SOUTH AFRICA R34.95 OTHER COUNTRIES R30.04
Switch Stance
Maanda Mulaudzi Interview
20 Questions
with Byron Rhoda
Coming in Hot
Vans SA in Durban
Paris Weekend 3 Teams Unite AV 10 Years KDC Build up Durban Unlocked
ISSUE 56 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2013
DCSHOES.COM/NYJAH
INTRODUCING THE
WITH
F/S NOSEGRIND | BLABAC PHOTO
NIKE SKATEB OARDING PRESENTS THE SECOND FILM IN THE “SB CHRONICLES” SERIES FEATURING:
Shane
Ishod
Daryl
Theotis
Donovon
O’NEILL
WAIR
ANGEL
BEASLEY
PISCOPO
Justin BROCK
Luan OLIVEIRA
Contents 56 Cover:
Evan Binge sails out of a man-made transition in Soweto to Frontside Wall Jam, Indy back in. Photo Tim Moolman This Page:
Joshua Chisholm is blowing that old man’s mind. Imagine his reaction to it. Backlip down a tall Soweto rail. Photo Rudi Jeggle
Coming in Hot
Switch Stance
20 Questions with Byron Rhoda
36 Maanda Mulaudzi Interview
28
Vans SA in Durban
22
Weekend in Paris
Vans Downtown Showdown
44
Redial 10
Bizness 12
Blackboard 16
Controlled Chaos 18
Podium 50
Closet Envy 54
Stick Tips 56
Dog and Bone 58
I Am Anton Roux 59
Rainy Days 60
Have an Adrian Day 62
REDIAL BRENDAN BODY
VIDEO DAYS 3ESSION AND !6 SHARE AN OFlCE SPACE ) SIT NEXT TO *OUBERT van Staden and we get to talk skateboarding, swop music & movies, drink melkies and debate about where we are getting our burgers from for the day, which 9 times out of 10 is the 20 buck burger and chips special from Spar on Kloof Street. We hit the Spar around 12:30 and then stroll down to Baseline for our daily skateboarding catch up and banter with Luke Jackson, Donovyn and Warwick while inhaling our burgers and chips on the bench, it’s become ritual. Daily CATCH UP DONE WE HEAD BACK TO THE OFlCE AND CARRY ON WITH whatever we were doing on Session or AV respectively, which LATELY HAS BEEN lNISHING UP )SSUE AND !6 THE YEAR edition. Joubert has been pulling out and re-editing all the old footage from AV which goes back longer than 10 years and which has been pretty overwhelming to watch. It’s a huge reminder of what has gone down in our local skate scene and how far things have come. Watching dudes ripping it in their teens
GOING SKATEBOARDING JUST MEANT GOING SKATEBOARDING, WITH NO WAY OF EVER SEEING YOURSELF IN A MAG OR VIDEO who are now all grown up (and now some are even dads), brothers who shredded but sadly are no longer with us, the birth of AV and Session, the birth of a local board industry and the multitude of new and old skaters who constantly keep all this rolling has been so rad to re-witness! It’s much the same when I look back at the older mags but watching the videos, all of it just comes to life.
Photographers Tim Moolman, Jonathan Pinkhard, Clinton Theron, Jansen van Staden, Grant Mclachlan, Seth Phitides, Rudi Jeggle, Andre Visser, Sam Clark, Warren van Rensburg, Pablo Ponzone. Editor Brendan Body Sub Editor Adrian Henderson Online Darren Jacoby Financial Clint van der Schyf Copy Editor Luke Jackson Advertising brendan@sessionmag.co.za
10 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
Writers Adrian Day, Brett Shaw, Luke Jackson, Brendan Body, Adrian Henderson, Dylan Vaughan Helpers Dylan Vaughan (Appie), Matt Henderson (Design), Alessandro Burzacchi (Illustration) SUPPORT INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING
Printers Typo Colour Printing Specialists Distribution RNA Distribution Support Skate Stores Please contact info@sessionmag. co.za should you wish to stock Session in your store, or if you are looking to lND OUT WHERE 3ESSION IS STOCKED
The importance of these local skateboarding archives is immense and a timeline for us to see how skateboarding has affected all of our lives because without it we would not have any of this, our friendships, our favourite spots, our local rippers, an industry or our favourite articles and video parts to go home and watch. I still remember back to when there were no local videos or mags and going skateboarding just meant going skateboarding, with no way of ever seeing YOURSELF IN A MAG OR VIDEO 9OUR BRO MAY HAVE mIPPED A huge set or backlipped a 10 stair but all you had was your ability to remember it, with no chance of seeing it again. So having local media like Session and AV has been key to keeping things going and a platform for carrying all of our skateboarding blood, sweat and tears. Cheers on 10 Years AV!
Bod
Physical Address Session Magazine, 2nd Floor, Earlgo Building, cnr. Kloof & Park Rd, Gardens, Cape Town, 8000. Follow us on www.sessionmag.co.za facebook.com/SessionMag twitter.com/SessionSkatemag instagram.com/sessionskatemag
SESSION SKATEBOARDING MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED INDEPENDENTLY 6 TIMES A YEAR. SESSION WILL WELCOME ALL LETTERS, E-MAILS AND PHOTOS. WE WILL REVIEW THE CONTRIBUTION AND ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN BE USED AS PRINT OR ONLINE CONTENT. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MAGAZINE, ITS OWNERS OR ITS MANAGEMENT. SESSION SKATEBOARDING MAGAZINE IS THE COPYRIGHT OF SESSION MAGAZINE CC. ANY DUPLICATION OF THIS MAGAZINE, FOR ANY MEDIA OR SALE ACTIVITY, WILL RESULT IN LEGAL ACTION. IN ADDITION, YOU WILL BE TASERED IN THE NECK BY KHULU DLAMINI SHOUTING, “YOU DON’T COPY SESSION MOTHERF%#KER.�
THE BIZNESS
JONO KAY
INDUSTRY NEWS AND SKATEBOARD BANTER
LET’S GET SUMMER STARTED HUF
AV SKATEBOARDING
HUF footwear and apparel has hit SA via Baseline and Smith & Abrahams, both in Cape Town.
AV’s 10 year anniversary issue should be out by the time you read this. 10 years is a big milestone and this issue has a look back on how it all came about and the highlights along the way. Session and AV go all the way back and have documented all the best skateboarding that happens here in SA side by side - and we continue to do that today.
Founded by Keith Hufnagel AS A STORE IN IT GREW FROM THERE INTO APPAREL AND lNALLY IN THE footwear program started. It’s fast grown to the premium level of skateboarding and the team now houses Dylan Rieder, Austyn Gillette, Peter Ramondetta, Kevin Terpening, Joey Pepper, Brad Cromer, Dan Plunkett, Josh Matthews and Keith Hufnagel. Check out www.baselinestudio.co.za and www.smithandabrahams.co.za and get your Plantlife socks!
Congrats boys. Here’s to another 10 big ones! TECHNIQUE / SELFISH / DPD Diversity Product Distribution commonly known as “DPDâ€? is now legit and will be launching soon, we will be stocking a variety of brands at “Diversity Factory Skate Shopâ€?, namely Technique Skateboards, 7HFKQLTXH :KHHO &R 6HOĹľVK 6NDWHERDUGV 7UXH %HDULQJV Venture and Destructo Trucks. The Diversity “Factoryâ€? Skate Shop is situated in Paarden Eiland (Cape Town) on THE SLIP ROAD NEXT TO -ARINE $RIVE AT THE Boardbox. At the "OARDBOX 'ARY FROM 4RUE "EARINGS HAS BUILT AN ! &RAME RAIL and ledge for any walk-in customers that feel like they need to test their new deck. Otherwise, feel free to come in for a SESSION ON 3ATURDAYS BETWEEN AM AND PM Adam Woolf HAS OFlCIALLY LEFT Verb and signed onto 6HOĹľVK SA. Dean Marais will be sales repping for DPD in JHB and Pretoria, Warrick Delport for Kimberley and Ben Sables for KZN. Please contact us via our Technique Facebook Page. The DPD website is currently under construction and you will be able to order your skate gear online soon.
Skullcandy New Summer stock has arrived, including the NY YANKEES limited edition collection featured in our Closet Envy (this issue). Bags and accessories are now in a skate store near you. In team news, JHB style guru Anthony de Mendonca has joined the Skullcandy SA Skate team.
DC The DC Halloween Jam at Puddy Zwennis’s mini ramp in PTA is going down on the 2nd of November - Halloween themed mini ramp Jam – R20k prize money. The contest only kicks off when the vampires come out at sunset and there will be a braai & bar to fuel the festivities. Dress-up is encouraged, which adds to the vibe – so there will be prizes for best dressed etc. The event is supported by Old School Productions, Red Bull, Nixon, Von Zipper and Plan B skateboards. DC REELediT n 4HIS YEAR S 2%%,EDIT CONTEST HAS OFlCIALLY KICKED OFF winning edit takes all R30 000 – skaters will have up until the end of January 2014 to gather footage, edit and submit. The online viewing and voting process will be open for the month of February WHICH DETERMINES THE @$IRTY $OZEN lNALISTS &ROM THERE THE INTERNATIONAL $# PRO JUDGES WILL MAKE lNAL DECISIONS AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN MID &EB $# HAS LISTENED TO THE FEEDBACK from the last REELedit and made some small improvement changes from last year’s format – so keep your eyes peeled for DC press releases on that – follow DC shoes Africa on Facebook for more info. 3O WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR x 'ET OUT THERE AND START lLMING 12 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
AUSTYN GILLETTE
HUFWORLDWIDE.COM www.baselinestudio.co.za | www.smithandabrahams.co.za
THE BIZNESS
INDUSTRY NEWS AND SKATEBOARD BANTER
ADIDAS Nevermind that the adidas skate team absolutely destroy ANY TOWN THEY lND THEMSELVES IN THEY RECENTLY HELD THE 15 years of Gonz and adidas EXHIBITION AT AREA 3 in the Maboneng precinct of downtown Johannesburg with smaller events taking place in Woodstock, Cape Town and Gallery Skateshop in PE. The work on display at each of these events was inline with WHAT WE VE COME TO EXPECT FROM ADIDAS 3! 1UALITY AND attention to detail. The free alcohol and food didn’t hurt either. +EEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEIR NEXT PROJECT AND READ UP ON OUR WEBSITE FOR EXTRA PHOTOS AND FOOTAGE FROM ALL THEIR RECENT activities. Well almost all, there’s apparently a large amount of footage that’s been hidden away to be used as blackmail. CONGRATULATIONS!
SESSION
Our sincere congratulations AND BEST WISHES TO "RAXTON Haine and his lady as they recently welcomed little Maverick into the world.
With Bod continuing his travels with a trip Down Under, AD enlisted a bit of help this issue. Dylan Vaughan has been interning as part of his journalism course and handled our 20 Questions with Byron Rhoda very nicely. In the art department, Matthew Henderson and Alessandro Burzacchi both contributed graphics to the Vans Tour and Paris Weekend.
7E RE SURE THAT 2 K FROM winning the KDC Ams is going to go a long way with diapers and clothing! 7ITH THE -AROLA S ALSO APPARENTLY EXPECTING THE NEXT generation of skateboarders are on their way.
Aside from Mr Luke Jackson’s amazing copy editing skills (Did we make any mistakes this issue? Tell us on Facebook. com/SessionMag), he’s also taken point on our website content. Have a look at what’s gone up in the last month.
FREE HUF PLANTLIFE SOCKS WITH ANY HUF SHOES PURCHASED IN STORE OR ONLINE
shop.baselinestudio.co.za
All the best brands available with FREE SHIPPING anywhere in South Africa
14 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
www.baselinestudio.co.za
THE
BLASTER
t 4IPDL 3FTJTUBOU t 8BUFS 3FTJTUBOU t 1PSUBCMF 4QFBLFS
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5IF #MVFUPPUIÂ¥ XPSE NBSL BOE MPHPT BSF SFHJTUFSFE USBEFNBSLT PXOFE CZ #MVFUPPUI 4*( *OD BOE BOZ VTF PG TVDI NBSLT CZ /JYPO JT VOEFS MJDFOTF 5IFSF T OPUIJOH HIFUUP BCPVU UIJT #MBTUFS
MCHLACHLAN
Some photos capture the entire essence of skateboarding. Chris Cab, Seek and Destroy Boneless.
Ballie Bucket List If you don’t skateboard you most probably have lame goals like going to a 49ers game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, drinking a mojito at Ernest Hemmingway’s house in Cuba, eating a cannolie in Rome or riding a Huka jet in New Zealand. I recently turned 40 and even though I’ve done all those things off my board, it still got me thinking. Holy shit, 27 YEARS ON BOARD AND ) VE STILL GOT SO MUCH TO DO SEE EXPLORE and taste. I better get off of my ass because I’m running out of time. But that’s how I’ve always been, the continual quest to go SEE NEW PLACES AND SOAK IN ALL THE EXPERIENCES ALONG THE way. A lot of people claim that they are going to skateboard forever but life has a lot of traps, distractions and hot chicks that can be your downfall. Marcel always calls me Ballie and older people are usually wiser so here’s a list of things I recommend that you should do if you’re a skateboard ‘lifer’. It’s not for everyone, some people like playing it safe, others fade into suburban living and most can’t deal with the constant pain and injuries but if you really get what skateboarding is about then I would recommend these:
16 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
s 3EE 3LAYER LIVE IN CONCERT THIS ONE IS COMPULSORY NO questions – Go see Slayer live, it’s as simple as that. In your QUEST TO SEE 3LAYER YOU WILL SEE -ETALLICA !NTHRAX 3EPULTURA Carcass, Iron Maiden, AC DC and a thousand other bands as part of your reward.
Build ramps, throw concrete, fix cracks. It will all help one day when you buy a house. s 'O TO THE 53! YOU LL HAVE TO LIVE THERE FOR A FEW YEARS OR GO BACK OR TIMES TO SEE EVERYTHING PROPERLY BUT IT S WORTH it. LA, San Diego, New York, Colorado, Tampa, Austin, Chicago and Philadelphia, the list is endless. That’s where you go to see how skateboarding works because the core of our skate world is there. s %UROPE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE 3TATES BUT JUST AS cool. Barcelona isn’t what it used to be but it’s still way better than the Spar at the bottom of your road. Paris, Stockholm, London, Berlin and Amsterdam, you need a few years there too. All of the above cities will educate and prepare you for life way better than any book can. A good start though is Durban, JHB, Cape Town, PE, Bloemfontein and everything in between. )F YOU lND YOUR PASSION AND YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY and make a career out of it then do that while you skate, you
don’t have to quit skateboarding to become successful. Just go for it and it will work out. s 9OU CAN ONLY JUMP DOWN STUFF FOR SO LONG SO ONCE YOU have honed your tranny skills these are the Holy Grail of concrete: Burnside in Portland, La Kantera (Algorta) in Spain & the Black Pearl Park in the Cayman Islands. Your thirst for adventure will randomly take you to Washington Street in San Diego, Bondi Bowl in Sydney, the Louisville Park and all the other killer spots you see on the web. s )F YOU HANG AROUND SKATERS YOUR WHOLE LIFE THERE S GOOD odds that you’ll end up with a ton of tattoos but come to think of it I have a lot of friends that have none. You are going to look like a dried prune when you get old anyway so what difference is a little ink going to make? s $ON T BE A SKATE SNOB SKATE EVERYTHING DROP IN ON A vert ramp, skate a 10-stair handrail, ledges, hubbas, parking blocks, manual pads, gaps, bomb hills, empty pools and ditches, don’t turn your nose up at anything no matter how bad you suck at it. Plus it’s always fun to scare the living hell out of yourself. s "UILD RAMPS THROW CONCRETE lX CRACKS IT WILL ALL HELP one day when you buy a house. s #OLLECT COOL SKATE STUFF BECAUSE THAT WILL ALSO LOOK GOOD in your shack. s 'ET OUT THERE AND IF IT DOESN T WORK OUT THEN TUCK AND ROLL TAKE IT ON THE CHIN AND GET IT RIGHT THE NEXT TIME /H YEAH AND if you have a job then you won’t ever have to ride a jacked board again.
PALMER
full online feature on sessionmag.co.za tour edits released in AV20
We had three options; shred it, kill it and destroy it...
STORY Reamo Leluma PHOTOS Eric Palmer & Jono Kay
ABOVE: Newest addition to the Technique Army, !DAM 7OOLF NOT ONLY KICKmIPS CLEAN OVER THIS #APE Town Stadium rail, but also clears the drain that lies EXACTLY WHERE YOU WOULD LAND % %FFORT RIGHT: Martin Stoffberg takes a break from the concrete to play with nature. Taildrop out the tree.
DPD (Diversity Product Distribution) called all their skaters together to tour around Cape Town for a week earlier this year. With the full 4ECHNIQUE 3! 3ELlSH 3! AND 4RUE "EARINGS teams they had 17 dudes on missions everyday.
Look out for it on sessionmag.co.za as well as in AV20 dropping this October.
JONO KAY
Controlled Chaos is the story of how these 3 teams united to enjoy skateboarding together. It will be featured on our website in October with all the photos and footage that came out of the trip.
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 19
S K AT E B O A R D I N G C O L L E C T I O N
5669/3
E X C L U S I V E LY AT S K AT E S H O P S W O R L D W I D E
L E V I . C O M / S K AT E B O A R D I N G
Wong does his best Reese Forbes impersonation with an ollie at sunset along the side of some high way in the middle of nowhere. Naturally. 22 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
Words Brett Shaw Photos Pablo Ponzone & Warren Talbot
Whenever Warren Talbot’s (VANS Marketing Manager) phone number comes up on my phone I get amped because it means something is going down, I picked it up and he said, “I’m coming up to Durban for the Red Bull Unlocked contest (because VANS was a sponsor). Tooth, Joubert & Wong are
going to come with me in the iron eagle so phone Dallas & Kalvyn, saddle up the horses and pack provisions because we are going on tour.” And that was it, done deal.
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 23
JouBer(t)gie Boardslide in uniform
Brett Shaw goes frontside... off the rock. Couldn’t Resist.
24 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
$ALLAS STALL A 3MITH ON ONE OF THE NEW EXTENSION AT )NDIGO
You should go on a tour, I recommend it. You don’t need tons of cash to do it either. We did this one on a dime. We stayed at my shack, drove my chick’s van and lived on Âź mutton bunnys and liquid refreshments. And to be honest VANS is all about D.I.Y so the way we did it felt right. There’s nothing better than stepping away from the daily grind to be a 100% skateboarder. Some people collect stamps and others rare china but the VANS team collects quotes. I’m not sure why or how but that’s what we do. Joubert writes them all down in his black book. 7HEN YOU RE ROLLING WITH A MIXED BAG LIKE US THE QUOTES mY Everyone went to the Winston pub one night for a drink and there was a cover charge so Dallas says to the bouncer, “I’d RATHER PAY 2 FOR A BLOWJOB THAN $*Sv 7ONG LATER OFFERED Dallas a, “You want a cigarette?â€? and Dallas replied, “No, it’s too brown for me.â€? Joubert closed the evening off with, “The hookah is dead again‌â€? in an Afrikaans accent, referring to a hubbly bubbly. 7ONG WAS ON lRE THIS TRIP ON AND OFF HIS BOARD AND HE WASN T shy to impart his knowledge to the rest of the team, one night he informed us, “If you don’t learn to speak up for yourself, you’ll end up going to shit parties your whole lifeâ€?. Wong has a chick and their love for each other is made even stronger
TRIES TO EXPLAIN TO THE SUITS AT 6!.3 WHY WE NEED TO GO ON tour. He’s just as sarcastic as the rest of us and you know he’s loving it when he busts out , “I’m just crying cause we having such a lovely trip� while he’s 2 meters away from a HUMAN TURD NEXT TO A HIGHWAY AT AM ON A 3UNDAY MORNING Warren also makes the calls, dishes out the per diem and gives us advice. Wong caught this one on the chin, “You are the biggest monkey, why don’t you eat bananas?�
VIA 7ONG S I0HONE )T S HARD TO BE TENDER WITH YOUR WOMAN WHEN YOU RE CRAMMED NEXT TO SWEATY DUDES MAKING CRUDE comments in the back of a semi-dark van. Wong was doing his best to make his lady feel special but he lost signal so he phones his chick back and says, “There’s no phone reception here, this van is full-rape�. Warren Talbot is our team manager, bro and the guy who
The van was so packed that you couldn’t even squeeze in a spare pair of Half Cabs. One of us was on the phone to Pieter (Adidas team manager) who was staying at Yann’s mom’s house in Umdloti, about 40km away from us. Everyone else was sleeping and Pieter was bored so he asked if we could pick him up. Warren who was riding shotgun looked into the back of the van and said, “Tell him to fuck off - this is a Vans tripâ€?. That right there is what a tour is about – laughing‌ and we did a lot of it especially when a Mamma with a huge bum walks past and Wong says, “Look at that ass...it’s got a mind of its ownâ€?. We got to hit the Dlamini pool which was rad because Yann was in town. Dallas, Yann and myself don’t get to skate a pool together too often so when we do it’s always a furious session. I was going for this ‘air rock grind’ thing in the
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 25
Backside Noseblunt. Whole damn thing. Tooth style.
deep end and Dallas shouts out, “this is the only air that’s ever going to count�. If you ever get the chance to go to the Dlaminis’ house, do it. We were all riding the pool when one of their younger brothers got home from school and heard that Khulu was there so he puts his bag down and says, “where’s that clown?� Jay Besaans is a good human being, he took time off of work to roll with us and we were all super stoked that he did. He WAS SO AMPED ON THE lRST DAY THAT HE FORGOT TO EAT AND DRINK so he almost passed out from dehydration. Jay has two kids and a wife but the man still has a ton of skate passion and his EXCITEMENT SPREAD OVER THE TEAM LIKE SALT ON CHIPS
26 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
One of the raddest things we did was going to Indigo. VANS IS NOW THE OFlCIAL )NDIGO SPONSOR AND WE GAVE THE KIDS pairs of shoes which was such an insane feeling. Just the stoke on their faces was mind blowing. Dallas has also built a new concrete hip that’s 12 foot high, a set of stairs and a big ass gap, so get there to get some. Red Bull DIY donated all the crete which was super rad. Tooth dislocated his elbow going for a frontside smith grind down a 12-stair handrail. He hit the tar really hard, it made this dull thud and we knew right away that it was bad. When someone falls like that you learn a lot about them as a person. Tooth did us proud and he took it like a man. He didn’t squeal
+ALVIN LEVITATES A KICKmIP UNDER COVER
like a pig or ask for his mommy or cry like a girl. He just held his arm and walked to the van with an intense look in his eyes. It looked worse than it was because he ripped all the skin off of his thumb so it was bleeding really badly. The VANS team is really close so it’s kind of cool when someone lands something gnarly because you all get stoked but when a man goes down you all go down too. Fortunately, Tooth went down ON THE SECOND LAST DAY SO HE D ALREADY SET $URBAN ON lRE WITH his insane ability on a board. So we get to Addington Hospital and the doctor says to Tooth, “Are you allergic to anything?� AND 4OOTH REPLIES h.O JUST mUFFY BLANKETSv The best part about the Red Bull Unlocked contest was that
it’s super cool to hang with all your friends from different towns but most of all if it wasn’t for the contest we wouldn’t have gone on tour so hell yeah. Hopefully Warren’s number pops up on my phone again soon because we were all psyched to head out and do it all over again.
Thanks to Warren for letting all of us ride his backyard park. Jay for being our skate liaison, Red Bull for keeping Wong pumped up, our fearless leader Warren Talbot and everyone at VANS for another insane tour.
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 27
Switch Flips at Ye Olde Emmarentia Banks. 28 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
TWO
Maanda has been skating JHB hard for years. Technical and fun. An interview was way overdue. But here’s both sides of it. From the skater and the photographer.
SIDES
OF
THE
SAME
COIN
photos we had for the interview. Plus, I am not skating switch, I just happen to have my wrong foot forward. Tell us a bit about the skate park you designed, or helped design down in Soweto and who else is involved in the project?
I AM NOT SKATING SWITCH I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE MY WRONG
RUDI INTERVIEWS MAANDA First off, why did you choose to study Aeronautical Engineering? Did you get the idea from Rodney Mullen? No, actually I wanted to be a pilot since I was a kid and would draw planes from a young age. So when I could not afford TO GO TO PILOT SCHOOL ) CHOSE THE NEXT BEST THING WHICH IS TO design aircraft. I am busy doing research on skateboarding AERODYNAMICS AS IT S MY GOAL TO lGURE OUT USING AERONAUTICS how the board moves through the air. Every trick in this article is switch. Did you intend it to be that way or is it just coincidence? Coincidence. I only realised that when we checked how many
FOOT FORWARD. Well, Wandile came up with a concept which was to build ledges all over the city of JHB and I helped with the design and engineering side of things. The project idea was presented to our friend Phiko at Red Bull by us. A couple months later the project was approved as a part of the Red Bull DIY initiative. The skate park I designed was very simple and I kept all the obstacles simple to skate and build so kids can use them to get a grip on skateboarding. The most important thing for me in terms of the design is that what is built could be found in JHB streets, like banks, bank to ledge and grind ledges.
I’ve heard from certain people that you are... or used to be, quite an amazing soccer player... Did you play for a club? Why don’t you play anymore? Yeah I played shit loads of soccer and played for many clubs from Pirates to Sandton soccer team where it started. I never felt that I was amazing at it but I played overseas for a bit and for South Africa while I was 13. That’s when I saw that I was nothing compared to other kids. I personally should have continued with soccer, if only I knew how you can earn these days. Skating in South Africa doesn’t pay because the people who run the companies lack vision. But anyway I love skating and that’s all that matters. I know you’ve been to Barcelona once or twice or more...? I’m not sure. Is it really the place to be as far as skating goes and would you move there? That is the best place to skate, full stop. And every skater should go there once or twice or even three times. That’s how much I love that place. If I had not gone there I think I would have stopped skating by now, but after Barcelona I want to skate as long as I can. I’d like to live there for a while and skate the best spots in the world. The place is not only great for skating, it’s good for art, food, culture, girls, party, work… Everything is chilled there and I guess I just like the spirit of the city. During this article I heard you mention a couple times that, if YOU WON A COUPLE BILLION NO ONE WOULD lND YOU OR BE ABLE TO
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 29
BELOW: Nollie in. Ride it out. Rather than those switch hillbombs. RIGHT: Maanda’s favourite road gap gets a Switch Front Shuv.
get hold of you for a long while. Tell us what would happen to Maanda if this ever happened?
THE MANNER IN
&IRST THINGS lRST ) WOULD CLOSE MY &ACEBOOK ACCOUNT AND everything social, and then change my name and all my documents. I’d buy my European card or marry an amazing European girl as I am so over the green ID book and the girls WHO HAVE IT ARE SO BORING 4HE NEXT THING WOULD BE TO GET THE hell away from this ungodly country and buy an island in the %AST 0ACIlC AND BEGIN MY NEW LIFE WITH NO ONE FROM 3OUTH Africa to piss me off.
WHICH I DO THE
While shooting this article, I got to hang with the Funisu guys QUITE A BIT 4HERE S DElNITELY SOME *OBURG PRIDE GOING ON What is it that keeps you guys here and loving what you love about the city that most try to escape from? I would not say JHB pride but for me it’s the best city in Africa. Fact. And it’s because of the vibe and the level of energy. The best thing about JHB is that it’s a huge city with many things to do. So you are never bored or have nothing to do. Like Cape Town you see the same people all the time which for me is not fun. The biggest thing I love about JHB is that it has a ‘dogeat-dog’ vibe. It’s either you make your money and live well or rot, and it’s something that needs to happen in every city, in order to be a world power. I think in pretty much every shot you’re wearing a DC shirt and/or hat? How long have you been riding for DC and how did that all happen? 30 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
TRICK IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT DC shoes are very good to me. They have never messed me AROUND AND ) HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR OVER YEARS 7E RE STILL going to have a long relationship as I get along with the team managers well. The reason I love to ride for them is that they always tell the truth and they have kept their promises to me, unlike a lot of other companies have done with some people. I got on DC by luck. I was skating Monte (Casino Skate park) and Andrew (Morck) happened to come to the park that day from Durban. He called me ‘Big Poppa’ as he didn’t know my name and said, ‘I would like you to skate for DC.’ At the time Wandile and Sam (Khumalo) were on there so I was like, ‘I can dig that.’ The rest is history. If you could change anything about SA skateboarding, what would it be and why? Honestly, all of it. Start a fresh model. The way things are done WILL NEVER BENElT THE SKATEBOARDER THEREFORE THE SPORT OR ART
WILL NEVER GROW !S AN EXAMPLE --! IS ONE SILLY SPORT BUT they are a much bigger sport than skateboarding and have ONLY REALLY BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS 3KATING AFTER YEARS or more in this country - still cannot pay people to live or even put in petrol to go skate. That should tell us as skateboarders that we are going nowhere. Sorry to say, but unless change occurs you can forget trying to make money as a skater and GO HIT PEOPLE IN THE FACE IT S MORE lNANCIALLY SOUND ) MEAN guys like Dlamini Dlamini can’t get people to help him make it overseas, I mean really... That’s weak and the industry is shit. Fact. There’s been a bit of talk over which way you actually skate, goofy or regular. Did you start skating both ways? What’s your response to the doubters? I call it wrong foot forward, not switch. And I have to tell people I can skate regular. I don’t bomb hills switch because it feels funny and weird. People should know this, I skateboard and whether the trick is switch or not does not matter to me. Rather, the manner in which I do the trick is far more important than anything. I am a kid who loves being different. 4HE lRST SKATE VIDEOS ) SAW FEATURED +EENAN -ILTON AND 3TEVIE Williams and I heard they were the best switch skaters in the world. Bergen told me it was the hardest stance to skate and after 8 months of skating I landed a nollie. From there I pushed myself to be just like them, the best switch skater in the world.
Thanks to? I would like to thank Dustin at Skullcandy headphones. He is the man. Andrew and Pat for all you guys have done for me at DC Shoes. Thanks to Rudi for dealing with me during this interview. Thanks to my parents and to my family. Thanks to JHB for the spots and Wandile at Funisu for always being there to help me. He is like an older brother. Thanks Phiko at Red Bull too for always helping. Lastly, a big thanks to all the skaters I have met, partied and chilled with, thanks to you all and peace out. I hope you all enjoyed this interview.
WE GOT A FREE
MAANDA INTERVIEWS RUDI
BOARD AND SET OF
I heard you lived in the USA for 10 years, what did you get up to while you were there?
WHEELS EVERY TWO
It was probably closer to 8 years but after I moved back here I went back and forth a bunch for months at a time so I guess IT S CLOSE TO "ACK IN A GROUP OF FRIENDS 4RAVIS & Chris Anderson, Dave Morrison & Mike Van Senus) and myself went to California on holiday, that entire trip was about skating, seeing live punk bands and buying as much product
WEEKS! IT WAS LIKE BEING SPONSORED!
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 31
AS WE COULD lT INTO OUR BAGSĹ&#x; !LL ) TOOK WITH ME ON THAT TRIP was an empty bag and the clothes I was wearing! Ha! So, after visiting California, I decided that was the place I wanted TO BE SO ) CAME BACK TO 3 ! lNISHED UP HIGH SCHOOL AND LESS than a year later I moved over there with my bag, board and IN MY POCKET !T lRST IT WAS TOUGH ) DID WHATEVER ) could to make money, gardening (landscaping), construction etc and once I was legal, Jamie Thomas helped me get a job over at Tum Yeto, where I spent 4 years printing graphics for Toy Machine, Zero and Foundation skateboards while studying part time at San Diego Mesa College. In between all that I was also a roadie for a punk band, “Cigarâ€?... I travelled the States with them and many other bands and even did a couple Warped Tours. It was the life I had always dreamed of.
Yeah, I worked for Toy Machine, Zero and Foundation Skateboards... Back then they were all part of Tum Yeto so I actually worked for Tum Yeto. It took me a while to get used to seeing all the pros on a daily basis and talking to Ed and Jamie about colour variations on boards etc. It was really cool working with those guys! Ed (Templeton) would sometimes tell us to do weird shit with the Toy Machine boards... Let’s just say that some family skate shops weren’t impressed when kid’s parents were returning boards with subliminal messages and pentagrams under the actual graphics! We did some crazy stuff and Ed loved it of course! I think the best part about working for Tum Yeto was the fact that we got a free board and set of wheels every 2 weeks! It was like being sponsored!
You worked for Toy Machine, so what did you do for them?
You moved back to South Africa a few years back, why did you leave the states?
32 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
It was always tough being over there without my family, I never had internet and Facebook to stay in touch so I really only spoke to my family every once in a while. I came back to visit just about every 2 years and every time I left to go back it was a huge ordeal, there’s something about seeing your Dad cry that can really affect you. The deciding factor was when my Mom had 2 back-to-back heart attacks and I realised that she could have been gone while I was very far away and also, my Dad asked me to come help him with his company. In terms of the skateboarding industry, what was the biggest difference between the States and South Africa? Obviously, skating is HUGE over there! I used to skate with my NEIGHBOUR (E WAS YEARS OLD AND USED TO DO h(ANG 4ENv nose manuals all the way down the boardwalk. I guess I can’t speak for all of the States, just California really... People were
LEFT: Stevie would be proud. Switch Heel.
super laid back over there and no one really cares to hear you brag about what you’ve done because most of it has already been done. There are real dudes over there for kids to look up to in skateboarding. I’ve seen guys here in SA act like they’re heroes because they’ve mIPPED DOWN A STAIR ) ALSO lived in Portland (Oregon) for 1 year where skateboarding is completely different to California. The dudes up there are gnarly. I lived a few blocks away from Burnside Skate park and I remember going there and being afraid of that place. I stood up on one of the transitions and stared down at it, no way I was dropping in on that... Some dude yelled at me from across the park, “Drop in you pussy�!!! That was me, outta there! Every second person you bump into skates or are friends with some pro, so whatever you’re going to do to be cool, just turn it around and be humble and smile.
I heard some crazy stuff happened while you were shooting. Tell us about the taxi driver story in town? I was on the ground shooting a sequence when behind me THERE WAS A LOUD "!.'Ĺ&#x; ! TAXI FULL OF PASSENGERS HAD DRIVEN into the back of some dude and his friends. They all got out the car and the passengers jumped OUT THE TAXI AND MOVED ALONG 7E KEPT DOING OUR THING WHEN NEXT THING THE TAXI DRIVER TRIED TO DRIVE off before the cops got there! One OF THE DUDES JUMPED INTO THE TAXI with him and forced him to stop RIGHT NEXT TO THE STREET LEDGES 4HE TAXI DRIVER PULLED OUT A HUGE CLUB and beat the dude over the head! It was crazy! A cop car pulled up and maintained the situation. I went in for a closer look and COULD SMELL THE BOOZE ON THE TAXI DRIVER HE WAS WASTED AND didn’t even have a drivers license on him. My favourite part WAS WHEN HE TOOK A LEAK RIGHT NEXT TO THE COPS ON THE STREET Thinking back now, I should have taken a full frontal shot.
THE TAXI DRIVER
PULLED OUT A HUGE CLUB AND BEAT THE
DUDE OVER THE HEAD
You travel the world a lot, why do you feel it’s important to travel as a person? 4RAVELLING IS JUST AWESOME THE FEELING OF FREEDOM THAT mOWS through your system as the plane takes off... Nothing can BEAT THAT REALLY )T S JUST AWESOME AND EXCITING AND AMAZING 4HE UNKNOWN ADVENTURE THAT LIES AHEAD IS EXCITING 4HOSE that have travelled know what I’m talking about and those that haven’t travelled need to go out and discover. Why did you decide to do this interview with me? Cruising around is fun and shooting the photos was an added BONUS 7E VE DElNITELY HAD SOME LAUGHSĹ&#x; !CTUALLY ALL WE pretty much had were laughs! As a photographer, what goes though your mind when you’re shooting a photo? I’m actually never sure of what goes through my mind when I’m doing anything! I guess just hoping not to miss that crucial moment. Like, the other night when we shot the switch ollie over the fence thing, I could see you were taking strain and I was stressing that the photo might not look as cool or something... He would have broken himself and have nothing to show for it. Just get the shot, that’s my entire job at that point!
What type of skaters do you prefer to shoot, the skaters who LAND LOTS OF TRICKS lRST GO OR SKATERS WHO YOU HAVE FUN WITH Oh dear, that question. A fun skater that lands things a third of the time!? Haha! I hate shooting photos when guys start getting all angry and throwing their boards. That’s my worst! I know you’re big into toys and engineering stuff so tell me about your trains, cars and motorcycle and why you love them so much? I inherited the model trains from my Dad. They were his when he was a kid growing up in Germany after the Second World War. I don’t have many friends that I hang out with so I need stuff to keep me from going crazy! I don’t really love cars but I do have a Land Rover that I need when I do over land Safaris through deep dark Africa! I also own a military green 2OYAL %NlELD THAT S MY PRIDE AND JOY RIGHT THERE -Y BROTHER IN LAW AND ) PLAN TO DO A TRIP ON OUR %NlELDS AROUND 3OUTH Africa some day... It’s not about racing around, it’s just about cruising!
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$YLAN 6AUGHAN (ALF #AB +ICKmIP 0HOTO 3AM #LARK
n
tQ w e eu n s t t y i o s
Byron Rhoda is one of Cape Town’s latest UP AND COMERS (E HAS BEEN SACRIlCING his knees and dropping hammers all around town in the last few months. 7ITH A $EBUT PART IN !6 EXPECTED TO BE out soon, we are slowly seeing him grow on and off of his skateboard. In this 20 questions we see a more talkative side of this quiet 20 year old and what it feels like to be electrocuted on his lRST DAY AT WORK
Interview Dylan Vaughan Photos Andre Visser 36 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
Rhoda takes the shortcut down the mountain pass. Snow and everything. Ollie.
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 37
What really happened with that front side 180 you did in your ‘I AM’? No footage? Nothing really happened, I just landed it. Toothless was lLMING THAT DAY AND HIS BATTERY DIED WHICH MADE SOME people sceptical. :RXOG \RX JR EDFN DQG ĹľOP LW WR PDNH WKRVH SHRSOH happy? I’ve been thinking about it. I want that footage, so yeah I would. Who/what inspires you to skate? I’m inspired by the aspect of progression in skateboarding and learning new shit. As for ‘who’, I would say people like Moses and Christi, the dudes that have made a name for skateboarding in South Africa.
skateboarding isn't a competition, so greet homIEs when you skate, and put a smile on your face. :K\ GR 6$ VNDWHERDUGHUV KDYH IDQ SDJHV RQ IDFHERRN"b (Laughter) People are trying to promote themselves like Barack Obama. The way you skate and who you are won’t change by putting up a fan page. %HHQ žOPLQJ IRU DQ\WKLQJ ODWHO\" ) HAVE !NDREW VAN DER 7ALT AND ) HAVE BEEN lLMING FOR A Debut part in AV that he is going to edit as well. Hopefully that comes out in December. What skate videos should everybody watch? Zero. Dying To Live! Straight. (Laughter)
38 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
The neighbourhood watch kicked us out of this church. By neighbourhood watch I mean 2 very large, very aggravated Afrikaans men. We swore. They swore. People came out of their houses. We had the footage so we left. This would have had a totally different outcome had a taser been involved. Frontside Flip.
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 39
(EELmIP OVER THE -ILNERTON RAIL CHECKED OFF THE LIST
Would you ever take your girlfriend on a skate session? Yes, I would like that. It’s better if she comes with rather than being like: “Ah, where were you?! Skateboarding with your friends again!� What music have you been into lately? I’ve been listening to some trance, like the music they play in Subway and hip hop like Jedi Mind Tricks. I also listen to the music from skate videos because it reminds me of the video parts. So you listen to trance while you skate? (Laughter) Yeah I do man, when I’m in the mood. I know it is shit hey (laughter). Tell us who helps you out in skateboarding? Mr Clayton Peterson. He has helped me out the most.
I’m not a mommy’s boy though. I guess I’d just like to get good and hopefully go overseas and try that out. Who do you look up to in our skateboarding community and why? Christi for putting Mischif together, I respect that so much and I always used to skate the boards. What are your interests outside of skateboarding?
How did you get into skateboarding?
I love to scooter dude. Nah I’m joking‌ I guess I party. People don’t see me as a party person, but I party too much.
This friend of mine bought a board a while back, and we just used to play together. At that time it was called ‘play’. After that I wanted my own, and we just started skating together.
How do you think we can make skateboarding better in South $IULFD" 2U GR \RX WKLQN LW LV ĹľQH WKH ZD\ LW LV"
7KH NLFNŜLS \RX GLG RII WKDW URRI ORRNV SDLQIXO WHOO XV DERXW WKDW" I saw that gap years ago, and I thought I’ve just got to do something down HERE BECAUSE ) LIKE SKATING BIG SHIT !NDREW lLMED IT NO BATTERIES DIED BUT IT TOOK TWO DAYS BECAUSE THE lRST DAY WAS A BUST AND ) SNAPPED A DECK What plans do you have for skateboarding? (Travel or how far do you want to take it?)
40 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
We need to build more parks. And people with shit attitudes need to change for the industry to grow. Skateboarding isn’t a competition, so greet homies when you skate, and put a smile on your face. Why did you decide to get a job? I’m still staying with my mom and she needs help because she is single, so I thought I’d get a job to help her out. I’m not a mommy’s boy though.
Some spots you tire yourself out just running at the damn thing. This spot was like that. Run run run... Pop. Walk back. Repeat. A sizable gap and short bank TO LAND IT WEREN T A PROBLEM "ACKSIDE (EELmIP WITH THAT BACK FOOT CATCH SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 41
Boosting and absorbing. One push awkward angle +ICKmIP "OARDS AND $AYS LATER "OLTS
I’m happy just working in a skate store and helping skaters.
, KHDUG DQ LQWHUHVWLQJ VWRU\ DERXW \RXU ĹľUVW GD\ DW ZRUN tell us about that?
planning on studying anytime soon. And work, I’m happy just working in a skate store and helping skaters.
Khulu rocks up there, he’s holding a taser and he was making OUT AS IF HE WAS GOING TO SHOCK ME .EXT THING HE RUNS UP TO me and says ‘Welcome to Revolution Motherfucker’ and he TASERED ME RIGHT IN THE NECK ,UCKILY THE BATTERY WAS A BIT mAT so it didn’t hit me with its full potential. Thanks Khulu.
Why do you skateboard?
What is it like working with Marcel at Revolution? In the beginning, I thought nah he is going to fucking kill me. "UT WE GET ALONG lNE WITH THE NORMAL NEGATIVITY EVERYONE else gets. He’s a sick guy man, never boring. $Q\ VWXG\ ZRUN SODQV IRU WKH IXWXUH"b No plans. I was studying IT but I lost interest, so now I’m not
42 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
Because you can be in the worst mood and still go out skating and turn that into something good. Lastly, what trick did you work the hardest for this 20 Questions? Uhhh‌ Oh, did you say ‘trick’? I was about to say something ABOUT A CHICKx )T WOULD HAVE TO BE THE KICKmIP BECAUSE THAT killed me. It killed me!
SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 43
STORY Brendan Body PHOTOS Nathan Gallagher & Monster Energy
Tower 'le Eifel
le Hardflip, le Luan Oliviera
'le Boss
44 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
les 'le Waff
le Lipslide, le Nassim
s
acle 'le Obst
I had started working Cliche, Element, Palace and with the guys at Monster Energy a few weeks prior Flip got to build their own to going to Paris, Ryan Franklin and I had met in George on the obstacles in homage to France Buck Tour and we had said that when we and the city of Paris. get back to Cape Town we should catch up and see what else Session and Monster From there on, everything happened really fast and before I could work on together going forward. KNEW IT ) WAS AT THE AIRPORT ON MY WAY TO 0ARIS FOR THE lRST time. A destination I had never thought I would see anytime So soon after getting back we had that soon, especially not this year. After the long haul from CT to meeting and all went pretty well I thought, *(" THEN VIA !MSTERDAM ) lNALLY LANDED AT #HARLES $E 'AULLE Airport to a baking hot Paris, a nice change from a freezing BUT ) DID NOT EXPECT TO GET A CALL FROM 2YAN cold and rainy Cape Town Winter. Summer in Europe never later that afternoon asking what passport I TASTED SO GOOD OR SO ) THOUGHT ONLY TO lND %UROS LYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AIRPORT mOOR WHICH WAS LIKE lNDING 2 HAVE AND DID ) WANT TO GO TO 0ARIS THE NEXT upon arrival, what a start to this trip, I had to put it down to week to watch the 2013 Vans Downtown good luck! I booked into my hotel which was just around the corner from Showdown... THE CONTEST AND DECIDED TO TASTE THAT %UROS WITH A FEW And so my Paris weekend began. French beers before meeting up with Kazmira Krawchuk and Remy Moreau, Monster’s media liaisons in Europe and my &RENCH TOUR AND PARTY GUIDES FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS 7E WERE
headed for a fancy French restaurant to meet up with Xavier Besson and Lucas Beaufort (French artist and Publisher at Desillusion magazine) for a few glasses of what Lucas said was the best rosĂŠ you could get in Paris. Kaz and Lucas were having a meeting to talk media ideas, however after a few bottles of rosĂŠ and a pile of French cheese we soon found ourselves gallivanting around the streets of Paris in the Monster van taking in the sites, snapping photos at everything and everyone I thought worth shooting. I was a total tourist. 4HE NEXT MORNING CAME QUICKLY AND WE MADE OUR WAY DOWN to the Downtown Showdown press day where we were all allowed to meet and interview the pros. I bumped into Seth my old friend from London who used to work at Slam City Skates. Turns out he was one of the judges and was cool with me skating the street course which was too much fun although a little intimidating with Rowley, Penny and a barrage of Euro Pros killing it wherever I looked. I ended up having the most fun on the Eiffel Tower obstacle with Dan Cates, Death rider and an old mate from London. The main event and the reason I was actually in France - The 2013 Vans Downtown Showdown where 4 skate companies, namely Cliche, Element, Palace and Flip got to build their own obstacles in homage to France and the city of Paris.
le Penny
lin le Dol
le Blunt
First off, we had the Cliche ponds which was a homage to the actual Eiffel Tower ponds that are situated under the %IFFEL TOWER OBVIOUSLY THEN WE HAD THE &LIP FUN BOX WHICH WAS A HOMAGE TO THE &RENCH mAG 0ALACE BUILT HUGE ,OUIS Vuitton carrier bags with cigarette packet driveways and Element took to recreating the Eiffel Tower, by far the most DIFlCULT AND INTERESTING OBSTACLE TO SKATE 4HE CONTEST FORMAT works with the different skate teams competing against one another on a team level, as well as individually with a winning TEAM AND OVERALL !M AND 0RO WINNER TAKING THE lNAL PODIUM Everywhere I looked dudes were shredding. Each obstacle had its own appeal, some dudes were killing the carrier bags, OTHERS THE PONDS SOME DESTROYED THE FUN BOX BUT EVERYONE was working hard to get something good on the Eiffel Tower. 4HE TRANSITION DID NOT HIT THE mOOR PERFECTLY MAKING IT ALMOST feel like a bank when you hit the bottom of the transition. Legendry heads that were rolling around but not entering were Penny, Rowley, Hosoi, Cab, Alva, Dollin and Cardiel, all in town for the Showdown as well as the Vans World Tour. The beer garden outside was packed all the time, cheeses
46 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
le Judges
le Cardiel
le Gends!
... bottle after bottle of Champagne was opened and sprayed, which felt like an F1 Grand Prix podium. and booze were being swallowed at high speed and Steve Van Doren (Vans boss) was barbecuing for the masses and he must of had a 100m queue of people lining up for one of his famous hotdogs. I reckon throughout the whole weekend there must have been 10 000 people coming through, all for the love of skateboarding and all things French. Being on my own had seemed daunting before leaving but after a few hours or so of mingling and walking around I soon found myself swigging
beers with some of my old London chums from back when I USED TO LIVE THEIR YEARS AGO )T WAS SUPER FUN AND THE CATCH up was good, the SAFAS have made a big impression over there with many of the London skaters asking me where Yann Horowitz is because he would have killed it, he has obviously left a solid impression on some of the Euro riders. Kazmira had handed me a pile of free VIP coupons which would take care of lunch, booze and supper for a month and thank god she did. SA Rands are pretty much useless over there with a packet of cigarettes costing me around 140 bucks and a pint hits you for around 100 bucks, something I could not afford, especially with my capacity for throwing down the lagers and scoff. Paris is normally a rainy and cold city most of the year but it had transformed into a skate Mecca under the baking Euro Summer sun and everyone who was there was taking full advantage of it. I mean everything was just perfect for good times. I could bore you with all the tricks that went down but I’m not going to, so you can watch the whole event online or
le Pfanner Shifty le Art
check out the edit in the AV 20 bonus section. Let’s just say the standouts were Luan Oliveira, Nassim Guammaz, Chris Pfanner, Ross Mcgouran, Louie Lopez and the dudes from Sweet skateboards who all killed it but in the end it came down to the Element Team taking it as the team winners, .ASSIM 'UAMMAZ WON BEST !M AND ,UAN /LIVEIRA TOOK lRST for best pro. Prize-giving was rad with legends like Hosoi, Cab, Alva, Rowley, Penny and Dollin all handing out the loot, much to the crowds approval and bottle after bottle of Champagne WAS OPENED AND SPRAYED WHICH FELT LIKE AN & 'RAND 0RIX podium. With everything done, everyone was ushered out of there ASAP by some overzealous security and we made our way to the after party where Cardiel
le Winners
was DJing. Things got a little messy, so messy in fact that ) HAD TO mY HOME THE NEXT MORNING AT BUT ONLY WOKE up after 9:00.....aaaaahh stuck in Paris! Phone calls were MADE ANOTHER NIGHT AT THE HOTEL WAS BOOKED AND ) mEW OUT the following morning...knackered! There was so much that went on but there isn’t enough space so let’s just say, as whirlwind weekends go, Paris couldn’t be better. Huge thanks goes out to Garan Reck and Ryan Franklin at Monster Energy SA as well as Kazmira and Remy from London for showing me the best time a lanky ginger like myself could have in a city like Paris.
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s n o i t a l u t a r g n o C
h a j y N n o t h us
t e e r t s o r p 3 1 20 n o i p m a h c d l r o w
PODIUM
Photos Ryan Jansens (DBN), Grant Mclachlan (CPT), Rudi Jeggle (JHB) Words Chinner
DUALS AND STAND OFFS
KDC GRAND SLAM EVENTS AND HOPE TOUR
After being held captive in Kimberley all year, I was quite relieved when I found out I’d be hitting up CPT, JHB and DBN for the Grand Slam stops.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: "RAXTON (AINE "3 /VERCROOK Dlamini Dlamini BS Noseblunt. Justin Adonis FS Flip over the RAIL "ROS HELP EACH OTHER (IGH S WITH #HINNER AND +HULE Ngubane. Adam Woolf BS Flips the hip at Stoneridge.
The Boogaloos/Pragmatics/Northern Cape Government/ OSP/KDC crew hit 3 quick stops in 3 of SA’s largest cities, which always call for some of the best skateboarding to be seen. I was hyped to see some familiar faces, even if it was just a wave or a “How’s it going?â€? in between the day’s mad schedule. Last year on the SFH Tour, Wandile and I both shared airtime on THE MIC AS WELL AS JUDGING RESPONSIBILITIES 4HIS YEAR ) lGURED it was Wandile’s turn to assume full judging responsibility and FOR MYSELF TO TAKE THE TIME TO DIG DEEP AND lND THE CHARISMA within myself for a couple hours to give the obligatory sponsor shout outs and crack some jokes (hopefully in good taste) and maybe get a few yucks. Not because I like to hear my own voice, but when you have to make the choice of who is the best skater (and the recipient of R10k) between Mosey (the boy good), Jean Marc (the boy good), Marola (the boy good), Dlamini (the boy good), amongst other heavy hitters, I’d rather TALK SOME SHIT ON THE MIC THAN HAVE TO SLEEP WITH MY lNAL decision on who would take the wildcard in Cape Town. Standout moments of the tour include Adam Woolf’s tricks on the over vert at Stoneridge, listening to R Kelly’s “Real Talk Behind The Scenesâ€? on repeat with Rudy, ramp malfunctions, Toothless with 20SK8 on the podium (refer to Canal Walk RECAP VIDEO 4HE 3CUMBAGS TEAM S !LL #ITIES QUALIlERS demo in DBN (damn!), street missions in CPT with Nero and Jackson, street missions in JHB with Maanda and Bryce, usual endless conversations with Wandile, old homies, new homies, and good times. Big ups to everyone that came out and bigger ups to everyone THAT GOT 0!)$Ĺ&#x; 3EE YOU NEXT YEARĹ&#x; The Hope Tour and Grand Slam events were brought to you by Boogaloos, KDC, Kumba Iron Ore and the Northern Cape. Special thanks to our supporting brands: Converse, Monster Energy, Etnies, Volcom, Skull Candy, Neff, Session & AV Skateboarding. Keep an eye on the Boogaloos & KDC Facebook pages for details of the 2014 Hope Tour, Grand Slams and KDC event. 50 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
On the Podium JHB
CPT
DBN
1st Anthony de Mendonca 2nd Trae Rice 3rd Brandan Valjalo
1st Gavin ‘Moses’ Adams 2nd Dlamini Dlamini 3rd Jean Marc Johannes
1st Khule Ngubane ND "RAXTON (AINE 3rd Jean Marc Johannes
Full kdc feature next issue With the end of Maloof came the opportunity to create a new entity for the annual international contest in Kimberley. The Kimberley Diamond Cup was born under THE NEW ENTITY 7ORLD 3KATEBOARDING 'RAND 0RIX The KDC went down on the 27 - 29 September 2013 as a great success. With top pros like Nyjah Huston, !LEX -AJERUS 4REVOR #OLDEN &ELIPE 'USTAVO 7ES Kremer and more, the level of skating in Kimberley was once again pushed through the roof. We will not only have the full rundown of the contest but also an inside look at the people who have made this contest a reality over the last 3 years.
On the Podium PRO Division
PRO Vert
1st Nyjah Huston 2nd Felipe Gustavo 3rd Louie Lopez
1st Andy Macdonald 2nd Jono Schwan 3rd Pierre Luc Gagnon
PRO Big Air
AM Division
1st Jono Schwan 2nd Andy Macdonald 3rd Jagger Eaton
ST "RAXTON (AINE 2nd Khule Ngubane 3rd Mitchell Rice
AM Vert
AM Womens
1st Dallas Oberholzer 2nd Jacques Allison 3rd Werner du Plessis
1st Kelly Murray 2nd Melissa Williams 3rd Natalie Bramley
Hood 2 Hood ST 4HE 3UMBAGS +HULE .GUBANE "RAXTON (AINE Dlamini Dlamini, Jean Marc Johannes 2nd - Woolf’s and Two Other Dudes: Brandon Valjalo, Anthony De Mendonca, Adam Woolf, David Woolf
CLARK
3rd - Here by Chance: Andrew Nero, Grant Mclachlan, Bryce Rheeder, Damon De Clercq
PODIUM DUALS AND STAND OFFS
REDBULL UNLOCKED MOSES MABHIDA DURBAN
,EFT !LAN -AROLA BACKSIDE FAKIE NOSEGRIND 2IGHT "RAXTON (AINE FRONTSIDE BLUNTSLIDE Photos Pablo Ponzone Words Bod
This year Redbull managed to secure the Moses Mabhida Stadium for THEIR NEWEST SKATE CONTEST 2EDBULL 5NLOCKED "Y USING AN EXISTING SUPER smooth and insane local street spot and rigging it with a Driveway, Hubba and handrail they managed to pull off one of this year’s best and most original skate contests for our local brethren. (EAVY HITTERS FORM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY mEW IN FOR THIS BECAUSE OF THE SETUP and it really didn’t feel like a regular skate contest, more like a regular street spot with dudes killing it from all angles with an assortment of lines and heavy hitting bangers. When all was said and done it really came down to Mosey or Dlamini for top spot and Mosey just seemed to have the EXTRA mAIR ON THE DAY BANGING OUT TWO KILLER LINES IN THE LAST FEW SECONDS to take the win.
9ANN (OROWITZ FRONTSIDE BACKSIDE OUT
Big thanks to Redbull, Vans and all the dudes who came out on the day. Check out the video footage here: www.redbull.com/za/en/skateboarding
Podium 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Gavin ‘Moses’ Adams Dlamini Dlamini Jean-Marc Johannes Yann Horowitz "RAXTON (AINE
Moses Adams Frontside Flip over the rail 52 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
LUKSBRANDS.COM SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 53
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Most products are available at skate and lifestyle retail outlets NATIONWIDE )F YOU WANT TO lND OUT ABOUT A SPECIlC ITEM PLEASE email info@sessionmag.co.za or check the online stores: www.baselinestudio.co.za / www.thegoldennugget.co.za / www.revolutiononline.co.za/
TEES AND TOPS
Adidas Gonz Hoodie
Volcom Panel and Stripe T
Assorted Levi’s button ups.
DC No Authority Grey
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Technique OG Approved
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3ELlSH 3KATEBOARDS #HAMP 7HITE
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STICK TIPS
THE ELEMENT TEAM TAKE US THROUGH SOME NEW TACTICS
FLIP BACKTAILS WITH GIO !S A KID THE +ICKmIP "ACKSIDE 4AILSLIDE WAS AN h)N 4RICKv )T WAS WHAT EVERY KID PAST THE KICKmIP STAGE WAS TRYING TO get right. Videos with Stevie Williams, Sammy Baptista, Appleyard and Carroll were making that trick look like the ‘be all’ and ‘end all’ of ledge tricks.
Well, that’s around the time things got ridiculous for me in skateboarding. We could have stopped the technicality progression right there. One of the most timeless and stylish tricks to date. But skateboarding doesn’t stop. It never stops and it never waits.
4HEN CAME THE COMBOS OUT 3HUVITS BIGSPINS AND BIGmIPS P-Rod took the level of style one can apply to a trick to new HEIGHTS !ND HE DID IT SWITCH 4HE NEXT NATURAL THING WAS handrails and hubbas and then...
3O GO lND SOME LATE S SKATE VIDS AND APPRECIATE WHERE this trick has come from. Then get a nice sized ledge and start your training.
56 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
PHOTOS Clinton Theron WORDS AD Henderson
+ICKmIP STANCE NOT QUITE PARALLEL BEND THOSE KNEES 0OP A BIT BEFORE YOUR NORMAL SPOT AND mICK THAT FRONT foot out the top corner. Keep your shoulders parallel with the ledge and your weight centred above your board. #ATCH THAT mIPPERY GUIDE IT WITH YOUR BACK FOOT AND slide it into the back tail. Get nice and square above the tail with your weight on the front of your foot. ,AND ON THE BOLTS )F YOU DON T THEN IT S SKETCH "UT enjoy the accomplishment every time.
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BY SKATEBOARDERS, FOR SKATEBOARDERS
VISSER
WWW.REVOLUTION-DAILY.COM
I AM
UNDISCOVERED BROTHERS
I AM ANTON ROUX Frontside Flip
How old are you, what stance do you ride and how long have you been skating? 19, Goofy and I have been skating since grade 7 so you do the math. Where are you from? Gordons Bay. When did you start skating and how did you get into it? I started skating with my new neighbour when we still lived on the farm and things got better from there.
Energy. Simply energy. That’s what hypes me on Anton. He doesn’t go half pace for tricks. New trick or not. He just charges at everything and is hungry for missions. It’s like he sees his own potential and can’t get there fast enough. Without a doubt this kid is going to do some shit that you didn’t think was possible. - AD
What size board do you ride? Size 8” Who pays for your boards? PUSH Skateboarding What is your favourite skate terrain? Rough/big spots, shows you have what it takes. Who are some of your favourite rippers? Alan Marola, Justus Kotze, Andrew Reynolds, Brandon Westgate, Evan Smith - these guys stand out for me but in my eyes everyone is a ripper! Who do you skate with? Anyone and everyone that’s willing to skate. Skinny or Baggy? Baggy.
Hip Hop, Punk or Metal? Hip Hop. Where do you go to School? Done with school. Stuff you want to learn? I want to become more consistent with my tricks.
we still lived on the farm and things got better from there. What else do you like doing besides skateboarding? Anything that puts a smile on my face. In 5 years from now, where do you see yourself in skateboarding? Picking up this issue and seeing that I have progressed. Thanks and shout outs? Thanks Session. Thanks to Andre Visser, Andrew Nero and AD Henderson for seeing potential in me. Thanks to my brothers and Gerald (Gee) for always being there. Thanks Tristan for helping me out and all the skaters giving me inspiration, but most of all thanks to my parents! SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA | 59
VAN RENSBURG
RAINY DAYS LUKE JACKSON
Emerica - Made Chapter 1 Our featured videos this month come from two opposite sides of skateboarding but they both went straight to the internet. On the one hand we have Emerica, an established brand with big name pros and a certain reputation to uphold. That went straight to the internet via the Thrasher website (the web release Mecca), it was free for 3 days and now you have to pay to watch it but you can decide
Bronze - Solo Jazz
Westgate’s POP! Westgate’s PUSH! Westgate’s SPEED! WESTGATE!!!
on the price (starting at 1 dollar). On the other hand, we have Bronze Hardware, a raw underground collective that doesn’t really seem to be a hardware company at all but rather an East Coast movement. That went straight onto Youtube AND IS SOMEWHAT OF A HIT ITSELF WITH OVER VIEWS IN JUST A FEW weeks... oh and it got featured on Hypebeast. Let’s have a look at the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of these two online hits.
PROS:
Westgate’s SPEED!
PROS:
CONS:
An ‘AM’ who most have never heard of named Jeremy Leabres opens the video with guns blazing. You will be seeing more of this young man.
WESTGATE!!!
New York spots with New York lines
The Gnar factor in this video is off the charts
Wallrides and wallies
The Emerica brand just got reintroduced in SA
Every time you get into a section and the energy of the track used, it jumps to a new section with a new track
Kevin Tierney, Shawn Powers, Billy Mcfeely, Aaron Herrington, Rob Gonyon and plenty more East Coast rippers
Colin Provost is an all-terrain killer Colin’s pop and speed #OLIN S FRONTSIDE mIP OVER A FENCE
CONS:
Leo Romero’s rail annihilation
Only 3 big names with parts, but it’s just Chapter 1 so that means another video relatively soon
4HE (OLLYWOOD (IGH GETS CHAINED AND ,EO JUST gaps over the chain
The music is a little boring for me
Brandon Westgate is a BEAST!
)F YOU MISSED THE lRST FREE DAYS ON THE 4HRASHER site then you’re going to have to pay for it now
Killer soundtrack Amazing adaptation of ‘90s – isms’ like Sony Playstation and Windows 0ETER 3IDLAUSKAS IS A MASTER lLMER EDITOR WHO makes some of my favourite underground East Coast web classics
Westgate’s POP!
'OOD ENERGY FROM START TO lNISH
Westgate’s PUSH!
"RONZE +Ĺ&#x;Ĺ&#x;Ĺ&#x;
60 | SESSIONMAG.CO.ZA
Too many of these NYC rippers are all too often overlooked by the industry at large Bronze isn’t really a hardware company. It’s a large group of friends from NYC with different sponsors so now they spray-paint their bolts bronze and are a pseudo-hardware company. Wait, that’s fucking rad so this should be a ‘pro’ Actually, screw trying to think of ‘cons’ because I love this shit
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF QUALITY SKATEBOARDING www.avskateboarding.tv ‡ shop.avskateboarding.tv Advertising, Sales Information and Contributors > Email: info@avskateboarding.tv or go to www.avskatebaording.tv
HAVE AN ADRIAN DAY ADRIAN DAY
The same level of commitment needed to push yourself over a gap like this is required when it comes to the business of skateboarding. Pieter Retief. Ollie over the rail to sketchy brick hill bomb.
Do it right or not at all. This industry is hard to work in. So much of it is a thankless TASK AN EXPECTED DELIVERY This includes every aspect. Mags to videos, board companies to stores, distributions to sponsorships. It’s fucking hard to get it right, and strike a balance between integrity and preservation of the values of a sub-culture, and actually making some money. And integrity vs. selling out is a subjective gauge. It’s a hard line to walk sometimes. And there are many companies and brands who can’t wait TO REAP THE lNANCIAL REWARD OF ENTERING ANOTHER MARKET WHICH IS lNE PROVIDED IT IS DONE RIGHT AND IS BENElCIAL TO skateboarding as a whole.
integrity vs. selling out is a subjective gauge. It’s a hard line to walk sometimes. Many companies will seek the advice and guidance of a skateboarder, which is the ideal situation, but sometimes THEY WANT THIS FOR FREE !ND ON THE mIPSIDE MANY NON SKATERS think they know better than us and feel zero need to have skateboarder input. At the end of the day, the corporate companies who care about the integrity of their brand will seek and compensate the skateboarder, the guy on the ground. One or two uninformed decisions will kill the longevity, because if the skaters won’t back it, slowly the mainstream will bore as well. You can sell it to factory stores, where the last bastion of sales reside. Throughout my involvement with skateboarding [which is PRACTICALLY OF MY LIFE= ) HAVE HEARD THE ODD CRITICISMS thrown about at who I consider to be the important players in the industry. Words like elitist and snob. Even arrogance.
VAN STADEN
It is imperative to keep skateboarding, it’s brands, videos and magazines as pinnacle as possible, with the skateboarder making the decisions and not some marketing department trying to create a skate / breakdancing rap club, shoddy X event or surf/skate/skimboard company. There’s a big difference between elitism and preservation. Choose skateboarding’s imperative preservation.
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