NEW BOOK, BUILT TO GRIND, 25 YEARS OF HARDCORE SKATEBOARDING RELEASED BY INDEPENDENT TRUCK COMPANY – Independent Truck Company is extremely proud to announce the release of its new coffee table book entitled Built to Grind, 25 Years of Hardcore Skateboarding, from the archives of Independent Truck Company. ‘Built to Grind catalogs the skateboarding scene from its inception – 320 pages of color photos, personal stories and fast-action skateboarding featuring the world’s best skateboarders and most renowned skate spots,’ said Bob Denike, editor of Built to Grind. Built to Grind is broken down into five different time periods: 1978-81, 1982-86, 1987-91, 1991-96, and 1997-2003. Through these years Independent Truck Co. has proven to be the epitome of skateboarding’s tried and true – sponsoring hundreds of top professionals that have made the Independent team the most diverse group of skateboarders ever formed. ‘Skateboarding is a lifestyle,’ said Keith Wilson, skateboarder and Built to Grind Managing Editor. ‘This book shows us how the skateboarding lifestyle started 25 years ago and has evolved up to today. Built to Grind is a must read for all skateboard enthusiasts, young and old.’ Hear the real stories according to the people that were there including foreword by C.R. Stecyk III and the writing and skateboarding of Steve Alba, Duane Peters, Bryce Kanights, Jason Lee, Christian Hosoi, Tommy Guerrero, Danny Way, Andrew Reynolds, Bucky Lasek, plus hundreds of other professional and amateur friends that have made up the Independent cartel since the late 70’s. Independent Truck Company is a skateboard truck manufacturer based in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, California. Established in 1978; Independent Trucks – have long been revered as the best skateboard truck available. For information go to www.independenttrucks.com or www.builtogrind.com.
SHREDDING FOR HEDDINGS: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2005, WASHINGTON STREET SKATE PARK, 555 TARENTO DRIVE, SAN DIEGO, CA… As you may or may not know, Neil Heddings and Christine Rams, our good friends, are still sitting in jail for the death of Neil’s son, Marcus Heddings. The trial that awaits them was scheduled for a year and a half ago but has been pushed back month after month. The trial is now tentatively scheduled for February 3, 2005, but will most likely be rescheduled to a later date. As friends, we have an obligation to not forget them and continue to show our support. In order to bring attention, spread awareness and raise money for the wrongful imprisonment of Neil and Christine, there will be a best trick contest at the Washington St. Skate Park in San Diego, CA. The contest will be on Saturday Feb 26th, beginning at noon and ending when the sun goes down. Neil and Christine are in dire need of money to finance their defense. We are selling banner space at $100 per banner, per company. Each additional banner will be $25. We will also be selling raffle tickets to raffle off donated products from skateboard manufacturers, shoe companies, skate clothing companies, etc. Granted this is a rough time in the skate industry but it couldn’t be as rough as sitting in jail for the death of your son. This is not only a good promotion for your company it is a great donation for two friends. Your donations will be recognized with a receipt from a non-profit organization which Neil’s mom, Shirley Brookey, has set up. All banner sales will go through The Marcus Heddings Family Foundation and all product donations shall be sent to the Marcus Heddings’ fundraiser committee in San Diego, CA (Info regarding sales and donations, below…,) Those of us who know Neil and Christine know that these two people are gentle, kind parents who love their children. To put two people in jail for the death of their son for over two years without a fair and speedy trial is unjust. We as friends and fans need to donate and show our support in order to make sure they are not prosecuted for a crime they did not commit. Neil has contributed a tremendous amount to the skateboard industry and has a heart of gold. Now we must show our gratitude by helping them through this. Your contributions are truly appreciated and paramount in our quest for justice for Neil and Christine. Sincerely, John Ponts… Contest format: Best trick. Shred all day long in the name of Neil and hope your rider can pull the best trick. Judges will be on hand in the morning and will begin judging from the first cheers, and end when shredding stops. Media coverage: Thrasher, Skateboard Mag, Juice, 411VM, Skateboarder, TransWorld, Concussion, Automatic, San Diego Tribune, L.A. Times… Music: DJ Cesar spinning punk, metal and rock-n-roll all day long…. Food: bbq carne asada/pollo tacos…. Product donations: Please send as much product as you can, as there will be a raffle. All proceeds from the raffle will go directly to the Marcus Heddings Memorial Foundation. Send product and banners to: Marcus Heddings Fundraising Committee 555 Tarento Dr. San Diego, CA 92106. Attach an estimation of product value and your company will receive a receipt for tax deductions. NPO #68-0562505. Questions regarding product, contact John Ponts (707) 484-2966. Banner Sales: $100 for one banner, any size: $25 each additional banner, any size. All sales shall be made through Neil’s mom. Shirley Bookey: Marcus Heddings Family Foundation P.O. Box 26 Newberg, OR 97132. All banner sales must be made by February 18. Marcus Heddings Family Foundation #68-0562505. Shirley Brookey (503) 560-5967 Directions: Interstate 5 to Washington St exit, head west toward airport on Wash St. Park will be in front of you. Park the car and shred for Heddings!
WASHINGTON STREET SKATE PARK FUND RAISER, JAN 14TH, sponsored by Electric Visual Eyewear, Juice Magazine, Revolver and The Amerikan Project…SoCal punk n’ roll destroyers KILLING CALIFORNIA and Wilmington, NC’s longtime rock n’ roll masters THE NEEDLES will rock the house as AMERIKAN presents an MAJOR AMERIKAN LABEL CD RELEASE PARTY. You can find more info on the bands at www.killingcalifornia.com and www.moonrockneedles.com. And go check out THE AMERIKAN PROJECT at www.TheAmerikanProject.com. You can find the party at the ROSEARY ROOM – 947 E. ST. SAN DIEGO, CA. Doors at 8PM. First band – Killing California is scheduled to go on at 10:30PM. Cover charge is $5. Half of all proceeds will be donated to the WASHINGTON STREET SKATE PARK FUND. For more information, please e-mail JUICEMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COM.
SESSIONS ANNOUNCES HOSOI SKATEBOARD AUCTION TO BENEFIT TSUNAMI RECOVERY-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemanditem=7127721839
Joel Gomez, founder and C.E.O. of Sessions has donated, from his private collection, a Christian Hosoi Sims Skateboard deck (circa 1982) to be auctioned off on EBay with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Surf Aid’s disaster relief fund. http://www.surfaidinternational.org/index.html Transworld Skateboarding named this board as being one of the fifteen most coveted skateboards ever in their February 2005 issue. Upon hearing of our plans Christian immediately agreed to sign the board in hopes the added value would bring additional aid to those in need. Thanks – Justin Gold – Sessions Marketing/Skate Team. EMAIL justing@sessions.com for more information.
DVS Shoe Company would like to welcome Torey Pudwill to the team. Torey will officially be the youngest rider on the team. He will be joining Daewon Song, Steve Berra, Chico Brenes, Jereme Rogers, Jeron Wilson, Keith Hufnagel, Mike Taylor, Kerry Getz, Jason Dill and Daniel Castillo. From Simi Valley, California, Torey’s list of sponsors also includes Matix flow and Shortys. Check out Torey in the newest Shortys video ‘How to Go Pro,’ out now and at www.dvsskate.com and www.skate-more.com.
SOCAL SKATEPARKS – NEWS FROM www.socalskateparks.com – Several new skateparks including Santa Monica, Costa Mesa, and Rancho Santa Margarita are currently under construction and 3 other new skateparks including Harada, Huber, and the one in Irwindale should be opening soon.
WALLY HOLLYDAY is designing the Santa Monica Skate Park. Work is in progress and it’s looking good from the over 14′ vert cradle with a replica of the original Dogbowl with pool coping. There’s a smaller 6-foot bowl – clover- in the back, endless, endless, endless lines… Coming soon.
PRIVATE INDOOR SKATEBOARDING FACILITY TO OPEN IN BROOKLYN, NY – In true New Yorker do-it-yourself style, longtime Big Apple residents Bobby Puleo, Steve Rodriguez and Pat Smith have joined forces with NYC locals to open Mount Weather – a private indoor street spot / training facility in Brooklyn, NY. The new 4,500 square foot heated TF will be fully operational beginning the week of January 10th, and it’s made possible by 5boro Skateboards, Volcom, Emerica, Redbull, Autumn Skateboard Shop and individual key holders. Although all backers will provide much needed funds to the project, Redbull and Autumn will take it one step further by also supplying an assortment of ramps and other street obstacles. Conveniently located one block from the Lorimer Street stop on the L-train, Mount Weather will feature a streamlined street course, making it the ideal compliment to Greenpoint, Brooklyn’s renowned Autumn Bowl. ‘Puleo came up with the idea for an indoor spot and he also found the space,’ says 5boro Founder and Owner Steve Rodriguez. ‘Our crew got together one night at Barcade in Brooklyn to discuss the possibility of the space, and we all jumped at the chance to make it happen because an indoor street spot in NYC is something we’ve needed for a very long time due to the frigid weather.’ The new indoor spot will be run as a co-op where, in addition to the aforementioned sponsors, a select group of individual key holders will contribute money to cover rent, ramp materials and other related costs. In return, key holders will enjoy round-the-clock access to Mount Weather. Presently there are twenty-five key holders including Ted Newsome and various NYC transplants, as well as many other notable rippers. So to access the spot you either need your own key or a friend with a key. That’s it; that’s the only way in. ‘The landlord is super cool and totally willing to work with us,’ continues Rodriguez. ‘Each key holder contributed his portion of the rent up front for the four-month lease, so now we’re covered through April and won’t have to deal with collecting rent each month. We’re all really stoked to have an indoor space to skate this winter.’ With temperatures beginning to dip below freezing and meteorologists predicting a rough winter in the Northeast, NYC street skaters can take comfort in the fact that they’ll be able to beat Old Man Winter this year at Brooklyn’s Mount Weather. This project is yet another example of NYC’s tight-knit skateboarding community and supportive brands such as 5boro, Volcom, Emerica and Redbull banding together and taking matters into their own hands to create positive change. For more information, please contact: Steve Rodriguez – steve@5boro.com
BLACK LABEL / EMERGENCY SKATEBOARDS has released a limited edition Ray ‘Bones’ Rodriguez model featuring original artwork by John Lucero.
LEROY GRANNIS PHOTO EXHIBIT: ‘BIRTH OF A CULTURE’ – ’60s and ’70s Surf Photography by Leroy Grannis – Feb. 26-March 30, 2005. Opening reception – Feb. 26th 6pm-8pm. Nostalgic images from surf photography icon serve to document a seminal moment in American cultural history. MB Fine Art Los Angeles presents the first exhibition of large-scale, limited edition prints by legendary surf photographer Leroy Grannis in Birth of a Culture: 60’s and 70’s Surf Photography by Leroy Grannis from February 26 through March 30, 2005. Featuring over thirty works focusing on what many consider to be the golden era of surfing – the Sixties and Seventies – Grannis’ artistry captures the purity, soul and lifestyle of a seminal moment in American cultural history. Whether shooting surf-god (and surfing buddy) Mickey Dora catching waves in Malibu or a San Onofre parking lot filled with long boards, VW buses and surfer girls, Grannis’ work nostalgically embraces both the lost elegance of the sport as well as the idealization of this uniquely California lifestyle. Grannis’ poignant images record the decades’ surfing spirit and evoke a sense of timeless grace that greatly contrasts to the modern-day ‘extreme sport’ notion of surfing. A surfer himself, Leroy Grannis was born in Hermosa Beach, California in 1917 and began shooting surf-culture images on 22nd Street in Hermosa in 1960 as a hobby at the suggestion of a family doctor. He quickly became one of the sport’s most important documentarians, voted into the International Surfing Hall of Fame as the number one lensman in 1966, awarded SIMA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 for his legendary surf photography and most recently, featured on the cover and within Taschen’s Surfing: Vintage Surfing Graphics. The Leroy Grannis photo exhibit will be hosted by MB Fine Art 612 N. Almont Dr. West Hollywood, CA 90069 – tel: 310.550.0050. Visit www.mbfala.com for more.
DWINDLE DISTRIBUTION NEWS – Bod Boyle and Steve Douglas to join Dwindle Distribution – Skate hardgoods and apparel company Dwindle Distribution, part of the Globe International Group and the world’s largest skateboard company, today announced it has added two industry veterans to set the direction of its multi-brand strategy. Bod Boyle has been appointed President of Dwindle Distribution, while longtime industry figurehead Steve Douglas has signed an exclusive consulting agreement to work in conjunction with Boyle in steering the strategic vision of Dwindle Distribution. Boyle skated professionally from 1988 to 1993, earning a World Championship in 1990. Boyle enters his new position with over 11 years of senior level management experience from NHS, Inc. and Giant Skateboard Distribution, respectively, and is currently an active member on the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) board. ‘With the business of skateboarding becoming more global, Dwindle provides an exciting opportunity both on a personal and professional level. The resources and reach of Dwindle will create unique opportunities to push skateboarding’s culture in new directions around the world, something I am very passionate about. Leaving Giant was a difficult decision. My time there, working with exceptional brands and great people, was an experience I truly value,’ said Boyle. Steve Douglas, ex-professional skater, co-founder and former President of Giant Skateboard Distribution and 411 Video Magazine, has signed an exclusive consulting agreement with Dwindle Distribution. Since leaving Giant in July of 2002, Douglas has been focusing on his family and UK business, the New Deal Group, which he co-founded in 1990. ‘This industry is my life and I’ve really missed the hardgoods side of the business over the past two years. When the opportunity came to work with Dwindle, it all made sense. Dwindle’s rich history and backing from the Hill brothers and my old teammate, Gary Valentine, make this an incredibly compelling opportunity.’ Back in the day, Rocco and Rodney inspired so many of us skaters to do our own thing when they built Dwindle; it helped make this industry what it is today. When Bod Boyle, my best friend of over 20 years, called to tell me about his new position and then asked me to be involved, I couldn’t refuse,’ said Douglas. ‘I am incredibly excited to have Bod and Steve join Dwindle. They have a huge amount of skate experience; both as pro skaters and industry figureheads, and their track records are unparalleled. To have skaters running a skate company is a necessity for success in our industry.’ said Matt Hill, CEO of Globe. ‘Steve and Bod are not only great guys, but know more about the skate industry than just about anyone. With those guys running the ship, I’ll never have to go back to work again,’ said Steve Rocco, co-founder of World Industries/Dwindle Distribution. For further information on Dwindle and its brands visit www.dwindle.com.The former vice president of Op marketing Micheal Marckx is the new Vice President of Global Marketing for Globe.
BIGFOOT BOWL JAM -Jan 15 – Bigfoot Bowl Jam – Evolution Skate Park, Canton, OH – This Saturday brings our First Annual Bowl Contest; the BIGFOOT Bowl Jam. Contest starts at 4pm. Age groups are 12 and under, 13-25, and 26+. Local Band Mindpulp will play a free show after the contest, so come on down. Contest entry is $10 and prices to skate are our regular weekend prices. Spectators are free. Top three in each category win prizes. Also, if you haven’t been here in about a week or so, you can check the progress on our newest project inside the park – SPINEZILLA. Thanks to the contest’s sponsors Smith Safety Gear, IPATH, Project Hardware, Boo Skateboards, FKD Bearings, and Satori Wheels. EVOLUTION SKATE PARK www.skateevolution.com
WORLD CUP SKATEBOARDING NEWS – The World Cup Skateboarding 2005 Schedule of Events is now posted. Check out the trailer for Bryce Kanights’ vid ‘Planes, Trains and Skateboards’ while you are there. For more go to wcsk8.com
DVS X JULIETTE LEWIS – DVS Shoe Company has partnered up with singer, actress Juliette Lewis to fuel its ever-growing women’s business. This marks the first major marketing initiative for DVS Girls in 2005. The partnership entails cross-promotion of DVS Girls, Juliette Lewis and her band Juliette and The Licks, a signature shoe – the Juliette – and a full marketing campaign. The Juliette shoe will be DVS Girls’ first-ever signature model and will make its debut in the Summer/Fall 2005 line being shown at this weekend’s ASR (Action Sports Retailer) tradeshow in San Diego, California. The shoe has been designed with Juliette’s input and inspiration and will feature Juliette labels, special packaging and a custom print on the insole. Juliette and The Licks debut EP – Like a Bolt of Lightning’ is out now on Fiddler Records. For more information visit www.julietteandthelicks.com and www.dvs-girls.com.
DOWNHILL MOTION re-released on DVD. Definition of Old School Skateboarding. Get yours at http://www.DownhillMotion.com.
FACTORY 13 SKATEBOARDS has added a new site at www.factory13experimental.com
GLOBE NEWS – Globe signs the Hobgood twins to a multi-year apparel, footwear and accessories agreement El Segundo, CA. January 5, 2005 – Leading board sports and streetwear apparel company Globe International announced today that two of the best surfers in the world, former world champion C.J. Hobgood, and his twin brother Damien, have united once again, committing to a multi-year agreement to ride for Globe apparel, footwear, and accessories, as an integral part of Globe’s worldwide apparel launch. In announcing the sponsorship, Michael Marckx, VP of Global Marketing for Globe said, ‘C.J. and Damien are two of the most well-respected and talented surfers on the planet. Their contributions in and out of the water speak volumes about their dedication to surfing and its future and we all look forward to seeing what they can do for the future of the sport.’ As two of the most innovative and talented surfers today, both C.J. and Damien Hobgood have been consistently at the top of the ASP World Championship Tour standings, but their involvement in the surf industry extends beyond their roles as professional athletes. In 2002 they joined forces to create Camp Hobgood, a weeklong surf trip that gives a handful of amateur surfers the opportunity to surf in exotic locations and learn the ropes of being a pro surfer, straight from the Hobgoods themselves- Globe’s continuous support and dedication to the action sports is evident in its long list of team riders and events worldwide, Including, but not limited to: World Champion surfers Mark Occhilupo and C.J. Hobgood, top (WCT) surfers Damien Hobgood and Taj Burrow, professional skateboarders Rodney Mullen; as well as the Globe Fiji Pro (WCT), the Globe World Cup Skateboarding, The Globe Sebastian Inlet Pro and the Globe Wildcard Series. Visit www.globeshoes.com for more information on Globe.
GRINDLINE T-SHIRTS – The first in a series of limited edition t-shirts. Each run will have just 50 shirts printed. Available only in black, size large. $14.95 each plus $4.95 for shipping. Allow 7 to 10 days for delivery. Go to www.grindline.com to get yours.
THE SEARCH FOR ANIMAL CHIN – The original Bones Brigade contributed to directors cut for ‘The Search for Animal Chin’ DVD with bonus unseen footage. The guys got together in a studio in L.A. to add their comments to this all important skateboard title. This version of ‘The Search for Animal Chin’ should be available early Spring 2005. The ‘Santa Barbara Film Festival’ is going to show the re release. Poster photo by Scott Starr. Showing times during the Santa Barbara Film Festival are Friday February 4, 2005 at 10:15PM at Metro and Sunday February 6, 2005 at 6:30PM at Victoria. For info go to: www.skateone.com
COLORADO SKATE PARK MAP 2- Colorado Skate Park Map:Version 2 brought to you by Conspiracy- As the first skate park map ever printed, the Conspiracy Colorado Skate Park Map was a huge success. Over 3,000 copies were distributed throughout Colorado and the United States. The map was printed in 2002 and featured over 50 Colorado skate parks. Colorado has nearly twice that many parks today. So we’re putting together a new map that will feature all of the new and old parks. Purchase a back cover ad for only $150, and you get 60 maps free! Sell them at $2.99 each, and make $180 ($30 paid to you for advertising). The new map will be similar to a road map. It will feature major roads and highways and be folded in a similar. The actual map will fill one full side of the fold out and the other side will feature skaters shredding Various parks contained within the map. The back cover will be reserved for ad space. Ad space will also be available inside the map. Businesses that advertised in the first map found it to be a great promotional tool. With a suggested retail price of $2.99, advertisers were afforded the opportunity to make their advertising dollars back with the maps supplied to them. Ad reserve deadline: January 15, 2005. Artwork and payment deadline: January 30, 2005. Please email skater@conspiracyboards.com for more info or call Ashley at (303) 383-1895 with any questions.
TAMPA AM 2005 Weekend Schedule and Information www.skateparkoftampa.com.
VF IMAGEWEAR has signed an agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Holoubek, Inc. With sales in excess of $40 million, Holoubek has been an apparel licensee of Harley-Davidson, Inc. for over 20 years. The transaction is expected to be completed in January 2005…Copyright 2004 SportsNewsSource, LLC
FUEL TV CONTEST – Check out the website and if you dare, bid on an all-new 2005 Toyota Tacoma, a trip for two to the X-Dance Film Festival in Park City, snowboarding lessons, VIP passes to events and more. Plus it all benefits the Surfrider Foundation. Go to www.huckntruck.com and www.fuel.tv
CONGRATS JESEK!!! – Compatriot Snowboard Company announced that they have signed sponsorship contracts with team riders Kristoff LaGraff, Keegan Pfeil, Spencer Moon, Kelly Dee Williams, and Pete Maniaci. They have also added Jill Leblanc and Brad Jezek to the family. ‘These riders are all talented individuals with a true passion for snowboarding’ says Compatriot Team Manager, Tony Hatfield. Log on to www.compatriotsnowboards.com to read bios, interviews, and view photos of the team.
SURFLINE LAUNCHES SURF CAMERAS ON CELL PHONES – Surfline.com, the world’s most popular online destination for surfers, in conjunction with Ninja Mobile, a California-based mobile solutions provider, announced today the release of a revolutionary new service that offers consumers the ability to view live surf camera images from its entire national camera network, along with select international breaks, on cell phones. As part of Surfline’s commitment to extending its brand beyond the desktop, the new application, called Surfline Mobile Premium, is being introduced first through Verizon Wireless, with other carriers expected to release versions later this month. For every surfer who has ever wondered what the waves were like while driving down the highway, the answer is now as close as their mobile device. Surfline Mobile Premium offers feeds from nearly 100 beaches around the globe, giving subscribers a precise, visual reading of current conditions. Each location will also feature a local forecast summary, along with detailed wave heights, wind data, water temperatures, tide readings and more. Reports are posted by 7 a.m. and updated late morning and afternoon, with regional wind updates every thirty minutes. Also included is a news section designed to deliver relevant industry news and/or live event updates. For more information about Surfline Mobile Premium, please visit: www.surfline.com
WAVES OF WARNING – ‘The Conflict is Between Polynesia and Wall Street… The Battleground is the Future of Surfing…. ‘Waves of Warning’ is surfing’s first epic novel. At over 800 pages, the book has the attention to detail and the character of a best-selling action adventure novel, while maintaining an authenticity to modern surfing that only Glenn Hening could achieve. (Foreword written by Drew Kampion.) ‘Waves of Warning’ is divided into two volumes. Part One, ‘The First Winds of Winter’ and Part Two, ‘Ancient Waves’ combine to weave a grand story that begins with a lone mariner at a sacred Polynesian reef and continues through the heart of the surf industry in Orange County, the pro surf scene on the North Shore, the billion dollar deals on Wall Street, massive storms in Antarctica, the endless waves of the Roaring 40s, tow-in surfing on 80′ waves, and an archipelago not found on any maps where a society of people have lived for hundred of years untouched by modern technology. Go to www.wavesofwarning.com to read more.
NATHAN FLETCHER is now on the Analog team – the new streetwear company by Burton.
BIGGEST WAVE CONTEST – The Mavericks Surf Contest Returns for the 2004/2005 Season ”Super Bowl of big-wave surfing’ is back- November 22, 2004. Half Moon Bay, California. Building on a triumphant return last February, The Mavericks Surf Contest beckons the greatest big-wave surfers to compete on ‘the most dangerous wave in the world’ again this winter season. After a three-year hiatus, the Contest returned with a vengeance to Half Moon Bay on February 27, 2004. Heralded as ‘the Super Bowl of big-wave surfing’ by Sports Illustrated and the ‘Holy of Holies’ by the San Francisco Chronicle, two million television broadcast viewers and 15,000 spectators witnessed the crowning of champion Darryl ‘Flea’ Virostko. Mavericks and Contest Director Jeff Clark were also featured on ABC News Nightline and in Stacy Peralta’s Sundance Film Festival-opening ‘Riding Giants,’ distributed in theatres world-wide by Sony Pictures Classics this past Summer. This season, event organizers have set a December 1 through March 31 Waiting Period and summoned a coveted list of competitors including the dominant ‘Flea,’ 2003/2004 runner-up and Surfing Magazine editor Evan Slater, and big-wave legend Peter Mel, among other stand-outs. Commented Contest Director Jeff Clark, ‘After our success last season in bringing back this world-famous contest, we’re looking to go even bigger this year. I think we’ll see some enormous waves roll through this season, and we’re ready to go-now we just wait for Mother Nature!’ Invitees – Darryl Virostko, Kenny Collins, Ryan Seelbach, Evan Slater, Rodrigo Resende, Zack Wormhoudt, Peter Mel, Shane Desmond, Mike Gerhardt, Anthony Tashnick, Josh Loya, Randy Cone, Matt Ambrose, Russell Smith, Ross Clarke Jones, Grant Washburn, Eraldo Gueiros, Tony Ray, Carlos Burle, Brock Little, Ion Banner, Garrett McNamara, Greg Long, Shawn Rhodes… The Alternates include: Shawn Barron, Ryan Augustine, Mike Brummet, Troy Virotsko, Jake Wormhoudt, Nacho Lopez, Danilo Couto, Grant Baker, Kevin Vanderpol, Doug Young, Marcelo Ulyssea, Andy Campbell, Tyler Smith, Noah Johnson and Pato Teixeira. On a date to be determined on 24-hours notice during the winter season of 2004-05, 24 invited surfers will battle to determine the next Champion of The Mavericks Surf Contest. For more information, check the official website at www.maverickssurf.com.
MADE IN AMERICA – John Ratzenberger, host of Made in America, stopped by to visit Skate One and George Powell to film an episode about how Powell Skateboards are made. Go to: www.skateone.com
DESIGNARIUM – Welcome to designarium, a new skateboard company. Only in this company, we are sponsoring and giving models to artists instead of skaters. Each board is a kind of limited edition of fine art print. It’s a way of recognizing and celebrating skateboard culture, not just skateboarding itself. The first round of artists include Thomas Cambell, Shepard Fairey (OBEY) , Lodown Magazine, and Paige Imatani. Shepard, Lodown and Paige have all done their versions of classic Natas ‘Panther’ graphics, a very cool and fun project. We just felt like bringing something new and creative to the table. Thank you for your support, Natas…. Limited Edition Decks- Round 1 * Only one production run of 500 decks for each limited edition graphic * Natas Panther rendition decks feature a laser-etched numbering system on the deck tops * Natas OG signature Panther board featuring original shape and graphic. Full-board white paint. Each deck signed and hand-numbered by Natas. 500 made. designarium Flourish logo desktop graphic * Each designarium deck is double shrink-wrapped to protect the art * Designarium decks are made with Canadian Maple and are manufactured in the United States designarium T-Shirts – * Limited run graphics matching the first round of designarium decks * Super-soft 100% cotton and slim-fit from American Apparel * Tagless neck labeling A Blast From The Past – Natas Kaupas is arguably the most innovative street skateboarder ever. Laying the groundwork for many future generations, Natas was the first to boardslide a handrail and along with Mark Gonzolez, was one of the first to do kickflips. Without Natas, skateboarding would not be where it is today. While continuing to skateboard professionally, Natas’ began in the late 80’s with designing graphics for magazine ads in skate magazines such as Santa Monica Airlines and his own company 101. Down the road, Natas’ graphic arts talent lead to major magazine layout and art-direction on such magazines as Big Brother, Transworld Skateboarding, Blunt Snowboarding. Natas’ later artistic efforts graced CD’s and promo items of Loud Records, Warner Brothers, and RCA. For more information contact NHS – P.O. Box 2718 Santa Cruz, CA 95063
FLORIDA UPDATE – Greetings all reggae and surf crew, JAH SURF has moved to the Upstairs of Flavour located at 2895 McFarlane Rd in Coconut Grove. Just across from Catch A Wave surf shop and Peacock Park and between the Coconut Grove Library and Johnny Rockets. There are shots of the ‘DIRTY SOUTH’ surf contest on the website http://www.jahsurf.com
SURFLINE LAUNCHES SURFWIRE – Surfline, a leading surf media company, today announced it has added a new feature titled ‘SurfWire’ to its popular website, www.surfline.com. SurfWire will aggregate news, information and opinion pieces related to the sport of surfing from websites across the Internet. ‘Surfing’s popularity is exploding, and so too is the media coverage of the sport, lifestyle and culture’ said Marcus Sanders, Editor. ‘By building an area that provides links to the best available content from anywhere on the Web, we’re providing our users with an easy-to-navigate and complete resource for surf-related topics.’ SurfWire will be featured prominently on the Surfline.com home page, in a spot that previously offered links to the websites of Surfer, Surfing and SG Magazines, which was part of a partnership arrangement between Surfline and the company that publishes the magazines, Primedia. At the request of Primedia management, that relationship ended January 1. ‘We truly enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to partner with Primedia, and we wish to extend best wishes to the staffs of each of the magazines and thank them for their continued support of our products and services. We look forward to helping them any way we can going forward,’ said Sean Collins, President. ‘At the same time, we are very excited about being able to expand the depth and breadth of our links to other websites. It increases our value as a source for news and information related to surfing.’ For more visit http://www.surfline.com
DUANE PETERS GUNFIGHT will do all the dates previously announced as The EXPLODING F-DOLLS! The DUANE PETERS GUNFIGHT, album out in MAY on DISASTER!!! The next DUANE PETERS GUNFIGHT shows in LA are Jan. 30 @ The Troubadour, Hollywood w/ The SWINGING UTTERS with CIVET and SMOGTOWN and Feb 3 @ Knitting Factory, Hollywood – all age matinee with THE WEIRDOS
WASSERMAN MEDIA GROUP CREATES STUDIO411 – INTERNAL PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION STUDIO – Wasserman Media Group, LLC (WMG) has formed Studio411, a full-scale production studio with comprehensive distribution and marketing capabilities. Studio411 will support the action sports category, and is slated to release 15 DVD titles from established producers this year. The announcement was made today by WMG Chairman and CEO, Casey Wasserman. ‘Through Studio411, we are extending WMG’s expertise and resources to empower the most talented producers while providing far-reaching distribution for their innovative work,’ said Wasserman. ‘By customizing the traditional studio model for action sports, we are facilitating a better relationship between producers, athletes, sponsors and retailers, while ultimately providing audiences a chance to experience the highest quality entertainment available.’ Following the spring 2004 acquisition of 411 Productions, the leading action sports content provider, WMG integrated resources to create Studio411. Studio411’s distribution network includes specialty and mass market retailers, television, and online partners. Each title launched through the studio will have a windowed release schedule providing specialty retailers with an exclusive period to merchandise all Studio411 product. Studio411 has formed partnerships to exclusively release forthcoming Skateboarding, Surfing, Snowboarding and Motocross titles from the following producers: Skateboarding: Element Skateboards (World Tour, Third Eye View); ZooBamBoo Entertainment (The End) 411VM Skateboarding… Surfing – BamMan Productions (Laird, Strapped); The Moonshine Conspiracy/Woodshed Films (Thicker Than Water, September Sessions)… Snowboarding- Defective Films (Promo Copy); Motocross – Rich Van Every Production (Motorhead) Studio411 will also produce and distribute SX Exposed, a DVD series covering the 2005 Supercross season in conjunction with Godfrey Entertainment (The Legacy of Motocross). ‘Our partnership with Studio411 is a win-win situation. It will allow the shops and surfers to get better service and give us the chance to stay on the road and in the water working on new film projects,’ said Chris Malloy, Producer, The Moonshine Conspiracy. For more information, visit www.studio411.com
OLD MAN BOWL JAM – Time to brush the dust off your plank and start practicing a line for the 3rd annual Tampa Am OLD MAN BOWL JAM going down Jan. 23rd 2005 at 10am in the Skatepark of Tampa’s newly relayered wooden bowl. Start conditioning yourself to wake up early. 10am is our time slot and we want you up and skating, not sawing logs. This contest is open to ex-pro’s, shop owners, media wonderboys, team managers, sales reps, industry types, company owners, artists, journalists, film makers, and assorted swamp trogs. If you’re over 25 and wanna skate, it’s ON! This year we are proud to announce the addition of LIVE music during the Jam format contest. Head Bangin Heavy Metal Hellions, ‘HK’, from San Diego, CALIFORNIA will be playing a LIVE set during the JAM. The event this year is made possible by: SPoT, Thrasher, Generator, and Overboard. For more info contact Kevin Marks At OVERBOARD ENTERPRISES by email at kevin@overboardenterprises.com.
SKATELAB NEWS – The Skatelab in Simi Valley, CA was closed last week. They were filming some scenes for a remake of the 70’s classic flick ‘The Bad News Bears’. Skatelab will host a CASL Contest January 21st and 22nd. Friday night is the 3rd Bowl Jam starting at 6pm and Saturday night will be the 12th Street Contest. Check it… http://www.caslusf.com. For more go to www.skatelab.com
GRAVITY GAMES – OLN’s Winter Gravity Games will be hosted by Copper Mountain from March 3rd – 6th. The Winter Gravity Games, airing on OLN from March 27th – 30th, will feature 11 medal events, including: Men’s and Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe, Boardercross, Snowboard Slopestyle, Ski Halfpipe, and Skiercross, as well as Men’s Ski Slopestyle.
TONY HAWK FOUNDATION NEWS – Tony Hawk Foundation 2004 Final Skatepark Grants Announced: 1/03/05 (Vista, CA) – The Tony Hawk Foundation issued its final skatepark grants for 2004 just before year’s end. Twelve communities across the U.S. received a combined $50,000 from the foundation to help pay for the construction of free, public skateparks. To date, the Tony Hawk Foundation has awarded $968,000 to 246 public skatepark projects. In 2003, an additional $80,000 worth of ramp equipment was also donated through the foundation’s Ramp Partnership program. The foundation received 143 grant applications for its Fall deadline, and the twelve awardees represent every corner of the country:
1. Skate Park of Athens – Athens, Georgia ($10,000)
2. Warren County Community Health Coalition – Front Royal, Virginia ($10,000)
3. Borough of Haines – Haines, Alaska ($5,000)
4. Mammoth Lakes Foundation – Mammoth, California ($5,000)
5. San Pedro Skatepark Association – San Pedro, California ($5,000)
6. Madras Bike and Skatepark Committee – Madras, Oregon ($5,000)
7. Citizens For Skateboarding/Manitowoc Chapter, Inc. – Manitowoc,
Wisconsin ($5,000)
8. City of Point Arena – Point Arena, California ($1,000)
9. City of Derby – Derby, Kansas ($1,000)
10. South End Park Association – Waterville, Maine ($1,000)
11. Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro – Greensboro, North
Carolina ($1,000)
12. City of San Benito – San Benito, Texas ($1,000)
Since 2002 the Tony Hawk Foundation has been fulfilling its mission of helping young people by issuing grants to low-income communities building quality public skateparks. The foundation also provides guidance through the skatepark-planning process. With 12-million skaters in the U.S. and only about 1,000 public skateparks, many skateboarders find themselves without a safe place to ride. Skateparks are an urgent necessity in every community, and the Tony Hawk Foundation is committed to helping bridge that gap and ensuring that skaters have free and fun skateparks to use and enjoy. Deadline for the next round of Tony Hawk Foundation skatepark grants is March 1, 2005. More information regarding deadlines and applicant criteria is available at the foundation’s Web site at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org A charitable, non-profit organization, the Tony Hawk Foundation was established in 2002 by its namesake, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, to promote and provide funds for high-quality public skateparks throughout the United States – with an emphasis on the word ‘quality.’ Since then, it has given $968,000 to 246 communities around the country. The foundation focuses on working with local officials and grassroots, community-based organizations that plan to hire designers and contractors with strong experience designing and building parks. The Tony Hawk Foundation was established by an endowment from Tony Hawk. Its directors raise additional funds through events, industry donations, and continuing grants from Tony and other entities. In addition to skateparks, the foundation also makes donations to other children-related charities, as chosen by its Board of Directors. For more information or to make a donation, access the Foundation’s Web site at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org.
KRUX TRUCKS – SANTA CRUZ, CA – Cairo Foster rides for Krux!! Skateboarding’s most savage street skater just signed up with Krux trucks. Other recent additions to the team include: Tommy Sandoval, Silas Baxter Neal and Tony Montgomery. For details hit up www.kruxtrucks.com
REEBOK SIGNS STEVIE WILLIAMS – Reebok Signs Urban Skateboarder; Will Launch Skate Line – Known in skate circles as one of the greatest street skateboarders of all time, Stevie Williams is the newest member of the Rbk family. Broadening the brand’s reach into the skate culture most heavily prevalent on the West Coast, the multi-year partnership will include an extensive line of skateboarding footwear and apparel called DGK (Dirty Ghetto Kids). DGK is a brand extension of William’s skateboarding decks. – Copyright 2004 SportsNewsSource.
DVS Shoe Company has big plans and many exciting surprises for 2005. Right out of the gates, DVS purchased a gi-normous (that’s gigantic and enormous put together, which means really, really large), top of the line Fleetwood motorhome. The new RV will be traveling to events across the USA spreading DVS cheer wherever it goes. The 40-foot long, diesel pusher comfortably sleeps eight and comes equipped with leather interior, flat screen TVs, a washer and dryer and so much more. The exterior is painted fire engine red and has been ‘splatted’ up with DVS graphics. Sam Ratto was recently promoted to Special Events Coordinator and will be the driver of this ferocious new vehicle. Updates on Sam and big red’s whereabouts, stories and photos will be posted on an all-new website www.dvspartybus.com.
HIGH NOON – BLR/LCB OUTLAW SERIES RACE I -Sunday Jan. 16, 2005 – Format: GIANT SLALOM – Location: PUMP STATION ROAD, SAN DIEGO, CA – Organizer: BLACK LEATHER RACING/LA COSTA BOYZ RACING – Entry Fee: $25. BLACK LEATHER RACING in conjunction with LA COSTA BOYZ RACING. Present: THE BLR/LCB/RADIKAL/KHIRO/SECTOR9/POCKET PISTOLS OUTLAW GS SERIES – TITLE SPONSORS: RADIKAL, KHIRO, SECTOR9, and POCKET PISTOLS! 6 Races will be held on the third Sunday of every month starting January 16th, 2005 – Race Starts at 1:00 PM, Riders Meeting at High Noon (12:00). Race Format will be announced at Riders Meeting. IMPORTANT: THIS RACE IS A ‘NLA’ RACE!! – NO LYCRA ALLOWED. Any racer wearing lycra will not get an official time. Future contest dates include: FEB 20th, 2005, MAR 20th, 2005, APR 17th, 2005, MAY 15th, 2005 (Unless we are in Paris for the World’s), JUNE 19th, 2005 (Overall Series Title Race w/Awards ceremony) COURSE: The pavement is smooth and grippy. Expect speeds of 25 – 34 MPH. The course starts out fairly mellow in grade, then immediately drops into a 10-15MPH speed thrill as you pump through the first 10 cones, then, the course veers right- just before the 15-20 cone mark, just when you will be maching at the about the top speed (unless you dare to charge it harder) then, right about the 30th-40rth cone you might be pullin’ some bugs outta’ yer teeth, when crossing the finish line! WARNING: This race series WILL BE GNARLY. This is an OUTLAW series. We may get busted at this location. IF we do, the series will go on – at a back-up location, or your entry fee may be refunded if we cannot locate a back-up location. If any race gets busted; racers with fastest logged times up to that point in the race, will be determined the winners. RACE FORMAT: Every race will be FAST! Each course will be different, and be set by a ‘GUEST COURSE SETTER’. All racers that compete in any event in this 6 race series will be awarded points towards determining the Overall BLR/LCB/RADIKAL OUTLAW CHAMPION! Podium placement will be awarded cash, points and certificates for each race; with certificates and prizes, awarded to the top ten at each race as well. DIRECTIONS: From LA: take 5 south to 56 east to 15 south. Exit Mercy Rd/Scripps Poway Parkway. Turn left. Go one block past the freeway and turn left into the USA Gasoline/Chili’s/Coldwell Banker parking lot. Park in this lot. Skate/walk back to Scripps Poway Parkway the road you were just on), then toward the freeway. Walk down the road called Cara Road. You’ll see the Pump Station sign. We’ll be about 1/4 mile down. It’s very important that you park at the location I’ve given you and NOT at the top of the race course. That may get us busted. There is no natural shade, nor place to sit so bring chairs, snacks and liquids!!! Registered Contestants include: Olson, Hackett, Palmer, Dave Paul, Mike Gorman, Andrew Mercado, Johnny Miller, Wes Carpenter, Pat Ngoho, Michael Kaelon, Jim Dieter, ‘Brown Bomber’ Carrasco, Bill Wahl, Brad Jackman, Chicken, Ransom, Hamm and Lynn Kramer.
ELEMENT SKATEBOARDS proudly welcomes Chris Senn as an official member to the Element family. Veteran all terrain ripper Senn reigning from Grass Valley, CA, now residing in Kona, Hawaii, has been added to the pro ranks of the Element Wood team. Senn’s aggressive skating stands out no matter what the environment. He brings with him an abundant of contest winnings, including three X Games gold medals, which are strewn about his house, often times being used as drink coasters. ‘The dynamic that Chris’ aggressive style will bring to our team will only enhance our already amazing roster and continue to make element a driving force in skateboarding,’ said Ryan Kingman director of marketing for Element Skateboards. Senn is sponsored by Element Skateboards, Oakley eyewear and apparel, Emerica, Accel wheels, and Destructo trucks. For more information http://www.elementskateboards.com.
LITTLE RULER – San Jose, CA- Toddlers may be too little to skate, but now they can look like they do. For the first time ever, clothing from skateboarding’s most popular brands is available to kids ranging from ages three months to six years. A recently launched website, LittleRuler.com– is the only place to find clothing for infants and toddlers from brands like Independent Truck Company, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Powell, Thrasher, Vans, Skateboarding Is Not a Crime, Santa Monica Airlines and more. Little Ruler was founded by Jeff Kendall and his wife Maureen. Jeff, a professional skateboarder in the mid to late ’80’s who sold more than 100,000 of his pro models over the course of his career, is also the director of marketing for NHS (skateboard manufacturer and distributor). ‘A good percentage 6 million plus skaters of the 80’s generation have or are having kids. Seeing our kids in the custom skate stuff we’ve had made in the past and seeing the reactions of others made us realize something needed to be done,’ said Jeff. ‘It’s so nice to open my kids’ clothing drawers and see them dominated by a bunch of skate t’s!’ Maureen is a stay-at-home mom of their two children and runs the day-to-day operations from their San Jose, Calif. home. Skateboard industry leaders are praising Little Ruler for its authenticity, timing and recognition of a neglected and untapped market. Little Ruler products are available at http://www.littleruler.com
DEW ACTION SPORTS TOUR – The Dew Action Sports Tour, the first-ever season-long professional multi-sport tour in action sports, announced today that it has selected Louisville, Kentucky; Denver, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; San Jose, California; and Orlando, Florida as the five host sites for its inaugural season, beginning in June 2005. The Dew Action Sports Tour schedule and title sponsors of each event are as follows (official names of each event will be announced at a later date): June 8-12, 2005 Louisville – Kentucky Expo Center, July 6-10, 2005 Denver – Pepsi Center, Aug. 17-21, 2005 Portland – Rose Quarter, Sept. 7-11, 2005 San Jose – HP Pavilion and Oct. 12-16, 2005 Orlando – TD Waterhouse Arena… The Tour estimates annual economic impact of $20-30 million and projects attendance of 100,000 in each city. Owned by NBC Sports and Clear Channel Entertainment – Motor Sports, the Dew Action Sports Tour boasts the biggest competitive purse in action sports, a $1 Million Bonus Pool based upon year-end standings, and the largest network television and cable broadcasting commitment ever. In addition to the primary sports of skateboarding, BMX, and freestyle motocross, each tour stop will feature a unique ‘specialty comp’, such as snowboarding or wakeboarding. At season’s end, based on a cumulative points system, the Tour will award champions in skateboarding (street and vert), BMX (street, dirt and vert) and freestyle motocross with the Dew Cup. The Dew Action Sports Tour’s founding sponsors include Mountain Dew (tour title sponsor); and Panasonic, Right Guard Xtreme, Vans, Toyota, PlayStation (event title sponsors). Also joining the Tour as associate sponsors are Peanut Chews and Pacific Cycle – the owner and supplier of Mongoose, Schwinn, and GT bicycle brands.
