Flatground Mag Issue 2

Issue 2

Contents Archive A few photos dug up from the past of good skateboarding and even better times.

Portfolio Telly Cameron Nathan Olokun Scotty Gilroy Three guys who have been killing it in the skateboard world for a long time. .

Captioned Justin Schwan Geo Strelow This issue features Justin and Geo: two awesome people that are just awesome on their board. Enjoy!

Contact Sheet Photo Gallery

A collection of skateboarding photos from the archives.

Eric Tarlowski, Frontside Wallride.

Photography All images in this issue shot by Owen Woytowich.

Senior Baker DaBeav Contributing Writers Justin Schwan, Geoff Strelow, Dana Rolles Contact info@flatgroundmag.com

Nathan Bartlett, Wally.

Introduction Every time I look at any image in this mag I start smiling. I mean, the tricks aren’t funny, but they sure were fun to shoot! Each photo holds so many good memories with so many great people, and I am so grateful I am able to have captured them.

The tricks everyone’s trying is always a treat, but it’s way more than that to me.

Looking at this issue’s photos for example, there’s no denying these guys are good. But what matters to me most isn’t the talent as much as what’s going on to get those tricks. The best part of any shot isn’t the final image, it’s ALWAYS everything else that led up to it’s creation: The countless hours spent in a car driving to spots listening to heinous pop music. Never having a real filmer or camera or charged battery 90% of the time —but also not caring as long as someone brought the beers. Old friends meeting new friends, and all enjoying laughs together that’ll last a lifetime. Before every attempt at hucking a carcass someone from the crew throwing the motivating promise of “a case of beer on the next one.” And there’s always a next one, and there’s always a case of beer.

And at the end of the day, whether they nailed the trick or not, knowing it was always worth it because skateboarding is awesome and we just had a lot of fun being part of it again!

So again, to everyone who let me shoot their photos and come on the session with them, thank you. Here’s to more fun and a lot more smiles!

- Owen

Cover Photo: Kelly Agapi, Frontside Boardslide.

Ben Struthers, Frontside Noseslide.

If you’ve been to Regina, SK you know the place: the legendary indoor. It was the most secretive, yet iconic skate spots ever that will forever be missed. Pictured here is four Regina legends: Cory Lakeman, Dave Chapados, Danny Wartman, and Danny Fernandez, all being part of what made this place so damn amazing.

Cory Lakeman, Vert Wall Beer Skidding.

This is from one of the Windsor Hut days back in Toronto. As per tradition if it was dry out, we were skating something somewhere. If memory serves me right, when we arrived to this spot there was a big cement planter in the way that had to be relocated before any skating could happen. As soon as the obstruction was removed however, the skies opened up and it began to pour. However, Jesse being the champ that he is didn’t care and got his hardflip he came to get. Hmm...I guess if it was wet out, we were skating too.

Jesse Tessier, Hardflip.

I still remember this afternoon like it was yesterday. On this particular day in Edmonton, three pretty good sized crews all showed up at the same spot, and each crew all had a photographer. I was with my crew, another had the OG sharp shooter Dave Bloom, and the third rolled with the legendary Nathan Matthews. Being the out-of-towner I remember telling Nathan and Dave, “It’s your home court. You shoot this one.” While cracking that unforgettable smile Nathan replied. “Nope, it’s yours.” So I did. After all these years I’m still so mad at myself that I had the opportunity to watch Nathan do his craft but instead he m chose to let me. This is just one example of where his humility showed how much of a Giant Human he really was. You’ll always be greatly missed, Nathan.

Ty Mudry, Nollie Heelflip.

Telly Cameron

Frontside Transfer.

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Telly is an OG Saskatoon ripper.

For as long as I’ve known him he’s always been killing it on a skateboard. Not too long ago he also started killing it on making skateboards too.

He made his press, cut his shapes, started his company Funstrip Skateboards, and hasn’t looked back since—that’s the really simplified version of course. It’s been a trial and error process, but I took an afternoon and watched him create boards from pressing, shaping, sanding, to shralping and it’s all done in his basement.

Now that’s dedication.

Here’s Her a glimpse into the life of Telly and his Funstrips.

Nathan Olokun

KickямВip.

Nathan was one of the first guys I met when I moved to Toronto and I’ve been super stoked on him since. He is a really rad person to watch skate. Does his tricks clean and bangs ‘em off fast.

What’s even better though, is Wh hanging out with Nathan.

Whether it’s on a trip to Miami or chit chatting at the skate park, he ch always has something entertaining to say that’ll make you think and make you laugh. An artist on and off the board, Nathan is the best.

Thanks for the good times!

Backside 180 Nosegrind.

Front Board.

Lipslide to Backside Lipslide.

Scotty Gilroy

Smithgrind.

When I first met Scott Gilroy in Regina, SK, he wasn’t Scott Gilroy.

He was Scotty G. And llet me tell you, they don’t get more G than Scotty G. Smooth tricks, buttery style, and nothing but the best of times with. Anybody who knows him will tell you how dope Scotty is, and if you don’t know him, bummer for you, cause you’re missing out. yo I’m honored to have shot with Scotty over the years and am very stoked that I can share some with you now.

Gap Tailslide, 2003.

Bluntslide.

Smithgrind, Bigspin.

Justin ‘Chap Captioned

ppy’ Schwan

“This is probably the best rail in Saskatoon. The only shitty part is it's kinda ghetto. You definitely need a few people to be down when you skate it.”

—Kickflip Backside Lipslide.

“This place is usually covered in pigeon shit so you better watch where you land!”

—360 Flip.

“This spots sucks. You have a down hill run up and a good sized crack both when you pop and when you land.”

—Varial Heelflip.

“If I didn't have my light man and leaf man for this it would have never happened. Thanks hips.”

—Nosegrind.

“I don't have the most pop to begin with, so when I was skating this spot I kept nose stalling the railing. Pretty much scared the shit out of me a few times. Literally ha-ha!”

—Ollie.

“This is downtown Saskatoon and right beside a Starbucks so it gets pretty damn busy. Plus the rail is a 1”x1” piece of metal that also doesn't make it the easiest thing to skate.”

—Crooked Grind.

“You gotta love Go Skate Day: Everyone gets out and starts getting buck!”

—Switch Backside Kickflip.

“This is on one of the busiest streets in Saskatoon. You get a small window of time to get your trick in before cars come or you get the boot from the Apartment complex.” —Backside Tailslide.

“I met Owen right after work one day to shoot this. This was an oldie from 2010?”

—Switch Kickflip.

“This used to be the hot spot a couple years back for our winter skate fix. It's one of the better indoor spots.” —Kickflip Backside Tailslide.

“When we got to this spot it was already 1 am. It's pretty much a big bust unless you go at night though. Oh yeah this rail got hit by a car so it's pretty fucked up. Ha-ha” —Nollie Frontside Noseslide

“Mikey Campbell and Scotty Balkwill were in town for the Christmas holidays, and per tradition we went out and skated the university. This time we were lucky enough to skate for 4 or 5 hours. Get some tricks and peace out tri before getting busted.”

—Backside 5050.

“For this shot: cold spring days, dirty grounds, and hucking. Perfect combination.” —360 Flip.

Geoff Strelow Captioned

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Guest Captions: DaBeav

“This heelflip is a relatively unskated spot in Calgary, close to my house. Always stoked to get a trick on a spot thats close to home and you always find yourself driving by picturing it. All it took was for Owen to come to town and we made it happen.” —Heelflip.

“A good sesh with the Windsor Hut boys at this hubba! Again this was right when I was fresh in Toronto and feeling motivated. Bowie with the blunt after made this kickflip noseslide all worth it!”

—Kickflip Noseslide.

—Kick

“Lets just say no one fucks with this rail, and Lil’ Bro’s listed how many tricks on it?

Damn, enough said.”—DaBeav Front Feeble.

“Not much to say about this other than that a pirate ship and Owen’s skills were put together to make this one of my favorite photos he has shot of me. Also my first photo in SBC magazine for a checkout back in the day. Thanks a lot!”

—Backside Overcrook.

“Tall ledge. Flip in. Casual day at the office.”

—DaBeav Kickflip Backside Tailslide.

“Purolator helping deliver a buttery ledge.” —DaBeav Backside 180 Nosegrind

“This was a fun fall day in Edmonton. It’s always good when ya got someone wanting to skate a spot with you. Baby Jamie joined the battle with me this day; beers, bros, and broken boards is what comes to mind on that day.”

—Backside Heelflip.

“Nothing better than skating a gap with Lil’ Bro and Lil’ Fucky and having Odawg at the helm shooting the shit outta everything. Good homies, good vibes, back heels for days.”

—DaBeav

“To be honest, I don't even remember what was going on this day. There are too many good times with Owen that it's hard to remember them all specifically.

The reason may partially be all the beers we enjoy and large sized shooters we smoke while doing what try t to do everyday! Either way you shot this better then I did the trick and that's usually how it goes! Thanks for all the beauty photos and foggy memories.”

—Hardflip.

“Owen, Cory Lakeman, and Taylor Senft showed up in Calgary at the start of one weekend. They met us at the Rose and Crown and we ended up partying quite a bit.

Finished off the night with a tray of shots courtesy of Devin Morrison and ended up at this rail after last call. I actually did this a on Owen’s board—which was a Jamie Tancowny Zero board. Thanks to the combination of two great humans, Owen and Jamie, I somehow rode away from this.”

—Backside Smithgrind.

“Brilliant night: Owen gets to town, picks us up from the bar, Lakeman’s in town, couple other heads, Lil’ Bro doesn’t even have his skate but none the less shotguns a beer and grabs Owen’s board... then eats absolutle shit.

Two or three trys later he linked this back smith on a rail that’s waist high on most and nipple height on some. Casual back ba smith for Lil’ Bro though, no biggy.” —DaBeav

“I originally wanted to do a different trick on this rail but when we got there this lady had her biked locked to it. We were able to shimmy it and get it sideways so I could try and go over it and feeble the rail. The lady came back half way through and at first was kinda bummed but ended up waiting for me to get the trick and retrieve her bike.”

—Gap to Feeble. “‘Oh I’m gonna lock my bike up to this brilliant handrail.’—Some Kook.

‘Fuck this bike, we can still link a feeble.’ —Lil‘ Bro. PS This is Lil’ Bro’s rail”—DaBeav

“One of the earlier photos Owen and I shot together. I was always stoked on this photo, and the rideaway down the path feels awesome.

It’s shot flawless, but my hand blocking my face may be with one of the reasons it never got ran.”

—Backside Kickflip.

“Another day in Eddy, another banger.”

—DaBeav Backside Tailslide.

“This spot was convienetely located beside a beer store in one of Calgary’s not so fine neighbourhoods. Only a couple nate encounters happened before we got the make and proceeded to leave with a teener or two...” —Ollie.

“Not too many people go to the North end of Calgary; not too many people can also ollie two bike racks”—DaBeav

“This three flip was in Edmonton on top of a parking garage. I got the land just as the neighbours started getting really choked. Im happy it worked out.” —360 Flip.

“Tre flip off a roof landing onto Canadian ground? All I can really say is ‘mecca.’” —DaBeav

“This was the first bluntslide I’ve ever done on anything. It took a while but felt good to ride away down that shitty bank onto Mcleod Trail. Oh, and yeah, sorry about your window...oops” —Bluntslide.

“All I can say is usually Lil’ Bro’s more down to smoke a blunt than do a blunt, so it was pretty rad to see him get dat bluntslide. Glitchy fucking spot.” —DaBeav

C

Contact Sheet

Dennis Tyson, 5-0.

Lee Yankou, Nollie Heelip.

Chris Bishop, Frontside Flip.

Brent Jordan, Invert.

Logan Hryciw, Drop In.

Hill Sulpher, Backside Nosegrind.

Matt McMillan, No Comply Tailslide.

Chris Kendall, Backside Ollie.

Mike ‘Crazyhorse’ Langan, Backside Kickflip.

Kevin Lowry, Frontside 180.

Sheldon Meleshinski, Nosegrind.

Jordan Hoart, Frontside Air.

Beau Larson, Nollie Flip Noseslide 270.

Ben Struthers, Frontside Bluntslide.

Dan Pageau, Noseslide.

Dan Pageau, Noseslide.

Brent Watier, Pivot Fakie.

Chad Janzen, Backside Kickip.

Chad Wilson, 270.

Cam Lepine, Bluntslide.

Mitch Phillips, Frontside Wallride.

Ryan Decenzo, Crooked Grind.

Ben Stewart, Boardslide 270.

Curtis Bear, Method.

Dallas Ives, Switch Crooked Grind.