by The Editors on April 20, 2008
While we may not so sure about “The Triathlon of a New Generation” a.k.a. the Ultimate Boarder 2008, a contest in which athletes compete in snowboarding, surfing, and skateboarding with combined scoring, we are absolutely sure that the right guy won.
Carlsbadistan’s Aaron Astorga edged out pro snowboarder and ESPN commentator Todd Richards and rolled away with a check for $30,000.
“It was an amazing event and everyone had a great time,” said Ultimate Boarder™ champion, Aaron Astorga. “The contest organizers did an unbelievable job of bringing all of the surfers, skaters and snowboarders together and I know a lot of us are already looking forward to next year’s contest.”
Follow the jump for all the details.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on April 19, 2008
According to KTLA.com a teenage skateboarder was shot and killed at Madison Middle school in North Hollywood last night around 7:30 PM.
The shooting was reported around 7:30 p.m. on Hart Street and Ethel Avenue, Sgt. G. Patton of the Los Angeles Police Department said. . . The victim, who was not yet identified, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. . . .Police had no information on a motive, but video crews on the scene said the shooting involved at least two juveniles.
Video crews on the scene? Anyone know who was rolling video in North Hollywood last night?
[Link: KTLA.com]
by The Editors on April 19, 2008
In an email sent out to Transworld Media employees on the morning of April 18, 2008 Group Publisher Jeff Griffing announced that after six months on the job he would be leaving Transworld Media and moving east (the second time in the last year that he has quit and moved).
My wife and I have decided to leave southern California to raise my son Jake back east. . . .There will be rumors that I left because I’m frustrated with Bonnier, Winter Park, whatever…..none of which are true.
His replacement: former VP of Sales and long-time Transworld adman Liam Ferguson. Mr. Ferguson will have the distinction of being Transworld Media’s seventh Group Publisher in the last five years.
by The Editors on April 14, 2008
While we don’t really understand it, Benjamin “Benny Gold” Weiner, is building a design empire on his designs for Nike, Adidas, Stussy and Levis. Here he is profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle.
[It’s] about not losing sight of your youth,” Gold says about the derivation of his nickname. “It’s important for me to remain youthful as I grow. The reference to gold symbolizes success and achievement.”
Gold’s big break came in 2002 when he was hired to create a logo for Huf, a string of streetwear boutiques opened by professional skateboarder Keith “Huf” Hufnagel. Shortly thereafter, he became the lead designer for Huf, creating urban-inspired sneakers and clothing in limited-editions that quickly became coveted items.
For the rest of the Benny story, click the link.
[Link: San Francisco Chronicle]
by The Editors on April 10, 2008
The X Games are so totally irrelevant to us that even following this recent vert debacle is getting boring. Apparently, X Games General Manager Chris Stiepock is now saying that vert is back in the TV show, but it isn’t because anyone complained, or because skaters threatened to boycott the mondo, super kicker, or because readers voted to keep vert. No, no, no. It’s because of the planning process.
“We were trying to put enough vert features in the park course to satisfy the vert skateboarders,” said X Games General Manager Chris Stiepock. “In the process, the skaters realized there was no way we were going to be able to do that.”
Okay, Chris. Fine.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on April 9, 2008
More wacky taste from the crew at Robust Flavor:
Robust Flavor is pleased to feature the new collaboration by Diamond Supply Co. and our good friends at The Skateboard Mag. Introducing the “Stop Skate Harassment” T-shirt featuring a pig, spoofing traditional police shields.
We still think the “Skateboarding Is Not A Crime” sums this up much more succinctly.
[Link: Robust Flavor]
by The Editors on April 9, 2008
While we all know that the X Games have been a TV show (and nothing else) since the beginning, there are a pretty big crew of skateboarders who have gotten rich by playing along with ESPN. Most notably the vert skaters. Now when ESPN announces that they are going to pull Vert Skate and BMX from the show, some (like Andy McDonald) aren’t happy about it.
Macdonald accused the X Games of seeking the sensational, as when Encinitas’ Jake Brown tumbled 46 feet to the plywood deck last year, landing on his tailbone during the Big Air competition. Brown underwent surgery on his wrist, and suffered a bruised lung and cracked vertebrae.
“It’s just a show now. A circus,” Macdonald said. “How are we going to try to one-up Jake Brown falling from the ceiling at the Staples Center?”
There’s more, but it’s mostly about people being upset that someone moved their cheese.
[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]
by The Editors on April 8, 2008
Danny Hoff, 40, of Glenpool, Oklahoma just wanted to spend more time with his 13-year-old-son Tyler. So he bought a brand-new Tony Hawk skateboard. His life basically ended one minute after stepping on board.
He picked up too much speed and hit a rock, which sent the board flying one way and him the other. His head hit the pavement, causing a penetrating head injury and irrevocable swelling. . . Hoff fell into a coma and was pronounced dead two days later. . . If he’d been wearing a helmet, doctors said, he would’ve had a 92 percent chance of survival.
This is one of the saddest skateboarding stories we’ve heard.
[Link: Tulsaworld.com]
by The Editors on April 4, 2008
Don’t know why we even care, but their RSS feed makes it so easy.
[Link: emericaskate]
by The Editors on April 4, 2008
We’re not really sure EXPN is the best place to read commentary about the X Games in general, as ESPN owns both franchises, however, editor Mary Fenton has written a timely story about the X Games decision to kill the vert competition.
On April 3, ESPN announced the biggest event shakeup since the inception of the X Games. As of this summer, vert, the oldest discipline in the Games, is out, and a new “SuperPark”-type discipline is in for the 14th year of competition.
“It’s time. It’s been time. ESPN’s always a little slow on the uptake. It’s no secret that the vert field has stayed the same for the last decade. It’s no secret that there aren’t any vert ramps for kids to ride outside Southern California. If you want a vert career, you have to move there,” says X Games General Manager Chris Stiepock.
Not to worry, however. We know all the Vert dogs will pretty much do anything to support their rock and roll lifestyles, so it looks like Shaun White is going to have to learn some new tricks. (Wonder if Snowboarder Magazine ever got that SuperPark name trademarked?)
[Link: EXPN]
While we may not so sure about “The Triathlon of a New Generation” a.k.a. the Ultimate Boarder 2008, a contest in which athletes compete in snowboarding, surfing, and skateboarding with combined scoring, we are absolutely sure that the right guy won.
