LETTER FROM LEVINE
When we first started this magazine, we wanted to capture the energy of fingerboarding. We didn’t expect how real it would get.
Now eight issues in, the scene is thriving. From the wild finish of King of the Plies to the level of submissions at Fast Fingers Online, it’s clear the bar has been raised. USAFBL’s National Tour is on deck, the new Blitz format is catching fire, and Finger Graffiti is bringing a whole new creative wave. Every week, it feels like something new is popping up, and the excitement is everywhere.
But this month also comes with a heavy heart.
Colton Wray, one of the brightest spirits in this community, passed away a few days ago. He was only 14. I remember the first time he came into my shop in Indianapolis. That’s where he found fingerboarding, and from that moment, he brought joy, creativity, and kindness to every space he entered.
Colton battled cancer for years, but he never let it dim his love for fingerboarding or his friendships. He made an impact that reached far beyond his age.
This issue has a full-page memorial to honor him. It’s our way of saying thank you. Thank you for showing us what this community is really about.
Fingerboarding gives us good times. It gives us memories. Sometimes it gives us pain too. But even through the hardest moments, it brings people together. That’s what Colton did, and that’s what we will keep doing in his name.
We miss you, Colton.
— Levine @pliesmag
| @usafbl
De La Isla al Grip Tape: El Artista Que Pinta Obstáculos
Elouis Morales Rodriguez is a multimedia artist and CAD designer based in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Born and raised in Orocovis, Elouis holds a degree in mechanical engineering but has always leaned toward the creative side, drawing, painting, and crafting in 3D CAD. He discovered fingerboarding about a year ago after years of being a fan of skateboarding. The island’s growing fingerboard scene quickly became a creative outlet that allowed him to expand his art and confidence.
His introduction to fingerboarding came in October 2023 when a friend brought a signature setup to his home. Curious, Elouis picked up a board to support, but it wasn’t until summer 2024 that he started practicing daily and attending weekly meetups at Titere Crew Park. There, he met the owner of SXL Ramps, whose support helped accelerate his progress. By December 2024, he was riding his first full pro setup: a 34mm VennuckSkateCrafts deck, Dynamic trucks, and Piro Wheels, which is still his go-to today. Since then, he’s been a regular at events across the island, both riding and sharing his art, and is now a flow rider for SXL Ramps.
Elouis has been drawing since childhood, and a middle school art course gave him a foundation that he’s built on ever since. But it wasn’t until after college, and especially after getting involved with fingerboarding, that he fully committed to pursuing art. The creativity and DIY spirit of the community inspired him to start customizing obstacles and designing deck graphics. A custom deck design he shared with VennuckSkateCrafts led to a collab drop and opened up more opportunities with artists and builders across Puerto Rico.
One of his most memorable moments was winning a USAFBL concrete block at Sesh3 and turning it into a handpainted piece. That project helped him learn how to adapt artwork to physical forms. Today, he continues to work with builders like Vennuck, SXL, and Islander Ramps on upcoming custom drops.
Follow Elouis on Instagram at @elou.cuente or reach him via email at elouis7414@gmail.com. Photography by @_riospr and @ boffillius.
The 2025 edition of King of the Plies by USAFBL dropped harder than ever. With teams repping cities from coast to coast, this year’s competition raised the bar, not just in skill, but in style, creativity, and straight-up heart. Unlike polished studio contests, KOTP is a street-level test of grit. It’s about raw clips, tight crews, busted fingers, and city pavement. No redos. No green screens. Just you, your crew, your board, and the wildest challenge list in fingerboarding.
This isn’t just a contest, it’s a cultural snapshot of fingerboarding in 2025. And while every squad brought something real to the table, one team turned the streets of Chicago into their playground and walked away with the crown.
They filmed over dog turds, caught clips in trees, even got tattoos to lock in the moment. With their unmatched chemistry, street energy, and fearless approach, they didn’t just check challenges, they made a statement.
Here is Team Loop - 2025 KOTP Winners!
Ethan C. Carver
For King of the Plies, Ethan Carver’s, (aka @ethclif.fb) role was simple but vital, bringing creative energy, trick ideas, and good vibes. Known as “the hype guy,” he thrived off the momentum of the crew. His favorite challenge, filming a 20-second edit on a dog turd, wasn’t used due to timing and weather, but it still stands out as a highlight. While he didn’t capture as much footage as he hoped, he was proud of the final video and challenges completed.
A behind-the-scenes highlight? After the tree section, he attempted a frontside flip from rock to rock in the river and dunked my G16 a bunch of times. Pretty sure it’s in the credits.
He’s proudly sponsored by Copy Ramps, and Carbon Copy, and Teak Tuning, a brand he credits for giving so much back to the fingerboard community.
Fingerboarding since the rise of Tech Decks in 1997, he landed his first proper kickflip in high school and has been hooked ever since. Known for flip-in, flip-out combos and manuals, he’s stoked to watch the scene grow and the talent explode.
Joseph Pegura
He’s been fingerboarding since 2002, after picking up skateboarding at 11. His style? Goofy, realistic, and completely mood-based. Since discovering Flatface, Berlinwood, and Blackriver in 2011, his obsession only grew.
Supported casually by Paul Rehr (@rehrboards) and Kazket B. (@psykonegative), he values local Chicago-based sponsorships and staying grounded in a community that feels real. His advice to youth: find something you love and let it shape your confidence, expression, and connection.
His role at King of the Plies was simple: show up, have fun, film a little, and land some tricks. One standout moment was the tre flip 5-0 challenge, executed inside a porta potty. It took some creative angling, but the idea struck gold when the crew discovered a construction site just down the block from Blackriver Chicago.
Joseph Pegura, known online as @shkyfngrs, earned the unofficial title of “the consistent guy” on the KOTP team. He showed up to every session he could, balancing filming with his responsibilities as an assistant golf pro at Glen Flora Country Club.
His favorite moment? Watching J tre flip off a massive front loader, pure chaos and perfection. Behind the scenes, Joseph got his shot at the infamous “poop challenge.” While walking to the next spot after the Grant Park ledges, he spotted the ideal pile. With a kicker in his bag, he landed 20 tricks over it, but sadly, the footage didn’t make the cut.
Joseph’s been fingerboarding for 20 years, though this marks his first year fully immersed in the Chicago scene. Known for pushing boundaries, he’s constantly trying upside-down and left-handed tricks just to see what’s possible.
Shoutout to the Blackriver store, Team Bord, and of course, hi Mom.
Chris M
Justin Ellis
Richard Harck
Justin Ellis, better known as @trapdecks, is the hype man of the squad, though his role on the KOTP trip went far beyond that. From filming and spotting to keeping spirits high, Justin wore multiple hats throughout the journey. His favorite challenge? The treetop session. “I’ve always wanted to do something like that,” he said, and the KOTP challenge finally gave him the excuse. Beyond that, simply fingerboarding with the crew made the entire experience unforgettable.
One behind-the-scenes highlight involved teammate Tony, who launched his board in frustration only to have it bounce back and nearly hit him in the face, until he snatched it mid-air like a ninja. “we started dying laughing,” Justin recalled. Sponsored by TrapDecks and Oddball FB, Justin’s been fingerboarding seriously since 2011. His style? Big, boosted tricks that demand attention.
Shoutouts go to his crew, sponsors, and the entire community.
Richard Harck, aka @kurt_kocaine, brought laid-back energy and smooth style to the KOTP squad. Known as the “chill dude” of the crew, he let his tricks, and sense of timing, do all the talking.
His favorite challenge? The fire challenge. “We went a little too crazy with the fire,” he admits with a laugh. But it made for one of the most memorable clips in the edit.
One behind-the-scenes moment felt like fate: while driving with teammate Tony, Richard had a gut feeling there was a great spot nearby. “I told him, ‘I’m pulling into this lot. I can feel it.’” Sure enough, they stumbled upon a perfect bowl spot, featured in the final video.
Fingerboarding since the early 2000s Tech Deck era, Richard isn’t sponsored but rides like a seasoned vet. His style? Loose trucks, short decks, and lots of ledge work. Classic, clean, and low-key, just like the man himself.
Tony Morado
Vincent Soro
Tony Morado, known on Instagram as @big.t1000, was the engine behind Team Loop, serving as recruiter, filmer, and editor. With a deep love for fingerboarding and a sharp eye for storytelling, Tony brought the squad together and kept the stoke alive.
His favorite part of the KOTP journey? Just being out in the streets with the crew, chasing challenges and filming clips. One unforgettable behind-the-scenes moment came when a random passerby asked to try a board, and casually landed a flawless tre flip on his car’s dashboard. That mystery shredder even made it into the final cut.
Tony has been fingerboarding since 2001, starting with Tech Decks before upgrading three years ago to pro setups. Now repping Ju.icy_fbco for wax and obstacles, he channels an early 2000s skate aesthetic, pure BAKER vibes. He gives love to his Chicago fam, FirstGear and Work26 skate shops, and his incredible, supportive family.
Vincent Soro (@scratchthevin) brought laid-back creativity and collaborative energy to his KOTP squad. Whether pitching tricks, filming ideas, or just showing up ready to help, Vincent was a key part of the team’s creative rhythm.
His favorite challenge? The tree climb. Equal parts sketchy and hilarious, it pushed the team to scout, scale, and somehow fingerboard mid-air. One near fall made the moment even more unforgettable.
Behind the scenes, coordinating across the city made filming its own kind of challenge, timing, locations, tricks, editing, it all came together in the final cut.
Vincent’s been fingerboarding seriously since age 12 and keeps his style smooth and relaxed. It’s not about perfection; it’s about flow and fun.
He’s not repping any sponsors (yet), but he’s got major love for the fingerboard scene. Shoutout to the homies, the brands, and everyone making the community what it is, fun, supportive, and straight-up rad.
3rd Place Team Sorry
5th Place Michigang
4th Place Father’s Texas Ranges
6th Place VXD
7th Place Hangtime
8th Place 801 FB - Layton
9th Place 801 FB - Salt Lake City
10th Place Fenix FB
Want to see how it all went down? Every slam, every make, every wild challenge, from rooftop grinds to porta potty tre flips, it’s all out there.
SkateStation: Utah’s 801 Flow
Where are you guys from?
Clark Checketts and Ethan Alvey both live in Layton, Utah. The two gingers behind the scenes of SkateStation bring a blend of creativity, technical skill, and straight-up stoke to the growing fingerboard scene in their state.
Tell us a little about yourselves.
Clark describes himself as a ginger who’s into fingerboarding, making cool stuff with his hands, and spending time with his wife and son. He’s also passionate about skating, skiing, biking, and anything outdoors. Ethan, also a fellow ginger, has always had a knack for tinkering. He’s into biking, scootering, RC cars, and hanging out with the homies. He lives with three cats who likely witness a lot of seshes.
How did you each get into fingerboarding?
Clark is the owner and founder of dudeguy FB and co-runs Level Ledges with his brother Seth. He first started fingerboarding in middle school back in 2007, but it wasn’t until the COVID era that he really connected with the broader community. Ethan, founder of Sketch Made and co-host of 801FB events alongside Clark, also started out with Tech Decks in middle school. But it wasn’t until around 2022 that he tapped into the fingerboarding scene seriously and hasn’t looked back since.
How did SkateStation get started?
Company O.T.M.
SkateStation has roots going back to the early 2000s when YouTuber Shonduras started posting about Tech Decks. Meanwhile, a few cities away, the 801FB scene was building momentum. Clark and Ethan began running monthly events in 2022.
A year in, they linked with Shonduras, who had the vision to start a fingerboard brand. Combining the scene of 801FB, Clark and Ethan’s hands-on experience, and Shonduras’ content and business reach, SkateStation officially launched.
What’s the journey been like since then?
SkateStation was in the works for over a year, with the team refining their Core and Freshie completes and teasing drops through collabs and videos. They held off on a full public launch until they felt truly ready. They finally unveiled everything at FB Con. They’re also opening the first fingerboard brick and mortar shop in Utah, aiming to bring more people into the scene through quality budget completes and local events.
Any standout moments?
During the Spring 801FB event, the team hosted the comp in the unfinished SkateStation store. Attendance was so high they had to move onto the sidewalk. Even more people joined in just from walking by. That moment proved they’re building something that’s drawing real attention to the Utah scene.
What’s next?
Upcoming events include the SkateStation Store Launch Party on June 13 and 14 and an unofficial appearance during X Games SLC from June 27 through 29. While there are no official riders yet, that day is coming.
Follow them on Instagram and YouTube at @skatestationfingerboarding. Website and merch are coming soon.
fingerboard tape
PHOTO CREDIT - CHRIS WITH TOBIAS PHIELER THOMAS HANSEN
MANU GRIPSKIN OBERLE IN GERMANY 2009
CDPLAYA: A Historian with Heart!
Chris Daniels, known online as CDPLAYA, has been in the game longer than most. Based in Seattle, Washington, Chris is equal parts creator, historian, and community builder. Since first picking up a Tech Deck in 1998, he’s been a fixture in fingerboarding’s evolution, online and in real life.
A born internet kid, Chris grew up on early forums like techdecks.com, fingerboarderz.net, and RZF. By 2008, he founded FBWeekly, a blog that quickly became a daily stop for fingerboarders worldwide. With over 100,000 monthly views at its peak, FBWeekly wasn’t just a blog, it was a community hub. Tutorials, news, and gear breakdowns? All there. And when life shifted, Chris didn’t disappear, he evolved.
In 2022, he launched The History of Fingerboarding series on YouTube. Now sitting at 26 videos and over five hours of archived culture, it’s the deepest dive into the scene’s legacy to date. CDPLAYA isn’t just documenting the past, he’s preserving its spirit for the next generation.
Chris has been featured in Paper Magazine, landed commercial spots, and traveled worldwide for fingerboarding. From Rendezvous 5 to Battle at the Harrics, from Blackriver tours in Europe to epic U.S. road trips with the crew, he’s seen it all. And yes, the bar downstairs at Vous 5 made a few memories too.
Sponsored by Berlinwood, Blackriver, Flatface, Blistered, Cretedoctor, PBS, and AO, CDPLAYA remains a key voice in the culture. With In-Tents 2.0 set for fall 2025, he’s still pushing. Not for clout, for connection.
Chris Daniels builds what lasts. From blogs to history series to unforgettable trips, his legacy is clear: community first, always.
Follow: youtube.com/@cdplaya
PHOTO CREDIT - MARTIN EHRENBERGER CHRIS SKATEBOARDING THE BLACKRIVER BOWL
CREDIT - CHRIS WITH MARTIN WINKLER IN ITALY
fingerboarder O.T.M.
ART ON DECK
TRISTAN MINTON
Tristan Minton is a lifelong skater and professional creative whose work spans art, design, murals, and directing, all rooted in over 27 years of skateboarding culture. Based in Arvada, Colorado, he brings that same fire into the world of fingerboarding, where he’s carved out a space that blends technical creativity with pure visual storytelling. Though a self-proclaimed newcomer to the fingerboard scene, Tristan’s discovery of high-quality setups just a few years ago flipped a creative switch. At 40, he calls fingerboarding “the best thing to happen to skate brain,” offering a new outlet that still satisfies the same instinct to push, create, and film. Despite dealing with what he jokes is “old man artist arthritis,” he’s been all-in since day one, exploring what fingerboarding can become through the lens of an artist. He currently rides for ChemsFB (boards), UAG (griptape), and Ryse Fingerboards (obstacles). His connection with Chems was kismet. He had followed him as a graffiti artist long before realizing Chems also crafted fingerboards. That discovery sparked a deeper dive into the scene, and he hasn’t looked back. Now, Tristan is working on a pro model for
Chems and developing a signature obstacle for Ryse, combining art and function in ways that mirror his larger creative career. While competitions aren’t his focus, content and storytelling are. Tristan treats filming fingerboarding the same way he approaches skate clips, striving for realism, style, and aesthetic flow. His recent art show at Th!s FB was a major highlight, captured in a documentary-style video on his growing YouTube channel.
Follow his journey: youtube.com/@pager-one Instagram: @Pager.One
@ceaflip
@stranger_ltd
Graffiti
Park O.T.M.
Stackin’ Parks
Not
Tricks:
The Rise of IM Fingerboarding
He might call himself a “horrible rider,” but what he lacks in fingerboard tricks, he makes up for in pure creativity. A wood technologist by trade, father of two daughters, and longtime fan of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, this builder from Poland has been quietly shaping the landscape of fingerboarding for nearly two decades.
His journey began in 2006 with a Tech Deck, a new city, and a growing obsession with skate culture. Riding never came easy, but building? That clicked fast. In 2008, he launched MINIRAMP FINGERBOARDS, crafting decks and simple spots with a local skateshop. After a long break for university and work, he rebranded in 2018 as IM Fingerboarding and dove back in with a fresh focus.
What started with a single fingerboarding park for a local skatepark turned into a wave of commissions: from parks for kids to a scale replica for skateboard brand POGO. That collab sparked POGO Finger Jam, now evolved into Rebel Finger Session, a grassroots contest in his own city. With no personal parks to host events on, he committed to building one new park each year to grow his own collection.
Now eight parks deep, he’s also completed commercial builds for Hot Wheels Poland and an energy drink brand. One of his most iconic creations? A forklift fingerboarding park, born from a joke and a $3 toy that spiraled into a $60 obsession and one of his favorite projects yet.
Today, he’s working on a diorama-style fingerboarding park dropping this summer and building out the next Rebel contest setup. He might not land a nollie flip every time, but when it comes to vision, story, and craftsmanship—he’s already a legend.
GRIND IT. REPEAT.
Birthday to Charles Slaybaugh
On Grip Tape, But Homegrown!
Daniel James Stevens, better known as Danny, was born in Detroit, Michigan. After spending his twenties touring the world and living in more cities than he can count, he eventually settled in Nashville, Tennessee, where he lives with his wife and their German Shepherd.
Danny has always had two deep passions in life: music and fingerboarding. He started fingerboarding in middle school in 1998, back when everyone called it Tech Decking. Like many others, he rediscovered it in 2020 and hasn’t put it down since. For him, standing at his home park and trying to land a new trick brings the same focused mindset as writing a song. Both are creative, endlessly challenging, and offer the kind of flow state he’s always drawn to.
In the early 2000s, guitar began to take over his attention. After years of practice and playing in local bands, he moved to Chicago at 18 to front The Audition. The band signed a record deal, released five albums, and toured internationally, playing over 200 shows a year. One of the biggest highlights came in 2006 when his childhood heroes, New Found Glory, invited The Audition to open for them on tour in Australia. That moment felt like a dream come true and a validation of all his hard work.
After eventually landing in Nashville, Danny’s passion for fingerboarding returned in full force. What began as a fun middle school hobby has turned into a daily creative ritual. In March 2025, he released his debut solo album, Better Than You Left Me. The album blends emo influences with a bit of Southern twang and features some of the most respected players and producers in Nashville. It stands as his proudest accomplishment as a musician.
Danny’s music is available on all streaming platforms: Spotify / Apple Music: Danny Stevens
Instagram: @dannystevens
TikTok: @dannystevensofficial
YouTube: @danny.stevens
Band O.T.M.
PORTLAND IGNITES THE 2025 USAFBL TOUR AT CRYSTAL BALLROOM
The 2025 USAFBL Tour kicks off August 15–16 at Portland’s iconic McMenamins Crystal Ballroom. Known for hosting legendary concerts and entertainers, this historic venue adds fingerboarding to its legacy.
Go To THESE
Date NAME / EVENT
LOCATION
07-05Mini Fingerboard Sesh Bulacan, Philippines
07-05Grind the Keg Event London, Ontario, Canada
07-12 Salad Fingaz Houston, TX
07-18 Flip Drift Matsuri Wilmington, NC
07-19 Flip Drift Matsuri Wilmington, NC
07-19 Fingerboard & Skate Meet St Clair, MI
07-20Flip Drift Matsuri Wilmington, NC
07-22Sudbury Fingerboard Tour Sudbury, Canada
07-23Sudbury Fingerboard Tour Sudbury, Canada
07-26Bckyrd Bash Norwalk, OH
07-26Scatzle Fingers Nürtingen, Germany
07-26The Derby Fingerboard Rodeo Derby, England
07-26Fingers On Fire 3 Strathmore, Alberta, Canada
07-26Shredder Mania 3 Santa Ana, CA
08-02The Fingerboard Jam 3.0 Johannesburg, South Africa
08-07Sudbury Fingerboard Tour Sudbury, Canada
08-07Sudbury Fingerboard Tour Sudbury, Canada
08-09Fingerboard Con Barcelona, Spain
08-09Grind Time 6 White Lake, MI
08-09618 Finger Skate Edwardsville, IL
08-10Fingerboarding Con Barcelona, Spain
08-15USAFBL Regional - West Event Portland, OR
08-16USAFBL Regional - West Event Portland, OR
08-16Cherry Jam Traverse City, MI
08-23The Ultimate Rider Floripa, Brazil
08-23Fresh Sesh Dallas, TX
Want your event on this list?
ToListenTHESE
Blistered Wheels and Flatface Merger! -Bailey Burtner - Podcast 014
Bailey Burtner, creator of Blistered Wheels is here to talk with Mike about merging with FlatFace, the progression of making Blistered what it is today, his past making music, and much more!
Release Date: Apr 14, 2025
Season 3 Episode 112 | What Makes a Pro Fingerboarder?
This week, we’re saying the quiet part out loud, what does it really mean to be a professional fingerboarder? We break down the pathway to pro status, pulling from the skateboarding world’s blueprint and comparing it to the fast-evolving landscape of fingerboarding today. From flow teams to sponsorships, from brand accountability to royalty deals, this episode tackles the uncomfortable truths the industry doesn’t like to talk about.
Release Date: May 14, 2025
Season 3 Episode 113 | KOTP Who is Going to Win?
On this week’s episode, co-host @GaryGraves22 returns just in time for the biggest moment of the year, King of the Plies 2025 video submissions are LIVE. We break down the rules, the teams, the prizes, and what’s truly at stake as 13 crews compete for the crown, the cash, and a historic cover feature in @pliesmag. We also dive deep into Fingerboard Blitz, the brand new head-to-head fingerboarding game mode inspired by Kendama culture, now being adopted by @6Skates, @Slushcult, and @blackriver_usa. Could this become a league event?
Release Date: May 21, 2025
Season 3 Episode 114 | KOTP | Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
On this week’s episode we dive into the most important competition of the year, 2025 King of the Plies. We talk about the judging process, behind-the-scenes drama, and the wildest edits in fingerboarding history. Plus, we reveal the official team rankings, from DNFs to the $1,500 grand prize winners! This is a legacy-defining episode that sets a new standard for fingerboard video submissions. If you enjoy
Release Date: May 28, 2025
Season 3 Episode 115 | Cramp the Stupid
This is not your typical episode of the USAFBL Fingerboard Podcast. In fact, this might be the wildest, most unhinged episode we’ve ever released, and it’s absolutely not for the faint of heart. This week, we throw all structure out the window and dive headfirst into absolute chaos with Cramp the Stupid, joined by the reckless energy of @ garygraves22 and @sam_miller69. Think Jackass meets fingerboarding. We’re talking full send, no filter, no brakes.
Release Date: Jun 4, 2025
“Dedicate
Yourself to Something That You Love and Do it With Heart” -Loz (Flint) - Podcast
015
Loz GonÇalo Lozano, creator of Flint, is here to talk with Mike about starting his business, creativity, what motivates him, and much more!
Release Date: Jun 3, 2025
The Unique Decks Interview
Mallory Curtis of Unique Decks joins The Bigspin for a laid back conversation about her one-of-a-kind approach to fingerboard deck making. Based out of Oregon, Mallory’s eye for detail and design makes her one of the most exciting creatives in the Fingerboard community!
Release Date: Jun 6, 2025
The USAFBL Interview
In this episode of The Bigspin, we chat with Levine Cunningham.. founder of USAFBL and Plies Magazine. Levine shares his journey from skateboarding to fingerboarding, how he built one of the fastest-growing platforms in the scene, and his mission to bring fingerboarding into the national spotlight. Whether you’re in it for fun, content, or competition, this one’s a must-watch.
Release Date: Jun 13, 2025
The KNIFE Interview
In this episode of The Bigspin, I sit down with Andy, founder of KNIFE Fingerboards and the driving force behind Blackriver USA’s flagship store in Chicago! We dive into his journey through fingerboarding, his passion for photography and videography, and growing up in the local skate and music scene. We also touch on some hot topics around KNIFE’s high-demand board drops and what it’s like running one of the biggest fingerboard hubs in the U.S.
Release Date: Jun 20, 2025
The Dudeguy Interview
On this episode of The Bigspin, I chat with Clark, founder of Dudeguy Wheels out of Utah. Not only is he known for providing high quality professional fingerboard wheels at an affordable cost, but early on his recycled skateboard wheels for fingerboards became extremely popular in the community. We talk about the current state of the fingerboard community, the Utah scene, and how to stand out as a wheel company in such a niche market.We also talk about launching Utah’s first Fingerboard store SKATESTATION and we get a look behind the process of acquiring Level Ledges! If you’re into fingerboarding or skate culture, this one’s for you!
Release Date: Jun 27, 2025
Introducing Blitz The Timed Format Shaking Up Competitive Fingerboarding
The scene is changing. As fingerboarding grows, so does the way we compete, and now a brand-new format is emerging from the underground. Meet Blitz, a fast-paced game mode that’s already turning heads and shifting the tempo of competitive play.
Blitz didn’t come out of nowhere. The inspiration first hit at Fingerboard Con, when a kendama-style game mode introduced by Cody from Sweets Kendamas and Jake from Grain Theory turned heads. It wasn’t just fast, it was electric. And it clicked with the DNA of fingerboarding instantly.
Blitz was born from a simple question: what if we added time pressure to trick battles? The answer is a format that’s raw, intense, and built for momentum. It takes the familiar feel of Game of SKATE but transforms it into something entirely new.
Here’s how it works:
Two players stand across from each other at a fingerboard park, just like Game of SKATE. But instead of letters, each rider starts with a one-minute clock. They both agree on a single trick. One rider starts the timer and attempts the trick. If they land it, they immediately hit their clock, stopping their timer and starting their opponents.
Now the pressure’s on. The second player’s oneminute clock begins ticking down. They cannot stop the clock until they land the trick. If they miss it, they must try again and again until they stick it. Time keeps ticking.
Only when the trick is landed can they hit the clock, flipping it back to their opponent.
The rider whose time runs out first loses. And if a player hits the clock without sticking the trick, it’s an automatic disqualification.
What makes Blitz different is that it rewards consistency, endurance, and the ability to perform under pressure. There’s no room to stall, no breaks to regroup; It’s just you, the trick, and the clock.
The format is already making waves among skaters who crave something fast, intense, and easy to run. A full game can wrap in just a few minutes, making it ideal for casual sessions, spontaneous call-outs, or bracket-style events.
Blitz isn’t just another competition format. It’s a pressure cooker. A mirror. A race against yourself. As the fingerboard scene continues to evolve, so do the ways we play, and Blitz is proof that sometimes, the best innovations are the ones that keep you sweating until the very last second.
Colton Wray @fingerboard_builder
Venmo Colton Wray if you’d like to support his family during this unimaginable time.
https://venmo.com/u/coltons-ninja-warrior
