger Bay ’07. I will never forget the thrill of watching her fly around the upper corner in the tuck, looking so strong and sure of her line as she navigated the hairpin curve and continued on out of my sight. I was impressed with the level of safety provided and the skill and speed that is required for all longboard racers to successfully navigate the course. I was also very taken by the warm, friendly atmosphere at the race and the high level of consideration the racers show toward each other during the race and the camaraderie off the course.”

All the parents have found something special about the longboarding community. Erian Baxter said, “I love the quirkiness of the longboarders and their huge hearts: Coast Longboarding’s Annual Santa Toy Drive Skate, and Push for the Cure fundraising skate…these are great examples for my children and ourselves as how to give back while doing something you love. What’s not to like about that?”

Whether their love of the sport follows them through their lives, or whether other passions take its place, it really doesn’t matter when you are the parent, so long as your kids are following their dreams. Theresa Davies, in her eloquent yet succinct way of putting things, sums up my feelings as well when she states her hopes for her daughter Brianne’s future: “[I hope] she lives a long and healthy life being true to herself and living her dreams.” Hear, hear, Theresa and other longboarders’ parents! And here’s to our kids: May they all live long, be true to themselves and live their dreams. ¶

Wolf Coleman and his little brother Finn at Danger Bay 2009.

Photo: Lorrie Miller

Venice

Boarding School

By HEIDI LEMMON

The Skatepark Association of the USA (SPAUSA) was established 1996. It is an organization that assists in the education and development of skateparks worldwide. We grow organically – which means we grow to meet communities’ and our members’ needs. In the beginning that meant organizing builders, developing construction guidelines and safety equipment guidelines and battling the helmet and pad laws.

SPAUSA started a cable TV show back in 1997 to educate people about the need for skateparks and activities. In 1999, with the support of DC Shoes, we opened an after-school skatepark in Los Angeles at Berendo Middle School. This has grown to 40-plus skateparks on school grounds in L.A. and has proven to be a model for other communities.

In 2000 our local skateboarders formed a demo team under SPAUSA that to this day rips and is well known in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. We built a ramp in Venice for our staff and then moved it to Venice United Methodist Church’s Center for Peace with Justice. It was there I met Pastor Thomas Ziegert, a.k.a. Pastor Tom. We worked together to call for a ban on for-profit prisons that are traded on the NYSE, tried in vain to stop the renewal of the IASC helmet and pad laws and provided a safe haven for several crews of graffiti artists –and a much bigger and better ramp for skaters and BMX riders.

Several years ago, it was brought to our attention that some skateboarders were regularly ditching school to skate the SPAUSA ramp. Some were facing expulsion, and both Pastor Tom and I were getting flak from the schools, police and parents. We thought it was time to set up a school that skaters might actually attend. Pastor Tom did a lot of research and found an alternative school system under the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) that was willing to try this out as an experimental campus.

Both Pastor Tom and I had some very strong views about education and teaching, and we also

had concerns about the brilliant, yet underachieving, group we were trying to accommodate. They were all passionate skaters, very active (some would label them as having ADD or ADHD), with poor to almost nonexistent attendance records. For a few, we could not even find a record of attendance for years, and some had drug problems when they were younger and had been placed in special ed. programs.

Our shared vision was to create an environment that these youths would want to be in, and also one that would spark their intellect and make them want to learn again. (Among our ideas: No homework! Six hours of school a day is long enough.) The alternative school administrator, Eric Spears, shared most of our views and was willing to give it a go.

LAUSD has a VERY tight budget, and the first semester we could not get enough textbooks or Internet access. But we had a dedicated teacher who had the students doing the basics: reading, writing and arithmetic. It took a while to figure out where they fit into the grade system, since most had not been attending school on a regular basis.

Pastor Tom was on site, cooking breakfast for the students every day the first semester, dealing with all sorts of issues and staying on top of the administrative needs, which were very complicated. Some of our students came from far away and ended up staying with me. The pastor also took in one student and then provided a place for others to stay as needed. We started to refer to our school as Venice Boarding School.

Extracurricular activities and special learning were my focus, and I arranged field trips to skate companies, record companies and various businesses and brought speakers into the classroom. I relied heavily on my friends and business associates. Ed and Suzanne Wasser volunteered to

Matt Keen, fakie shifty.

Photo: CT Punk

Christian Higuera, backside smith. Photo: CT Punk

Christian Higuera, frontside bert.

Photo: CT Punk

teach a relationship class. At the first session, one student said something that another disagreed with, and suddenly, BAM! A skateboard was flying through the air directly toward my head. Lucky for me, he was a poor shot in addition to lacking verbal skills. But now the kids can safely discuss issues and speak what is on their minds.

Greg Shewchuk from Land Of Plenty Skateboard Foundation teaches an art program with an emphasis on physics. The kids did an exchange with skaters in Jamaica last year and just completed a mural on the wall. One of my best finds was Melisa Yee, who started as a volunteer teaching assistant and is now on staff. She is

working on her master’s degree in math at UCLA and was captain of the UCLA snowboarding race team.

I am also a snowboarder, and we were lucky enough to get into Burton’s “CHILL” learn-to-ride program for three seasons. Snowboarding is now part of our curriculum. Most of the guys had never seen snow before, but being talented skaters, they were bombing the hill the first. Also, Melisa and I are working with Heidi Emery at Blue Angels Youth Ski & Snowboard Program and Ali Alsaleh at Mountain High ski area to set up a permanent snowboarding program. Ed, Suzanne and Greg are regulars who volunteer every week, and Matt Jones from 5th House Productions, formerly with Fuel TV, has

The teaching part is a little more unstable, but each new teacher leaves the program a bit better than they found it. Our first teacher was a B-boy with waist-length hair who drove a Hummer. He was transferred after one semester. The next one was a physical education (PE) major who had worked in Korea and moonlights as security for private parties. Our current teacher spent many years working in the inner city and is focused on education.

Most of our students make quite an effort to attend, and some travel up to two hours each way on the bus. The school provides bus passes and meals. We have the SPAUSA ramp on campus and the newly opened Venice Skate Plaza within skating distance for PE. Students can take up to two classes per semester at the local college, and most have been taking advantage of that opportunity.

Matt Keen, who stays with Pastor Tom, was one year behind when he entered our school. Pastor Tom was recently transferred to San Diego, by which time Matt had made up the year. He is now enrolled in Loma HS and is doing well. Before Pastor Tom left, he arranged the hiring of Christian Higuera, a local college student and skater, to manage and grow our after-school program. Christian keeps our ramp safe, provides instruction and positive mentoring and keeps the Venice vibes going.

Our school might seem unorthodox to some people. But it has one of the highest attendance rates in LAUSD, and it was recently granted a three-year accreditation, following a successful evaluation by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges Accreditation Commission. Most of our students are sponsored skaters, and Pastor Tom and I still work on the improving the school and finding opportunities for our students. ¶

Matt Keen, about to grab a frontside tuck-knee. Photo: CT Punk

Venice Boarding School (now at 20 full-time students). Photo: Lance LeMond.

The Skateboarder’s Journal Lives on Board 1949-2009

Compiled by Jack Smith

Originally the book started out as a small collection of skateboarding stories I had written over the past 30 years. As I began to edit the stories, it occurred to me that there were many more skateboarding stories out there, just waiting to be told...needing to be told.

I decided to open up the book up to anyone who wanted to contribute a story about his or her skateboarding life — not just the pros or the skaters you have seen in the magazines and videos over the last 50 years. I wanted to share the “everyman/everywoman” stories of skateboarding — everyone from the 40-something “pad dad,” to the 15-yearold grom who’s so stoked that he wants to skate every waking hour, to the women skaters whose stories have been ignored or lost over the years. After a few postings on various skateboarding websites, Facebook and a couple of e-mail blasts, the floodgates burst.

The project seemed overwhelming at times. Luckily, I was able to recruit my friend and fellow skateboarder Jonathan Harms to assist with the editing process. Longtime skateboarder and designer Adrian Piña created the graphic design of the book.

Some of the great skateboarding photographers have graciously contributed to the book, including Glen E. Friedman, Ted Terrebonne, Mofo, Wynn Miller, Jim Goodrich and Grant Brittain. The introduction is by Stacy Peralta.

8.5”“ x 11”“

333 pages

Price: $24.95

The book can be ordered via Lulu.com or by contacting Jack Smith directly at jack@theskateboardersjournal.com ¶

CATCHING UP withMike Weed

Interview by MICHAEL BROOKE

If you opened up any issue of SkateBoarder magazine in the mid to late 70’s, you’d quickly realize that Mike Weed was omnipresent. He skated for Hobie and eventually wound up with his own wheel company. His journey to Europe was captured by SkateBoarder and furthered his legendary status.

Michael Brooke: What are some of your earliest skate memories?

Mike Weed: I got my first skateboard at 6 years old; it was a Makaha. In the beginning we were just surfing on land. We would try to find driveways to do berts and kickturns on. If you could do two or three 360s, that was hot. I was on the Hobie surf team since I was 12 years old, so when they put a skateboard team together I was one the first guys.

MB: What about some of the spots you skated?

MW: We started to skate ditches and reservoirs – anything with a bank. A friend of mine, Jim Mitchell, showed us the Brea spillway. That spot was awesome. It was about the size of a football field, with 20-foot banks going downhill. At the bottom the corners were banked, making cool bowls and also a bank across the bottom. It was a high-speed spot, which I liked because we were doing a lot of downhill skating at that time. We started going down to La Costa, and someone showed us the Escondido Reservoir, which was a great spot. We called it the “Bird Bath.” This was in 1973 and 1974.

Mike in Hawaii in 2009.

Photos: Pat Malpass

MB: So much was happening at the time. MW: I had been in Surfing and Surfer mag. SkateBoarder mag had not come out yet. I was getting free equipment, but I never dreamed of getting paid to skate; I had never heard of a “pro skater.” Then I met Skitch and Gary Hitchcock. We started filming “Spinnin’ Wheels.” I was into downhill and bank riding; I hadn’t started doing freestyle yet. Then Skitch and I went to the [1975] Del Mar contest. We were totally stoked to see all the great skateboarders: Bob Mohr, the Logan brothers, Ty Page, Russ Howell and Torger Johnson. It changed the way I looked at skateboarding. Within a week we were doing nose wheelies,

one-foot 360s and many other tricks. Then SkateBoarder mag came out with the first issue. I was going to all the contests I could. Someone would have a new trick every time. Torger did the space walk; Bruce [Logan] did the headstand spinner; Steve Picciolo did the walk the dog. I watched Skitch learn the gorilla grip aerial. He took that and his handstand tricks to the first world contest and won. The skateboard fever was spreading across the U.S. and beyond.

MB: What was it like when SkateBoarder mag exploded?

MW: After the first mag came out, I really wanted to try riding in an empty pool. I got my chance at the San Juan Pool. The second time I ever rode a pool was a photo session with Warren Bolster. I was doing my first kickturns on vert that day. Warren said he had never seen anyone do a kickturn in a pool. I ended up getting the cover of the mag and a “Who’s Hot.” That was the start of my career. Hobie started paying me a salary, and I dropped out of high school to skate. I went with Warren on some surfing photo sessions. He was an awesome water photographer. Also he was the main driving force behind SkateBoarder. Then we got

lucky and heard about the ultimate skate spot, the Mt. Baldy Pipeline. That was the place that I got my frontside kickturns down. It took a month or so to talk Warren into going on the long drive up there. We picked up a guy named Waldo Autry. That first session with Waldo was something special. We both got a lot of good photos from that day. Waldo was doing backside click-outs onto the flatwall.

MB: Those shots of you and Waldo became iconic.

MW: That was the first time that was done. Warren was totally stoked. He got two posters, a cover shot, a “Who’s Hot” for Waldo and many other published photos from that day. Waldo went from totally unknown to one of the best vert skaters in the world, in one day.

I was having the time of my life. It was all so new, we really felt like pioneers. It was so fun discovering new spots, and pushing the limits a little further with each day. If you quit skating for a month at this time, you would be left behind.

MB: What was your favorite memory with Skitch Hitchcock?

MW: Skitch taught me how to make custom skateboards. He was always designing something new. I had a signature model with Hobie, but I rode boards that Skitch made a lot. I designed a freestyle board with two tails (the identical ends model). That was the first one with a square nose; I still have it. I rode it in two World contests and took third; this was in 1976. Early that year we made the first vert ramp I had ever heard of, “The Wave.” Skitch decided

it had to be made out of fiberglass, of course. It was an over-vert mini bowl that looked like a wave. It was a little too tight, but real fun. It was a real bitch to make, though.

MB: Why do you say that?

MW: We were glassing and sanding for a week. We were very tired and itchy from sanding. Gary was putting the final coat on; he was taller than Skitch or I. He could barely reach over to get to the face of this thing. The whole Wave had resin on it that was starting to go off. So Gary is trying to make it perfect, and Skitch and I are watching him. He is on one foot leaning in, and he starts to lose his balance. We are a little too far away to grab him. It felt like slow motion; we watched in horror as he fell face first into the wet resin. He had resin all over his face and in his hair. Skitch and I couldn’t help it; we started laughing so hard! Then we gave him an acetone bath.It didn’t work out too good for Gary. He had to shave off his long hair. Shaved heads were not cool in the early ’70s.

That ramp was one of a kind. Too bad it got thrown away after a demo at Knott’s Berry Farm. I want to thank Eric Salawich and Donovan [McNab] (he owns Lahaina Skate Company). They have built a lot of ramps and stuff for the kids to ride, like my son. They both rip and support skating fully.

MB: Tell us about the first tour to Europe.

MW: I was at the 1977 World contest at Long Beach. The day before, I just got home from our summer U.S. tour (it was 3 months long). I was kind of burned out on doing demos. I wanted to surf and skate the new parks, but the

Mike's friend Skitch Hitchcock had a portable fiberglass wave. It was definitely put to good use! Photo: Warren Bolster

The infamous Bad Co. ad from SkateBoarder magazine.

European tour was planned; airplane tickets were already bought. So I finished my final routine at the contest. I was stoked I didn’t fall. I took 2nd place behind Bob Mohr. We had a big party at Skitch’s house, stayed up all night. Our flight to Germany was that morning; I don’t know how we made it. I just remember passing out in my seat, then I wake up and we are landing. I had slept all the way there. I felt pretty out of it: hung over, jet-lagged and stiff.

MB: What happened when you got off the plane?

MW: I took a five-minute drive and went to 10foot quarterpipe – the first they had built. It had really bad tranny. They wanted us to skate for some photos. Bob [Skoldberg], Skitch and Ed [Nadalin] wanted no part of this death trap. They all looked at me, and Bob said, “Show them how it is done, Weed.” I had a hard time with that ramp, but I got used to it after a while.

Next they took us to McDonald’s to make us feel at home. We found out that they had big cups of St. Pauli Girl [beer] for, like, 25 cents. We sat and had a few and talked about the German part of the tour. They had planned to have two demos every day, in different places; we were to skate in every major city in Germany. The food was good, the beer was great, but there was way too much driving time. We stayed at a different room every night. The Autobahn was fun at first, but four sweaty skaters and a driver packed in a Fiat is a bit much. We got to see a lot of beautiful sights, but it was hard to find a skateable area in a lot of the towns. The German people were nice, but they didn’t seem to be that excited about skateboarding. The representative driving us around told us that Germans liked our demos; they just didn’t show much emotion. We were a little burnt out toward the end.

Ed Nadalin was the first victim of too many demos in a row. He broke his ankle. We really missed his routine for the rest of the trip. Ed is the one of the all-time best freestylers of that era. Each country had different representatives taking care of us.

MB: What country did you tour after Germany?

MW: Next was England, and it was first class all the way. We arrived at demos in a RollsRoyce limo. They had a pair of twin models in Hobie jerseys at every demo. The rep knew how to party, and he took us to the best restaurants and nightclubs in London. Plus we didn’t have to drive as much. They were really stoked on skateboarding in England.

Next was Switzerland. Slalom was big there, so Bob Skoldberg was in his element. Bob was our slalom champion; he was one of the top racers of that era. Bob was [also] our MC, and a hell of a nice guy. Skitch was skating hard every demo. His handstand tricks were a big crowd pleaser. He was doing five-foot airs off his launch ramp every day. He fell on one of his gorilla grip airs and broke his wrist. Skitch came to France and did some demos with the broken wrist, but I could tell he was in a lot of pain. At least he got to drink some fine Bordeaux and see the beautiful sights of Paris, but he went home early.

Bob and I finished the demos in France. Then we were ready for Italy, but it got canceled at the last minute. Overall the Hobie European Tour was a huge success. We opened the door for many European skaters to come.

A year later Bob and I did the first summer skate camp in Sweden. I also went to Brussels to skate a perfect plexiglass halfpipe with some of the hot European skaters. I went to Europe three times, but that first time with Skitch, Bob and Ed was the best. I really felt honored to have been part of it.

MB: What happened with the “Weed Wheel”? MW: Skitch and I designed the Weed Wheel. I met a guy who wanted to back the wheel (he also helped us start “Bad Co.”). He was willing to put money into it, so we figured he was cool. Only later did I find out that he had a lot of debt and a warehouse full of plastic skateboards and shi**y wheels. The wheel was sold; I have no idea how many, because I never got any royalties. We were just trying to hang in there. A lot of skaters were losing their jobs in at that time. The house of cards fell in when the band Bad Co. sued us. I don’t remember who thought up the name. We should have made sure it was OK to use. We should have called it Badlands. We had a couple of hot Badlands skaters on the team (Curt Kimbel and Harvey Hawks). I don’t know if it would have made any difference, because so many companies were going out of

business. It was 1979 and the economy sucked. But it was my peak year. I took 2nd at the first [pro] pool riding contest at Spring Valley, 3rd at the Oxnard pool contest and 1st at the World Championships in banked freestyle. I had been chasing that title for four years.

The next day I flew all the way down to Argentina, to try to help Norbert (the backer of my wheel and Bad Co.) unload all his inventory. I didn’t think it would work, but I didn’t have a lot of choices. I spent two months down there, [but it] felt longer. I really missed home. I didn’t get to really enjoy winning that World contest. I heard they played my routine on “Wide World of Sports,” but I missed it down at the tip of South America. There were not that many skaters in Argentina, but the ones I met were enthusiastic.

MB: Did things go from bad to worse?

MW: Unfortunately for Norbert, they were too sophisticated to go for his little plastic boards. I came home to find that Norbert (never trust someone named Norbert) was bankrupt. I was behind on my house payment. I was counting on a check from him. I lost the house, but Creative Urethane wanted to make my wheel…[but] old Norbert, he had it trademarked, and they couldn’t use it. I couldn’t use my own name! It was a hard time for me. I skated the Lakewood contest without a sponsor, but my heart just wasn’t in it any more. I started staying at friends’ houses and spending a lot more time surfing. I went to Hawaii and Mexico on surf trips. I was stoked on surfing, but I missed skateboarding. I regretted the way my career ended.

MB: How did you wind up in Hawaii?

MW: The ’80s were party time in Orange County, and I didn’t hold back at all. By 1985 I’d had enough. I was ready for a change. I moved to Maui and started a new life. I met Leslie, and we had a son, Richie. She is the best thing to ever happen to me. We are lucky enough to own our house. I still surf and skate. The best is watching the young kids get stoked on learning a new trick. I watch my son’s progress, and it makes me proud. Life is good on Maui. ¶

This is probably the most famous photo of Mike. It was taken in the summer of 1976 at Mt. Baldy.

Photo: Warren Bolster

THE STORY OF THE BUENA VISTA POOL

By MARCO PEREZ

The ’70s

When I started skating back in the early ’70s it was all about sidewalks, hallways and loading dock ramps in Watsonville/Pajaro. Steel wheels transformed into urethane Cadillac wheels and Bennett trucks. When I was in high school back in 1976, a swimming pool was dug out by a few locals where an old house had burned down. Bill Ackerman (later to become the owner of Bill’s Wheels Skateshop) used to live there in his early years.

A birds-eye view of Buena Vista in September 2009. Everyone came out of the woodwork– old faces and new – to see the legendary beast arise again. Photo: Marco Perez.

The house was owned by a Dr. Giverson and was a summer house retreat. There were a lot of skateparks in California back then, so this place was not publicized very much. We did our share of digging, draining it with buckets and cleaning out the crap that was in it, but it was worth every minute. We would see guys standing around watching us clean it out, waiting to skate, but that didn’t happen until we’d skated first.

There were groups of local skaters who would stop by, including the surfer/skaters from Watsonville and La Selva. The Aptos crew had such names as Kenny Matsui, Rick Ramirez, Peter Pedulla, Tommy Raymundo, John Ferreira, Mike Sears, Jeff “Skirvy” Rocha, the Gonzalez brothers, One Lung Joe Reyes and Gary Herbst. These were but a few of the many who used to skate places like Rusty’s Wall, Ham’s Bowl, the Farm Ramp, the Pit, Rampart Hill and Miles Lane. We all remember these places.

Then there were the notorious “W” boys who followed the Dogtown-era names, like George Milburn, Jeff Kidd, Jeff Fiorovich, the Martinez brothers, Hector and Mike Wagoner. These guys only skated Buena, and outsiders were ousted until they were done. They listened to music like Rick Derringer and Ted Nugent; this was the sound that pushed the limit of grinding coping. Front and

backside wheelers were done wearing volleyball pads and high-top tennis shoes. Buena was a heavy party place where everyone showed up. The cops were there all the time, kicking us out on many occasions.

Everyone from the Santa Cruz area was there getting their runs in. It did take a toll on a few people, from tweaked ankles to headplants.

People got word of Buena, and its increase in popularity began to lead to problems. Neighbors started to complain about the noise and the activity. Eventually Buena closed in the late ’70s.

The ’80s

When the ’80s came around, a new batch of skaters evolved. They were a lot younger but were hungry to take on the challenges Buena had to offer. The music changed to punk: Black Flag, 7 Seconds, DRI and of course, the Ramones. This new crew brought garbage bags, shovels and brooms. At that time there were a lot of backyard ramps being built, so it was never crowded that much. But when it rained, wet plywood and Masonite took time to dry. Where did everyone end up? You guessed it: Buena. It was good; music playing, beer drinking and skating with friends from all around the county.

We kept it clean for the most part when it was on, and it changed color like a chameleon due to the massive amounts of graffiti. Dick Goolick, the owner back in the mid-’80s, was cool about it, and the tractor man who used to caretake the property told us to “take care of it,” and it was ours. Among the many who carried on the tradition of keeping the pool running were Dave Freil, Ricky Stiles, Aaron Godoy, Lance Ripley, Scott Hoffman, Rodney Rodrigues and Rory Hawes. This place was special. It had a big effect on everyone who stepped on the property, skaters and non-skaters alike. We all paid our dues and then some.

Late 1980s: No stranger to this neck of the woods, Aaron Godoy, taking care of business as usual. Photo: Marco Perez.

Circa 1978. Cutting class again was Jeff "Mojado" Kidd. Photo courtesy of Bill's Wheels.

The ’90s

Here’s where the story changes. Buena came to an end in 1995 or so. The property changed hands again, this time for the worse. It sat filled and fenced off for seven years. I was working full time for UPS, so I lost track of it until the turn of the century.

1998:Inspectinganothermissiontodigitoutonceagain.Photo:RodneyRodrigues

1993: Rodney Rodrigues grinding away. New paint jobs were always part of skating here. Photo: Marco Perez

2000s

Buena has been buried, burned, oiled and jackhammered. It has been through hell and back. We have seen this place filled to the top and emptied out and filled back in. In the beginning of 2002, ground was broken once again by the die-hard locals. After digging a couple of feet down, things turned to mud and water. This put a halt to things for a few months. Things started back up on St. Patrick’s Day, from what I was told. Slowly, Buena was dug out by Father’s Day. It was skated for about a month or so and was buried once again for another seven years.

In September 2009, I got the word that Buena was on again! I dropped what I was doing and had to see for myself. Speeding over in my Geo Metro and pulling up to the pool, I saw a sh*tload of cars, and my heart raced. It must have been the massive cup of coffee that got me going. When I walked up the dirt path with my camera, I saw a lot of old faces I hadn’t seen in 20 years, and new faces as well. I was told the newest owner is all good with everything. I was blown away. It sure made me feel good to see the pool resurrected. There were a lot of people happy to be skating it again.

This time there was an even newer batch of skaters just killing it. I think the pool liked it. I could tell it did. Plans were made to have a big skate jam the following week.

Before that event could take place, I skated it and rolled my ankle doing a 180 drop-in on the shallow-end corner. That is the way Buena said “welcome back.” It was the first time I’d hurt myself in 33 years of skating there.

The next day was the skate jam. Everyone came out of the woodwork. People traveled across the country to be there. There were second-gen skaters from my friends, albums to look at, cold beer to drink and hot dogs to eat! Sunday the pros were on it, and they were killing it! I shot the sh*t out of the place (even was told not to shoot too close to the edge or I would get kicked out of the pool!). Hey, it’s not the first time, and it probably won’t be the last time.

It sure is good to see the place come back and bring everybody here again. This place is magic. Buena is one of the oldest living pools around. It has survived tons and tons of sh*t thrown into it. Life is good. To all that have been part of this place, right on! Long live Buena. ¶

2002: Grab a shovel and start digging if you want to skate. Photo: Rodney Rodrigues

2009: Night sessions were always happening here from day one. Headlights, lanterns and flares were used back in the day. Photo: Marco Perez

2009:RawfootageofJesseGullings"baring"downatBuena.Photo:MarcoPerez

A nice stalefish by a New Zealander nicknamed “Moose.”

By NICK SABLE | PHOTOS: D BYTE

I’d heard of a rumor here in Australia about a new private skatepark being set up in Bali in Indonesia, so after a few e-mails and a bit of investigation, I jumped on a plane to Bali to check it out. Gregor Rankine, expat Kiwi and ex-Madrid/Santa Cruz rider, was the man behind the plan. Gregor, who now works for Globe in Indonesia, kindly made me feel welcome to the brand new park. It flows so nicely, and its construction standard is second to none. Concrete Wave salutes you, dude, for creating your vision. I’ll let Gregor take over now to give you an insight on the Globe skatepark or “Rat Bowl.”

Hi, Nick, I’ve been here in Bali since ’94...so 15 years now. Just surfing; didn’t skate until the Base skatepark set up here a few years back. Then just as quick as it was here it was gone, and Bali was without much to skate again except Julian’s bowl in Sanur and the odd mini ramp here and there.

I kept looking at this spare bit of land I had at the side of the warehouse and imagining what sort of bowl would fit in there. I talked to a few guys down in Australia as to how much it would cost to put a pool in over here. Somehow Jaya Dawg tracked me down, ’cause he had heard I was interested in doing it. Jaya got on to his friend Carter and said, “Hey, Mike, get down here.” Carter turned up, and Jaya and Carter enlisted the help of master bowl maker “The Great Pak Triono.” Pak got his motley crue together and we started digging a hole! I spent a bit of time with me tongue out at home drawing up the layout of the bowl. I wanted it to be more fun than gnarly, but at the same time challenging enough so that if Victor Viscovich, Lee Ralph or Mike Spittlehausen turned up they would be stoked on it and tear it a new arsehole. I wanted to have a bit of a mini ramp element, but also a zone with a backyard pool feel.

I took note of a comment the big man himself, Jeff Grosso, made in an interview where he said skatepark designers often overcomplicate things. So I’d decided against any extensions, escalators, channels, spines, etc. and just kept it all at one level...but as you see with the bowl, there is still a lot of s**t going on, but the lines and speed are all good.

The 6-foot keyhole touches vert and is meant to be like Skate City’s clover pool (funnest pool in the park). The 4-foot square corner shallow end hits vert and is from the Upland Combi shallow end; the volcano is replicated from Sadlands. [And] the two small top bowls [were] inspired by Victor skating the New Lynn top bowl in Auckland, N.Z.

It’s all stuff I’ve skated over the years and had so much fun with. The rad thing is that it all turned out filth. There is not a shred of steel coping anywhere (thank god for that too!), even on the little mini ramp. The coping was all poured in place using a “secret recipe” given to us by Parksey (thanks, Jason). The tiles had to be black ’n’ white ’cause that goes well with the Bali theme. Carter left a little “fuzz” on the surface finish, so it’s not too slippery.

The zombie mural around the walls is “off the hook” and was done by the Rodent (thanks, Clayton). Right now the lights are going up, so the night sessions will be mad, ’cause it’s too hot to skate before 5 p.m.

Being a new “spot,” it is already attracting attention from around the world: Kiwis, Aussies, Seppos [Americans], French, Belgians and Russians all coming through to check it out, and now we have our own regular Bali crew made up of locals and expats.

Many thanks to mix master, Jaya Dawg; fresno finishing and edges expert, Carter; and the great Triono and crew for sweating out this three-month project and seeing it through.

Lotsa love went into getting every pour as good as it could possibly be.

I’m super psyched and super stoked to be able to whack this bowl project as a contribution back to Bali and the skate scene here. It’s free, open every day, and anyone can turn up and skate.

Located at #10 Jalan Taman Sari, Kelan, Bali (just south of the airport).

Yet another good reason to get your arse over to Bali.

See ya soon… Gregor Rankine ¶

The man with the plan: Gregor Rankine.

The Background

My first-ever glimpse of longboarders was at the 2005 May Day Parade, in Pender Harbour, British Columbia. Everyone comes out. It’s a “watch the parade, eat fair food, get your face painted, check out the loggers’ sports and craft fair and meet and greet old and new friends in the village” kind of thing. Little kids dressed like daisies, local businesses on hand-made floats, grizzled and blue-rinsed legionnaires marching to bagpipes in uniform and step, clowns throwing candy, and then, a vision: gliding down the hill, about 50 orange haired, green haired, pierced, tatted, ragged, Mohawk-topped, grinning young women and men on skateboards, flying their

By CAROLE RUBIN

Or How I Became a Manager of a Longbo Team and Learned to Love the Bomb

team and national colors in their wake – exotic, graceful, steampunk butterflies. Toto, we are NOT in Kansas anymore.

The Parade neighbors explained, “Danger Bay. Racers from all over the world. Tomorrow, Frances Peninsula Road.”

I didn’t make the race the next day. In fact, it would be four years before I saw my first Danger Bay race. Life intervened. But from that moment on, I seemed to see longboarders on local roads everywhere, and started picking them up to drive them up Garden Bay hill. One day, a couple of summers later, I pulled over to pick up a pack of them and recognized Bricin Lyons from his student and my work days at Pender Harbour High.

We hugged and yakked, and the rest of the guys – a couple with green hair – just sat in the back, super quiet.

I bumped into Bricin a couple of weeks later, selling Coast Longboarding hoodies out of the back of his van. He was surrounded by the same posse, who scattered like crabs at my approach. (Serious mistrust of old folks.) I took my least threatening pose, bought a hoodie, yakked awhile and went home.

I’ve lived on the Sunshine Coast since 1980, but only in Pender since 2004. My friends Ross and Wendie had lived at the bottom of the Garden Bay Road – a.k.a. the “Dump Hill” – for 30 years, and were longboarding and Scoot fans.

The Team: Striker (with helmet), Roosen, Scoot, Sandman and Raggie.

Photo: Abel Hansen

In fact, Ross often worked with Scoot and his Dad, Neale, on the same building projects. One December evening in 2008, I was at Ross and Wendie’s house for dinner. Ross told me he’d overheard Scoot on the phone earlier that day, trying to set up some gear arrangements, and said he thought Scoot could use some help organizing his life – someone like me. “You’re an organizer, Carole,” he said, “and he could really use some help. He’s so good at what he does, [but] he needs someone to deal with his tickets and sponsors and paperwork.”

I “um-hummed” and went on with dinner. So far, I’d felt a clear lack of connection with the longboarders, except for Bricin, and was surrounded by painfully dead silence whenever I stopped to drive them up local hills. I couldn’t see working with them at all. In fact, they seemed to feel so strained in my presence, I stopped picking them up. But Ross kept at it. A few days later he said, “I was just at work with Scoot and his Dad, man. Scoot’s got way too much on his plate to try to organize all this; he could really use some help. You’re such a good organizer, man, you should help him.”

Hot Dog Donation

I knew Scoot was the one with the perennially green hair, and that he was World Champ, but he and his buddies had yet to meet my eyes. Then I saw Bricin and Scoot together a few times, riding on dry winter weekends, and started giving them rides back up Garden Bay Road again. Bricin and I hugged and talked a bit. Scoot stayed quiet and looked out the window. A few weeks later, I donated at Scoot’s “help us get to Cali” hot dog stand, and the boy actually said hi.

Ross kept up his persuasion, and when Team Green returned from Cali in the spring, I was at a place in life where I was looking for something fun to do. I decided to help the team. The next time I

bumped into Scoot, I decided to go for it. I went up to him and talked about Ross’ suggestion. When he got over his shock, he said he could indeed use some help, so we decided to get together and talk a few days later. We went over a few things, and decided to try it out, get to know each other and mutually decide if we wanted to continue working together. I decided Danger Bay 8 would be a good place for me to start.

May Day 2009, and the longboard parade procession was as colorful as ever, but very subdued. The riders walked the route, carrying a sign honoring Michael Crowe, a local Notary who had supported Coast Longboarding for years, until his death a few months earlier. I was impressed and touched.

Management 101

After the race, I went into town with a bunch of business cards. Manager, eh? The guys from Landyachtz were in town, but I kept just missing them everywhere. I met Michael Brooke, gave him my card, told him I was “working with Scoot” and watched his reaction – intrigued, puzzled – a first reaction that was and still is repeated. Michael introduced me to Chris Chaput, and we exchanged cards; same reaction – curious, puzzled, plus a tad wary. Hey, NO ONE “worked” with longboarders! I gave him my card, too, and went home.

I found a spot at the front at “Carnage Corner” and waited while a frenzied caller –could that be Bricin?! – announced the race. Four racers pulled out of the corner, drew their bodies back in over their boards and raced down the straightaway in tight aerodynamic tucks. Streamlined figures bent 90 degrees at the waist, knees bent and heads down, hands on rumps, completely smooth, all in one motion – ZOOM! Moving art. I heard a loud rushing in my ears, felt my jaw drop and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Then, with everyone else at Carnage Corner, my breath rushed out of my lungs. WHOAAAAAH. Dead silence for a nanosecond, and then a collective roar. That was it. Love at first sight. I was STOKED! And I was “in.” Scoot and Team Green had a manager.

Post-Danger Bay 8, the business of getting new sponsors started. After talking lots more to Scoot and Sandy “Sandman” Charlton, I browsed hundreds of photos and had highquality prints of the boys made. The idea was to get enough new sponsor money to get Scoot to all the races in the IGSA World Cup Series to defend his championship, and tickets for as many team members as possible as well.

I made some elegant presentation folders with the IGSA 2009 Official Racing Guide; glossy photos geared to each prospective sponsor; information packages on how sponsors could sell themselves and their products at the IGSA series and individual races; a glowing resume and cover letter about Scoot and Team Green; a “pitch” budget; and my business card. I made a list of likely suspects, sent out the packages and waited. I also contacted Team Green’s current sponsors for real, for the first time.

Sandy“Sandman”Charlton.

Photo:AbelHansen

Rylan “Raggie” English. Photo: Abel Hansen

The Big Chill

Some of you met me at Danger Bay or Maryhill. I’m an old hippie granny who wears Birkenstocks with socks. I make crafts, write environmental books, run a company to make just enough money to get by, and only care about living a happy and compassionate life. However, the sponsors didn’t know me from Eve, and a “manager” or (gasp!) “agent” was a whole new SCARY ball game for them. There was a decided chill at the other end of my initial e-mails and telephone calls – a wariness. Was I a ruthless shark, intent on bullying for the best deal for my clients? OMG, an AGENT!? WTF?!!!

So calls and e-mails went unanswered for a time. So I sent more e-mails, explaining that I was just a sweet old lady who was there for Scoot, the Team and them (the sponsor), to help them organize gear, tickets, insurance, photo shoots, publicity, race registration, etc.; to work WITH the sponsors to help them get what they and the Team needed. I wrote a description of how the races at Danger Bay 8 had affected me, and why I was involved – that I am as far from ruthless as a person can be.

they have realized I respect and appreciate the help they give my Team.

The response from cold mail-outs to new, prospective sponsors has also been pretty good. Some companies will only work with a non-profit society, so that’s been a challenge. Others want to sponsor the Team in Canada-only events, because, well, they are Canadian. So we are working on Team Green Canadian races. Still others are on the fence, waiting to see what will happen with the Championships this year. And of course, some didn’t even reply. No money from new sponsors has come in yet, but I figure it’s still early days. I am a patient granny.

Other boarders don’t know quite what to make of me, and that suits my impish side just fine. The super-politeness or über-grossness cracks me up; the puzzlement is a hoot (“Is she Scoot’s Mom? Grandma?”), and the ones who have recognized a kindred spirit have become family. The lunchtime Airsoft-gun shootout at Maryhill had me pinned in the car for a good 10 minutes, laughing so hard I couldn’t move – until I pulled my stuff together, borrowed a gun, jumped out the door and shot Dalua twice with two shots. There was stunned silence. Play stopped. Then Andy Lally exclaimed, “But you’re a little old lady!” Bam Bam. Enough said.

ally know what’s happening. The friendships and excellent working relationships I’ve formed have been fantastic, and have added to my life. The openness of the community is remarkable. One skater is always there with a hand out to help another with gear, rides or props after a great race. But, hey, get a little closer, and dang, we’re all humans with insecurities. A new person on the block in a new position is like a lightning rod for others’ fear. The suspicion, resentments, jealousies and assumptions – from inside and outside the team – have been a challenge to overcome, and I am still slowly and patiently overcoming. And it’s all a part of it.

Team Green functions like a bunch of brothers. There are misunderstandings, resentments, jealousies and grudges, and always will be, unless they spontaneously achieve group nirvana. (They haven’t.) They go through easy and strained times with each other, and with others in the longboarding community as a whole. I go through easy and strained times in my dealings with each Team member, and the team as a whole – just like family. But the laughter is a constant. As long as they make me laugh, I’m in. Certainly not in it for the money or fame! And we continue to get to know each other day by day. Brief impressions so far:

The Boyz of Team Green

The Thaw

It took a few months of conversation, visiting and cyber talk, but now Blake and Tom at Landyachtz wear “Mom” and “Meatball” wool hats, hand spun and knit by me. Chaput will have his by the time you read this, and my relationship with the fabulous staff at both places is, well, fabulous. They have recognized that I can deal with stuff they don’t want to, or don’t have the time to. And

The Learning Curve

Working with the Team, Scoot, the sponsors and community has been a huge learning curve for me, just on the technical end of things. When I started this, I knew what a longboard looked like, but not much else. The technical stuff has been awesome, and I am still learning. I watch riders put their wheels and trucks together, and I actu-

Sandy Charlton, a.k.a. Sandman: The quiet one. We worked at the same job site several years ago, I in the office and he as an outside worker. At that time, his swearing was legion, and his “rebel with a cause” vibe cracked me up (I was always super-careful hide my laughter). He was wary of me and the whole manager thing at the start, but we have since worked together on a couple of projects, and the suspicion has melted. The dude can bomb a hill with the best of ’em, and will be a top racer very soon. But first things first: He’s just become a father, and is so caring and loving with his family, it’s a treat to be over there and just bask in the sweetness. Veronica, the newest member of Team Green, is immortalized on coastlongboading.com re-

Scott “Scoot” Smith and Bricin “Striker” Lyons. Photo: Abel Hansen

The newest member of Team Green: Baby Veronica (10 hours old) with her mother, Mollie. Proud Papa Sandman gives the baby her first longboard. Photo: Carole Rubin

ceiving her first board from Dad at 10 hours old. I took the shot.

Bricin Lyons, a.k.a. Striker: Striker and I met at Pender High too many years ago when he was a student and I was on staff. He’s living in Vancouver now, working full time and spending ALL his weekends organizing and going to races. He has done SO MUCH for downhill racing in BC. This makes it difficult to spend time with him, and we had to book our first official Team Green photo shoot in Vancouver an hour before a skating event just to get him in it. His e-mails and Facebook messages are single words or a sentence, so it’s sometimes hard for me to read between the word, or line. But we’re working on it and working together. Bricin is doing more announcing than racing these days, and now that I am used to the frenzy, I have to say he’s the best, hands down.

Mike Roosen, a.k.a. Poosen: New to me, but not to the Harbour. He grew up here and has known Sandman and Bricin forever. He’s just moved back to the family farm from living a really ter-

of a gangsta in Sechelt (don’t ask!). He’s managed to get Scoot into a local gym to work out on a regular schedule, and they’re spending lots of time skating. Poosen’s gonna be an amazing racer if he sticks with it; he’s super strong, and fast. He was the easiest on the manager concept. He said, “Cool!” and then went to sleep in the back seat of the car.

or a disaster, depending on where you stand. Raggie’s never, ever boring – and a fabulous racer.

Scott Smith, a.k.a. Scoot: Almost a full-time job! Some of you know how famous he is for getting lost, missing flights and forgetting stuff. I thought it was an exaggeration – nope. Boy misses flights, gets LOST and doesn’t remember stuff. I’m thinking of Scoot-proofing his car with a GPS for Christmas, but I’m not sure if that will help – or get him into trouble trying to read where he should turn next, eyes off the road at over the speed limit and all that.

Rylan English, a.k.a. Raggie: The definition of a loose cannon, and I love him for it, as exasperating as it sometimes gets. Raggie’s been living in Vancouver for a bit, so it’s hard to spend time with him. He hitchhiked to our Vancouver photo session from Summerland wearing a Hawaiian golf shirt and khaki slacks – “good for getting rides” was the explanation. He’s totally fearless, and completely reckless, which can be inspiring

The drive to Maryhill and back with Scoot and Jackson Shapiera was epic. When it wasn’t sheer torture it was a hoot. Did I mention I’m a granny? I didn’t bring earplugs. I was in the back seat, with the speakers. And the cigarette smoke. GRRRRR! I am sure it was a sort of trial, to see how I would react. Nowadays, Scoot gets OUT of the car to smoke, and music is set at a tolerable level. He even puts on tunes we both like. Guess I passed the test.

You could say I’ve learned to stop worrying and love when these guys bomb hills. Life is sweet. ¶

OfficialTeamGreenPortrait:(L-R)Sandman,Roosen,Scoot,RaggieandStriker.Photo:AbelHansen

Team Green’s BBQ and send-off for Scoot's Euro Tour '09. Roosen, Sandman and Scoot Photo: Abel Hansen

BY MARCUS RIETEMA

MALARRARA PRO TEUTÔNIA WORLD CUP

After the Maryhill Festival of Speed the IGSA went on a six-week hiatus before heading to South America for the Brazilian leg of the 2009 World Cup Series. The Malarrara Pro Teutônia World Cup was held October 23-25 in southern Brazil.

The Teutônia track is the fastest in the world with speeds in the 110 km/h (68 mph) range. It also has a high-speed corner that challenges even the best riders and dares them to take it without braking. When they get it right the skaters are rocketed down the steep bottom section at enormous speeds. When they get it wrong it results in a high-speed impact with the straw bales.

Under warm and sunny skies, practice and the first round of qualifying got underway on Friday. After last year’s torrential rains that practically washed out the entire event, everyone was happy to be riding under ideal conditions. After a series of practice runs to get riders acquainted with the intense speeds of Teutônia, it was time for the first round of qualifying.

Douglas “Dalua” Silva shattered his own track record with a time of 1:18.711. (He’d set the record last year with a time of 1:20.452.) Silva was followed in second by Mischo Erban and three-time World Champion Martin Siegrist in third. In fourth was two-time Teutônia winner Kevin Reimer, and rounding out the top five was Brazilian Garcia Silon.

In Saturday’s final qualifying session, Silva retained the number one qualifying position and lowered the track record again. The Brazilian star established a new track record of 1:17.723, beating his day-old mark by nearly a full second. Erban retained the number two position and Reimer moved into the number three position. His run placed him ahead of Siegrist, who couldn’t improve upon his Friday time.

Scoot Smith made a huge move up in final qualifying to earn the fifth position. Sunday’s race was shaping up to be an incredible showdown between five of the biggest names in the

sport. A strong field of 42 downhill skateboarders had entered the competition, and qualifying had whittled the field down to the fastest 32.

Sunday’s Dual format (two-man heats) pitted rider against rider in head-to-head competition. Earlier in the day, Erban established an official IGSA Downhill Skateboard Speed Record of 113.02 km/h (70.23 mph), edging out Silva, who ran 112.25 km/h (69.75 mph). There were no big upsets in the early rounds, with the first big showdown occurring in the quarterfinals. The highlight of the quarterfinals was definitely the showdown between the #4 qualifier Siegrist and the #5 qualifier Smith. Siegrist pulled out to an early lead off the line with Scoot close behind. As they entered the left-hand corner at the top of the ultra-fast straightaway, the two riders actually touched wheels! But fortunately neither of them went down. Scoot re-

Scoot Smith comes off his board at more than 110 km/h while trying to pass Martin Siegrist. Photo: Alexandre Maia

Mischo Erban crosses the finish just ahead of Silva for the win.

Photo: Chris McBride

The Teutônia crowds were the biggest seen at a World Cup in 2009. Photo: Chris McBride

Top 5 finishers L-R: Smith, Reimer, Erban, Silva and Siegrist. Photo: Marcus Rietema

2009 IGSA WORLD CUP OVERVIEW

gained his composure and set off down the steep straight.

Coming down the long final straightaway, Scoot first pulled alongside Siegrist and then pulled into the lead. Unfortunately his lead was short lived as he lost control, went down at approximately 70 mph and began sliding toward the bales. Scoot struck the bales feet first and was sent spinning wildly

like a rag doll down the course. He seemed to spin forever as Siegrist crossed the line and moved into the semifinals. Fortunately Scoot was uninjured and actually skated through the finish. He later described the crash as the fastest in his career.

That set up the two semifinal matchups. In semi number one it would be Silva against Siegrist. The second semi would pit Reimer versus Erban. Silva used his incredibly strong

push to pull away from Siegrist off the line and never looked back. He won the heat and advanced to the finals.

In the second semi there was a cat-andmouse game going on as neither Reimer nor Erban wanted to leave the line first. With the tremendous draft developed on the high-speed course, neither rider wanted to give the advantage of being second at the top of the straightaway. Finally Reimer took off into the lead. Just as both riders had predicted, Mischo used the draft to pass Reimer down the long straight and into the final.

The final began once again with a game of cat and mouse. This time Silva held back and Mischo took the lead. As they worked their way down the course Silva was trying to find a way around Mischo, but he simply wasn’t fast enough. Silva tried to pull alongside at one point, but he didn’t have the speed to get by. He was resigned to follow Erban closely down the hill.

The victory was a huge one for Erban and arguably the biggest win of his career, as he had to beat both Reimer and Silva head to head on the world’s fastest racecourse. He became the first twotime winner of the 2009 season and moved into first place in the points standings with two events to go.

Newton’s Playground in Bathurst, Australia is up next. The event is also the IGSA World Championships. The course is super gnarly and will be pushing everyone to their limits.

Malarrara Pro Teutônia World Cup

1. Mischo ErbanCanada

2. Douglas “Dalua” SilvaBrazil

3. Kevin ReimerCanada

4. Martin SiegristSwitzerland

5. Scoot SmithCanada

6. Everton AlvesBrazil

Silon GarciaBrazil

Vinicius MacacoBrazil

Mischo Erban celebrates the biggest win of his career.

Photo: Alexandre Maia

Silva tries to find a way around Mischo Erban in the final. Photo: Alexandre Maia

Defending Champion Kevin Reimer finished third.

Photo: Alexandre Maia

Douglas “Dalua” Silva was the #1 qualifier for the second year in a row. Photo: Alexandre Maia

BY MARCUS RIETEMA

NEWTON’S PLAYGROUND

The IGSA World Cup Series held its most important round of the 2009 season November 27-29 in Bathurst, Australia. Newton’s Playground was chosen to be the 8th annual IGSA World Championships.

World Championship status ensured that nearly every top downhill skateboarder in the world was in attendance. Skaters from 16 countries were represented.

Martin Siegrist led the first day of Downhill Skateboard qualifying. The three-time World Champion from Switzerland set a time of 1:01.049, shattering Scoot Smith’s year-old qualifying record of 1:04.168 by more than three seconds. Qualifying second was the winner of the recent IGSA U.S. Nationals, Andrew Chapman, followed in order by Mischo Erban, Scoot Smith and Kevin Reimer.

On the second day of qualifying, Siegrist completed a blistering run, lowering his day- old track record to 1:00.814 down the 1.3 km (.8 mi) course. Moving into second was current World Cup Series points leader Erban, with Smith qualifying third. Andrew Chapman seemingly came from nowhere to be a legitimate contender in Bathurst. After his strong performance on Friday, he crashed heavily on his second qualifying run. His Friday time still held up for him to start fourth.

Mount Panorama Raceway is most famous for its V-8 Supercar races, but since last year it has been turned into an epic venue for downhill skateboarding. The

Reimer qualified solidly in fifth and defending Bathurst champion Erik Lundberg wound up sixth. Both were serious threats to win Sunday’s World Championship final. Gregorio Cancio from the Philippines impressed everyone to

10th-place qualifier Gregorio Cancio from the Philippines leading France's Olivier Bareaud.

Photo: Melissa Ransom

Defending World Champion Scoot Smith rode solidly to 2nd place.

Photo: Melissa Ransom

Defending Newton’s Champion Erik Lundberg won the Consi to finish 5th.

Photo: Bill Fonseca

16-year-old Evren Ozan finished 7th and also won the Juniors World Championship. Photo: Melissa Ransom

2009 IGSA IGSA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

tried in vain to catch Reimer’s draft, but there was nothing he could do to catch the man they call “White Lightning.” Reimer was crowned the 2009 IGSA World Champion. Chapman and Bareaud both scrambled for their boards, and Chapman crossed the finish line first to grab the final podium spot.

Scoot Smith’s second-place finish coupled with Mischo’s disastrous weekend moved Scoot into second place in points with one race remaining. Instead of Mischo going home as the 2009 IGSA World Cup Series Champion, he has now opened the door for Scoot. To win the Championship Scoot will need to win South Africa, and Mischo would need to finish third or worse. It’s a long shot but certainly not impossible.

qualify 10th in his first international race. Ninetysix skaters made qualifying attempts to make it into the 64-rider eliminations.

In the first round of heats all the top qualifiers advanced easily with the exception of Erban. In a huge upset, he crashed solo on the upper part of the course and was eliminated. In the second round, 2002 World Champion Yvon Labarthe was eliminated, as was Cancio. All the favorites made it through the round and into the quarters. Also making the cut was 16-year-old Evren Ozan, showing impressive poise under pressure.

lowed by Reimer, Chapman and Ozan. Siegrist was feeling the pressure and carried too much speed into the corner. He tried to scrub off some speed, but it was too late. On the exit he ran out of road and into the bales. Reimer and Chapman sailed by and into the finals.

The second semifinal featured Smith, Bareaud, Lundberg and Siddiqi. Lundberg had the lead entering Forest’s Elbow, followed by Smith, Bareaud and Siddiqi. Exiting the corner Lundberg plowed into the bales and bounced back in front of Scoot. Somehow Scoot was able to avoid him and moved into the lead. Scoot and Bareaud raced to the line and to the finals.

The quarterfinals would determine the final eight. As expected, top eight qualifiers Siegrist, Smith, Chapman, Reimer, Lundberg and Olivier Bareaud all advanced to the Semis. The other two surprise semifinalists were Californians Ozan, who qualified 16th, and Georges Siddiqi, who had qualified 26th

In the first semifinal it was Siegrist, Chapman, Reimer and Ozan. Heading into Forest’s Elbow it was Siegrist in the lead fol-

A sensational final was set with Reimer, Chapman, Scoot and Bareaud. Reimer held nothing back and rocketed into the lead followed by Scoot. Chapman and Bareaud were third and fourth, respectively. Reimer and Scoot made it through the Elbow cleanly. The same could not be said for Chapman and Bareaud, however, who both went careening into the bales as they tried to keep up with the leaders. Scoot

The Australian Skateboard Racing Association (ASRA) did a fantastic job organizing Newton’s Playground. They came up with ingenious ways of creating their own five-camera live broadcast of the event, and also live timing and scoring via their website. Video footage of all the racing heats can be found at www.skateboardracing.org.au Newton’s Playground has raised the bar for a World Championship event and is quickly gaining legendary status. Everyone is looking forward to returning in 2010. ¶

Newton’s Playground/ IGSA World Championships Results

1. Kevin ReimerCanada

2. Scoot SmithCanada

3. Andrew ChapmanCanada

4. Olivier BareaudFrance

5. Erik LundbergSweden

6. Martin SiegristSwitzerland

7. Evren OzanUnited States

8. Georges SiddiqiUnited States

Reimer leads Smith, Chapman and Bareaud through Forest’s Elbow in the Final.

Photo: Melissa Ransom

Andrew Chapman was a legitimate contender, ultimately finishing in 3rd.

Photo: Bill Fonseca

Kevin Reimer leads the final on his way to winning the World Championship.

Photo: Bill Fonseca

The exit of "Forest's Elbow" created havoc all weekend.

Photo: Melissa Ransom

Bob Mahaffey

Bob Mahaffey once told me, “The gap between what I create, and the ideas I have for art, is huge” — astounding words for someone who blows my mind with each new piece he presents to me. Bob rocks canvas (whatever it may be at the time) with absolute authority, bringing a style that is extremely abstract — most definitely the kind of art that must be seen up close and personal.

Bob, at age 35, might agree that his artistic style could be described very similar to his life: Way complex, slightly chaotic, but always fun! Blissfully describing his wife and children as an inspiration, Bob uses art as an opportunity to bond with his children and educate them on life lessons, making it possible for him to lead by example.

With some crazy airbrush skills, Bob hopes to do some mural work. “Imagine walking into a room that is completely covered in this insane style! You would be lost for sure," he says. So whatever the canvas, digital or traditional, contact him at bmahaffey3@yahoo.com

MICHAEL KAPICA age 12

WORDS: JIM KUIACK PHOTO: MIKE KAPICA

We met up with Michael at the September 2008 Orlando Surf Expo and were immediately impressed with his stoke and skateboarding skills. Michael is from Osprey, Florida (near Sarasota) and by his own admission he has been surfing and skateboarding all his life. Michael works with his family’s surf-jewelry business called Charming Shark, and he also has his own skateboard brand called “That’s So 70’s.” His retro-minis and cruisers are often made out of recycled materials. The deck he was riding at the Expo, on which he threw down a series of perfect berts and laybacks, was made out of an old skimboard. Michael also competes as a surfer and recently placed 4th at the NKF Surf Festival this past September. To learn more about Michael, visit charmingshark.com.

DYLAN BELCHER age 15

WORDS: BUTCH ZACHREL PHOTO: BRIAN HILBISH

Dylan may be small for his age, but he skates big. Dylan hails from Poolesville, Maryland and has been skating since anyone can remember. He just recently picked up his first sponsorship, thomasknight.com (extreme sport clothing). Competing in the Mid Atlantic Skate Series and other contests Dylan doesn’t worry about placing; just skating with different skaters is the reward. Dylan takes any inanimate objects and turns them into a skating apparatus. Give him street, vert, bowl, wood, Skatelite or his favorite, concrete, and he’ll be all over it. Dylan was also instrumental in working hard to get a skatepark built in his home town. Poolesville broke ground on the skatepark in October 2009, and Dylan will be skating in there by summer 2010.

WILL MAYFIELD age 21

WORDS: MICHAEL BROOKE PHOTO: PLEX PHOTOGRAPHY

Will has recently moved from Plan B to Unity Skateboards, and he’s excited about the prospects. “I want to be able to move up and represent something I believe in,” he said. Currently, Will is working on frontside 540s. When asked where he felt skateboarding was going, Will replied, “I’m not sure. I kind of think things are coming back to bowls. Vert was a fad, then street, [now] everything is gearing back toward bowl skating, different styles. It’s going back to the roots of skateboarding.” Will is pretty comfortable when it comes to his place within skateboarding. “I am who I am, I skate how I skate,” he says. “If you don’t like it, that’s fine. If you don’t, I don’t care. When it comes down to it, I just want to skate.” Thanks to: Pops, Mom, the Martins, Kyle, Dan, Paul and Jeff at Salty’s Skate Shop, KFC, Slyder and Nicole, Kirk and most of all Unity Skateboards!

ABBY “ZACE” ZSARNAY age 15

WORDS ANDPHOTO: Z STUDIOS/ZSTUDIOS.COM

How many skaters can say they have a video on YouTube that has 1.2 million views? Abby Zsarnay can. The hit video of her launch over another skater skyrocketed to popularity when she was just 12 years old. In two and a half years, Abby has competed in more than 100 skate competitions, and in the majority she was the only girl. Whether it’s doing huge frontside airs, kickflip indys or blunt fakies on the largest ramp at the park, Abby will amaze most onlookers. Abby started “playing” on a skateboard when she was 7 and started to skate seriously at age 12 1⁄2 when she entered her first competition. This past summer Abby won the title of Top Amateur at the S3 Supergirl comp at Woodward West. This granted her the opportunity to be the only Am at the All Pro S3 Supergirl in Venice Beach. She also won the 2009 National Championship of the Concrete Rodeo Skateboard Series and took 1st place in the Wicked Wahine Double D all-girl competition at the Burger Bowl. When asked why she skates, Abby quickly responded with, “I feel alive when I’m on my board.”

Sponsors: cheapsk8r.com, One Way Board Shop, Steezie Beanies, Globe Shoes, Girls Riders Organization

presented by

SKATEBOARD SHOPS LIST

MINNESOTA

Old School Skaters 1119 NW 2nd Street Faribault 612.578.3326 www.oldschoolskaters.net

MISSOURI

Genesis Skateboarding 13 NW Barry Rd. #147 Kansas City 816.456.1307 genesisskateboarding.com

MONTANA

Wheaton’s

214 1st Avenue West Kalispell 406.257.5808 wheatonscycle.com

BlackTop Surfshop 176 5th Avenue West North Kalispell 406-752-6006

NEW JERSEY

Black Diamond Skatepark 400 Route 38 Unit 1610 Moorestown

NEW MEXICO

Koa Nalu Surf Shop 8254 Menaul Blvd NE

Bill’s Wheels Skateshop

1240 Soquel Avenue Santa Cruz 831.469.0904

Purple Skunk Purpleskunk.com

5820 Geary Blvd. San Francisco 415.668.7905

CCMF/Toyland 1260 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 805-801-6653 ccmfjay@yahoo.com

The Trading Post 622 Upham Street San Luis Obispo

805.801.6653 ccmfjay@yahoo.com

Sonoma Old School Skate and Surf

1001 Broadway Sonoma 707.938.5500 skatesos.com

Cellular Skate 287 Mountain Ave Upland

Tel: 909.981.8856 cellskate@verizon.net

Maui and Sons

1415 Ocean Front Walk Venice Beach mauiandsons.com

COLORADO

All Board Sports 1750 30th Street Boulder 303.415.1600

Board Lords Foothills Mall 215 East Foothills Parkway Suite

(J-4) Fort Collins 970.225.1109

CONNECTICUT

Skate Pusher 57 McIntosh Drive Bristol 860.593.4550

Skate Valencia 68 Leonard Street, Bristol 203.524.4675

GEORGIA

Feral 190 Park Avenue, Athens 706.369.1084

Skate Madness1344 Stonefield court, Alpharetta

770.777.0336 skatemadness.com

Woody’s Halfpipe

6135 Peachtree Parkway Suite # 603 Norcross

LOUSIANA

Board Lords Mall of Louisiana, 6401 Bluebonnet Blvd.

Suite # 2044, Baton Rouge, 225.769.1222

MASSACHUSETTS

Boardroom 6 Armory Street Northhampton

413.586.8857

MICHIGAN

Ollies Skate Shop 120 ½ E Maumee Adrian 517.265.2031

Albuquerque 505-332-SURF koanalu.com

Timeship Raicing 825 Early Street Suite H Sante Fe 505.474.0074 timeshipracing.com

NORTH CAROLINA

Soul Ride Skatepark 6049 Victory Lane Concord

704.454.7433 soulrideskates.com

We’re Board Inc Skatepark and Shop 1423 North Church Street, Ste 104 Burlington NC 27217

OHIO

Old Skool Skateboards 19E College Avenue, Westerville roxtar55@hotmail.com

OREGON

The Uprise 1110 NW Van Buren Ave, Corvallis 541.754.4257 541.480.4254 thelongboardstore.com

The Longboard Store 1238 SW Wheeler Place Bend 541.480.4254 thelongboardstore.com

Daddies Board Shop 7126 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland 503.281.5123

daddiesboardshop.com

The Mountain Shop 628 NE Broadway Portland Rip City Skate 1510 NE 37th Ave. Portland

PENNSYLVANIA

Rayzor Tattoos 4 South Front Street Steeltown

RHODE ISLAND Seven.Ply 3 Canal Street Westerly 401.348.0656

Sk8sations Skate Shop 3032 N.John B.Dennis Hwy. Kingsport 423.245.0994 tbec@charter.net

VIRGINIA

Area 51 191 Station Street Duncan 250.746.8869 a51.ca

Raven Skate Shop 411 Campbell Street Tofino 250.725.1280 ravenskateshop.ca

Salton Rides Saltsummer Island, BC 250.537.4984 saltonskate@canada.com

Switchback Longboards 4385B Boban Dr. Nanaimo 250.751. 7625

ONTARIO

Hammer Skate Shop 2225 Queen Street East Toronto, 416.698.0005 Hogtown 401 King Street West, Toronto 416.598.4192

McPhails 98 King Street North, Waterloo 519.886.4340

QUEBEC

DLX/Deluxe 2480, chemin Ste.Foy Ste.Foy 418.653.0783 dlxdeluxe.com

OVERSEAS

New Zealand— Serenity Island Surf & Skate Café 202a Wainui road Gisborne serenityisland@windowslive.com serenityisland.com

Boardshop Australia boardshop.com.au 04 15883371 friendlyfolks@boardshop.com.au

Cre8ive Sk8 5/244 Ross river Road Aitkenvale Queensland 4814 Australia UK — Octanesport.com Skateboardsofchoice.co.uk

Bath, United Kingdom. Tel: + 44 1249 715811 Germany — seasondistribution.com, concretewave.de Hackbrett Longskates Im Wechselfeld 12 St. Peter Hack@customlongskates.com Longboarders.de Gustavstrasse 49 90762 Furth longboarders.de kontakt@longboarders.de Tel: 0911 9772500

France: Hawaiisurf.com

Clover Skateboard shop

1-21-3-1201 Befu Jyounan Fukuoka 8140104 Japan

Y & T Fussa Fussa 2348 Fussa Fussa.City,Tokyo 1970011

Skate of the Nation

Unit 6 GYY building # 1 Tomas Morato 1100 Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines www.Skateofthenation.com

Netherlands — Sickboards

Fuutlan 45 Delft sickboards@yahoo.com

Soul dh Alameda Picaflores 245 San Borja Lima 41 Peru Indiana Sports GmbH Elbestrasse 14 Wald, 8636 Switzerland Contact: Christof Peller

Clover Skateboard Shop 1-21-3-1201 Befu Jyounan Fukuoka 8140104 Japan

Skate of the Nation Unit 6 GYY building # 1 Tomas Morato, 1100 Quezon City

Metro Manila, Philippines; www.Skateofthenation.com

Bestboards 24 Danao Street

Rivera Village Bajada Davao City Philippines

ON.LINE RETAILERS

Allboardsports.com

Blackholeboards.com

Bordz.net

CascadiaLongboards.com

Coldwarskateboards.com

Daddiesboardshop.com

Denverskateshop.com

Edsbearings.com

(pleasure tools)

Fuegolongboards.com

Genesisskateboarding.com

Longboardskater.com

Latterdayskates.com

Longboardshop.de

Longboardstore.com

Longboardskater.com

Milehighskates.com

Oldschoolskates.net

Pressuredroplongboards.com

Roadkillskates.com

Sk8supply.com

Socalskateshop.com

Solidskate.com

TACTISSK8.COM

Tailtap.com

VSLboardshop.com

Photo: Rich Burton