vol 9 no 4
DESCRIPTION
Paris Longboarding Helmet SafetyTRANSCRIPT
Vol.9 No.4 WINTER 2011
$4.95Canada Post Publication Agree-ment number 40671108
MANUFACTURINGCLOSE-UP
LONGBOARDINGIN PARIS
WHEELSECRETS
REVEALED
Vol.9 No.4 WINTER 2011
$4.95Canada Post Publication Agree-ment number 40671108
MANUFACTURINGCLOSE-UP
LONGBOARDINGIN PARIS
WHEELSECRETS
REVEALED
12 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 C O N C R E T E W A V E M A G A Z I N E . C O M
VANCOUVER’S “LADIES OF DOWNHILL”:A TRIBUTE TOGLENNA EVANS
50
MANUFACTURINGCLOSE UP PART 1
62
CONTENTS >>
DEPARTMENTS
In last issue of Concrete Wave, Aaron Enevoldsen de-
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elated disbelief after an hour of fast,
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Ouarzazate to Fez LEG4
22 EDITORIAL
26 LETTERS
28 NOTEWORTHY
38 THE SILVERFISH REPORT
40 RIDER PROFILE:LAURA ALLI
42 TECH TALK: WHEELSECRETS REVEALED
44 FROM THE FRIDGE TO HOT SAUCE
46 ASK BIKER
48 KING SOLOMON’S RULES
86 IGSA REPORT
54LONGBOARDINGIN PARIS
ANOTHER LOOKAT HELMETS
74THE MOROCCAN SKATE PARADE 82
Verne Troyer.Photo: ©Scott Harrison/Corbis
The City of Love is Ripefor Push Culture
Safety First…Drama Second!Part 2
Taking You Deep Inside
Ph
oto
: R
ay
Rae G
old
man
18 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
Vol. 9 No. 4 WINTER 2011
PUBLISHER/EDITOR Michael Brooke | [email protected]
SENIOR EDITOR Blair Watson
ART DIRECTOR Mark Tzerelshtein | MarkintoshDesign.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Buddy Carr
DOWNHILL EDITOR Jon Caften
PHOTO EDITORS Jon Huey | Dan Bourqui
IGSA WORLD CUP EDITOR Marcus Rietema
SLALOM/FREESTYLE Richy and MariaEDITORS Carrasco
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Erik BasilMalakai Kingston
CORRESPONDENTS Jim Kuiack
AUSTRALIA David Pang | William Fonseca | Nick Sable
I.T. DEPT. HEAD Rick Tetz of CalStreets.com
COPY EDITOR Jonathan Harms
PROBLEM SOLVER Bud Stratford | [email protected]
HEAD OFFICE 1136-3 Center StreetSuite 293Thornhill, Ontario L4J 3M8 ph: 905.738.0804
SKATESHOP DISTRIBUTION Indaba GroupPO Box 1895, Carlsbad, CA [email protected]: 760.722.4111
CONTRIBUTORS (In order of appearance): Ray Rae Goldman, Dan Bourqui, Doug Stroud, Pablo Castro, Jeff Haynes, Ian Logan, Crystal Graves, Isabelle Fried, Maya Porter, Susan Harris, Amelia Brodka, R. Donask,Troy Churchill, Jeff Nass, Biker Sherlock, King Solomon, Brett Beyer, Mitchell Moshenberg, Heidi Germann, Chris Vallender, Marvin Thine, Lotfi, Benoit Mothes, Tim Pritchard, Toni van den Munckhof,Pappy Boyington, A.G. Photographe, Melvin Zinck, Pierre-Yves Guyot, Dana Ross, Peter Hildebrandt, Steve Potwin, Aaron “Issues” Enevoldsen, Francisco Urbistondo, Pierre Gamby. Special thanks to Bryan Tylerof American Web, Sean McAllister of Never Summer Industries and Kurt Hurley of Dregs.
concretewavemagazine.comConcrete Wave is published by North of La Jolla Inc.
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Mag not arriving? Email us... don’t go postal. We can sort it out. [email protected]. We will notify you when your subscription
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Wave are not necessarily those of the publisher. We happily accept articles and photos. Please contact the publisher directly at
[email protected] before you submit anything. We are looking for a variety of stories and images as long as they are skate related.
COVER 1: Made in Venice: Victor "Blue" Sanchez. Photo: Ray Rae Goldman
COVER 2: Just a couple of longboard outlaws! Brad Edwards and Guto Lamera. Photo: Dan Bourqui
OPENING SPREAD Photo: Doug Stroud
Distributed by
ph: 416.754.3900 f: 416.754.4900
ISSN 1708-3338
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WELCOME TO THE FINE PRINT: There’s a great saying on a T-shirt that I spotted at the Thrasher magazine web-site. It’s in a photo as part of a story about a new Grindline park that is being built in Israel. The park looks reallygood, with an absolutely insane snake run. It was the shirt, however, that also grabbed my attention. It said simply:Sometimes skateboarding involves not skateboarding. I love this statement. It resonates with me on a pretty deeplevel. If you’d like, it can be substituted with “Sometimes longboarding involves not longboarding.” Either way, itworks. This past December, I had a chance to be at the Skateboarding Hall of Fame induction ceremony presentedby the International Association of Skateboard Companies. While no actual skateboarding took place, there wasa tremendous amount of energy in the room. It was truly an emotional night and everyone who put it togethershould be highly commended. During that same week I met up with the folks from Loaded Boards. Their pas-sion is matched only by their generosity. I also had the privilege of hanging out with some very good friends inVenice. In particular, I’d like to thank Neil and Jen, who were very gracious hosts. There’s a saying that youmight have spotted on a sticker or T-shirt that says “Hecho en Venice.” This translates into “made in Venice.”But I’d like to think that Venice is the city of rebirth. I am dedicating this Fine Print to Neil and Jen, along withthe covers they have inspired. I should mention that I actually had planned on not going on the trip. It wasn’tthat I didn’t want to go – I did! It’s just that life has gotten very busy and I didn’t think I had the time. So, for atrip that I wasn’t supposed to be on, I am eternally grateful I came to Los Angeles. To my loyal readers andsupporters – thank you for making 2010 an exceptional year. Onward to 2011 and beyond!
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 19
As I sit in my officecontemplatingall the amazing
things that happened inthe world of longboardingin 2010, I wonder, was itall just a warmup? Thispast year has definitelyseen tremendous growth in bothsales of longboards and participationrates. In fact, one report indicated thatlongboarding has grown by more than40%. The mainstream media seemed tobe filled with numerous stories about“folks surfing concrete waves.” Likeeverything the mass media does, thereporting was a mixture of good, badand sometimes downright ugly.
The well-researched articles andreports put a smile on our face. Theymade us proud to be part of the long-boarding community and did a great jobof capturing its essence. Unfortunately,there were other articles and TV seg-ments that just make us cringe. Often,after reading or viewing a piece that iscompletely incorrect I ask myself, “Howcould they be so completely confused
and wrong!?” If you see a story thatmakes your blood boil with its inaccu-racy, don’t just sit there and convulse.Contact the media outlet and let themknow your feelings.
But let’s get back to speculatingabout 2011. It’s a new year, and there’scertainly a feeling that longboarding ison the right track. When it comes toexcellent products, we’ve got a hugeamount of choices. If your local shopisn’t stocking the items you want, thereare dozens of great online shops thatwill fulfill your every desire, no matterwhere you live! Thanks to the Web,there are numerous ways for long-boarders to communicate with each other. The longboarding
community has built something specialfrom the ground up. It has grown organ-ically. Each skater has helped spreadthe stoke. This strong foundation bodeswell for the future. I can’t even keep upwith the number of new longboard clubson college campuses and new eventssprouting up each week.
So, maybe these past few yearsreally were just a warmup. Think of itthis way: If longboarding can grow ina weak economy, imagine what couldhappen if things start to reallybounce back.
It’s more than likely that 2011 willbring a host of opportunities, along with a number of
challenges; that’s just the way thingsgo. There are some who will see thisexplosion of longboarding as a gold rushand try to exploit it. They’ll do whateverit takes to claim their stake. Some ofthese companies will be given the coldshoulder and won’t make it. Others willcome out with a hot product that trulybenefits longboarders, and they will seetheir fortunes rise. No matter what happens, 2011 is going to be a prettyamazing ride.Enjoy the issue!
Michael Brooke, Publisher
22 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
EDITORIAL >>
James Kelly, Douglas Silva and Kevin Reimer demonstrate their own version of a warmup in Peru.Photo: Pablo Castro
26 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
LETTERS >>
PHAN OF PHILLY PHREESTYLEThanks very much for the past two issues’ cov-erage of the 2010 World Championship freestylecontest in Philadelphia. Living only about an hourand a half away, my 7-year-old son and Iattended Saturday’s qualifying sessions.Freestyle used to be my thing in the late ‘70s, butnever would I ever have dreamed up the incred-ible maneuvers these guys and girls were pullingoff. It was mind-blowing! I spent some timetalking to Mike Rogers of Grind For Life and metan icon from my era, Russ Howell. This eventwas in an ‘up close and personal’ venue, with asmall amount of spectators on Saturday allowingus to meet some of the pros. My son walkedaway with prizes from GFL and a local skatecompany. It was a day both my son and I will notforget. Could freestyle be making a comeback? Ifit does, looks like I’m gonna have to get the Per-alta Warptail 2 off the wall and ride it!
Thanks for an awesome magazine.
David FrantzLancaster, Penn.
STOKED FOR LIFEI began skateboarding in 1986, and it hasremained an important aspect of my life eversince. In fact, I can say that there weremoments while growing up when it actuallymay have saved my life.
In 1997, I discovered longboarding and havesteadily ever since progressed toward makingthis form of skating my predominant choice. Aslongboarding incrementally morphed from ahobby into an obsession, I increasingly feltalienated from other existing skateboardingpublications, as many of them clearly ignoredthe growing push-culture population, or evendownright disrespected us, as if we were somekind of oddly featured, poorly dressed, adoptedstep-cousin who lives under the front porch,devoid of any social skills.
While this obnoxious treatment does irritateme, I am now pleased that the other mags don’tattempt to cover what we do. As a skater fromthe Natas generation, I pride myself on theability to still be able to ollie over a 55-gallondrum (lying on its side) at 37 years old. Whattoday’s modern street skating generationcannot grasp is that we longboarders CHOOSEto push, carve and slide. It’s what we want todo; it’s what we have to do. If we wanted to dowhat they do, we simply would.
One year ago, I was very fortunate tostumble upon Concrete Wave. After obtaining asubscription, I can proudly say it is the firstmagazine of any kind where I regularly readevery word from cover to cover, and when I’mfinished I read it again and again until the nextissue arrives. Concrete Wave really gets it! Youguys understand our culture in ways that noother skate mag could attempt to. ConcreteWave, you have earned a subscriber for life.Well done!
Respectfully,Brandon K. Stevens
Owner, Ebb&Flow Custom Longboards Letter of the month receives a prize pack from Original Skateboards
INSPIRED AND IN THE ZONELetter of the MonthOne broken wrist, a body full of scars and a broken long-board later, and my passion for the sport is moreexpansive than ever. After spending the last four yearsmooching off an array of friends’ boards (Loadeds, Sector9s and Never Summers), I decided it was time to splurge onmy first board. Having actually owned only one board, aused one a friend gave me, and having it progress into anunrideable mess after years of riding abuse, I did my fairshare of research before blowing the bank on a new board.In a matter of days I found myself a complete gearhead forlongboards and their components. Wanting a board that fitmy style of high-speed carving and cruising, but not wantinga drop deck, I fell immediately in love with the LandyachtzDrop Speed the moment I laid eyes on it. Tight on budget, Istill continued to splurge on a pair of Bones Swiss bearings,Abec 11 Gumballs (81A) and the new Bear Grizzly 852s withJimZ speed bushings. When it came a few weeks ago I was wary and fearful of whether or not my invest-ment would be worth it, especially considering my expectations of the board I had obsessed over. I found itastonishing how much a simple change of equipment can alter one’s entire orientation and perspective of asport and passion. In my longboarding package I received an issue of Concrete Wave.
In my small ski town in northwest Colorado, I am of a rare breed, aggressively longboarding hills andpasses, trying to expand my ability and enjoy the entirety of the experience, rather than be like those whouse a board solely for a means of fun transportation. A magazine such as yours is one of the sparsesources of inspiration for me. As the black sheep in the herd, a ski mountaineer and longboarder, I seekinspiration often in magazines, as this is my channel to other passionate people of my interests who actu-ally understand why I do what I do. I am so glad that people like you keep these magazines running,because for some of us who do not have the local community of the sport, this is one of the few sourcesof inspiration that can drive [me] to pursue the sport and achieve my own state of euphoria.
Longboarding, like ski mountaineering, is limitless in its opportunities; the rider is the only boundaryto overcome. In so many videos and photos, the person is in a zone that no one who hasn’t skated willunderstand, and that feeling is much of what we pursue. Some call it happiness, some say it’s the endor-phins, but all I can tell you is I love it and it makes me stoked to ride. The indirect experience to learnfrom others in a sport I am not largely exposed to is a serious pleasure, and I thank you for providing thatto someone in the Colorado Rockies and so many others. Your magazine truly is an indispensable asset toour sport, and I thank you for that.
Connor BernardSteamboat Springs, Colo.
LONG TRIP, SHORT READI have been an active skater (skateboarder) since about 1974. It is my intention to skate until every cell inmy body says that I cannot! For a long period of time I have been a regular and at times excited purchaserof Concrete Wave and its predecessor magazine.
Yesterday I crossed town here on two buses especially to pick up a new edition, as your publication isquite specialist here in the U.K. On returning home it took me approximately 70 seconds to read theentire issue! The cover shot alone gives the impression that there may be an exclusive interview with JayAdams. No … just a few pictures. Delightful, but had you perhaps considered printing at least someskate-related articles? Even Hello! magazine is better value for money at present! I may subscribe in thefuture.
Yours faithfully,Curt Halliday
TIMING IS EVERYTHINGI’m 48, an ex-’70s skate stoner who got into longboarding a few years ago. I subscribed for a couple ofyears, but drifted away from the magazine and skating. In just the past couple of weeks I’ve gotten theMini-Carve out; unfortunately, just in time for Vermont winter! I checked Silverfish to see what’s up thesedays, and I read your blog from just a few days ago about refocusing on longboarding. What timing!
Gary DouglasSouth Burlington, Vt.
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
Marco G. at the Venice Skatepark.
Photo: Ray Rae Goldman
28 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
NOTEWORTHY >>P R O D U C T S , P E O P L E , E V E N T S
SMOKIN MAD LOVEGet ready forfive new pave-ment-poundingpushers. Thesweet Chello isSML’s freerideboard. ThePoolie is sure tolove gliding atyour localskatepark, ramp or bowl. The Muse istheir version of a drop-through pintail.The 5150 is their rockered lowestdrop-through board ever. And theShort Bus is their downhill monster.smokinmadlove.com
MALIBUMalibu intro-duces theMini-Cruizer –perfect for afirst board or thelatest addition toany enthusiast’squiver. 100% hand-made in the USA.Seven-ply Canadianmaple deck with double-kick concavetop. Malibu custom clear grit top overflaming wheel logo. Finished in tintedblue or gray. Tracker 148 Darts under-neath, centerset 65mm Fireball Shredwheels and ABEC 7 bearings. Mini insize makes this easy to carry aroundcampus or tuck away in your locker.Grande performance! malibuboards.net
LOADEDLoadedpresentstheir fifthiteration ofFreerideGloves.Constructedwith thesame lightweight, breathable mesh andCoolmax® wicking fabric, these glovesalso feature several new improvements.The palms are now synthetic leather,providing higher durability and comfort;the glove-side palm Velcro is nowdouble stitched. Finger shapes havebeen modified for a more ergonomic fit,
and non-articulated thumbs are posi-tioned to lie flat instead of curving in agripping position. This helps preventaccidental dragging during slides.loadedboards.com
RIVIERA
“Better late than never!” Riviera has hadso many requests from their customersfor flexi boards thatthey're proud toannounce you no longer have to wait.They know the anticipation has beenkilling you and you’re about to burst inyour pants. Grab your protection and getready for the ride of your life. Introducingthe new Riviera flex decks and com-pletes, the Titan (8.5” x 34”) and PlanetCalled Earth (8.5” x 34”), both availableMarch 2011. rivieralongboards.com
NEVER SUMMERNever Summer isproud to introduce theRevolt, a technicallyadvanced freeridelongboard. Rockeredprofile, P-tex tip andtail protection, biaxialfiberglass, exclusivevertically laminatedpoplar core andadvanced drop-thrutechnology combine inthe ultimate freeridelongboard. Light anddurable, the Revolt ishandmade in their Denver, Colo. factoryand Never Summer believes it is handsdown the best freeride board on themarket! neversummer.com
MADRIDMadrid hasnew downhillpro modelsfrom AndrewMercado andDave Price. All of the newdownhillboards are 8plies of maplewith two layersof Formica,with wheel wells, CNC-shaped in California. fullcircledistribution.com
EARTHWINGThis 10” x37.5” BellyRacer speed-board fromEarthwing inBrooklyn haseverything youneed. It fea-turesnew-schooland old-schoolhole patterns,and multiplemountingoptions to accommodate any truck.Whether you ride conventional-geom-etry trucks, RKP trucks, 30-degree,50-degree, (etc.), you will find a way todial it in with the ample wheel wells pro-vided. It has a perfect concave forhigh-speed skateboarding.earthwingskateboards.com
SK8KINGSAfter a hugely successful2010 racing season for theUltimate Carbon Fiber AxeSeries – Maximus hasbeen added to the lineup.The 9” x 35” deck featurescomposite constructionand offers responsive flexthat absorbs the road.With bonus rear truckmount (before the kick)Max can be ready tohandle ditches and bowls– with a quick adjustment. Available atsk8kings.com.
MIRAMARMiramar Longboards ishard at work with the newthree-deck “Masters ofMars” series with art byveteran skateboard artistKray Sudderth. [email protected] more info.
SEISMIC
For 2011 Seismic has updated the hubcolors and graphics in many of its high-performance wheels. Most of the HotSpots (in four sizes), Speed Vents (inthree sizes) and Blast Waves now sportred hubs inside orange urethane, yellowhubs inside blue urethane, blue hubsinside purple urethane and silver hubsinside “smoke” black urethane. Newgraphics highlight an updated “BlackOps” logo. A new hub material enhancesbearing seat support in the Ripplers, HotSpots and Avilas. seismicskate.com
RAILZ
Railz is happy to introduce the first-eversnowskate longboard, the Cascade. TheCascade 7” x 46” ply cold-pressedwaterproof longboard deck features anice, versatile shape with EVA closed-cell grip foam pad. The Cascadeprovides a ride that is unparalleled toanything on the snow without bindings.The rockered skis and rails (U.S. Pat.7,581,735) will keep you carving just asyou would on a regular longboard, buton snow. railzusa.com
SOCAL SKATESHOPSoCal SkateShop has expanded with anew warehouse next to their retail loca-tion, a new Longboard Board Room anda killer ramp in the back of the shop. In
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 29
2011 look for a lot of activity at the shopas they will now be hosting moredemos/signings, DVD premieres andcontests. 24002 Via Fabricante, Suite205, Mission Viejo, CA 92691. Visit socalskateshop.com or call (949) 600-5876.
OMEN
The Carbon Matrix is a unique top-of-the-line carbon/foamcore longboard deck. Itmeasures 39” x 10” and comes with all ofthe extras: under-flush mounting, a 0.75”drop, 0.666” tub concave, Love Handles(adds grip and structure) and Crowbars(adds strength and stability). The CarbonMatrix is light and stiff enough for down-hill while simultaneously strong andsturdy enough for freeriding. omenlongboards.com
WEFUNK
Alex Luxat of Wefunk is proud to intro-duce the “Funkster mini”. Its newBAMFLEX™ design consists of naturaland composite materials; it’s 9mm thin,light and tough with a very responsiveflex. The brand new 4” Funkster truckswere designed especially for this mini-cruiser with a very turny ´70s slalomgeometry. And 59mm, 78A SpeedTracurethane Funkster wheels keep thesetup low, fast and incredibly grippy.wefunk.de or seasondistribution.com
PURPLE SKUNKSan Francisco-based PurpleSkunk Board Shopcontinues to add totheir shop menu.
Using the signature color purple, theSkunk has collaborated with LaderaSkateboards to release the SkunkFartswheels and Skunk City deck. The Fartsguarantee you a smooth cruise at70mm/75A on any deck you chooseunder your feet. The Skunk City shapewas designed exclusively for hitting thebowls, parks or streets. The deck meas-ures 31.5” x 10” with a wheelbase of18”. Artwork by local artist and skaterKip Westerfield. In other news, the shophas collaborated with Gravity Skate-boards to put together the mostextensive display of Gravity boards in theBay Area. Since it started pumping outlongboards back in 1994, Gravity hasgrown its line of longboards, retros andpark boards to more than 30 models.purpleskunk.com
TRACKER
Tracker offset RT-X and RT-S trucksfeature axles that are longer, whichallow you to adjust the track width from88mm to 112mm. Each truck comesequipped with Tracker’s hardenedbronze 4mm spacers on each side of theaxle. Try a combination of different sizewashers and spacers along with wheelsuntil you find the right setup for any hill.RTX offset for quickness and the RTS forstability. trackertrucks.com
EBB&FLOWEbb&Flow CustomLongboards wasfounded in 2006 byBrandon K. Stevensin Bettendorf, Iowa.The premise was topromote the art andculture of longboarding in an area withlittle previous exposure to the sport. Ben Paper joined the team in 2008 and
together they have designed and builtnumerous longboards for the sur-rounding area to include Chicago,introducing multiple individuals to the lifestyle in the process. [email protected].
RESTLESS
Restless Boards has now added a teamof riders to the crew. With them comesa new era for Restless. They have com-pletely renewed their lineup for 2011.Every 2010 model went through aredesign process, and a few newmodels were prototyped and tested.Alongside their popular pintails andcruisers, some pro models saw light. ADH deck with an amazing lock, afreeride model with a mellow drop anda W-concave as well as a perfect slidedeck were designed by their riders.Even their most popular model from2010, the BigBoy (shown), is nowshorter by 2”, making it more maneu-verable. It still has its unique “bowl”where the concave and the dropmeet in curves that makes it so com-fortable for freeriding and pushing.They will be updating their website withthese new models soon, so checkthem out! restlessboards.com
DREGSAt NBC’s GravityGames standupdownhill eventin 2000, Dregsswept thepodium on wheelswith aluminum cores. Using the Luv YoMutha soy formulas, Dregs is proud tointroduce the Metal Mutha in both 78Agreen and 81A black, and now availablewith aluminum hubs in 70mm and76mm.These aluminum hubs make fora precision seating of the bearing, whichmakes the wheels spin more precisely.Metal Muthas available now at finerlongboard retailers around the world.dregsskateboards.com
PEPSTARThe new Pep Williams pro model is outon PepStar Skateboards. Williams is a3rd-Generation DogTown skater so youknow this deck is no joke. If you arelooking for a deck that can kill thestreets, parks and pools, then you gottacheck out Pep Williams’ new model.
ORANGATANGOrangatang isproud to presenttheir 70mm 4Presidentracing/hardcarving wheels in a new aluminum-coreversion (the standard version will still beavailable). The added mass yields higherrotational inertia, while the higher stiffnessresults in increased traction and more evenwear patterns. orangatangwheels.com
JETJET American Skateboardsare hard rock maple down-hill racing and performancefreeride decks built in theUSA. JET is committed toperformance, progressionand keeping skateboardingthe way it should be – raw,innovative, aggressive, pow-erful and fun. The lineupincludes 37.3” to 42.5” drop-throughsand topmounts using twin and direc-tional shapes in 8-, 9- and 10-ply layups.Available through Sk8Trip Distribution.jetskateboards.com
GNARKIT
Early Skateboards Australia has justlaunched the fresh-looking Gnarkit thatmakes protection gear look cool andsaves you from road rash. The lightweightkit contains knee pads, elbow pads andslide gloves with replaceable pucks and isavailable in sizes S/M/L. This is the per-fect slide kit designed to be ridden infreestyle or race mode for a beginner toadvanced rider. “Skate safe today, skateagain tomorrow.” earlyskateboards.com
30 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
NOTEWORTHY >>P R O D U C T S , P E O P L E , E V E N T S
GRANDPA LONGBOARDS
Grandpa Longboards is proud to presentthe King 38”, a compelling option for thefreestyle longboarding rider. The deck isdesigned with a concave body and kicktailand provides a well-built longboard suit-able for any rider skill sets. Additionally,the top of the deck is coated with apatented clear sand grip for added trac-tion and control. grandpalongboards.com
SKANUNUThe problem: dirty,worn bearings causing aslow ride. The solution:an all-in-one cleaner,protectant and lube pro-ducing less resistanceand long-lasting per-formance gains. Theinspiration: the owner’s son, a.k.a. Ska-nunu. The faster he goes and the crazierthe trick, the bigger he smiles and thelouder he laughs. Skanunu representspushing less, gliding farther andenjoying the ride! skanunu.com
VICIOUSVicious Grip isreleasing clearextra-coarse, extraVicious grip tape.Now you can getcreative with boardgraphics withoutspending hours cut-ting grip tape designs. ClearCut Viciouscomes in packs of three pieces thatmeasure 10” x 11”. Retail shops can getVicious ClearCut in boxes containing 10packs.viciousgrip.com
BUDDY CARRLet’s face it, sometimes you feel like hit-ting the throttle on a shorter board ormaybe evening carving some tiles atyour local skatepark – and the new 2011Buddy Carr “66” is the perfectboard forjust this.
Designed and built for pool, park andstreet use, the deck itself is 31 7/8” x 8 7/8 ” with a solid 15” wheelbase andpressed in their “vice” mold concave forsecure foot placement. The “66” fea-tures a color-dipped enamel-like finishwith eye-catching screen-printedgraphics. buddycarrskateboards.com
MOMENTUMKevin Harrisfreestylewheels are55mm 95A.Designed bythe legend,this wheelhas an extremely deep offset to coveryour truck axles when doing freestyletricks. This is the perfect all-aroundhybrid stationary or rolling wheel. Madefrom high-grade urethane. Availableonly from decomposedsk8.com.
S-ONE HELMET CO.The S-One “Kid”helmet is a smallerhelmet designed tofit smaller skatersbetween ages 2 to 11(fits head sizes 18”to20.5”). The Kid helmet fits low on thedome so it doesn’t fit high on your kid’shead and comes with extra sizing linersso you can easily get the perfect fit, andwhen your little skater grows you canreplace the sizing liner with a thinnersizing liner. If you have any questionsabout fit, call the S-One offices and ask to talk to a helmet expert. Visit s-one.com or call (310) 464-8179.
CALIBERIt is finallyhere ... AfterBrandon,Mercado andthe entire downhill team split from theprevious venture, they resurfaced withCaliber Truck Co. Caliber then tested formonths with riders Liam Morgan, BlakeSmith, Riley Crone and Nick Ronzani inan attempt to build the best cast truckpossible. This is their no-rake, con-tained-pivot and sexy-lookingForty-Four. calibertruckco.com
RACE CAMPS FOR 2011
TimeShip Skate School in Santa Fe,N.M. is announcing a series of three-daySummer Race Camps. Learn severalways to slow down and stop up to 50mph. Refine your hand sliding, wheelsliding and the relationship of the two,power pushing, tuck forms and aerody-namics. Then head out with TeamRiders to learn the tactics of cornering,drafting and passing and the differencebetween falling and crashing. Alsoexplore slalom, push and park racing.Enjoy mini-ramp sessions every nightand Skate School’s extensive videolibrary and museum of the history ofracing. timeshipracing.com
DESTRUCTIVE PRODUCTIONS
Brian Thrasher is making some extraor-dinary custom decks that resemble theclassic Z-Flex boards of the 1970s. Theprocess is very time-consuming, but theresult is truly inspiring. If you’re a fan ofthe Z-Flex fiberglass look but couldn’tafford an original, now is your chance!destructiveproductions.com
RAINSKATESEight and a half years after the originalorange 65mm Tsunami was spawned,comes the newest and biggest Rain-skates wheel yet: the “Mega-Tsunami.”Keeping with the tradition of a centersetbearing core the Rainskates wheels arefamous for, the new beast will be 72mm,and available only in the versatileorange/85A formula. Be it freeriding,commuting or just plain fun on a skate-board, this “missing link” in the RSlineup is sure to please all who havebeen patiently waiting. [email protected]
Derek Smith and Honey Skateboardsheld their second annual 20-mile charityride for the Semper Fi Fund on November13. “Skate for the Troops” started at Buc-caneer Park, Oceanside and finished atTorrey Pines State Beach. Also partici-pating this year were the NorthridgeLongboaders.
DADDIES
Daddies Board Shop welcomes three newriders to the team. The first addition isRobin McGuirk of Portland’s own leg-endary Eastside Longboards. Robin hasbeen riding in Portland forever andbuilding boards since 2003. He is anaccomplished push racer with top finishesin the 2009 and 2010 Broadway Bomb and2010 Adrenalina Skateboard Marathon.
The next member represents our con-tinued commitment to promoting theladies! Marisa Nuñez of Lima, Peru, byway of Miami, Florida has joined theDaddies team. Marisa has top race fin-ishes in Peru, Puerto Rico and atMaryhill. The third addition is AlexTongue, a.k.a. “Fastest Tongue in theWest.” Alex has been riding for East-side Longboards since he was 15, whenRobin discovered him ripping downhills by himself south of Portland. daddiesboardshop.com
Rider: Alex Tongue
Rider: Robin McGuirk
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LANDYACHTZTwo well-known riders have joined theLandyachtz team. Kyle Martin hasbecome one of the planet’s most pro-gressive and influential longboarders.Thanks to Kyle’s new deal with Landy-achtz, he’ll be able to spend more timeprogressing and blowing our minds.Check out the new Eh Team episodefeaturing Kyle’s insane skills. BillyMeiners, a.k.a. Billy Bones, skates everytype of board and terrain with style. He’sbeen a cornerstone of the growing Port-land scene and is actively involved inhosting events like the CathlametDownhill Corral, which saw great suc-cess over the past two years withinnovative features like kicker ramps.Billy is also involved with ZooBombingand the notorious BMX track longboardraces. landyachtz.com
BEAR TRUCKS
No hibernation for the Bears this winter.They've been working hard to bring youtwo new products: Bear Bushings by JimZ, and Bear Hybrid trucks. In addition tothe race bushings that Jim Z has beenproducing for many years, Bear is nowable to offer barrel, cone and steppedcone bushings. Bear has also releasedtheir Hybrid trucks: an integration ofsome precision elements into an alreadygreat truck that is still affordable. Thesetrucks combine the Grizzly 8mm casthangers with precision baseplates andare topped off with Jim Z pivot cups andbushings. beartrucks.com
OPERATION FREE RIDEStarting out asan idea thatquickly turnedinto reality,Operation FreeRide (OFR) gotrolling in a matter of days recentlythanks to the huge support from spon-sors Stoked Skateboards and Abec 11.
OFR is committed to providingbeginner/novice riders with a completelongboard and helmet. They want toensure that even those who can’t affordto buy the basics have the opportunity tofeel the rush every skater gets onceurethane meets asphalt. “Ride Free,Live Stoked.”
GOLDCOAST’S “DEVELOP YOUR EYE”
On Nov. 19, 2010, GoldCoast Longboardsheld its first “Develop Your Eye” photog-raphy exhibition, a showcase of sixpersonalities of the Australian surf andskate scene through the lenses of dis-posable cameras. The six were eachgiven a disposable camera and chargedwith documenting a week of their livesin 36 exposures. The results were asfascinating and varied as the peoplethemselves. “This event really tiestogether all the things GoldCoast isbased on: skate/surf culture, travel andfilm photography,” said GoldCoast’smarketing director Chris Brunstetter.“Seeing what everyone chose to shootwas really exciting.”facebook.com/developyoureye andgoldcoastlongboards.com
USA DISTANCE SKATEBOARD ASSOCIATION
A brand new organization was recentlyformed and if you’re a long distanceskater, you might want to check it out.The USADSA’s mission is to create afoundation for safe, sanctioned distanceskateboard racing, to grow awarenessand participation. The logo was createdby Rodgon. usadsa.org and theidsa.org
PUSH TO END ALZHEIMER’SBy Jeff Haynes
On Oct. 30, 2010, more than 25 skatersgathered under the blue sky of a crispand cool fall morning to participate inCharleston, West Virginia’s first-everPUSH To End Alzheimer’s. The eventraised almost $2,000. PUSH was thebrainchild of Tom Sloan, a talented andskilled skateboarder who lost hisfather-in-law to Alzheimer’s in 2010.Skateboard industry artist DonPendleton provided original artwork forthe event’s limited edition T-shirts,which were awarded to participants whomet fundraising goals. Prizes weredonated by Marc’s Board Shop and CDSSkate Shop.
MALIBU SKATEBOARDSAn Interview with Don Tuitelby Michael BrookeWhat is your background in skateboarding?My business partner John Ringlever andI grew up in the ’70s in Michigan. Weshared the same passions for extremesports; he was like an older brotherteaching me tricks and always chal-
lenging me. I was known as the localdaredevil, always trying somethingothers thought was crazy. BMX andskateboarding were my first passions.At the age of 7, I was the youngest rideron a local shop team. As the sportevolved and ramp and pool riding tookoff, John and I regularly rode together atlocal parks. We started making our ownskateboards, water skis, snowboards ...Over the years, even though I havegotten older, my passion for skate-boarding and extreme sports hascontinued to grow.
Why did you decide to launch Malibu?Malibu Skateboards was launchedbecause we love skateboards! Our goalsare very simple and focused: Re-ignitethat original passion we had as kids andmake the best possible American-madeskateboards for others to enjoy andkeep that passion – the stoke – going.For the last 20 years I have focused onbuilding a family and supporting them.My job was a means to support my pas-sions. I think this is what most of us do.Life is short. If there is any way you canmake your passion your job, do it!
What are some of your plans?Right now we have 12 different boardsand will be introducing a few more tomake the lineup complete: a freerideboard available in three different flexes,[a] speed board and a long 54” fordancing. Graphics are going to stayclean with our old-school focus, and allwill be finished with our clear grit sur-face. We currently have five differentwheels and will be introducing at leasttwo more. We are real happy with ourcomplete line! Additionally, Malibu isworking on some unique things thathave not been introduced to the sportyet. When the time is right we will belaunching those too.
Any final comments?Malibu Skateboards is focused on com-munities, supporting events and thesport. We frequently donate to organiza-tions and are always open to sponsorand support worthy causes and skateevents. Individuals and organizations areencouraged to contact us for support.
Don Tuitel (L) and John Ringlever (R) with their latestmodels – the Ventura Rocket Pro and Rincon Rocket Pro.
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NOTEWORTHY >>P R O D U C T S , P E O P L E , E V E N T S
SKATEBOARDING HALL OF FAMEPresented by International Associationof Skateboard Companies and Skatelab,the 2010 Skateboarding Hall of Fameevent was a truly inspirational evening.Concrete Wave flew down especially forthe event, which was held on Dec. 4,2010 in downtown Los Angeles at theCooper Building and Design Space.Lance Mountain and Steve Berra hostedthe event.
Six skate icons were inductedincluding Torger Johnson, Stacy Peralta,Steve Caballero, Eric Koston, Bob Burn-quist and Patti McGee. New to theprogram this year was the induction ofCraig Stecyk and Larry Stevenson asRevolutionaries of Skateboarding – acategory dedicated to the inventors,artists, visionaries and industry gamechangers for their significant contribu-tions to the progression ofskateboarding.
There were some amazing deals tobe had at the silent auction. Word has itthat one particular skateboard maga-zine publisher wound up with a PowellQuicktail. The event grossed more than$40,000 for the Go Skateboarding Foun-
dation, a nonprofit organization that pro-vides positive educational experiences,career-minded programming andscholarships for skateboarders, anddonates to various skateboard-relatedcharities. Special thanks to IASC, TechDeck, Malakye, Magic Tradeshow,Wahoo’s, Vans and Pyramid Brewing,and to award makers Sk8ology andWatson Manufacturing.
SOLDIERS OF DOWNHILLWords and photos: Crystal Graves
Oct. 16, 2010 marked the return ofracing on the infamous Jester Hill inBainbridge, Ohio, the former location ofthe IGSA Demons of Downhill. Thirty-two registered racers competed in the
Standup category and 11 in Luge. Riderstraveled from across the USA andCanada, and although the registrationspots were not all filled, first-timeorganizers Dan Oliver, Jamie Reis andSean Graves were thrilled to callstacked heats clear to the finals. It wasevident with the first freeride down justhow eventful the race would prove to be,and it lived every bit up to that expecta-tion. Everyone that competed left onSunday evening with a stomach full ofthe local festival food, some bit of theloot from the gracious sponsors andfantastic stories to tell.
EMPOWERMENT, LOVE, DREAMS, SUPPORTTHE POSEIDEN FOUNDATION’S WESTCOAST TOUR 2010By Isabelle Fried and Maya PorterThe Poseiden Foundation hosted theWest Coast Tour (WCT) of 2010.Poseiden founder Micaela Ramirez’svision has been to transform dreamsinto reality, to give back to communitiesand to transform the mindset of society.Believing that every child is deserving oflove and support and that too manyyouth are never able to realize theirdreams due to socio-economic barriers,the Poseiden Foundation creates oppor-tunities using extreme-oriented sportsthrough clinics, contests and tours inboth Latin America and the UnitedStates. The pinnacle of 2010 was theWCT, on which six diverse female pro-fessional skateboarders traveled downthe coast of California from San Fran-cisco to Los Angeles, touring areas notoften visited by outsiders.
The WCT riders are leaders in theircommunities: vert/pool skaters MimiKnoop from Cardiff, Calif. and Lea Taylorfrom Cocoa Beach, Fla., and streetskaters Leticia Bufoni from Hollywood,Calif., Abisha Alshebaiki from Temecula,Calif., and Eliana Sosco and Jessica Flo-
Keith Rebhorn
Patti McGee is congratulated by Todd Huber of Skatelab. Photo Michael Brooke
Eric Koston cracked that he was “abducted” into the Hall of Fame.Photo: Ian Logan
Torger Johnson’s brother Sander. Photo: Ian Logan
Bob Burnquist spoke in both English and Portuguese.Photo: Ian Logan
Stacy Peralta spoke about his early skate years.Photo: Ian Logan
Curt Stevenson gave a heartfelt speech in honor of hisfather, Larry. Photo: Ian Logan
Craig Stecyk was in fine form. Photo: Michael Brooke
rencio, both from Saõ Paulo, Brazil.Charging against the grain as females ina male-dominated sport, these girlslead by example – showing their com-munities that it is possible to pursue apassion, even if it seems farfetched.Staff photographers were Ana PaulaNegrao, who has been a major player inthe Brazilian female skate scene sincethe early ‘90s, and Allan Perlas, whosepast work includes the San DiegoChargers football team.
Here is how it all unfolded:
Inner-City San Francisco SchoolsAfter grabbing a quickie motel breakfast,the whole crew paced outside until thevan arrived gassed and ready to load.The first stop was Mira Loma Elemen-tary School. Driving up to the school wasa downhill slider’s dream – lots ofcurves, and twists on every corner. Allthe girls were pumped. Once onto theschool property, they were left at thegymnasium to wait until the kids arrived.
When skaters can’t skate, crazy s**thappens. With balls left over from P.E.classes, soccer, basketball and otherchaos ensued. But nothing was morechaotic than when those 60+ elementaryschool kids poured onto the blacktopand watched a demo of WCT girls hittingthe rails.
Those kids’ tiny mouths droppedopen with each trick. Even an instructorgaped as Leticia launched from the miniramp, over his head. After the kids weretired of screaming, each rider tooksomeone in tow, and an impromptumini-clinic was the finale.
The next stop was Mission HighSchool in the heart of San Francisco,
and OMF***ing G, they had a MINIRAMP ON THE PREMISES! There wasno demo at this school, just pure skatingcamaraderie – lots of “Oh, s**ts,” gig-gles and awe too. The students weresurprised at the chance to get auto-graphs, pictures and schwag bags atboth sites, and the WCT girls enjoyed allthe excitement around them.
Chili Bowl contest, San FranciscoAll the girls got to Potrero Park early fora pre-contest jam session, with Mimistyling her classic inverts, Lea throwing
540s and Leticia showing she can grindas loud as the best of them. The sixthannual Chili Bowl contest was a large“grass roots” gathering of skate-starvedspectators. The WCT skaters swept thegirls’ division, with Lea in first, Mimisecond and Leticia third.
When not riding the bowl, the girlshelped Micaela get the local skaters intoseveral Best Trick contests. All this wasaccomplished by screaming into thestreet course on a mega-megaphone.The madness of the day made yes-terday’s action seem calm incomparison, but the smiles of thosewho won made the scratchiness in theriders’ voices worthwhile. It was Sat-urday night, the girls had just killed itand the party started…
Barrios Unidos, Santa CruzSunday was a lazy day. Most everyonewas tired from the post-Chili Bowl cele-bration, but stories from last year’sBarrios Unidos facility got everyone moti-vated to get the hell out of S.F. quickly.WCT riders intently listened as the staffexplained: “Barrios Unidos follows in thepositive spiritual traditions from its earlyinfluences and guiding principles to itslarger connection to the ongoing struggleto achieve civil rights in America.” TheWCT girls felt right at home there. Theartistry displayed on walls of the buildingand the respect and love of each personwas evident and spiritual. Riding with thePoseiden Foundation, each of thembelieves in the power of personal trans-formation and collective unity. While theWCT girls connected, respected andembellished with the local kids, those inattendance were again in awe of the WCT
girls’ giving spirits. The feeling on thegrounds was truly magical, and the girlsgenerously gave out swag and the ulti-mate prize to any budding skater – anautographed skateboard deck – to two ofthe luckiest kids.
The Berrics, Los AngelesThe last day of the WCT was the high-light of the trip. Steve Berra and EricKoston’s skatepark is one of the hottestskateboarding places in L.A. if you’refortunate enough to get invited to ride it.Thanks to Poseiden board member JenO’Brien, who set this up for the secondyear, we got to indulge! And a deepthanks to the Berrics crew for giving ourladies such a unique experience. Wehad a blast skating these great grounds.
As the girls hugged and promised tostay in touch, swap photographs, tweetand do the Facebook thing, they remem-bered all the kids they got to laugh andplay with throughout the weekend. Overthe course of the tour they really got tointeract with a lot of bright and talentedyouth. Being able to inspire and moti-vate them made their time and energytotally worth it.
The WCT 2010 would not have beenpossible without a host of companiessupporting the Poseiden Foundation aswell. We owe a huge thanks to Emily theStrange, Osiris, Black Box Distribution,Hoopla, Pink Spot, Sector 9, GravitySkateboards, 187, Livity, Triple Eight andLeisure Adventures.
Whether Poseiden Foundationevents are held in a skatepark, at thebeach or on a mountain, they giveaccess to those who may otherwisenever get the chance to live their dream.The WTC 2010 skateboarders’ deep loveof skating was shared in the simplestways to the benefit of many. Just asskateboarding has increased the qualityand depth of these six female skaters’lives, their willingness to participate inthe WCT 2010 helped motivate and passon a dream of a good life to many tal-ented young people. Empowerment –love through skateboarding: Poseiden’sWCT 2010 mission was to get involved,because access builds better lives. Sogo on: Be board, and remember toalways Skate Con Gusto!
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 35
Lea Taylor grinding the coping and going for the gold.
Poseiden founder Micaela Ramirez handing out Best Trick prizes to the kids.
Girls’ first time on a skateboard.
Osiris/Bones/Volcom rider Leticia Bufoni launching big. She’s a true Ninja!
Everyone together at the Mission!
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NOTEWORTHY >>P R O D U C T S , P E O P L E , E V E N T S
DEMONS OF DOWNHILLBy Susan HarrisCops, a boxer-clad rider, missing fleshand a 70% chance of rain – those were afew highlights of Omaha’s first long-boarding event, held on October 23,2010. Roads were dry, though, as theday got underway with the downhillrace. Top racers reached speeds around35 mph for some pretty close finishes.The second event of the day was theslide jam, which left behind plenty ofthane tracks to mark the runs. Theafternoon session was a freeride racedown a gnarly hill in Hummel Park.Many riders became one with the haybales as they pushed themselves to postthe fastest times. The final event was aseven-mile push around Lake Zorinsky.The day wrapped up with a cookout,prize giveaway and promises to make itback next year.
Downhill:1. Jon Luscavich2. Karl Kroll3. Mark Eckhart & John Raneri
GIRLS COMBI POOL CLASSICBy Amelia BrodkaBelow the red banners lining the CombiBowl that honor past Pro-tec Pool Partywinners who have paved the way forwomen’s skateboarding, a noticeableshift has been taking place. Where evenjust a year ago it was rarity to see a girlin the mix during a heated Combi ses-sion, the past few months I’ve oftenseen more young women lining thecoping in anticipation than men. Thisuprising made itself known in the firstever Girls Combi Pool Classic this pastNovember.
The growls of protest from thecoping being devoured by the trucks of40 women overpowered the roar of therain barraging the roof of VansSkatepark in Orange, Calif. The energylevel of the riled-up crowd was wellabove that of any crowd I’d ever seen at
a women’s skateboarding event. Theirexcitement was justified; they were wit-nessing history in the making as youngup-and-comers powerfully threw tech-nical tricks into fast lines. The PoolParty veterans rose to the challenge andresponded with their own bags of pol-ished tricks and huge airs.
This event brought together womenand girls as young as 6 from all overthe country. Despite the snake sessionsin warmups and the hunger accompa-nying the $10,000 prize purse, smiles,supportive cheers, high fives and hugswere the norm between the competi-tors. Many thanks go out to Steve andKristy Van Doren for bringing us alltogether to indulge in our passion forskateboarding.
INTERVIEW: DAVE CARNIEBy Michael Brooke
Dave Carnie is a longtime skateboarderwho wrote articles for, and later edited, theinfamous Big Brother magazine. I metDave more than a decade ago and recentlywas intrigued to find out that his new book,boob, had actually found its way to gettingpublished. Due to space limitations we hadto cut a lot of this interview, but anunedited version will be available at theCW website.
MB: For those readers who have neverread anything you’ve written, whyshould they start now?Dave Carnie: In the off chance thatsomeone doesn’t like the stories I’vewritten, they’ll at least be delighted bythe magical secret word that can only berevealed by holding the cover upsidedown in a mirror.
How did boob come about? How didVans get involved?Big Brother died rather abruptly in ’04.We didn’t get to do a deathbed issue, ormake a coffee table book, or even put outa DVD collection – the reasons for thoseare long and numerous. But I thought Imight be able to put something togetherif I just focused on a small part of themagazine’s history, namely my work.“You should do it,” Sean Cliver said tome. “There was a lot of good work inthere that was lost on 13-year-olds.”
Originally the book was going to be pre-sented more like a literary collection ofshort works – a schizophrenic collectionof texts that included articles, inter-views, reviews, letters, stories, just a
clusterf**k of content. It’s still verymuch like that, actually. Anyway, RyanStutt at King Sh*t originally wanted tostart a publishing project that put outbooks that focused on the art in skate-boarding. Somehow that idea turnedinto a skateboard magazine, but we keptthe original concept alive and eventuallydecided that boob would be the firstthing we put out.
As for Vans, I have noidea how that hap-pened. I’ve alwaysbeen very friendlywith Vans and havelots of friends there.I’ve been wearingthem since I started skating in the late’70s – so they were the first company Iasked to help support “the greatestwork of skateboard literature everwritten.” Specifically I talked to my oldfriend Robin Fleming (who’s currentlyno longer with Vans). I think weexchanged no more than three e-mailsbefore we had some money to help withthe printing costs. It just showed onceagain how awesome Vans is and howmuch they support skateboarding andthe skateboarders who ride the skate-boards in skateboarding. And especiallythose that ride the skateboards andwrite about the others that ride theskateboards in skateboarding.
You seem to be doing many things atthe moment: magazines, film and evenreviewing restaurants. What’s the onething you’d love to be paid to do thatyou aren’t currently doing?I’m living the life I want live and gettingpaid for it ... I’m just not getting paid asmuch as I’d like. But I would love to getpaid to be an artist. I shoot photos(www.davecarnie.com), but I’m notmaking a living off of that stuff. I think itwould be fun to be an artist like DamienHirst or Jeff Koontz. Those guys canpretty much do whatever they want.
Dave, if you were the editor here at CW,what kinds of articles do you thinkyou’d publish?Probably a lot of stuff about rainbows,flowers, unicorns and kittens. The usual.
36 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
After taking a hard slam on the Combi’s unforgivingconcrete, 7-year-old Annika Vrklan said, “When I fall, I try not to cry, because it’ll take up my skate time. Andsometimes, you just want to get up and do it again.”Photo: Christopher Zsarnay
With a textbook tuck-knee, Cara-Beth Burnside showswhy her name is on most of the banners surroundingthe Combi. Photo: Mark Kessenich
YOU HEAR THAT SOUND? IT’S YOUR NICHE BURSTING OPEN. It’s the sound of The End of longboarding’s anonymity, and it’s certain as sin that train’scoming. You might be ready for it, you might not. Maybe it won’t matter a thing to yourskating, but your time as part of something unknown to the world and an outright joke toaction sports is ending. We’ve had a good run, with un-busted spots, garage builders leadingbiz and the weird satisfaction of having to scrounge the Internet to find places where we canbuy gear. Skaters were able to craft a unique outlook on our sport because, to every one of us,it was rare, unfettered and in most cases devoid of impression. The road was ours to roll andthere was no traffic.
No more. Between Christmas, Hanukkah and probably even Kwanzaa, everybody you knoweither scored a longboard or knows somebody who did. They’re all over campus from highschool through grad, rolling down streets everywhere and becoming a fashion statement forHollywood stars and their photographers. “They” know there’s money in this sport; some ofthem are coming out and saying it. Some tongue-in-cheek the term “cruisers,” or claim theseare skateboards for surfers. However they spin it, they’re here for the money, to fill the requestof the retailers and to solve the accounting issue the shortboard fashion rape caused. The verysame people delivering longboards to mall stores are the ones who tried to make sure youwould never hear about this kook-ass bulls**t sport that makes you think you’re a skater. Mass-marketed boards designed by someone looking to sell a brightly colored cruiser from a floordisplay next to jeans, a page in a catalog and a line in a spreadsheet. It is the way of business,and you will find the businessmen have arrived in 2011. They’re more efficient, larger andmore capable than the companies you’ve relied on. They’re simply better at delivering aproduct to the consumer. It’s over, you’ll see. Longboarding is going mainstream.
Rile you? Why? These money-grubbing commercialists who do nothing but identify markettrends and fulfill the vacuum faster than the organic market can fulfill it are the exact samepeople who will be funding contests on scales not even yet seen in the USA, events that willmake the vaunted X Games seem silly and quaint. These companies can pay our top racers toactually skate instead of calling them pros but then making them hang drywall or act as com-pany brand managers or shop-level reps. These baby-sacrificing, dog-kicking rapists actuallyhave the money to propel your sport and to open avenues and markets you can only dreamwould find out about what you’re already doing.
These newcomers are going to actually save the brick shops they basically robbed blind bykilling the mainstream skate industry. Everyone needed help and, when it was needed most, thebrick shops got none. ASR is dead and Surf Expo’s close behind. “Crossroads” is back to aparking lot full of kids looking for free stickers without a buyer in sight. Shops that drank theKool-Aid will continue to suffer and the bottom ain’t here yet for them. Now, however, you andyour scene are what the industry has taken notice of, longboarding will get promoted, industryopportunities will open and many people will get a level of success they never would if itweren’t for the mainstreaming that’s about to happen. Get ready for several years of boom –years where you’ll be OG for knowing what a Randal was, how it came to be that only kooksskate without a lid on or the days when Mischo was the highest-paid pro in your sport and kidsfrom Van took over the World Cup circuit. There will be more great boards, more great wheels,more great events and more visibility. There will be more accidents, injury and backlash, andthere will be more, more, more.
Then, the bubble will pop. You’ll get a longboard for $20 at Walmart but the cash flow will begone for all but the niche builders. It will be just like it was before, just like then. We will still beskating. You will, too.
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LauraAlli
RIDER PROFILE >>
Ifirst met Laura Alli in 2009 at the GravitySlidefest. She was with a wild contingent ofBrazilians who had flown in expressly to blow
minds at the event. While my attempts to speakFrench usually get me into all kinds of trouble, Idon’t speak a lick of Portuguese! Thankfully,Laura (or Laurinha, as she is known to her closefriends) speaks English, and we had a great timechatting. I was determined to feature Laura inCW, because even from our brief meeting, Icould tell she embodied the true spirit of skate-
boarding. She’s got an incredible amount ofstoke, and we wanted to share it with you.
Laura started competing in downhill manyyears ago. “I’m the first girl in Brazil from the newgeneration who is practicing downhill until now,”she said. “I participate in championships allround the country.” Laura is sponsored by MCD,Tracker Trucks, Achiles, Surftravel and Onbongo.
I asked Laura what it was like to be a femaleskater in Brazil. “I started to skate (longboard)when very few girls rode in Brazil, so I have
Interview by MICHAEL BROOKEphotos: R.DONASK
some advantages,” she said. “I always had spon-sors who supported me since I was 18.” Laura saysthe only issue she has had to contend is with issome of the guys. “There were a few guys who arescared about what I do. They are like, ‘Wow, my girl-friend rides better than me.’ Now my husband is askater too, so I don’t have this problem anymore!”
If there is one thing that Brazilian skaters arefamous for, it is their mastery of sliding. SergioYuppie and his son Fernando have left a hugeimpression everywhere they’ve gone. I wondered
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 41
what accounted for the strong desire toslide. Laura explained that the lack ofgood skateparks drove skaters to thestreets. “When I started to ride, about14 years ago, we headed to the hills,making slides,” she said. “I found ittruly inspiring!”
Life in Brazil seems to beabsolutely one of extremes, amongthem extreme poverty and extremewealth. Despite this, I find many ofthe Brazilian skaters I meet havesuch an incredible energy and posi-tive attitude. I asked Laura whataccounted for this. “I think Brazilianpeople are happy,” she said. “Sport is ahuge source of this happiness. We have abeautiful country, but we have [to] stay away[from] the bad things.” It would appear thatskateboarding takes people away from thedrugs and violence.
The camaraderie within the Braziliandownhill/slide community is tangible every time yousee a group get together. I have experienced this afew times, and to see the close friendships andsense of purpose is truly amazing. The countrydefines the word passion.
Laura is married to Thiago Bomba,and they are expecting a son about amonth from now. She seems more thanready. “To me the future is about skating alot with my family and traveling,” she says. “Iwon’t stop until my body resists.” CW
“WHEN I STARTEDTO RIDE, ABOUT 14YEARS AGO, WE HEADED TO THEHILLS, MAKINGSLIDES. I FOUND ITTRULY INSPIRING!”
Laura with her husband, Thiago Bomba.
42 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
The word longboarding gener-
ally rings of big soft wheels.
Wheels for longboards are
much softer than their street cousins.
Most wheels in longboarding are meas-
ured on the “Shore A” scale – which
among skaters is just shortened to “A.”
The Shore scale was created by
Albert F. Shore. It was designed to
measure the hardness of a mate-
rial’s resistance to permanent
indentation. The Shore A scale
measures from 0-100. One hundred
is the preferred hardness of most
street wheels and 74A is generally
the softest in longboarding.
The most common durometer of a
typical longboard wheel is about 78A.
This is a great softness for all-purpose
skating. At the other end of the scale is
83A, which makes for a good freeride
and sliding wheel.
According to the top wheel manu-
facturers, it takes a precise mix of
materials, equipment, experience and
rider input to produce top-of-the-line
wheels. Materials are the first and
foremost on the list of factors. You get
out what you put in. No matter how
good the equipment and tooling is, if
the raw urethane is cheap, the wheels
will feel dead and have little rebound.
The rebound of a wheel tells every-
thing. This is the ultimate test for
those in the know. We call it the
“bounce factor.” You can test it by
dropping your wheel from arm’s
height and see how far it bounces back
up. This is a simple way of sorting out
the good urethane from the bad.
Next is tooling. Tooling is very
critical. The best factories are using
computer-machined aluminum
tooling, which allows for perfectly
round wheels. A street wheel is cut
on all sides with a lathe so tooling or
molds are not as critical. Most long-
board wheels are finished when
pulled from their molds, except for a
little flashing removal from the
inside wall and maybe a bevel on the
outer lip. The mold surface must be
perfectly smooth and concentric to
the pin seat which will lock the core
in place and keep the relationship of
the finished outer surface to the axle
of the truck. Any error here and the
wheel will wobble. Wobbling is my
biggest peeve and is a result of
cheap tooling.
As big as longboarding is, there are
only a few quality wheel factories, and
they produce the majority of the pro-
fessional grade wheels we see in the
market today. There are, however,
many overseas manufacturers that
have stepped up to fill the price-point
market. The Asian factories are cur-
rently far behind in producing
anything close to a performance
wheel. The problem for us is that
there is no easy way to tell the differ-
ence between quality and cheap until
you’ve had the chance to ride dif-
ferent wheels side by side.
What’s different between the U.S.-
made and Asian-made wheels? Raw
materials and tooling are what sepa-
rate the winners from the losers.
Chinese factories in general are
making wheels from “soft tooling,” i.e.
their molds are cast from materials
like urethane or epoxy. These mate-
rials are mixed together like cement
and then poured into molds over a
template. The problem with this
process is that the castable materials
shrink and contract when cured so the
resulting surface is usually slightly out
of round. Every wheel made from that
mold will also be wobbly. The best
wheels are molded from CNC com-
puter-machined individual molds with
very accurate heating and cooling
processes. This is the big secret.
Then there is the skater factor.
Local wheel factories are teamed up
with skaters, and their feedback is
used to constantly improve wheel for-
mulas and shapes. Riders are picky
and demanding, which forces the fac-
tories to continue to innovate. Asia is
lacking rider feedback and therefore
may remain behind in the great
market of high-end longboarding.
Enjoy great wheels! CW
by TROY CHURCHILL
WHEELSECRETSREVEALED
Feel free to email me through CW with any questions or for more info.
TECH TALK >>
44 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
FROMTHEFRIDGEto HOTSAUCE
Levi Huffman Recoversand Lands a Cover by JEFF NASS
Editor’s Note: Readers will recall that we featured eight different covers in the September Photo Annual. In one particular cover shot, there is a story behind the cover that even the most eagle-eyed reader would not have been able to discern. Photographer Jeff Nass sat down with skater Levi Huffman to give you the full picture.
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 45
Jeff: What didn’t we see on the cover photo?Levi: My dome piece.
Jeff: So how did you get that gnarly head scar?Levi:I was skating too fast and hit a pebble, throwing meoff my board onto the back of my head. The doctors hadto remove the right half of my skull to relieve the brainswelling. My skull sat in the refrigerator at St. Anthony’sHospital for a few months until they returned it back tomy head.
Jeff: While half your skull cooled off at the hospitalyou let people touch your brain. What does that feel like?Levi: I can’t really remember what it felt like. Peoplewho touched it thought it felt really squishy and gross.Since the accident I haven’t had much feeling in myhead and not one headache. I also lost all my sense ofsmell and most of my taste. Now I put extra pepper andhot sauce on all my food.
Jeff: What’s your favorite type of hot sauce?Levi: It would have to be the cock sauce. For those thatdon’t know, the cock sauce is Sriracha.
Jeff: When you were in the hospital, did you ever thinkabout what it would be like to never skate again?Levi: Yeah, my family didn’t want me to skate, but I knewI would always come back. My mom knew I would be finewhen I was in the hospital and I used the curved cover ofthe food tray as a halfpipe. I ran my fingers up and downthe transition, pretending to do skate tricks. The hardestpart about being hurt was when I got out of the hospitaland had my skateboard right next to the door but couldn’tgo out.
Jeff: How long was it after the accident before youstarted skating again?Levi: I was supposed to wait a year, but I started eightmonths after the accident.
Jeff: Was that a weird sensation to be back on the board?Levi: Not really. It was like riding a bike. The first thing Idid was stomp a 360 flip and break my new board.
Jeff: Do you find it ironic that the accident happened on Go Skateboarding Day?Levi: My accident actually happened at about 2 a.m.the next day. So now I consider June 22nd as “Don’tSkate Day.”
Jeff: These days, do you think twice about doing trickswhen you roll up to spots?Levi: No, not at all, I think about what is the hardesttrick I could do at each spot. I am more motivated toskate now than ever. Being that close to death makesyou want it even more.
Jeff: I know all your friends think you are one verylucky person. Do you feel lucky to be here?Levi: I could say yes, I feel very lucky to be alive. The doc-tors told my fiancée and mother that I was most likelygoing to die.
Jeff: Anyone you would like to thank?Levi: My neurosurgeon, family and friends. All my spon-sors: Boardpusher, Diabolical, Globe, Develop; and myBern helmet that I never leave home without. CW
46 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
Concrete Wave and Dregs Longboards invitereaders to submit questions pertaining to long-boards and or downhill riding of any kind. BikerSherlock currently holds the world speed recordon a skateboard (assisted) at 90.5 mph. He is amultiple gold medal winner in both the X Gamesand Gravity Games and is widely considered aguru of all things downhill.
Please submit questions to: [email protected] and you could be in the nextmagazine and win a free Dregs longboard.
First off, I am in no way claiming to be anexpert or a guru. I would like to share some of my experiences and knowledge that havebeen passed on to me by some of the greats like Brad Strandlund, Jarret Ewanek, WallyInouye and Roger Hickey. We can learn more from people who DO than from people whothink they know. One of the best things Jarret ever said was, “Just because it says it in thetextbook does not mean it translates into real-world situations.” Coming from an aerospaceengineer, this has significantly influenced me.
Q I received a question from John Kavanagh, age 21, who lives in New Jersey.He asked, “How can I get my girlfriend, who hates how I bail on her to goskating, to get into it with me?”
AJohn, first thing I have to say is be careful what you wish for – do you really wantyour significant other around with you all the time? Look, I know it’s nice to geton your skate, leave your troubles behind, just be in your own little world and do
what you want to do. What I mean is we all need time to do our own thing. Maybe youshould talk to your girlfriend about having your own time and space. And if that doesn’twork, there are a lot of fish in the sea. And by the way, a lot of cool skater chicks are outthere these days. So if you really want to have a girl to skate with, get a girl that alreadyskates and save yourself the heartache of teaching your girlfriend to skate.
QOn a more relevant note, Tom Crupe, age 18, from Steamboat, Colo., asks, “I just got a new pair of Randal 180 trucks and all my friends are telling methat the bushings need to be changed. Each one of them tells me a different
color or brand. Which is the best brand and what color? Thanks.”
ATom, I wish it was that easy. There are many good brands and the differentcolors usually represent different hardnesses (durometer). A lot of factorscome into play when selecting a bushing: weight, type of riding and your style
is what it’s all about. Even the type of board you are riding can be a factor as well.Unfortunately, there is no magical equation to find out what is the best for you. Theway to figure it out is by trying a lot of different types of bushings until you find outwhat is best for you. You’ll find you will need different sets, one for freeride, one forhigh speed and another for park riding. This may seem like a cop-out that I don’t havea good answer, but the way I see it, this is one of those things in life that really comesdown to personal preference. Dane van Bommel and I ride all the time and we arevery evenly matched. But we like different shapes and different hardnesses. This doesnot mean one of us is right or wrong in our selection. This is just what feels right tous. So get a big bag of bushings and get out there and ride, because that’s how we’regoing to get better anyway.
Thanks and keep the questions coming. CW
Ask Biker
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 47
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM48 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
Thou shalt always wearprotection, especially your helmet.Accidents happen. Be prepared.
Thou shalt not skitch. It’sdangerous enough skating intraffic. Just don’t do it.
Thou shalt skate defensively but skate with confidence. If you have to think about it ...don’t do it. Trust your instincts.
Thou shalt refrain from extended eye contact with pedestrians in your path. Silly bipedsthink you’re coming for them. Look at the direction you plan to take around them.
Thou shalt always check your setup before you ride each day. Hardware loosens and/orgets damaged. Regular maintenance prevents accidents.
Thou shalt use hand signals when skating. Let those in your path know where you’re headed. Let those skating with you know where you’re going and whether it is safe to proceed.
Thou shalt leave no man (or woman) behind when skating with a crew. There is safety in numbers, and you will own the street.
Thou shalt approach intersections from the opposing side of traffic crossingperpendicular to you. This will give you an extra five yards to react.
Thou shalt learn to kick switch and learn multiple methods of braking. Riding switchextends your endurance and helps with balance. Different situations require differentbrake reactions, and knowing you can stop quickly at higher speeds breeds confidence.
Thou shalt always be respectful and spread positive stoke. You are a directrepresentative of Push Culture. Accidents sometimes happen. Apologize or acceptapology, then move on and enjoy your skate.
KINGSOLOMON’SRULES Intro by MICHAEL BROOKE
photos: MITCHELL MOSHENBERG
When I visited New York City back in October for the Broadway Bomb,the first person I met was “King” Solomon Lang of the Concrete Kings.This King can skate! It became quickly apparent that King Solomon waswise to the ways of the road. Skating in New York City is probably oneof the most intense experiences in the world. You need to keep yourwits about you at all times. As the old song goes: If you can make itthere, you can make it anywhere. So, whether you’re in Manhattan orMoldova, pay attention to the King and benefit from his rules.
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Photo: Brett Beyer
50 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
O n June 26, 2010 I headed out with my camera and Katie Neilson tomeet up with Vancouver’s current female downhill competitors:Glenna Evans, Brianne Davies and Dominique Vukorep. Christin
Gregersen couldn’t get away from work, but would meet up with us later, andCharlie Daigneault was away train-hopping across Canada. The day held aspecial spirit of excitement, as it was the first time the girls had gatheredtogether as a collective: Vancouver’s own “ladies of downhill.” We had no ideahow significant this day would be, as Glenna would betragically taken from us only two weeks later.
The day was also mired with controversy, as it wasthe same day as the “Wack Attack,” and many fellowriders felt like the girls were being elitist by doing theirown thing and not joining everyone else. However,despite the criticism of some, the girls decided to gettogether on this day because Bri and Dom wereheading off to Europe and Christin was moving to San Francisco for University right after Maryhill (the following weekend).
As we crossed over the Port Mann Bridge andwatched the Loco Express head off in the opposite direc-tion to the Wack Attack, we had no idea how significantthis day would end up.
We all know there are many women who skateboard,but those who actually “downhill” and compete are still arare breed. As with other female athletes, conversationsoften have little to mention about their skills but ratherfocus on them as sex objects. No doubt, these women are smokin’ hot! But let’s not forget that many of them
Glenna Evans
VANCOUVER’S“LADIES OF DOWNHILL”A TRIBUTE TO
GlennaEvansPhotos and article by HEIDI GERMANN
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 51
Dominique Vukorep (L) and Glenna Evans (R) bombing down Cypress.
52 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
frequently kick ass on their male counterparts – especiallythese Vancouver Ladies of Downhill. The female podiumstandings and their times are proof.
The goal of the day was to get together and capture somefootage and pictures of just the girls that didn’t consist ofthem wearing bikinis, but rather captured their skill. The pic-tures and footage that came out of that day weren’tmind-blowing, but they became a part of the most valuedthings we now possess; they captured a rare day in historyfull of memories that can never be repeated. Moments suchas Glenna grinning from ear to ear when she nailed a 180,and having her come running over shouting “Did you seethat, did you see it?” Or the exhilaration on the faces of thegirls after they bombed down Cypress in all-girl draft trains,which were the first ever for two of them, and perhaps thelongest all-female draft trains to date.
Later that night we headed to Dom’s and got all dolled upto hit the town for a night of dancing (yes, we are girls). Onthe Sky Train headed downtown there was talk about Bri andDom’s upcoming Europe trip, and everyone shared in theirexcitement at the thought of them going off to dominate theworld. The girls bitched about boyfriends, hit on randomstrangers, tore up the dance floor, caused s**t at the bar ...You think they move fast on hills, you should see them hit thetown. The biggest conversation of the night, though, centeredon the need to embrace each other as women, support oneanother and highlight female riders in downhill.
These girls are groundbreakers! While the longboardscene has been going on for years, the female aspect isnewer and smaller. Because of this they face many ques-tions, such as “Is it OK to be competitive or not?” Becausethere are so few of them, they are often expected to all befriends – or guys just assume they are. But it can be quite theopposite. It’s been said that males are friends until some-thing makes them enemies; females are enemies untilsomething makes them friends. Some might call the occa-sional quarrels between female riders the acts of “cattybitches,” but they work hard, constantly, to try to put their dif-ferences aside, a feat that is nowhere near easy in acompetitive environment.
On this day all competition was put aside. It was a day tounite as females who downhill in Vancouver, to share love,laughter and a passion for skateboarding – to bond overcommonalities, sharing their lives with present hopes anddreams for the future. A linking took place that day thatwould carry them through the remainder of their racingcareers … and through the unexpected loss and devastationthat lay ahead.
As I had said, we had no way of knowing how special thisday would be …July 9, 2010 will forever be etched in the minds of many, andespecially the Ladies of Downhill. I had just pulled into Katie’sdriveway when I got a text asking, “Where are you guys? Areyou okay? My Dad just called and said a female longboarderdied going down Seymour?” Instantly we started goingthrough the small list of names … Bri is in Europe, Charlie’strain-hopping across Canada, Christin … oh my God …
Glenna leads the pack with Brianne, Katie andDom at a corner in the British Properties.
Katie Neilson, Dominique Vukorep, Krista Klein,Glenna Evans, Brianne Davies, Kimberlee Kleinand Christin Gregersen.
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 53
Instantly we called but just got a machine. Next call went toChiara Poscente, who hadn’t heard anything. She was goingto try to get a hold of Glenna and Dom. Not knowing what todo next, we put a post up on the Coast Longboarding forumand instantly got a call from Carly Richardson at Landyachtz:“Heidi, it was Glenna!” Oh my God! I still remember theshock as I turned to Katie.
Glenna Evans left us the day before her 28th birthday. Shewas a competitive skateboarder who was entering hersecond race season. She was an honor student at EmilyCarr University in Vancouver, an amazing artist whose workadorns many posters, T-shirts, leathers and helmets, andan aspiring tattoo artist. She played accordion, fire-breathed, stilt-walked and so much more. She was one of akind – a woman who carried herself with grace and had ahuge passion to see more women in the longboard commu-nity and a female voice and presence in marketing, footageand articles relating to downhill.
The death of Glenna magnified how few girls actuallydownhill, and because of this every girl who downhills isunique. So when one gets injured or passes away it has aMASSIVE impact, an impact that is felt globally amongst
both male and female alike – an impact thatshakes these female downhillers to the coreand will be with them for the rest of their lives.
I don’t know why things happen, why somepeople are taken from us seemingly “beforetheir time.” The one thing I do know is that thatday in June, when the girls decided to go againstthe grain and set aside a day together, will for-ever rest in the hearts of those present.
These women are special; they are females ina male-dominant sport (or lifestyle – whateveryou want to term it). They may not be “best”friends (nor should they be), but they share acommon bond – they are the Ladies of Downhill. Toall females who downhill, may the legacy of Glennabe the spirit of that special weekend! It is importantto occasionally step back from the boys, put compe-tition aside, join together as girls, skate together,support each other and go a little wild. To Glennathis was very important.
To all the guys out there, sometimes the hardest part forthese women is getting called out when they want to get alldolled up and hang out with the girls. As one female said, “Ithink it would be nice to get some encouragement for it, orat least understanding. Hey, if we’re on a skate trip and wewant to sit on a beach and get a tan instead of take a run ...Don’t bitch – encourage it; we’re girls.” It is out of thesetimes that true bonding takes place.
Glenna, we will never forget you! May all women whodownhill today and in the future never forget to take time tomomentarily join together as a collective, support eachother, get away every now and then and let the ladies play.And may all the guys smile upon it and give them a push inthat direction.
Ride in peace, sweet Glenna. You will remain in ourhearts forever … CW
Katie Neilson, Dominique Vukorep and BrianneDavies draft training at Cypress Mountain. Katie Neilson
54 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
Paris is often cited for its food, culture and monu-ments, and is simply known as the City of Love.Unlike other major cities such as New York, Van-
couver or Barcelona, though, Paris is rarely on any “topcities to skate in” list. But in the words of Travis Davenport,Paris is “a city ripe for Push Culture.” So this article aimsto put Paris firmly on the map as a must-skate destinationand to give you, the reader, a glimpse into the Parisianlongboarding scene.
Paris is not the most popular tourist destination in theworld for nothing. Because of its many iconic landmarksand world-famous institutions, 45 million visitors flock toParis each year. With their cameras and lazy gait, you seethem at the Trocadero, at Palais Royal and casuallystrolling on the spacious boulevards. Look carefully and itis likely that you will spot someone on a longboard too.
By CHRIS VALLENDER and MARVIN THINE
T H E C I T YOF LOVEI S R I P E F O RP U S HC U LT U R E
PARIS
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 55
Photo: Mitchell Moshenberg
OSD at the Trocadero. Photo: Lotfi
56 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
Car Park at La Défense. Photo: Benoit MOTHES
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 57
We have history to thank for making Paris the idealplayground for longboarders it is today. In the 19th cen-tury the narrow, winding medieval streets wereleveled to create the network of wide avenues andneoclassical façades that still make up much ofmodern Paris. Whatever your favorite way to skate,there is something for everyone here.
Fancy a casual cruise around? Take the AvenueDaumesnil to Bastille or Boulevard Vincent Auriolfrom Place d’Italie and you will be in for a treat. Picturesuper-smooth, wide-open pavement with a gentledescent and you can practically hear the whirring ofyour wheels as you get some sweet carves in. It is notan overstatement to say that some of the best qualitypavements are here. If you are hungry for somethinga little meatier, head to the Porte de Lilas or to Télé-graphe where some light DH action can be had. Ifgarages are your thing, there are also plenty aroundLa Défense, just waiting to be bombed.
Chris Vallender LDP-ingnear Gare du Nord. Photo: Tim Pritchard
Lotfi and Florian Lafourcade, double hippie jump at Palais Royal.Photo: Toni van den Munckhof
58 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
You cannot longboard for long in Paris before hearingthe name Riderz or seeing the logo on someone’shelmet or board. This association was created in 2002to promote all aspects of skateboarding and to pro-vide a unifying force for organizing and promotingevents. Its forum brings together more than 4,000members, mostly from France as well as from theother French-speaking regions of the world such asBelgium, Switzerland and Quebec.
Paris also ranks amongst the 10 greenest cities inEurope and in total has an impressive 371 km of cyclelanes. In addition to this, on Sundays the scenic banksof the Seine are closed to motorized traffic. The beau-tiful Quais de la Seine always feature in the route takenby the SSR (Super Rando Riderz). These city cruisingsessions, which take place approximately once amonth on a Sunday, are the opportunity for long-boarders of all ages and abilities to get together. It isoften during these rides that many friendships areforged. You simply cannot help but try to take every-thing in as you roll along, past the Ile de la Cité or theMusée d’Orsay with the Eiffel Tower in the distance asthe tourists on the Bateaux Mouches watch you go by.
Opposite the Eiffel Tower is the legendary Trocadero.The unique setting, the hustle and bustle of thetourists and the central location are just some of thethings that make it a focal point of the Parisian long-board community. As long as it is dry, you can be surethat every Tuesday night at least a handful of long-boarders will be gathered there. Its parallel twinslopes are perfect for slalomers and freeriders alike,and the open flatland area at the top is also an idealplace to bust out some moves on an OSD. Slides arepracticed and tricks are perfected to the applause ofthe onlookers. All this creates an atmosphere that isperfect for people to get together and share an apéro.It has apparently been this way since the ’70s – nosurprise, then, that for several years the Paris SlalomWorld Cup was held at this location.
Notre Dame de Paris. Photo: Pappy Boyington
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 59
Lotfi, Trocadero. Photo: A.G. Photographe
Lotfi, Trocadero. Photo: A.G. Photographe
60 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
Type “longboard” and “Paris” into any searchengine and you will come across one of the mostwell-known and loved French blogs – Longskate[Longboard] in Paris. Started in 2003 by PappyBoyington as a way to share his passion with awider audience, this blog quickly became a pillarof the French longboarding world. The author,“Pappy B,” as he is affectionately called, is nothingless than an ambassador for the sport. Alwaysready to help out, he also organizes a yearly videocompetition. Held in the thick of winter, usually inJanuary, it showcases the best longboardingvideos from the previous year. The event is laidback and provides an injection of stoke at an oth-erwise quiet time of year for longboarding.
2010 has been a great year for longboarding inParis. The two biggest events, Greenskate Parisand the Paris Push Race, were particular highpoints of the year and introduced new formatscompared to those that had been seen before.Both were very popular, bringing in more than50 and 70 participants, respectively, both fromaround Paris and from further afield. Particu-larly pleasing, but not altogether surprising, wasthe tremendous support they received fromcompanies and organizations outside of Riderzsuch as Blackkross, BourreHouseMedia andHawaiisurf, to name but a few. Big thanks go outto all who supported Riderz in 2010.
When asked what aspects of the Parisian scenethey would miss, the importance of the commu-nity and friendships is at the top of the list for theParisian longboarder. It is true that on any outing,you are likely to meet someone you have nevermet before, but with whom you have chatted onthe Riderz forum. The scene is just growingstronger and bigger by the day. Other thanmissing their favorite spots, it is the many kilo-meters of flowing pavements and the variety ofdifferent terrain that Parisian longboarderswould be sad to say goodbye to.
So what makes Paris different? All cities havetheir respective skate spots, groups and events.The difference is quite difficult to pin down, but itis the feeling of riding in Paris which is so unique.The city is obviously huge, but in reality it feelssmall. Grab your longboard and in an hour youcan cross it, often faster than you could by publictransport or by car. Even after riding in the cityfor many years you are forever finding hiddenroads and new routes. Next time you are heremake sure you bring your board. Forget le metro– just embrace the longboarding joie de vivre andenjoy what this stunning city has to offer. CW
Laurent Perigault hangs 10 at La Défense. Photo: Melvin Zinck
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 61
For more information visit:riderz.nethereandla.wordpress.comblackkross.comhawaiisurf.com La Défense at night.
Photo: Pappy Boyington
Paris Greenskate 2010. Photo: Marvin Thine
Enone, wallride on the Louvre Pyramid. Photo: Pierre-Yves Guyot
Quentin Jacquet, cross-step at the Palais Royal. Photo: Lotfi
Marvin Thine, slide at the Trocadero. Photo: Lofti
62 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
MANUFACTURING
CLOSE-UPPART ONEBy MICHAEL BROOKE
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 63
O ver the past number of years Con-
crete Wave has featured company
profiles. These profiles have pro-
vided readers with some background on how
and why a specific company was formed. But
for this article, we wanted to put some focus
on the actual manufacturing of products. We
felt it very important that we shine a spotlight
on the people behind the skateboard prod-
ucts you ride. It is our hope that this article
gives you a taste of the blood, sweat and yes,
sometimes tears that go into the manufac-
turing of skateboard products.
Increasingly, automation has found its way
onto the manufacturing floor. You only need to
look at how cars are built to realize that
robots play a large role. While some automa-
tion is coming into the world of
skateboarding, many products still require a
human touch. There is indeed artistry and
magic in the plants I visited. But it’s not just
large manufacturing plants that create skate-
board products. I am pleased that we’ve been
able to highlight a number of smaller compa-
nies who are doing their part to create magic.
If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to visit a
manufacturing plant and see firsthand what it
takes to work with wood, metal or plastic ,
then you know that production is a serious
business. The sights, sounds and smells of
manufacturing skateboard products can be
overwhelming. At each plant I visited, I found
myself mesmerized by whirring, buzzing and
constant activity. Despite these noises and
distractions, expert craftsmen are able to
accomplish meticulous workmanship.
Watching them work is truly hypnotizing.
They make it look so easy and effortless.
Originally I was going to call this article “Art
In Commerce,” because as I traveled to the
various factories, I began to view the manu-
facturing and machines in more of an artistic
light. Obviously I changed the title, but I was
still committed to showcasing the splendor
that is found in this industry. To demonstrate
this point, we’ve enlarged some of the tools
of production. By doing this, my hope is that
you’ll begin to see how art does in fact fuse
with commerce. Equally important, however,
are the actual people using the tools to create
the products you love, namely skateboard
decks, trucks and wheels. >>>
64 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
George Powell at his wheel factory in Santa Barbara, California.Photo: Dana Ross
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 65
GEORGEPOWELL SKATE ONEHow many years have you been making skateboard products?34 years.
What one thing gives you the most satisfaction when it comes to makingskateboard products?I strive to make the best products in the world, and the very best I can.When skaters like what I make, I am totally stoked. It is why I do what I do.
What do you feel about the future of North American skateboard manufacturing?I am not sure whether we will ever recover from the loss of our primarymanufacturing base or not. I think easy-to-produce items that are lowtech will probably never return, and this would include 7-ply decks, forexample. Leading-edge technical products that the market can afford canstill be made in North America, as long as they cannot be made offshore –products like Bones STF. Some types of process-sensitive, equipment-and expertise-sensitive products like state-of-the-art metal casting orautomatable products may return to North American manufacturers iflogistics and costs allow it.
The bottom line is we are going to be an R&D base, and only selectproducts will actually be made here going into the future. In some waysthis will be an advantage someday, as the old technology will all be offshore, and all the latest and greatest will still come mostly from Eng-land, Germany, France, Japan, Canada and the USA. The Chinese aregoing to be our toughest competitors going forward, however. They aresmart, aggressive and patient. Remember, they wrote “The Art of War...”
66 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
DENNISTELFER
How did you get involved in making skateboard products?For me, making skateboards grew from making surfboards. I’d been making surfboards for awhilewhen the snowboard skateboard I’d been riding hills with was stolen. From there I made a couple ofpintails out of random plywood using my shaping tools. I airbrushed and glassed them and they cameout pretty nice.
It was probably the extra effort put into those first boards that helped to draw interest fromfriends and other skaters, which was the catalyst for Steve [Lake] and me to go into business.
How many years have you been involved with it?We’ve been making skateboards for 17 years now, and I’ve been involved every step of the way and still do alot of the same things I’ve always done. Of course, the success we’ve enjoyed as a company goes waybeyond me. It’s the quality people we have working all around Sector 9 that make us who we are these days.
What gives you the most satisfaction when it comes to building skateboards?Seeing somebody you don’t know, a kid, adult or whomever, riding one of your boards and having agreat time. That just never gets old. I saw a kid one time in France that had a brand new board ofours just bookin’ around this park with a big grin on his face. I could hardly talk to him but gave himsome stickers, a high five and a smile. That’s what it’s all about for me.
What do you see happening to North American skateboard manufacturing?Probably the main thing I hear these days is that as closely as people are watching theirspending right now, they’re still willing to pay for quality. As a manufacturer that’s the thing I feel we should hang our hat on.
SECTOR 9
Victor Earhart of Sector 9 has been ridingskateboards for more than five decades.
68 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
NEILSTRATTONHow did you get involved in making skateboard products?I remember making my first skateboard in Hawaii when I was 8 years old. My oldest scar is on my lefthand where the screwdriver slipped off the shallow slot in the flathead kingpin and I stabbed my handwith it. When I settled down in Venice almost 20 years ago, I met Greg [Falk] and we became bestfriends. We’re both artists and creators, and we were surfing and skating a lot together, and the idea fora skateboard that really surfed was just a natural extension of who we were and what we were doing.
I started welding these swing-arm trucks to give the board the kind of snap and pump we werefeeling on our surfboards. We’d ride them until they’d break, and then talk endlessly about how to makethem better the next time around. We did that for years before we really had something, and at that pointwe knew it was time to take it past the handmade and into production. We partnered with a foundry andstarted making trucks. We were incredibly naive and optimistic, and we thought if we just made them itwould blow up; our friends loved riding them, too, so it wasn’t just us. Well, we couldn’t have been morewrong. We learned that the skateboarding market was the most closed market ever, and we were on theoutside with the “wrong” product. We tried to interest every truck company we could to give our trucks achance, but all we got was “we only want to spend our money on what we know sells already.” At thatpoint we had a production model ready to go and we thought, well, this is too cool, and if no one is goingto pick it up then we’ll just have to start a skateboard company and do it ourselves.
How many years have you been involved with it?It’s been almost 15 years since we started Carver. At the time we had no idea how ahead of the curvewe were with the dual-axis truck and the looser nose concept. We truly thought that it would be justanother couple of years and the longboard market would blow up, and that surfskate would be hugetoo. Developing this in Venice we were keenly aware of the roots of surfskate with CR Stecyk and Dog-town ... so we saw the start of the longboarding scene and how much fun it all was, and we thought ithad to catch on any minute.
CARVER
Neil Stratton and Greg Falkat their foundry in Los Angeles.
It’s a good thing for us that it took so long, because the way we did it – where welearned what we needed to as it came up – was not the most efficient way to grow.Had we not had all these years to grow up as entrepreneurs we could have beenoutrun by any number of better businesses, and we would have been the “we hadthe idea first but they stole it” sad-sack story. We’re not out of those woods yet, butwe’re stronger than we’ve ever been, and the market still has plenty of room togrow. We’ve essentially been forced into every growth stage along the way justbecause it was just the next thing that had to happen. We’ve just gone through amajor restructuring where we lost our foundry partner, and Greg and I had torestart from scratch a few years ago. We built another factory and learned how torun it. It’s been pretty stressful, but it’s also been amazing. We’ve been able to learnfrom the mistakes of the past and create a culture for the company that’s as consid-ered and well designed as the products themselves.
What gives you the most satisfaction with respect to making skateboard equipment?The calls and e-mails we get from skaters almost every day telling us how stokedthey feel when they ride our equipment are super satisfying. I’ve always thought myjob as a designer is to design the activity, not the object. It’s not how the truck looksthat initiates my impulse to make it, it’s how it feels riding it. I often think about allthe people that are riding a Carver at any given moment, and I’m stoked that they’rehaving the kind of fun I know they’re having with it. It’s a good thing to bring to theworld, time spent carving, and cumulatively it adds up to a lot of fun being had rightthis minute. I can get behind that. It’s also cool knowing that this invention we makeis helping support other businesses and people all around California and the world.And it’s creating a skate culture built on the carving principles of surfing. Surfskateis about connecting your lines and flowing through your travels, surfing the concretewave. That’s sweet.
What do you see happening to North American skateboard manufacturing?For a while it looked as though China was the inevitable solution to stay competitivein the marketplace, but we’ve always made things ourselves and been wary of theissues that come with overseas manufacturing. When we had to rebuild severalyears ago we explored the option of making our trucks in China. We were a couple ofartists overwhelmed with the cost and complexity of building a brand and a new fac-tory, and the idea of having trucks arrive finished in boxes seemed very appealing.Ours is a particularly difficult truck to make. It was cheaper [in China] too, but therewere many reasons not to do it as well. We weighed the decreased control of a far-away vendor, the long lead times, the big minimums, and the plain fact that we’dhave to take part in the exodus of American manufacturing, and it was very dis-maying. So we decided to see if we could do it here and still succeed on a businesslevel. We refinanced our homes when loans were still loose and were able to financethe rebuild on bubble money; otherwise we couldn’t have done it. Greg actuallycalled me just before the bubble burst and told me that some friends had lost theirlines of credit and that banks were starting to reel it all in. We went to the bank thatday and borrowed everything we could in cash and deposited it in a different bank. Aweek later it all dried up.
We took the money and rented a warehouse nearby, tooled up and startedmaking trucks and skateboards. Just as the loan money ran out we got some bigorders and were able to stay afloat, and we’ve been riding that growing swell since.We’re not opposed to making things overseas; it can be good for skaters to offer avariety of price points and levels of quality. Beginners can get into skating with acheaper board and then upgrade as they demand better equipment. Plus the profitsstill flow through an American brand. But we feel it’s essential to keep a high-end,American-made skateboard alive and well. It’s also a part of our identity as acountry to make the things we need, and it’s a shame that we’ve given that away forshort-term profits. We hope that in the near future the costs of manufacturing over-seas will increase as labor costs rise to accommodate higher global standards, andthat cost difference will no longer be enough to justify the loss of jobs and pride.Then making things locally will no longer be a question but an advantage.
Neil in his studio, late December 2010.
70 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
JONBUTLER
CW: How did you get involved in making skateboard products?Jon Butler: I made my first snowboard at 15, and since I wasincarcerated for 15 years in culinary prison I had lots of time toplot ideas of making skateboards and living the dream. I didn’t fitin with the jocks or the yuppies, so I started skateboarding. Iskated and always collected tons of pieces and parts. I had extradecks and rode different boards. Then one day [while] riding alongboard and thinking of my past knowledge of woodworking, Iwondered why I wasn’t trying to make boards. I like to takethings, dissect them and put them back together.
CW: What gives you the most satisfaction when it comes tobuilding skateboards?JB: To take a basic plank of wood and turn it into a beautiful pieceof art – it’s amazing. I love designing new products that you don’tsee every day. The process of building something with my handsand seeing the end result. Adding to this is riding prototypes andbeing a part of the designing process. All this makes me happy.
CW: What do you see happening to North American manufac-turing?JB: I think you’re always going to have your “big three” that willoutsource to China so they can sell their boards at beyond cheap.But I think you’re also going to have a core group of companies inNorth America that will remain North American, and hopefullysell our boards to China someday.
SMOKIN MAD LOVE
Jon Butler and Blair Butterworth of Smokin’ Mad Love Longboards.
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 71
How did you wind up manufacturing skateboard equipment?Although having skated as far back as 1964, and my own interest was already there, it would appear that Ifound myself manufacturing skateboard equipment via a series of events, starting with my employees’enthusiasm, persistence and constant search for ways to improve their own rides.
From a constant fielding of questions, such as, “How would I do this?”, “Why wouldn’t you do that?”,“What do you think about doing … ?”, I was starting to see some of the challenges within the industry, andthe solutions we could bring.
With the perception of needing to diversify, the push of the “banking crisis” and a contract to supply alongboard truck – provided that we could design and build a truck to our standards, that would solvesome or all of the issues we saw with current trucks – we moved into the design phase. With the design ofour axle and mounting system – seeing just how compatible the truck was with our current and futureproducts – I announced: “It looks like we are in the skateboard business.”
What is it about skateboard manufacturing that gives you the most satisfaction?The possibility of solving problems. When I see a glitch, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction to solvethat. The axles we developed are a case in point – how they fasten, what they were made of and theheightened levels of durability and precision.
What do you see happening to North American skateboard manufacturing?From my perspective as a small manufacturer, my company’s survival and prosperity have alwaysdepended on my ability to produce high-quality, enduring products – the opposite of those found in largeretail chains. I believe that producing enduring products and using the planet’s resources wisely is abetter path to take. Hopefully the rest of the industry sees the light and follows.
72 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011
RONPRISNEE PROTOTYPES PLUS
Benjamin Watson (L) with Ron Prisnee at the Calgary, Alberta manufacturing facility.
74 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
CONCRETE WAVE spoke with pro skaters Andy Macdonald and BobBurnquist to get their take on skateboard media, to see if it portraysskaters realistically, and how they feel about the issue of whether or notskateboarders should wear helmets. We were also curious to find out ifthe helmet question was similar for other sports like snowboarding andcycling, so we got some feedback from skateboard, snowboard andcycling media, as well as from some skaters on the street.
“My best guess is that if you broke it down by age you would find thatthe majority of skaters under, say, 13 years old wear their helmets,” saysMacdonald. “Most of those kids do the bulk of their skating in skateparks,and helmets, if not required, are much more socially acceptable inside askatepark. As age goes up from there, you’ll find fewer people rockinghelmets – especially out and around town. Most of the skating I do is inparks and on ramps. We rock our dome pieces.”
On the issue of whether or not skateboarders should wear helmets,and his feelings on whether the media, meaning mainly the skate-boarding magazines, should try to showcase helmets more, Macdonaldwonders how much influence skateboard magazines have. “Whether theyshow helmets or not has little to do with it,” he said. “I wear a helmetwhen I feel it’s necessary. I’m pretty sure most skaters are in the sameboat. The difference comes at what point you decide it’s necessary.”
Pick up a skateboard magazine,and you’ll find some skaters withhelmets, and some without.
HELMETSBy PETER HILDEBRANDT
Bob Burnquist: “My feeling is that no one isportraying us; we’re portraying ourselves.”Photos: Steve Potwin
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 75
76 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
When playing a game of SKATE in the driveway,Macdonald is not going to take the time to go find hishelmet; he’s pretty confident he is not going to smackhis head. But if he is jumping a 70-foot gap on the big-air jump, that’s a different matter. “I’m strapping myhelmet on tight and I’m guessing most skaters wouldsay the same thing,” he says. “Then there are a mil-lion different scenarios in between that. The otherpart of it for me is that I have a helmet sponsor. Bernpays me to be safe. What could be better? The coolfactor doesn’t enter in as a factor on this one becausehitting your head without a helmet is in no way cool.Ask anyone who has done it, myself included.”
In Macdonald’s experience and in his interac-tions with other skaters, he’s found a variety ofreasons why some skaters wear helmets andothers do not. “Some skaters grew up with it, othersdid not,” he says. “If you grew up skating thestreets, having never skated in a helmet in your life,of course you don’t want someone telling you all ofa sudden that you need to be putting one on now.
“I grew up skating backyard ramps. On the firstramp I ever dropped in on there was one giant word
spray painted across it. It read: ‘GETAHELMETON.’ Itwas just expected that if you were going to begranted the privilege of skating someone’s ramp,you were going to have to follow their rules. Hel-mets in general are more socially accepted thanthey ever have been. Been snowboarding lately? Ahelmet is almost as standard as a $90 lift ticket.”
To pro skater Bob Burnquist, helmets are amatter of choice. “My kids are going to wear themuntil they’re 18,” he says. “That’s the deal, and itapplies to horseback riding, skiing or messingaround with a bicycle. They’re young and they dowhat the parents say. If my mom told me to wear ahelmet back then, there also probably wouldn’t havebeen any question on my wearing one. When youskate vert you want a helmet on.”
Burnquist says that depending on a skater’s skilllevel and what he (or she) is trying to do, they canpretty much choose to wear a helmet or not. But headds that the person most likely would want to wearone – especially on transition, “because you can whipdown to the ground quick and you’ll get hit,” he says.
“But my feeling is that no one is portraying us; we’re
portraying ourselves,” Burnquist adds. “As a photgra-pher you can’t say you’re only going to shoot helmetedpeople; you won’t end up with the guys the kids want tosee, or with the photos being exactly what you are goingfor. Skaters go out and attack something raw and theyknow they’re going to attack it as raw as they can, likeusing a board on a huge rail. It’s part of the passion, thefield, the function, the rawness and the history.
“A lot of times some of the things that the guysdo on the streets are even more treacherous anddangerous than the everyday vert skating,” Burn-quist says. “However, we have a tendency to hit ourheads a lot more. When you go out on the street youcan go for broke and then maybe hit your head a fewtimes and it’s your choice.”
That said, Burnquist says, “It’s good to protectyour head. It’s one of the most important things toprotect, especially if you’re just starting on yourskateboard. When learning, you will want that helmeton as much as possible. But once you have the skilland you’re showing your photo in a magazine, you’rebeyond learning to skateboard and are advancing to alevel where you know how to fall properly.
Christian Hosoi Photo: Steve Potwin
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 77
WEB RESOURCES:
For an absolutely shattering reading experi-
ence, check out “Broken Skull, Broken Heart”
from the San Diego Reader at bit.ly/9KNEtW.
Both the silverfishlongboarding.com and the
coastlongboarding.com forums have many
heated discussions about helmet safety. Here
are few choice words we found on Silverfish’s
“Skateboard Safety.
Ride Hard, Ride Safe,
Live to Ride Another
Day!” forum.
WHY DO I NEEDTO WEAR
A HELMET?
If you’re longboarding, you WILL fall atsome point, even when you leastexpect it. Could be some rubble, a crack,or a wetspot you didn’t see. If youdon’t wear a helmet, you will regret itat some point. If you do wear one, you’llnever have any regrets. I got off easyfrom sliding out in a bowl with a con-cussion that lasted 2 two weeks,couldn’t move too much or go outsidefor all that time, the headache waskiller. Everyone here that skated atsome point without (or even with) ahelmet will have a similar story, I’msure. And with those that HAD ahelmet, imagine how it woulda been forthem without one...
_ Windskurfer
Beginning of the summer i saw one of my best
friends i hadn’t seen in like a year. first th
ing we
do is skate down my block. he pulls a standy on a
real steep slope, his wheel catches a pebble and his
board shoots out. didn’t have a helmet=hospita
l for
10 days, can’t hear out of one ear, can’t sme
ll, loss
of balance, loss of memory. Also he was one of the
best XC runners in the state, and missed t
he
last month of races for high school career.
_ I Like Soda
If you do not wear a helmet you will be setting a badexample for everyone who you come in contact with andbasically discredit our lifestyle, not to mention, very pos-sibly fall and get a brain injury. Face it, if you are goingto try to get mad skills and push your board to itslimit, you will eat it, over and over. It is called practice. Iwould buy a helmet, slide gloves and knee pads son youcan learn to master your Dervish without risking un-needed, foolish injury.
_ Helmstown
I just started riding a cou
ple
months ago, my first fall
involved
me going about 35 down a hill, hit
a rock, then my head. Brok
en collar
bone, some road rash, and a
good
concussion that is now causing me
to have pretty bad memory
loss
and mood swings. Helmet o
r not,
your choice._ The Muffin
Man
You gotta protect your noggin, boy! Ifyou wanna see what can happen, lookup “skateboard crashes” or “longboardcrashes” or something on youtube, orgoogle images even. Or you can justtake our word for it that helmets are important.
_ Joe
My first longboard is aboutto arrive. Could anyone showme some topics of Longboardaccidents, want to see whatcan happen? Thanks inadvance,
_ Dubthor
I dunno about you, but
I know
several longboarders pers
onally
that would be dead/brain dam-
aged today without their
helmets.Does it for me.
_ Gavmck
A lot of downhillers (self included) try to push
themselves to find the fastest lin
es and breaking
points. The only way to find if you
can grip a
corner (versus drifting it) is to tak
e it really fast.
If you fail, you fall and adjust acco
rdingly for the
next run. If you’re wearing full pads/he
lmet you can
do that next run. If you aren’t yo
u will be going
home/hospital cleaning wounds and be out
for a
week or so minimum.
If you’re just pushing around cruisi
ng, you’re
carefree. However, there are so many unforeseen
things that will make you fall. A bump in the side
-
walk, a rock, a bike, a car.... you’ll fall.
I didn’t think that i would fall while just riding
flat ground going home one night a
nd it was my
worst fall. I was going maybe 5-10 miles an hour
and somehow failed. I got 11 stitches in my chin
, and
had no skin on most of the left s
ide of my body.
It’s unforeseen what will happen, wear a helmet. If
you don’t think helmets are “cool” an
d you’re only
skating because you want to be “cool” t
hen return
the board when it comes and buy some Abercr
ombie
or Hollister stuff. - FightinIrishPJ
78 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
NOBINO BRAIN INJURIES FOUNDATIONToronto’s Mitchell Moshenberg has been skating since hewas about 3 years old. He has also been a downhill skiinstructor and freestyler. He rides mountain bikes in verydangerous situations, but though still very involved inextreme sports, he says his days of being an “outlaw” arelong over. “Now I’ve got a family and some sense,” he says. “Iwould rather see people participating in longboarding andskateboarding in legit places set up for the activity andusing the appropriate gear.”
Moshenberg’s passion for safety and awareness led himto start the NOBI Foundation (NOBI stands for No BrainInjuries), which works with people who have been disabled bysevere injuries. As a skater and someone working withpeople with disabilities, he sees the effects of injuriessustained by people who ride without pads or a helmet,especially in traffic.
“The authorities need to stop people from ridinglongboards and skateboards in traffic without proper headgear. I’m also in support of legislating helmet use and alsogiving skateparks that require helmets a discount ontheir insurance premiums. There is less likelihood of a ridersustaining a traumatic brain injury if the park is filledwith kids wearing helmets. Since I’m directly involved withpeople who are injured, I understand this issue on manylevels,” he says.
Moshenberg says he does not believe there should becompetitions without proper gear, just as he doesn’t believehockey players, football players or motocross riders should becompeting without helmets. Sanctioned events inskateboarding and longboarding should also require the propersafety equipment, he says.
“The problem tends to be from the ‘outlaw’ events,” hesays. “There will always be guys in skateparks skatingillegally if they can get away with it. We want to lobbygovernments to ensure skateboarders wear helmets, sowhen they are skating on the street, whether on theroad or on the sidewalk, they must be wearing a helmet.The upside is less injuries and no more tickets for skatingin the street.”
The NOBI Foundation is a not-for-profit organizationthat will send funds raised through its programs tonational, provincial and local brain injury associations inCanada, and will also provide brain injury support andrehabilitation. The injury does not have to have originatedthrough skateboarding. The foundation’s goal, Moshenbergsays, is “to give people back their dignity, their self-esteemand increase their skills which will help them develop intoemployable citizens once again.”
“When riding big transitions you really want a helmet on,”says Burnquist. “I’ll put a helmet on when I want to. When Idon’t want to put a helmet on I won’t put it on; there are dif-ferent reasons. Most of the time when I’m riding a mega-rampor riding vert I want to, but sometimes I’m riding vert and Idon’t. I just want to do some lip tricks and just mess around.It’s a choice that you make. I go skate a park, and I’d ratherskate no pads, just go through the rounds, kind of check it outand then depending on what I’m going to do or what I’m goingto try, yes, maybe I will put a helmet on. Maybe I won’t.
“If I’m shooting a photo, trying to get it as raw as possible,I’m probably not going to wear gear. It depends on what you’reshooting for, what you’re going for. Are you working on aninterview? With me it’s so different. I have the mainstream,core sponsors, but all view and perception is different to everysingle brand.
“I could do a really rad Toyota commercial and have to pull mygear on because of what I’m skating. Because it’s a mainstreamcommercial they can tighten it up and there will be major expo-sure. Then I can go out and work on a Flip Skateboards ad whereall that’s gone. I’m riding what people are used to seeing mewear, from the vert to the mega. I’m going raw. If there arephotos shot, there’s no pads – raw skateboarding.”
Burnquist says he has seen a lot of different terrain, sowhen he goes street skating he has no fear; he might have
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 79
neoprene sleeves on his knees under his jeans. If he isriding vert, it’s different gear, different board and dif-ferent attack. And with the Mega, everything changesonce again.
“In short, there are times you want to ride withoutgear and times you want to put gear on, depending onwhat you’re going to do,” he says. “You have a lot of deci-sions to make. As a professional there are times when Iforce myself to skate. At those times I gauge how orwhen to step over that line … keep pushing or just main-tain. It’s an art. I’m in the business of managing risk. Ifyou’re not feeling good you probably won’t be partici-pating, just as a pilot or skydiver wouldn’t do thosethings if they weren’t.
“In a Concrete Wave type of magazine you’re going tosee a lot more photos of people with helmets on. Mostpeople riding in the park setting are going to want ahelmet – especially after hitting their heads a few timeswithout it. It’s a different breed or culture than whatyou’re riding all the time. With a street skater, he’sprobably going for broke on something pretty gnarly andthat guy’s probably pretty good.
“With mountain biking or snowboarding that’s awhole other reality; those guys are onto something else.Mountain biking can be like snowboarding with a bike:you want to have a helmet on.”
As a bike racer who’s crashed at a high speed, and asan EMT who’s worked in an emergency room, PeterFlax, Bicycling magazine’s editor-in-chief, has both seenand experienced the life-saving functionality of a helmet.“I always wear one when I ride,” says Flax. “Even when Igo on short rides with my kids down the street, thechances of a crash are minor, but I always wear a
helmet to send a message to my kids that helmets are asensible, smart part of the biking experience. Plus, hel-mets are much cooler than they used to be. It’s easy tofind a helmet that is stylish, comfy and well-vented. Soall the old excuses that helmets are dorky or uncomfort-able or sweaty aren’t solid anymore.
“The general approach of Bicycling magazine is toalways show cyclists wearing helmets in our imagery,”Flax explains. “Anytime we’re depicting road biking ormountain biking in its conventional forms, a helmet willalways be worn by the cyclist in the image. There arecertain ‘lifestyle’ situations in which we’re trying todepict a cyclist in a manner that’s authentic to how theyride, where that person might not be wearing a helmet,but these instances are the exception and certainly notthe rule.”
In the snowboarding media, though, you don’t see somuch head gear, except for competitions. Mostly whatyou see in snowboarding media are ski caps. Maybe thathas to do with the subconscious idea that falling downmeans a “soft” landing in snow, something that a skate-boarder would welcome.
“I applaud snowboard riders like Shaun White andChris Dufficy, who both wear their helmets all of thetime,” says Chris Owen, editor-in-chief of Snowboardmagazine. “Snowboarder Kazu Kokubo wears a mouthguard when he rides, which some experts say preventhead injuries as much as helmets do.”
“I think the people that you see out there on theweekends are mostly wearing helmets,” Owen adds.“They may be at a different ability level and know that asmall fall could really hurt them.”
But Owen feels that the media should showcase theriders as they are. “I choose a photo based on whetherit’s good or not, not on whether I believe that someoneis portraying snowboarding in a safe way,” he says. “It’sa dangerous sport, and some people choose not towear helmets.”
“I think with snowboarding and mountain biking, youcan’t detach as easily as you can when you’re riding thestreets with a skateboard,” explains a veteran staffer atTransWorld Skateboarding “When biking down a moun-tain, you have trees and all sorts of stuff coming up atyou to deal with, and it’s the same with snowboarding.There is more danger and therefore more impetus towear helmets.
“I’ve been shooting for longer than 16 years and I’veseen a couple of concussions, but I’ve never seen any-thing much beyond that. Still, there is a huge differencebetween what pro skateboarders and your regular streetskateboarders are doing. I look at it like, maybe whenyou start it, and are in a park, you’re going to fall a lotand use a helmet and gear. After awhile it would be likeice skating, because you don’t use a helmet and pads inice skating or gymnastics; ultimately such equipmenthinders them. This may not become the case in skate-boarding in a park, but definitely does in the case ofstreet skating. But a lot of heads get hit and get whackedon the streets.”
Brian Davenport of pushculture.com at the PEC Gravityfest inPicton, Ontario. Photo: Mitchell Moshenberg/NOBI
Andy Macdonald: “Hitting your head without a helmet is in noway cool. Ask anyone who has done it, myself included.”
Photo: Steve Potwin
80 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
Will Edgecombe of the UK practices what he preaches:Slide hard and wear a helmet!Photo: Unknown
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 81
When you talk to skaters about helmets, you get mixed reac-tions. Though they say helmets are a good idea, they don’t alwayswear them. It depends on where they’re skating and how experi-enced they are.
Alexander, 24, a longtime skateboarder originally from Florida,is now an avid dirt bike rider. “When my mom bought me my firstdirt bike she bought me a helmet along with it; that wasn’t the casewhen she got me my first skateboard,” he says. “But I have beenskateboarding since I was eight, and I’ve always seen the impor-tance of wearing a helmet.
“With the freedom that comes with street skating, I understandwhy helmets are sometimes not worn. But when I rode vert atskateparks I started wearing a helmet and felt the necessity forthat. The dirt bike magazines all show helmets on their riders in thephotos, with no exceptions. I’m not exactly sure why skater maga-zines have photos of people not wearing helmets. I think it doeshave an influence on young riders and it can be important for themto see that.
“If you go to a skatepark with ramps and vert, they actually forceyou to wear a helmet in addition to signing a waiver stating that you’reskating at your own risk. Many of the parks enforce the rule about thehelmets and some also require knee and elbow pads, too. A numberhave an age rule where if you are under 18 you have to wear all yourpads. If you’re over 18 you have a choice; you can wear protection ornone at all. It all depends on what skatepark you’re going to.”
Matt, 17, has been skateboarding for nine years. Skating mostlystreet, he’s racked up five broken arms, a broken foot and a frac-tured skull. He wasn’t wearing a helmet when he first injured hishead, but has been ever since.
“It’s for the better,” he says. “Helmets help big time.” He adds thatwearing one also gives him confidence to skate harder and go bigger.
“I think the biggest reason behind skaters not wearing their hel-mets is because of the way that people look at them when they do,”Matt says. “For them it’s like a fashion statement to be ridingwithout one. I also see guys wearing hats in place of helmets… notsure how that works out for them.”
Jim, 21, says it’s about the history. “The originators of streetskating didn’t wear helmets, and still don’t,” he says. “Everyoneelse just followed suit, and it’s pretty uncommon to see anyonewearing one now. Vert is totally different, on the other hand. Profes-sional vert skaters have worn gear consistently since the beginning.The risk of head injury is much bigger when you’re skating vert,especially on concrete ramps. When you bail and get yourselfturned upside-down in the middle of a 10-foot bowl, the helmetpretty much determines what’ll happen to your skull when youcome down.”
Jim hasn’t worn a helmet in years but says it’s because “I don’tskate as hard as I used to. I’m usually the guy goofing around on thesmall stuff at skateparks. I’ll wear one if it’s a park rule, but that’susually only at the indoor parks. Skating street, I don’t do anythingout of my range of comfort, and don’t usually end up hurting any-thing more than hands and knees.”
“Style is also a big part of skateboarding,” he continues. “Instreet, it’s always been a sort of underdog thing. It’s aggressivebut casual, and usually a certain amount more reckless and spo-radic. You won’t see a street skater geared up. Vert skaters aremore like athletes. It’s more controlled and articulate. You usuallywon’t see a vert skater without gear. That’s just the way it hasbeen, and probably will be for a while.” CW
In last issue of Concrete Wave, Aaron Enevoldsen de-
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elated disbelief after an hour of fast,
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Ouarzazate to Fez LEG4
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enter restaurant after restaurant,
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LEG5 Fez to Tangier
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We are bothered until he reveals behind
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LEG6 Rabat!
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88 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
IGSA REPORT >>
THE IGSA WORLD CUP SERIES returned toTeutônia, Brazil November 12-14, 2010 for theMalarrara Pro Teutônia. Douglas “Dalua” Silva ledthe first day of qualifying on the super-steep andultra-fast Teutônia track, where the skateboarderswere reaching speeds in excess of 115 km/h (71mph). Dalua turned in a time of 1:21.925 early in thesession and waited for his main rivals to unseat him.Kevin Reimer came the closest with a 1:22.259,which placed him in the second position. EvertonAlves was third with a time of 1:22.893.
Defending Champion Mischo Erban lookedexceptionally fast in morning practice, only to crashout on his first qualifying attempt when he carriedto much speed into the sweeping left-hander. Thecrash would force Erban to take a more conserva-tive approach on his second run since anothercrash would result in him not qualifying.
In Saturday’s final qualifying round, Silva solidi-fied his grip on the number one spot with a time of1:18.817, which was more than three seconds fasterthan the time he set Friday. Kevin Reimer also
lowered his time to 1:21.428 to secure the numbertwo qualifying position. Alves was third with a1:22.076 to qualify third. Erban came back fromFriday’s qualifying crash with a solid but conserva-tive run of 1:22.282. Carlos Augusto did not start thesecond run but his first-run time of 1:23.109 wasgood enough to retain the number five spot. In 2009,Silva set the track record with a 1:17.723 secondrun. He was the only skater that even came close toduplicating that feat on Saturday.
Due to the high speeds and narrow track,Teutônia is run in a dual, rider versus rider, two-man format. Silva and Erban were on one side ofthe bracket, while Reimer and Alves were on theother for Sunday’s race. Everyone was expectingto see some real fireworks in the semifinals, asthe four strongest riders were likely to pair up.Unfortunately for Alves, things didn’t go accordingto plan; he crashed and was eliminated in the third
By MARCUS RIETEMA
MalarraraPro Teutônia
Brianne Davies(R) and Dominique Vukorep(L) were thefirst women to conquer Teutônia. Brianne won the raceand Dominique set the speed record. Photo: MarcusRietema
Mischo Erban was stoked to earn his first World Cuppodium of the season. Photo: Francisco Urbistondo
The Brazilian locals are getting faster each year. Photo: Francisco Urbistondo
WINTER 2011 CONCRETE WAVE 89
round. For the top three qualifiers, Silva, Reimerand Erban, it was smooth sailing to the semifinals,where they were joined by number six qualifierDanky Ovalhe.
The first semifinal was a rematch of last year’sfinal between Erban and Silva. Last year it wasErban who prevailed, but this year things were dif-ferent. Silva had been on fire all weekend and hewanted this win badly. He beat Erban to the line andwas headed to the finals. The second semi betweenReimer and Ovalhe had a predictable outcome, withReimer heading to the finals. Ovalhe rode a goodrace but he was simply no match for Reimer.
Prior to the final, the third-place race was con-tested between Erban and Ovalhe. Erban prevailedand earned the final spot on the podium. For Erbanthe podium finish must have felt like a win afterstruggling through a difficult 2010 season. Afterdominating in 2009, this was his first podium finishof the year as he’s worked on dialing an entirelynew board, truck and wheels setup. Everythingseems to be working well for Erban now, and weexpect him to be at the sharp end of the grid for therest of the season.
The final was set between the number one quali-fier Silva, who had won this event in 2008, andReimer, who has dominated this season and waslooking to wrap up his first IGSA World Cup SeriesChampionship.
History has shown that it is actually a disadvan-tage to leave the line first at Teutônia. Last year,
Erban showed that it’s best to sit in the leadingrider’s draft on the upper section and then use themomentum coming off the fast left-hander to passyour opponent at the top of the steep final straight-away. Both Reimer and Silva had been beaten byErban’s use of this strategy in 2009, so both knewwhat they needed to do.
The riders played a little bit of cat and mouse atthe top of the course as they left the line. Silvawound up in the lead with Reimer in the advanta-geous second position. They worked their waythrough the upper section and through the fast left-hander, where Reimer played the drafting strategyto perfection. He rocketed past Silva and into thelead and there was nothing Silva could do but watchas Reimer went on to victory.
Reimer now has a lock on his first IGSA WorldCup Series Championship with three wins and asecond place in his four best events. If either PatrickSwitzer or Christoph Batt were to win both of theremaining two races, they could tie Reimer, but thetiebreaker is each rider’s best fifth result. Since nei-ther Switzer nor Batt has two second-place finishes,neither can match Reimer’s record for the year.
Reimer has completely dominated this season,finishing either first or second in each of the fiveWorld Cup races he’s entered. With wins at theWorld Championships, Graveyard Call and Teutôniaalong with second-place finishes at Maryhill andKozakov, Reimer has proven himself as the rider tobeat in 2010.
MALARRARA PRO TEUTÔNIAFINAL RESULTS1. Kevin Reimer, Canada2. Douglas Silva, Brazil3. Mischo Erban, Canada4. Danky Ovalhe, Brazil5. Carlos Augusto, Brazil6. Graham Buksa, Canada7. Silon Garcia, Brazil8. Luis Renato, Brazil
Reimer and Silva are close friends andfierce competitors. Photo: Marcus Rietema
Douglas Silva exits the left-hander and attacksthe steep section. Photo: Francisco Urbistondo
Kevin Reimer on his way to winning his third WorldCup race of the season. Photo: Francisco Urbistondo
90 CONCRETE WAVE WINTER 2011 CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM
THE IGSA WORLD CUP SERIES made the annualtrek to Bathurst, Australia November 26-28, 2010.This year’s race became part of Newton’s Nation, athree-day music and action sports festival featuringsome of the biggest bands in Australia. The Aus-tralian Skateboard Racing Association (ASRA)organized the competition and put up a $20,000prize purse. A brand new format was devised forNewton’s that included timed qualifying runs onFriday, twin qualifying races on Saturday and thefinal eliminations on Sunday. The response to thenew qualifying format was overwhelmingly positive.
In Friday morning practice, Australian favoriteJackson Shapiera had a huge crash exiting Forrest’sElbow, dislocating his shoulder and damaging hisrotator cuff. His Sector 9 teammate GeorgeMackenzie crashed in a separate incident andinjured his ankle. Both riders were finished for theweekend.
Mischo Erban went early and led Friday’s timedqualifying with a time of 1:01.058. Near the end ofthe session Douglas Silva uncorked an amazing runto earn the number one qualifying position. His timeof 1:00.371 broke the existing track record of1:00.814 set by Martin Siegrist in 2009. Erban woundup second and Patrick Switzer third. DefendingNewton’s Nation champion Kevin Reimer was 4th.
The timed qualifying positions placed the ridersinto two separate qualifying races on Saturday.Those who qualified in an odd-numbered positionwere placed into one bracket and those in evenpositions in another. Since Silva and Erban were thenumber one and two qualifiers, Silva earned thenumber one position in the odd bracket while Erbanwas number one in the even. The top 30 finishers ineach bracket automatically earned a place inSunday’s 64-rider final. Those who finished outsideof the top 60 were placed into a final “Repacharge”bracket to race for the final four qualifying positions.
Silva and Erban both dominated their qualifyingraces to earn the top qualifying positions forSunday’s race. Both skaters won all of their heatraces en route to their victories and marked them-selves as the clear favorites in Sunday’s final.Switzer and Reimer both finished second in theirrespective qualifying races and lined up third andfourth for Sunday.
The Mount Panorama racetrack is one of themost challenging tracks on the IGSA World Cupschedule, and it continued to exact a toll on com-petitors. Canada’s Dominique Vukorep collided witha skater who fell in front of her and suffered abroken right wrist and ligament damage to her leftknee and ankle.
After two beautiful days, Sunday morninggreeted everyone with cool, drizzly conditions thatleft the track surface wet. A check of the weatherforecast said that the rain would become heavierthroughout the day. A practice session was held tosee if the track could be ridden safely in the adverseconditions and then a vote was taken to let theriders decide. The riders overwhelmingly voted toproceed, so the race was on. A number of promi-nent competitors, however – including Erban,Stefan Rüfli, Jeff Budrow and Stephen Daddow – feltthe risk was too great and opted not to race.
Many of the heats in the first round were short,because more competitors opted out as the rain fell
Newton’sNation
IGSA REPORT >>By MARCUS RIETEMA
Erban was rock solid in winning his qualifyingrace on Saturday. Photo: Pierre Gamby
Reimer, Switzer, Kelly and Chapman sliding in formation during the final. Photo: Pierre Gamby
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harder and harder. As the heats wore on, however, afew competitors looked particularly strong in the wetconditions, including Silva, Switzer, Reimer andJames Kelly.
After three rounds, the semifinals were set, withSilva, Reimer, Christoph Batt and Andrew Chapmanracing in the first. Silva and Batt crashed and weresent to the consolation race. Everyone was shockedthat Silva was out after he’d qualified number one andlooked so strong all day. The second semi featuredSwitzer and Kelly, along with upstart Aussies Ben Hayand Craig Bond. Switzer and Kelly prevailed, sendingBond and Hay to the Consi. So the final was set withReimer, Chapman, Kelly and Switzer.
Prior to the final, the consolation race was runbetween Silva, Batt, Bond and Hay. Most thought Silvaor Batt would prevail, but no one told the Aussies! Haysurprised everyone when he won the Consi to securefifth place. Batt finished in sixth and Silva in seventh.
The final got underway with Reimer, Chapman,Kelly and Switzer all pushing hard off the line andjockeying for position. As they approached the sharpleft-hand turn called “The Dipper,” they all drifted andslid in unison. Reimer was out in front with the othersfollowing closely behind. As they went through theDipper, Chapman did a 180 slide and went throughthe corner switchstance. Unfortunately, Switzer wasnext to him. Switzer’s hand was run over by Chapmanand they both crashed. Reimer stretched his lead overKelly as they worked their way through Forrest’sElbow and then down the Conrod straight. At thefinish line Reimer led Kelly by about ten meters (30’).Switzer and Chapman both recovered, with Switzerearning third.
Reimer’s win earned him his fourth World Cup vic-tory of 2010, giving him a perfect score of 1800 pointsfor the season. No other Open Downhill Skateboarderhas ever achieved this feat, and Reimer did it againstthe strongest group of competitors in series history.Since he’d already clinched the 2010 IGSA World CupSeries Championship in Brazil, winning in Australiacould only improve his score. At the conclusion allfour riders were smiling and stoked that the race hadtaken place. It was an epic battle fought between thegiants of the sport. CW
NEWTON’S NATIONFINAL RESULTS1. Kevin Reimer, Canada2. James Kelly, United States3. Patrick Switzer, Canada4. Andrew Chapman, Canada5. Ben Hay, Australia6. Christoph Batt, Switzerland7. Douglas Silva, Brazil8. Craig Bond, Australia.
Switzer and Kelly entering “The Dipper” in the semifinals. Photo: Pierre Gamby
Dalua had a great weekend untilhe crashed out in the semifinals.Photo: Pierre Gamby
Patrick Switzer had another solid race, finishing third. Photo: Pierre Gamby
Kevin Reimer showing amazing controlin the rain. Photo: Pierre Gamby
The top four finishers were stoked that the race wentahead in the wet conditions. Photo: Marcus Rietema
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1-21-3-1201 Befu Jyounan Fukuoka 8140104 JapanY & T Fussa Fussa 2348 Fussa Fussa.City,Tokyo 1970011Ultimate Boards 3/1043 Great North Road PointChevalier, Auckland 1022. New Zealand ultimateboards.co.nzSkate of the NationUnit 6 GYY building # 1 Tomas Morato1100 Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippineswww.Skateofthenation.comNETHERLANDSSickboards Fuutlan 45 Delft [email protected] Soul dh Alameda Picaflores 245 San Borja Lima 41 PeruIndiana Sports GmbH Elbestrasse 14 Wald, 8636 Switzerland Contact: Christof PellerClover Skateboard Shop 1-21-3-1201 Befu JyounanFukuoka 8140104 JapanSkate of the Nation Unit 6 GYY building# 1 Tomas Morato, 1100 Quezon CityMetro Manila, Philippines; www.Skateofthenation.comBestboards 24 Danao StreetRivera Village Bajada Davao City Philippines
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