TransWorld have uploaded what they describe as a ‘mega super duper
redonkulous’ photo slideshow from their annual awards last week.
Click right here to head over and see that pro skateboarders are always respectable, upstanding members of society. Or something like that.
Spending just over a year and a half in board sponsorship limbo hasn’t troubled me too greatly as in this time I have developed a skill vital to day-to-day survival in the skateboard and more importantly, real world; the ‘blag‘. The only reason I have had to write this damn review is because unfortunately The Silver Fox wanted something in return off me for stealing his boards… the cheeky bastard!
Apparently, the ‘special‘ thing about this Almost board is that it has two carbon plates under the mounting areas of the board, which apparently stop it from breaking over the trucks, the most common area of board breakage. Great, another pointless invention to a technology that needs no improving right? Much like the integration of the camera into the mobile phone, personally I really see no point in trying to improve on something that works fine on its own anyways and really needs no tampering with.
However, in fairness I guess it could be argued this does actually work or at least make some sort of difference as the board didn’t snap, which for me is pretty unusual. I have ridden Dwindle decks plenty in the past and I really, really like them, especially the resin wood is super poppy and the shapes are always spot on… but like anything in skateboarding, what works for me probably wont work for you.
Whatever, this was a really good board until I totally fucked it up trying to back tail shuv this rough as hell bank thing… you can see how the board took the three thousand tries it took me to make it and this was pretty much the only reason I took it off. I’m, pretty sure it would have lasted way longer if I hadn’t of taken four plys out the tail! OK, so I’m rambling now… this board apparently retails at £5 more than any of the other Dwindle boards and if you are a hammer time heavy hitter and like jumping down 50 stairs on a daily basis, then why not spend the extra £5 on a board with carbon plates in? They worked for me and let’s face it, you’re only gonna go spend it on crap anyways.
8/10
The Gardener
The Epicly Later’d series on www.VBS.tv continues with another episode, this time with East Coast stalwart Fred Gall.
Clickedy click click on the image to the right to absorb it into your eyes.
Saffron Waldon’s new skatepark was greeted by Paul Rodriguez’ supreme skills on a recent Plan B UK Tour.
This nosegrind was one of a bag of tricks that he hucked down this rail. Shit the bed, yes he is that good in real life…
Seq: Gorm
Franklin Stephens – F/S 50-50 Kickflip Out
Sandor Balazs – Switch 360 Flip Revert
John Buchanan – Nollie Double Heelflip Manual
David Gonzales – Take your pick!
Jérémy Hugues – Switch Back Smith
Kevin Coakley – Kickflip B/S 5-0
Top 5s – Excuses not to get a trick filmed.
1. Nah man, have you seen my laces? They’re fucked!
2. It’s too windy mate.
3. I’m starving, fancy going to Tesco?
4. I’ve just eaten man, too full for that shit.
5. Can’t we have a game of SKATE instead? I’ll do it after, I promise.
Pic of the Week
When the outside world can’t offer you a session, it’s time to move indoors. Roman Astleitner blunts his tools for a living whilst Alex Gretter prefers to shoot for one. Get your trowels out and click on the image for video….
The Works are having their all-day thrashfest ‘Mid Summers Night Scream’ on June 23rd with live bands, best trick comp, and some pretty flash prizes to give away to the first person to kickflip into someone’s face.
The all-dayer costs a measly £10 with loads of bands playing throughout the day including Dougie McLaughlan’s finest Gentlemans Pistols, so get your arses down there and get messy.
For more info on what is going to be an absolutely mental day, hit up The Works on www.theworksskatepark.com or www.myspace.com/theworksevents
With much local chit chat about the future of Meanwhile Gardens down here in West London, it seems that the skatepark will not be bulldozed to make way for luxury apartments.
Councillor Pat Mason had this to say about the recent surge of bill posting regarding the new suggested build in the area:
I don’t know who said the skate park was going, it’s not, as far as I am aware. The council propose to build a luxury penthouse development at the Kensal Road end of Meanwhile Gardens to pay for a new community building even though the council is awash with money. The development will obliterate the Scented Garden, operated by a local mental health charity, encroach on the Wildlife Gardens, to name but 2 adverse affects, and set a precedent for such builds on green space in the borough. Thanks for your email.
Pat Mason, councillor Secretary, Friends of Meanwhile Gardens.
Last night saw the final episode in the cracking first series of Curb Surfers, generously filmed and edited by Casual‘s head honchos for the masses. This week was a nice little best of and some off cuts and gave the show a good send off until it returns for a second series on the 23rd July.
So if you missed it, and seeing ducks shake their ass and shit all over the place is your kinda vibe (of course there is some skateboarding involved also…), then hit up the Curb Surfers website as the episode should be up for picking shortly.
It’s looking evermore likely that our beloved pastime will finally become an Olympic sport, as the International Olympic Committee said on Friday that talks had been held about introducing skateboarding in time for the 2012 Games in London.
With the IOC desperate to update the Olympics and attract those who otherwise would have no interest, BMX and snowboarding have already been adopted, but skateboarding is yet to be confirmed.
“The IOC wants to make the program relevant for young people,” IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said.
The IOC does not currently recognise an international skateboarding federation, so it would first be adopted under the umbrella of the cycling universal body, the UCI, who could then make a formal proposal for it to become an Olympic sport.
In an interview in the Evening Standard, UCI sports director Olivier Quejuiner said: “We are doing our best to introduce skateboarding for 2012.
We have a clear strategy. All we need now is the green light from the IOC. Technically, logistically, and in terms of cost, it would not be a problem to stage the event in 2012.”
There have been rumours that skateboarders who currently earn their living from skating will not be allowed to compete, so many of the names you are expect to see at an event like this might not be there. Either way, there is still one further problem that needs to be tackled before skateboarding is accepted as an Olympic sport. Are we really going to want to see Team Great Britain skating in Lycra uniforms? Maybe not.
Science Skateboards have added two new skaters to their team.
Paul Regan is the first and has just done some filming for his section for the forthcoming Sidewalk and for a Story Store vid as well as getting some photos done for his Haunts interview in Sidewalk – Busy boy!
The second is Joe Sivell, who you might have seen on Curb Surfers on Sky not long ago. If you don’t know, then you’d better get to know by clicking the image on the right. He came third in last year’s DVS “Sponsor Me” comp and has just shot a First Light for Sidewalk. Not too shabby that!
Rune Glifberg claimed the 2007 Quiksilver Bowlriders title this past weekend.
The Danish ripper took the crown in an all-European final, beating off competition from John Magnuson, Mattias Nylen, Nicky Guerrero, Alain Goikoetxea and our very own Ross McGouran.
Glifberg added the title his vast mantelpiece and proved a huge favourite with the 4,000 people around the skatepark in Malmo. The final results were:
1. Rune Glifberg [DEN]
2. John Magnuson [SWE]
3. Alain Goikoetxea [SPA]
4. Ross McGouran [UK]
5. Nicky Guerrero [DEN]
6. Mattias Nylen [SWE]
Hit up www.bowlriders.com for all the carnage.