Category: Skateboarding

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Gnargore Premier is this weekend!

Just a reminder for you Birmingham heads out there, the premiere of Gnargore’s ‘Wizard Council‘ is this Saturday on July 17th!

The premiere will be held in the Mixing Bowl Theatre in the Custard Factory in Birmingham. And if your thirst for gnar isn’t quenched by the mosher drop, wallride and tight jean fest that the video promises to be then be prepared for some frontside slashing on the Ideal mini-ramp during the messy after party.

It’s two quid on the door and they’ll be Fallen Footwear, A Third Foot and Witchcraft goods as raffle prizes so get your beers and attend what’s sure to be a sick night.

Stay tuned for a monster interview feature with the Gnargore boys which will be online very soon…

www.gnargore.co.uk

Gnargore Wizard Council – Regulation Acid Drop from Tom Gillespie on Vimeo.

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Features Home Skateboarding

Kris Vile Interview

Words by James Brewer
Photos shot in New Zealand thanks to David Read from Manual Magazine

I first met Kris 6 years ago at the opening of Stourbridge’s ‘Ramparts’ skate park. Back then he was a kid on the ‘come-up’ being shoved into the limelight thanks to Channel 5’s ‘Rad’. I remember being amazed at how easily he seemed to find skateboarding and 6 years later I still feel the same.

He started to move up in the world of skateboarding by picking up coverage from the many trips he makes across the world. Birmingham may be his home but he’s no stranger to traveling and it’s a rare sight to actually catch him in Brum which has led to him recently becoming more of a ‘myth’ than real person. Whispers of what tricks Kris made at certain spots are rife round here and then usually backed up by footage and photos to tell the tale.

Kris is not only enjoying his life to the full, but he also works it to make it the best. His most recent section featured as the illustrious ‘last part’ in the new Vans Europe video ‘1966’ proved just how hard this guy pushes his skateboarding, but whether he’s filming for local scene videos or going on tour with team mates Mr Vile is always down for a session and is ever the optimist.

A long line of respectable sponsors grace his CV starting with his introduction at A Third Foot, where his skating lead him to Blind Europe before hooking with Santa Cruz (as a direct international am) but these days he currently finds himself on the newly launched ‘CLAN 010‘ team alongside European skaters such as Danny Wainwright, Alain Goikoetxea, Florentin Marfaing, Manuel Palacios, Alex Carolino and Cristian Vannella, certainly a team that should be more than capable to produce a video worth waiting for.

I finally pinned Kris down in Birmingham and got an update with what’s going on in the life of a ‘skateboarding gypsy’.

So how many years have you clocked up now in life?

21 years in now.

Who is hooking you up?

Vans, Volcom, Red Bull, Clan010, Krux and Type-S wheels.

Where did all of this begin?

My brother got a skateboard for his birthday, then about 6 months later I asked for one and finally got it at Christmas. That’s where it all began!

You’ve been sponsored for a long time now, how did that all come together?

I’d been skating for about 18 months and got to know the people at Ideal Skate Shop in town. I was just a little kid, overly excitable and stoked on skating haha! I was progressing pretty quickly though and one day I went into the shop and told Bob (Sanderson) that I had managed to boardslide the WH Smiths rail in the City centre- it was a well known spot at the time. There was a smaller handrail and a big one there and he told me to go and try the big one! I went back that evening and made it! When I went into the shop the next day I told Bob and he gave me an A Third Foot board and said that if I kept on skating he’d give me one of them every so often, 18 months later I was placed on the Vans Junior team- I guess the rest is history.

Would you say that ‘Rad: The Groms Tour’ helped out with your rise in skateboarding?!

I wouldn’t say it helped! But yeah it was cool as a kid to get to travel around with some mates and skate some different stuff, seeing a bit of the world etc.

Since working with Andy Evans on that show you’ve appeared in his videos This ‘n’ That and Heel Toe Magic. How do you go about filming for those when your traveling around the other side of the world

Well Andy is amazing! So even though i’m not around much to film with him, whatever footage I get I always tell Andy he can have it if he’s making another project. He’s always stoked to receive it and I can’t actually wait for the next one!

You dropped out of college to pursue a career in skateboarding, big decision?

I enjoyed my time in education but it came to a point where I wasn’t able to do my best. I always had to be away on trips, tours etc. When someone wants to send you somewhere to help you get by for something you love doing it made me have no need to stay in college. Most people go to college to try and get exactly that so I guess I’ve been pretty lucky.

Vans have sponsored your feet for sometime now, how far back does that go in your life and what has made you stick with them?

I think I got on Vans when I was 13, so it’s been 7 or 8 years now. They have always taken care of me and I really like the shoes! I can’t really imagine skating for anyone else now, and you know, in this business, the more stoked you are to do things with a company, the more stoked they are to hook you up. So if you enjoy going to an event and going on trips then you can get support to do so and I always have.

The ‘Vans Europe: 1966’ video is currently premiering around the world, how was filming for that?

It was cool but it was pretty intense. We didn’t have long to film a part and it was mostly filmed on trips with the rest of the team which was heaps of fun but when you’ve got 5 people that all want to skate one spot but all differently then it can be a challenge. All in all though it was a fun experience and considering other companies can spend up to 4 years to film a video then I think the end product in this one is pretty amazing. So keep your eye’s peeled, it will be in stores near you!

Did you know you were going to have last part when filming for the project?

Not at the start but maybe about mid way through filming I was informed…

You’ve recently found yourself alongside a list of illustrious European skaters on Clan 010 right?

I’m really stoked to be a part of the CLAN project from the beginning. All the riders have been good friends of mine for years. I ride alongside Danny and Flo on the Vans team, Alain with Volcom and so on. That sold the company to me even more plus Manuel Palacios who is running the team is rad so we all are part of something special!

How was the ‘break-up’ with Santa Cruz?

Wasn’t bad at all, we left it on good times. But to ride for a company like Santa Cruz, I suppose you have to spend a little more time in the States! I travel a lot within Europe so it just didn’t work out for us, big thanks to Mouly for all the support though!

With all the traveling and coverage you get surely it’s not long until a Kris Vile pro board or shoe colourway is released, have there been talks of either of these?

Well it’s funny you should say that. Keep your eyes peeled in your local shop!

With the skateboarding industry primarily being based in California do you feel any pressure to go over there and ‘take over’ the States?

Haha! Well I don’t know about a take over and no there’s no pressure, but I would like to go out there a couple of times a year and maybe get a big more coverage in US mags and so on. Plus I have loads of friends out there who I don’t get to see very often so I’m looking forward to going out there in July and working with Vans and Volcom- go on some trips and get some footage!

Let’s head back into Birmingham for a bit. The scene took a bit of a battering over the past 10 years thanks to a lot tighter rules on skateboarding on the City, did that make growing up as a skater hard there and is it any different now to when you were younger?

Yeah, like any City, the scene fluctuates up and down, but the heart has always been there and will always remain! Big ups to Ideal for staying strong, and growing stronger!

Your known to travel up and down to events all round the country as well as representing the Red Bull UK skate program in the Red Bull ‘Manny Mania’ contest. How do you think events like this affect the scene in the country?

I think events like this do great things not just for British skateboarding but skateboarding all around the world. Without companies like Red Bull there would be no events like this. They have the mind and money to come up with the ideas and fun the events too and I hope they can inspire more people and other companies to do this too.

What do you think you would be doing if you were not a sponsored skateboarder?

I have no idea but I would like to think having just as much fun and living life to the full!

Lets get a few Top 3’s.

Top trips you have been on…

1. Australia/NZ skate missions
2. Spain in general
3. Then the rest! haha!

Inspirations…

1 Good skateboarding
2 Good music
3 Good vibes!

People from Birmingham…

That’s way to hard to narrow down to 3 singular people but…

1. Ideal Skateshop
2. Birmingham posse…you know who you are!
3. The fam of course!

Top 3 events…

1. Slam Trick, Italy
2. Bondi Bowlarama, Sydney
3. Damn Am, Amsterdam

What’s coming up for you over the next few months- anything you are working on?

I’ve just been to Portugal, Latvia and Bilboa then off to the States in July and back to the UK for a few events in August…then there’s more ha!

Right lets wrap this up with the obligatory thank you’s…

Cheers to all my Sponsors: Vans, Redbull, Volcom, Clan010, Krux, Type S, Ideal and then to everybody else! All the homies, brother and sisters! You know who you are!!! Peace.

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Features

Steve Gourlay Gallery

Steve Gourlay is a name that never leaves the Crossfire radar. Last year we were overjoyed to have a Triple Shot feature with someone we can only describe as one of the world’ s most naturally able skate photographers, and since then we’ve been getting off to his photos on the regular. His CV is bulging with magazines and brands that have flourished thanks to him hunched on stairs or something equally uncomfortable cradling a Hassleblad. Though based down under, you’ve undoubtedly stumbled across his work in adverts for Element, Baker, Cliché, Almost, Ezekiel, Hurley, Vans or countless other things worldwide. It’s a pleasure to have Steve here cutting the ribbon to the new guest gallery.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to continue writing an introduction that gives the amazing photos in the gallery below the credit they deserve  without it descending into some seriously unintentional brown-nose territory. As you can see for yourselves, the pictures below are incredible. So, if you’re viewing this on your phone’s browser like a chump, stop now and get to a big screen so you can see these photos in all their hi-resolution goodness.

Welcome to The Gallery, click here if you would like to visit Steve’s blog.

[nggallery id=1 template=”galleryview”]

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Features Skateboarding

Girl Skate Jam 2010

Words: Jenna Selby
Photos: Sophie Allen & Jenna Selby

On Saturday 19th June, Pioneer Skate Park hosted it’s 9th annual Girl Skate Jam. This year saw skaters make their way over to St Albans from all corners of the UK, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland and Belgium, there was also for the first time entrants from further a field – New Zealand and Australia.

The clouds on the day looked somewhat dubious and the BBC Weather Centre had forecasted rain. However, Nikita’s Michelle and hubby Alan Rushbrooke duly set about putting the BBQ together  – which we hoped wouldn’t jinx it, there really is no love lost between the British BBQ’s and the weather! Although advertised as starting at 1pm, cars started arriving from 11am onwards, one family had travelled down from Hartlepool for the day, another Emily Russell and Mum had made the long journey from Glasgow. It was good to see all the old faces returning for the event but also to see a host of new ones, especially in the Under 18’s category.

Between 1-3pm was a free skate for all the girls, the rain until this point had held off even though there were reports coming in from Kent and other home counties of a downpour on its way. The decision was made to put the miniramp comp on first. From the off the standard was evidently high; Melbourne’s Hilary Pearce was awarded first place after two faultless runs, her fast and aggressive style is amazing to watch – frontside Smiths, frontside 5-0’s, frontside tails – the list kept going! Danielle Mellor was on a no holds barred mission to pull off the most technical tricks of the day, placing her second – frontside-half cab-rock and rolls, backside disaster-revert out and switch front rocks. Third went to New Zealand’s Georgina Matthews AKA Hori who was all about the hand plants and Indy Grabs.

Next up was a pretty fierce Under 18’s comp. Placing 1st, Laura Johnson was on flip-tastic form, with a kickflip to fakie and a frontside flip over the driveway, 2nd place Charlotte Brennon pulled out a nice early grab transfer out of the 6ft quatre to flat bank and Pioneer local prodigy 13 year old Caitlyn a good ollie from the driveway to flat to award her third. In the Over 18’s, first went to Georgina Matthews after a solid run including a 5-0 180 out across and down the driveway, a boardslide on the rail and bs and fs 50-50 on the box. It was really good to see Emma the Brum Richardson back on top form – fs 5-0 revert on the quatre and a nollie bigspin on the bank, which gave her 2nd. Resident Skatergirl writer Danielle Gallagher placed third after her run of front rocks and feeble fakies on the big quatres.

The Over 18’s were over by 4.30pm, at which point Evelien Bouilliart rolled in, just off a train from Brussels – much to the delight of the younger girls. She had little time to warm up before the sponsored comp started, although it was apparent that as soon as she set foot in the park everyone upped their game just a little. There were four groups in the Sponsored Section, each had 2 runs of 2 minutes, A – Georgina Winter (UK) and Lottie Borra (Italy), B- Helena Long (UK) and Lois Pendlebury (UK), C – Klara Kasparova (Czech) and Caroline Dynybil (Czech), D – Evelien Bouilliart (Belgium) and Lucy Adams (UK)

Caroline was straight into noseslides on the Koston, Lottie who had looked incredible in the warm up with front boards down the rail and 5-0’s on the block got a small attack of the nerves, Lois had some good lines on the go – flip on the driveway – kickflip to fakie on the quatre. Evelien went into full feeble and lipslide assault on the rail – just after her run ended she also landed a flip front board. Lucy Adams landed a host of tricks – fakie 360 flip, fakie shuv-it flip and a switch heel on the bank. Bs 50-50 on the Koston and a backside tail on the block. The judges admitted it was incredibly tight and difficult to decide a winner. However due to Lucy’s use of the whole park and the consistency of all the tricks she threw in between her main ones, she was awarded first place, with Evelien 2nd and Caroline 3rd.

A big thank you has to go out to all the volunteers –Leigh Burton, Carmela Fleury, Alex Barton, Geoff Rubicon, Ben Cundall, Joff Talbot, Ian Harris, John Glanville, Michael McInally, Mark Sinfield, Leigh Burton, Sophie Allen, Michelle and Alan Rushbrooke, Sarah Glenny, Di Headley, Kat Bedding The Selby Family and to Arron Selby for soldering together new wires for the mics late on the Friday night whilst ever so slightly inebriated!

Thank you to all the sponsors – Rogue, Lovenskate, Death, Rubicon, Les Ettes, Nikita, Misticon, Vans and Cooler Magazine.

From its beginnings at Playstation Skatepark (Bay 66) back in 2002 and Epic (Creation) in 2003, Pioneer has now become the established home to the Girl Skate Jam UK. Plans for a big 10-year party next year at the park are already underway.

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Features Skateboarding

Jess Young Interview

Sure, right now Jess Young is bathing in the rarely seen Welsh summertime with his foot in plaster but you can bet your life that the very moment that foot is released from its crusty white prison, he’ll be out breaking it again. He’s got a slight reputation amongst the local crowd in South Wales. If you were to stumble across a hesh drop with an imaginary ‘suitable for moshers only’ sign across it then Jess would be expecting a phone call. It’s a strange reputation to have, and one that’s not at all friendly on the bones but it’s not like Jess will give two shits. In fact, when asked if he gives two shits he confirmed that he doesn’t even give one. He’ll turn up, grab his deck and do it first try, then head off to a nearby ledge and skate it with the tech-heads like fellow Kill City rider Nicky Howells as if he was a born and bred Buzsy stereotype.

Regardless of any mosher-drop tendencies, it’s impossible to put Jess inside any sort of box and I wouldn’t waste your time trying to either. Jess knows how to ride a fucking skateboard and that’s all that needs to be said. When his skating speaks at volumes beyond 11 you can forgive him for being pretty chilled out off the board.

Stanley caught up with him this week when his foot was in plaster. This worked out for the best because there’s no way he was going to interview him on top of the Newport Road underpass or where ever he’d be rolling off when his foot isn’t in plaster. Fuck that…

Photography : Mike Ridout

Portrait: Chris Gibbons

Easy Jess, what are you up to right now?

Having a wake and bake in the garden, just outside Bridgend on the coast of South Wales.

How’s your foot feeling?

It gets stronger everyday, although it’s hard to tell when you’re in a cast; it’s a slow process for sure.

What happened to it?

I basically snapped the metatarsal bones between the toes and the heel apart from the one that runs from my big toe so there are screws in there now holding them back in place, the joints in my toes cracked as well, which felt amazing.

What’s the weather like in Wales? It’s summer now so it must be raining right?

It’s been pretty awesome lately, I’m out for another month so it can’t come too early for me.

Is the Rec Centre open yet? I can’t understand why an indoor skate park that’s so good only opens its doors during the summer…

Don’t think it’s going to happen again. I was shocked to see it come every year anyway. The sooner they fuck that off the better so something can be done properly.

Are you excited about the new plaza that’s being built in the bay?

It will be much better than any park that’s already in Wales because it’s in the right place. It will hopefully bring a bigger scene together and the design looks sick as well which helps.

In addition to Norwegian Church, Sports Cafe and Oval Basin this pretty much makes Cardiff Bay the best place to skate in the whole of Wales, right?

YES FAM

How different is skating in Cardiff than Bridgend?

It’s a bigger playground, the plaza down the bay will make it better again.

Who gives you more hassle, Bridgend roiders or the notorious late-night crowd in Cardiff?

Bridgend roiders piss me off.

Cardiff is a bit of a gathering ground for weird celebrities; Nicholas Cage came into the coffee shop I used to work shortly after making these adverts and shouted some shit at me about iguanas. What’s the strangest encounter you’ve had while skating?

Tramps chucking each other in the fountains at Castle Gardens in Swansea Centre during the middle of the day was rad. It was like a Swansea love story pantomime or something.

Didn’t you get arrested for sawing the knobs off the handrail in Oval Basin during New Year?

Hahah sure did! Luckily they didn’t press charges and go too crazy about it, so I don’t have a criminal record or anything. I just had to pay an £80 fine and get harassed. I was halfway through the second knob and they came over and treated me like an escaped convict or something. I was just standing there with a junior hacksaw and a stupid look on my face and then they put me in handcuffs and started kicking off. It was like being told off by your mum at the police station after I explained why and what I was doing so they sort of let me off with a warning.

Is that the worst encounter with the law you’ve had for skating?

The worst was a recent Kill City trip to Mallorca in which the Civil Guardia were trying to fine Dainton and the rest of us 3000 euros for chipping a marble block outside a hotel in Magaluf, or else they were claiming to lock us up. This was only day two or three, so after an hour of interrogation and not understanding each other they waved their guns around and followed us to our hotel to get copies of our passports. Obviously this was a scam to try and rob us as we couldn’t understand them so with the help of the hotel manager’s translation we learned that they would be back the next day to pick up the money. This didn’t sit well with us because of all the camera equipment so later that night we did a runner and booked into another hotel. We must have missed them as we were out skating all day and boozing in the night, the ash cloud kept us there for an extra week so we were lucky to get away without seeing them again.

When is the Kill City video going to be finished?

Not sure on a deadline or anything, but we should be wrapping up soon.

Filmed anything you’re particularly stoked with?

I don’t know. I just try and get stuff when I can really, or if I learn a new trick I’ll try find a spot for it. Obviously some stuff is easier to get than other stuff. Daint has got a really good eye for filming/editing and putting stuff together in his own way so I think the videos going to be good to watch.

How did you get involved with Kill City in the first place?

Not sure really I always wanted to be a part of it but it seemed like there wasn’t room. Caradog and Nicky Howells have always been on it so they may have helped it along I don’t know, Daint started flowing me boards ages ago and it started from there.

What’s it like having Dainton as your boss?

He’s a legend.

You had a sick section in the Who? video. It emerged as one of a few scene videos that really pushed the envelope on the levels of skating and the video’s overall production values. Does this put more pressure on you to not only kill it on scene videos but raise the bar even higher when filming for Kill City and other sponsors?

There’s no pressure I just go out with friends and we hit some spots, there are times when I want to skate transition more, likewise with gnarly stuff, it comes in waves. I prefer it when you get a session on with good company and see what happens.

Out of the 9001 filmers in Wales, who’s your favourite to film with?

Filming with Daint is always good, as well as having fun and enjoying skating its easy to go film something. Lately I’ve been filming mostly with Jon Fisher but it usually depends on where I go.

Cardiff is notorious for a great Go Skateboarding Day, what’s the best event that Jim O and CSC have organised for it?

I missed this year’s because of my foot but the powerslide competition opposite the Hilton down into the underpass last year was good.

You seem to be ripping handrails and ledges a lot harder lately. Where and what are you hyped on skating right now?

Yeah big rails and ledges are good to skate I like skating stuff when your either going to make it or eat shit trying. That’s not all I’m hyped on skating I like bars, hills, banks, tranny; its rad when you go to a spot you’ve seshed before but find a new way to hit it up. Rails and hills are the most fun, I’ll be most stoked on transition and bowls when my foots healed.

What music are you chilling/skating to now then? Let’s hear your top three if you’ve got one…

1. Florence And The Machine – Dog Days Are Over
2. Drunk Injuns – Blood Drips Like Passing Thoughts
3. Caribou – Pelican Narrows

I heard you have a heartagram tattoo on your leg, is this true?

Yeah…

Were you a proper bam-fiend when you started skating?

No.

It might have given some explanation to why you’d want to drop in on the top of bridge on Newport Road opposite Sainsbury’s, do you have a personal problem with your own legs or something?

Got caught up in the mosh, Christian Hart tried it first and killed himself, it looked good fun.

Whenever I’m skating with the Who Clothing lot or the Hologram boys and we come across a huge drop someone will always say ‘oh, get Jess on this!’ Are you stoked on that reputation or would you rather change it?

Don’t care.

You’ve always ripped at Crossfire Jams, what one was your favourite?

The Christmas Jams are always good.

Caradog has asked on behalf of skateboarders all across the United Kingdom to share more information about your sexy mother…

Well I can tell you (Nicky Howells and Dylan Hughes will vouch for this) that Caradog once got kegged to an audience at a house party and got nicknamed ‘the party sausage’ after it.

Any words of wisdom you’d like to share with us?

Shred as much as you can while you can.

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Skateboarding News

Herbal Skateboards edit

Shed a tear for the Herbal crew down South as they have all been crocked..until now.

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Skateboarding News

Davidson on Element

Long Beach ripper Julian Davidson joins the Element team today, here’s some footage from now and then.

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Skateboarding News

Filmers aim Far ‘n’ High…

How often do you come across a contest edit that’s filmed and edited like a full-stream-ahead HD opus that you’d expect from the latest Greg Hunt, French Fred or Ty Evans offering? Perhaps more often than you’d expect now, if the future is in high-definition and not entirely in slo-mo then things are looking real good.

Sébastian Abes got together with Neko Studio to piece together this incredible edit of the European ‘Far ‘n’ High‘ contest hosted in a town just outside Paris. For some extra fun, try and see if you can spot six triangles, two naked (almost naked! it’s safe for work!) girls and two sausages. Contest filmers take note.

Far’n’High skateboard contest 2010 from Sébastien Abes @ Smog Films on Vimeo.

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Skateboarding News

Slice of Cory

Cory Kennedy gets the tranche de vie treatment as Crailtap give us a little insight into the average routine for skateboarding’s most refreshingly happy individual.

Here Cory leaves the skatepark that is the street he lives on to clean up Venice Beach and do stuff that others would use for video part enders while just hanging out at the skatepark. Mental and fun, get to it!

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Skateboarding News

IPath keep blazing

IPath will be heading over to our shores this month as the Blazed And Confused tour keeps progressing. Aberdeen are set to be hit first on the 18th July but here’s some more footage from their East Coast tour last month to get you hyped.

Jaws, Fred Gall, Steve Nesser, Ryan Reyes and the rest of the IPath gang get stuck into some mini-ramp cuisine and keep your eye out for Jaw’s c-c-camera face on the double kink. Jawsome.

Keep up to date with the tour on IPath’s Youtube Channel.