by The Editors on September 27, 2009
The Paramount Studios back lot got its annual dose of serious skateboarding last night as the 5th Vans Downtown Showdown rocked the lot with riders from Girl, Flip, Blind, Creature, Black Label, Foundation, Toy Machine, SK8MAFIA and Zoo York going team vs. team on four team-designed features.
The Foundation team made up of (Corey Duffel, Sierra Fellers, Gareth Stehr, Angel Ramierz, Nick Merlino, David Reyes, Abdias Rivera, Alex Gourodorous) took top team honors with top Am going to Nick Merlino and top pro nabbed by Jani Laitiala.
Follow the jump for all the details. Or click here to watch the entire event in HD on Fuel TV.
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by The Editors on September 26, 2009
by The Editors on September 26, 2009
Conor Dougherty, skateboarding’s best friend at the Wall Street Journal, interviews Sean Cliver on the release of his book The Disposable Skateboard Bible. Sean says he really only has one regret about the book:
My only regret when finally going to the printer this past April—after two-and-a-half years of work compiling images—was not being able to photograph Stacy Peralta’s collection. I was briefly in touch with him, learned he still had the original Zephyr board from the one and only Zephyr ad that ran in the first new issue of Skateboarder Magazine in 1975, but unfortunately that’s as far as I was able to get with him. I guess he was neck-deep in the Crips and Bloods: Made in America documentary at the time and we were never able to hook up to shoot his stash.
Follow the link for the rest of the interview.
[Link: Wall Street Journal]
by The Editors on September 23, 2009
Tonight (September 23, 2009) at 9:34 PM PST Transworld Skateboarding’s Editor-In-Chief Skin Phillips sent out the following message from @transworldskate on Twitter:
Eric Stricker, the Editor of Transworld Skateboarding has passed away. He was a good friend, a great editor, and a fighter.R.I.P.-skin
Eric Stricker (pictured left with Transworld’s Blair Alley on September 10, 2009) was one of the best skate minds in the business. He was cool, kind, and always happy to share his deep, deep knowledge of not only skateboarding but culture in general. He will be greatly missed.
As soon as we have more info we will update this.
[Link: Transworld Skateboarding]
by The Editors on September 23, 2009
While the best view of the Vans Downtown Showdown this Saturday (September 26, 2009) may be on the streets of the Paramount Stuidos back lot with all the industry heads, the next best place to watch all the action is in live HD on Fuel.TV. In fact, don’t tell anyone, but we prefer the webcast because that way we get to skip all the hassles.
The webcast starts at 4:30 PM PST on Saturday.
[Link: Fuel TV]
by The Editors on September 22, 2009
When video of Eric Bush being harassed and pushed around by thuggy Baltimore police officer Salvatore Rivieri surfaced in February of 2008 it became a Youtube.com sensation.
Eric’s single mother then sued the city in civil court. Now, however, Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Judge Evelyn Cannon has thrown the case out, according to a story on WTOP.com.
Blackford says Judge Cannon’s decision essentially trumped another Circuit Court judge’s decision to allow the civil case to go forward, even though it was filed more than 180 days after the deadline. . . Blackford had argued Maryland’s law was unclear whether a juvenile’s complaint can be held to the same 180 day standard. . . “The family has the right to appeal, and I believe has a very strong case for appeal,” Blackford says.
Everyone should be happy to know that Officer Rivieri has been back out on patrol for a while now like nothing happened. Apparently, the City of Baltimore likes their cops rough and thuggy.
[Link: WTOP.com]
by The Editors on September 22, 2009
Seems like the “skateboarder as businessman” angle on Tony Hawk is getting pretty dusty, but that hasn’t stopped Entrepreneur Magazine from using the hook to discuss Tony’s newest video game (and controller) Tony Hawk Ride which comes out November 17, 2009 just in time for Christmas.
How does he feel about the launch?
I’m scared to death about it because I know how much is riding on it, how much Activision has invested in it. I brought this idea to them, and they’ve dedicated two years of development and research, but who knows how it’ll do? It’s a scary prospect. But I know it’s good.
Click the link for the rest of the interview.
[Link: Entrepreneur]
by The Editors on September 22, 2009
Crazy to think that it’s been 11 years since Tim Brauch’s untimely death. But this weekend (September 26-27, 2009) it is time to supercharge everyone’s memories. This year’s street contest will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2009 at the Tim Brauch Memorial Skate Park in Scotts Valley, CA beginning at 10:00AM. Sessions will be raffling off great prizes from Skullcandy, Dakine, Bones Wheels, etc and DJ DFunkt will be mixing it up all day.
On Saturday night Supercharged, a documentary about Tim Brauch, will premie Camera 12 Cinema in San Jose, California with two showings: 7 and 9PM.
The 11th Annual Bowl Contest which can now claim the title of the “Longest Running Bowl Event” is hosted by the World Cup of Skateboarding and will be held at the year old Lake Cunningham Regional Skate Park in San Jose, California on Sunday, September 27, 2009.
[Link: Sessions]
by The Editors on September 22, 2009
Leave it to a small, conservative Northwestern town like Sandpoint, Idaho to do the right thing when it comes to skateboarding. After 20 years of skateboarding being banned, the City Council last night voted to legalize all “non-motorized transportation” in the downtown core of the city, according to a story in the Bonner County Daily Bee.
Reuter, who introduced the changes, said the amendment reflects activities already happening downtown and will not affect pedestrians. . . “This does not modify the ability for any of these modes to travel on sidewalks,” he said. “Bicycles are still not allowed on sidewalks, skateboards aren’t allowed on sidewalks. Anything that’s not a pedestrian is not allowed on sidewalks.”
If only this would happen more often. . .
[Link: Bonner County Daily Bee]
by The Editors on September 21, 2009
World Industries is taking their warehouse on the road in the Southwest this fall with a fleet of vehicles that will be able to sell and deliver single board to multiple board or larger purchases right out of the back of the van.
“We’re really looking forward to using Southern California and the other select territories to test this concept,” said World Industries President John Dickinson. “The hope is to be able to build this program into a great benefit for our skate retailers and move it into all territories across the U.S. By bringing the product to the shops we hope to add a little more savings to the retailer, help them increase the frequency in which they update their product offerings, and give them better margins on hardgoods.”
There’s nothing like door-to-door service, especially in trying economic times. Follow the jump for the rest of the info.
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