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.
John John Florence had a great 2016. No other way to say it. All that talk (years ago) about him being a future world champion turned out to be true. He’s still smiling. Winning contests, and he’s still got Pipe this week. Which means, there may be even more to celebrate before this year is over.
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?
The guys in the suits (SurfStitch’s new CEO Mike Sonand and chairman Sam Weiss) are running Australian retailer Surfstitch and they’re cleaning up the board of directors including kicking off executive directors (and company founders) Lex Pedersen and Justin Stone, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald.
None of the board members who signed off on last year’s acquisition binge, which has since been written off, survived the blood-letting announced on Tuesday by new chairman Sam Weiss. . . To help make up the numbers, Weiss has had to collar Quiksilver veteran Harry Hodge, who joins the board this week. . . Surfstitch’s new boss Michael Sonand scored the remaining board seat.
Will be interesting to see if these changes make any kind of difference when it comes to the company’s performance.
Vans is honoring their longtime, legendary team rider Jamie Lynn with a signature colorway of the V-66 snowboard boot.
The Vans V-66 in Jamie Lynn’s signature colorway sees an elevated aesthetic this season, boasting premium material and function while highlighting Jamie’s own vibrant Pacific Northwest-inspired artwork. The V-66’s traditional lace-up boot construction is packed with features carefully engineered to form an all-terrain boot with freestyle inclinations. The Tongue Lock Down System helps pull down the tongue as you tighten the boot at the instep to eliminate heel lift, and the Reach Around cuff strap attached to the inside shell of the boot allows snowboarders the choice of wrapping the strap around the internal liner or the exterior tongue, providing a custom fit.
Vans is also kicking down a SK8-Hi Mountain Edition and Vans Slip-Er with the same color ways to round out Jamie’s off-snow Vans kit. For the official word from Vans, please follow the jump.
Hard to believe it, but Jordy Smith just won his first Hawaiian surfing event ever as he edged Frederico Morais, Torrey Meister, and Tanner Gudauskas in the final of the 2016 Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach on Sunday, December 4, 2016. Smith was understandably hyped.
“Unbelievable, can’t believe it,” said Smith. “I feel like this event has eluded me in the past. I didn’t have any expectations, I think that was the difference for this event. I just kind of went out there with an open mind. Thanks to everyone who supported me. . . “Early in my career I made a couple finals out here, I really had something going with the place,” continued Smith. “I don’t know, it’s been like six or seven years where I just couldn’t do a thing right. And then, everything just came together this year so I’m just really happy.”
Jordy’s win puts Frederico Morais in the 2016 Vans Triple Crown drivers seat for the time being. For the official word from Vans, please follow the jump.
Someone at Burton loves dead people. We’ve said before that it was because they were much easier to do deals with. But we’re not sure that’s the only reason. Over the past few decades the company has done collaborations with Andy Warhol (who is dead), Bob Marley (who is dead), and now they’re getting in the ring with Muhamad Ali (who is also dead) with the Ali x Burton The Greatest Snowboard.
When pioneers see eye-to-eye, it’s only fitting to step into the ring and celebrate with a knockout. Thus the Ali x Burton collaboration brings two legacies together with a limited release board in honor of the People’s Champion, the Greatest, Muhammad Ali.
Wonder if this boards floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee? Truthfully, we’ll never know. But we do begin to wonder how much longer it will be before they do a Hugh Hefner model. He’ll qualify as a dead artist soon enough, won’t he?
On the North Shore with time to kill? (We wish!) Join Pat, Dane, and Tanner Gudauskas as they screen their film Positive Vibrations at the North Shore Marketplace Lawn in Haleiwa on Monday evening at 6 PM on December 5, 2016.
The event will also feature Pat, Dane, and Tanner Gudauskas talking story about their work in the film, moderated by Kaipo Guerrero. After taking a surf trip to Jamaica, the brothers were inspired to give back and support the up-and-coming Jamaican surf culture. With over 200 surfboards donated, Positive Vibration is the story of the Gudauskas’ brothers efforts and ultimate success in sharing the stoke.
Vans will be giving away T-shirts to everyones who attends (while supplies last) so come early for shirts and grinds from Cholo’s, Banzai Sushi, and Il Gelato. And don’t worry if it rains, they’ve got a wet weather tent all covered just bring some chairs or beach blankets and it will be all good.
French snowboard photographer Jérôme Tanon’s film The Eternal Beauty Of Snowboarding is the most refreshing snowboarding vid we’ve seen in years. In fact, we can’t remember when we’ve laughed so hard during an intro. Yes, we’ve been accused of being jaded and salty, but still there is something so downright joyful in the way this video plays out that, well, you’ll just have to watch it yourself (as you likely already have).
To learn more about the film we think is the single most telling love letter ever written to commercial snowboarding, click the link to catch Colin Wiseman’s interveiw with Tanon on The Snowboarder’s Journal’s new website (you know, the one we just wrote about in the story below this one).
