The 16,000-square-foot Hilltop Skatepark in San Francisco replaces an old skatepark originally built in 1979. Photo by Miki Vuckovich
Now is the time to turn in your application for a skatepark building grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation. The Foundation only accepts applications from communities twice a year. The current application period is live on the foundation’s Web site and will be open until January 16, 2017.
THF funding won’t pay for the whole park, but as many cities have found out, getting a Tony Hawk Foundation grant really helps jumpstart fundraising.
“The value of winning the Tony Hawk Foundation Grant cannot be measured by sheer numbers,” said Sarah Anderson, who led the Nyack, New York public skatepark to its grand opening in 2015. “The esteemed THF grant not only filled the skatepark coffer, it legitimized the project in the eyes of the public and activated donors, both public and private, to carry us forward to the finish line.”
For the official word from the Tony Hawk Foundation, please follow the jump or click here.
Adidas Skateboarding celebrated the launch of their Snoop Dogg and Mark ‘Gonz’ Gonzales’ limited edition LA Stories footwear and apparel collection at Randy’s Donuts on Monday, December 5, 2016, with a “lowrider show paying homage to Snoop and Gonz’s deep Los Angeles connection and history.”
adidas Skateboarding hosted an old school West Coast day party that included a special DJ performance by Snoop Dogg, the ‘LA Stories’ collection on display, and a lowrider show that also featured Snoop’s custom lowrider that was painted by Gonz, whose art is featured throughout the ‘LA Stories’ capsule collection. adidas Pro team riders Daewon Song, Na-Kel Smith, Tyshawn Jones, and Jack Fardell alongside influential tastemakers, industry executives, prominent media, and ecstatic fans, also enjoyed specially prepared Snoop x Gonz donuts fresh from the oven compliments of Randy’s Donuts.
Doesn’t seem possible to manufacture a better event, right? Atiba Jefferson and Skin Phillips were even there. We just wonder how Snoop really feels about his new Gonz paint job?
Merge4 brings together four boardsports heavies in the pursuit of quality socks. Founded by former Sessions co-owner Cindi Ferreira Busenhart, skater/artist Keith Meek, Las Vegas restauranteur Gigli Locatelli, and legendary skater and Santa Cruz Bicycles founder Rob Roskopp, Merge4 is delivering a slew of art socks featuring the works of artists and athletes including: Mofo, Ed Colver, Dave “Nelly” Nelson, Bad Otis Link, Dirk Vermin, Scott Greathouse, Timmy Reyes, Koa Rothman, Matt Rockhold, Steve Caballero, Wee Man, and Mike Basich.
How’s that for a deep crew? For all the details (and to order some sock for your drawer) click the link.
Vans continues their 50th Anniversary celebration with the rerelease of Salman Agah’s first pro skate shoe.
Built with Vans’ proven ULTRACUSH HD sockliners for resilient cushioning and advanced comfort, the Salman Agah Reissue Pro combines Vans’ original waffle outsole with DURACAP reinforced underlays for premium durability. The legendary silhouette features contrast stitching across suede uppers, the original woven elephant tongue label, and the shoe’s defining rubber toe cap, deeply cherished by skateboarders today.
The Aaah reissue arrives in stores all around the world on November 19, 2016. For the official word from Vans, please follow the jump.
The Gonz is good. Helmets are good. And Pro-Tec has put the two together by adding the legendary skateboarder to their team.
“Adding Mark to the Pro-Tec team seems like a perfect fit with the already iconic riders,” says R.P. Bess Protec Global Brand Director. “We’re really looking forward to working with him on a signature helmet. Adding Gonz art to our Full Cut is a perfect combination of authenticity and cool.”
Mr. Gonzales joins a stacked Pro-Tec team that includes fellow legends Steve Caballero, Christian Hosoi, Jason Jessee, Bucky Lasek, Rune Glifberg and rising stars Jimmy Wilkins, Sam Beckett, Alex Perelson, Lizzie Armanto, Josh Borden, Allysha Le and many more. For the official word from Pro-Tec, please follow the jump.
There was a time (a long time ago) when a certain industry head wondered why we backed Walker Ryan so hard. All we can say is watch this. . . pretty self explanatory now isn’t it?
Adidas Skateboarding has pulled together Snoop Dogg and Mark Gonzales together for a new limited edition collection called LA Stories. The collection includes “a limited edition sneaker, hoodie, long-sleeve shirt and t-shirt accented with nostalgic Southern California iconography.”
The collection is inspired by the the duo’s deep connection to Los Angeles style beginning with a customized Matchcourt Mid. Constructed with a full-grain, buttery cream leather upper, the shoe features the iconic three stripes in a blue hue, custom sockliner, gold eyelets and is detailed with signature artwork by Gonz on the outsole. In the 90s, plaid flannels were wardrobe staples for Snoop and Gonz and the digitized plaid tongue and heel overlay designed straight from Gonz’s iPad was its inspiration. Gonz’ custom artwork also appears on the limited edition hoodie, long sleeve shirt and t-shirt featuring lowriders and graffiti lettering.
The shoes retail for $85 and the clothing pieces start at $30 and will be available at Adidas.com and a select specialty skate retailers. In other words, you can get these at the outlet mall.
The hype surrounding The Bones Brigade will likely continue well past the time they all become bones, but that’s okay because we never get tired of hearing the old stories of the crew that changed skateboarding forever. Here’s this story:
In 1987, Powell Peralta released The Search for Animal Chin, its third video. In it, the Bones Brigade—Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Tommy Guerrero, and Mike McGill—embarked on a journey to find Won Ton “Animal” Chin, a mythical skater who had gone missing. The film concluded with the Bones Brigade skating what became known as the Chin ramp—a vert spine outfitted with an escalator, extensions, channels, a mini ramp on one of its decks, and a hidden tunnel. While it was said to be south of Guadalupe, in Mexico, between two junkyards, it was actually built in a field in Oceanside, California. The Bones Brigade skated it for a matter of days, in 1986, before it was torn down.
This past September, Tim Payne, who built the structure, quietly made his way to Woodward West, where he created a near-identical Chin ramp 30 years later. The original members of the Bones Brigade reunited at the camp for a series of sessions on perhaps the most famous vert ramp in skateboarding’s history.
With commentary from Payne and the skaters, the video above shows how it went down. This is 30 Years of Animal Chin.
