New York City’s Roosevelt Island features a memorial park that was designed 40 years ago, by an architect (Louis Kahn) who died in 1974, according to a story in the New York Times. Just look a this place? It’s difficult to believe that Kahn wasn’t thinking of skateboarders when he designed this.
Next month, on that triangular plot on the southern end of Roosevelt Island, the four-acre Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park will open, a belated and monumental triumph for New York and for everyone who cares about architecture and public space.
Apparently, the NYT’s architecture critic Michael Kimmelman is already worried about skateboarders.
Preserving the site will be a challenge. The park is pristine to a fault. Policing graffiti artists and skateboarders must be weighed against the park’s freedom theme.
Someone might want to get down there to skate it before it gets completely shut down. Has Jaws dropped this 23 set yet? And just wait until it snows. . . . More images after the jump. [click to continue…]
The opening sequences of the 1985 James Bond film A View To A Kill featured one of Tom Sims most visible snowboarding moments and helped introduce pop culture to snowboarding. Even in the midst of the hailstorm of bullets, explosions, and chasers you still get a great feel for Sims’ timeless snowboard style.
The word started getting out this morning that on the evening of September 12, 2012 skateboarding and snowboarding legend Toms Sims (pictured right in 1996) founder of Sims Skateboards and Sims Snowboards has died near his home at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital of suffered sudden cardiac arrest. He was 62 years old.
The Sims Snowboards website has the following message:
Forever missed, forever loved and forever a legend. Tom’s accomplishments speak for themselves. A true pioneer, Tom brought forward thinking concepts and innovations that forever changed the landscape of the snow and skate industry. His constant quest for the deepest powder, the longest downhill paved road and the smoothest wave has been and always will be an inspiration to us all.
Sims is survived by his wife Hilary, sister Margie Sims Klinger of Santa Barbara, sons Tommy and Shane, daughter Sarah and step daughters Alexa and Kylie Wagner. Our thoughts go out to Tom’s family and to the entire snowboard world. His contributions to the world of action sports will never be forgotten. Follow the jump for the official word.
Each week (or so) snowboard site Yobeatinterviews someone on Wednesday. The interview is called Hump Day and this week they interviewed big mountain Jeremy Jones and got the lowdown on his unceasing quest for riding epic snowboarding lines.
We’ve always wondered where Jones’ big wall chasing would eventually end and in this interview he explains it pretty succinctly. In answer to interviewer Brad Oates question about a snowboard mountaineer who went missing in 2002 on Mt. Everest Jones had this to say:
Marcos Siffredi is a hero. Words can’t describe my respect for what he did with his snowboarding. The style that he did it – just on a whole different level. He went out in style and really did the biggest line in the world. For me -I don’t have a draw to that, I have a ton of respect for guys that are doing that stuff, it’s just that if I had gotten into real mountaineering maybe when I was 18 or something, maybe I would be on that plane, but my deal has been looking for these dream lines, meaning these ripple lines with perfect snow that can be charged, that can be ripped, so I’ve kind of stayed away from the really big, classic extreme mountaineering aspect of snowboarding and will continue to stay away from that stuff.
And we’re glad, because we like having Jones around in the long term. The rest of the interview is equally good and explains why Jones has had such a long, successful career in snowboarding.
Snowpark Technologies, the designers and builders of custom snowboard parks for Burton, Winter X Games, Oakley, and Red Bull announced today that they have hired former Mammoth Mountain Action Spsorts Brand Manager Josh Chauvet as their Resort Program Marketing Director.
“Josh returns to the SPT family during a period of growth and change for our brand,” said Chris “Gunny” Gunnarson, SPT’s President. “In the past, Josh was instrumental in the development of the SPT Park Program. Over the years, the program has evolved and as we embark on a new chapter with our SPT partner resorts, and with our increased focus on company-wide marketing initiatives, he is a welcomed addition to the team.”
Raen Optics has announced that surfer, explorer, and artist Thom Pringle as joined the company as it’s newest ambassador.
At 20, his creative thrust is perfectly aligned with the RAEN family according to Creative Director and Founder Justin Heit: “Thom’s love of fashion and his authentic perspective fuel a soft-spoken passion for surfing and the creative aesthetic we identify with personally. He’s a perfect fit.”
Hey, just noticed there may have been something we missed at Surf Expo (shocking, right?). It was the Stokes Me Surf Contest at Typhoon Lagoon (not featured in the video above). Apparently, the contest raised $13,000 for the Stokes Me Challenge effort to raise money for 10 different SIMA Humanitarian Funds. And that’s good.
“While the Stokes Me Surf Contest proved to be a huge success, the main event is online at stokesME.org and will run next month, October 1-30,” explained SIMA Humanitarian Fund President and Surfline Vice President, Ross Garrett. “Thanks to Surf Expo and Sanuk, who carved out time during their event for our fundraiser, we had some fun, and started to raise some money for our 10 worthy humanitarian beneficiaries.”
Always nice to see the surf industry doing good things for people and partying at the same time. Follow the jump for the official word. [click to continue…]
“This is a great opportunity for ourselves and our advertisers to bring frequency TSJ to new audiences,” says Publisher Jeff Galbraith. “It’s been a long while in development and it’s been worth it. Holding off on producing another web flip-book in deference for a real product in keeping with our brand was a good call. This is a true complement to the ten-year legacy of frequency TSJ.”
The digital version of the magazine is available in the iTunes click here. Single issues are $9.99 and a year subscription is $29.99. Follow the jump for the official details. [click to continue…]
A 18 or 19-year-old skateboarder from Watsonville, California has been rolling around grabbing women’s asses for the past could weeks and police (and area women) are hoping the catch the perv, according to a story in the Mercury News.
About 6 p.m. Sunday, a man who appeared 18 or 19 years old rode a skateboard near Riverside Drive and Lincoln Street, said Sgt. Saul Gonzalez. . . He approached a 35-year-old woman from behind, grabbed her backside and fled. . . About 3:25 p.m. Friday, police believe the same man was near Palm and Hill avenues when he approached a 13-year-girl. He also grabbed her, Gonzalez said. . . A 29-year-old woman was attacked similarly about 4:30 p.m. Sept. 3 near Lincoln Street and East Lake Avenue, Gonzalez said.
We don’t even know what to say. There are some sick people rolling around out there.
With 28 days to go the Stanford guys behind Boosted Boards have already reached its $100,000 Kickstarter fundraising effort for their electric longboard They are calling this rig “the most practical longboard ever.”
That’s because in addition to being an amazing ride, it’s also the perfect last-mile vehicle. When it comes to short trips, you can finally stop worrying about parking, traffic, garages, gas stations, pedaling, bike locks, pushing, and hills. Run quick errands, commute to work, get around campus, or link up with public transit, up to 6 miles before recharging. But most importantly, you’ll enjoy the ride everyday.
Click the link for more info or to help fund one of nicest looking powered skateboards we’ve ever seen.
