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DVD Reviews

Puzzle Winter 07

Puzzle is celebrating their 10th year in the audio visual stunt market, and their new motto sums up what a few of us try and deny- Free skateboarding! Oh yeah, you can download every new issue, and a whole load more if you visit the Puzzle website- http://www.puzzlevideo.com

So, the latest seasonal offering is Winter 07 and here to warm us up is a mish-mash of contest, demo and straight up skate footage.

This issue kicks off with a Puzzle staple- the Jumble section. This Jumble isn’t your average jumble though because it’s hosted by the Underworld crew from Canada. You might be scratching your head at what a bunch of Canadians are doing on a European video? Well, Blueprint’s Paul Carter rolls with this lot, so I guess that’s the connection. In any case this is a good start to the DVD and I am very very envious of their skate plaza!

Next up, Puzzle send us on the road with the Americans of Analog Clothing, in other words Ernie Torres, Sean Malto, Ryan Smith plus a few euro stragglers. Already that line-up is stellar and representative of skateboarding’s future (minus Ryan who doesn’t really seem to put 100% into the trip like his mates), so you know that anything and everything gets stomped by the Analog crew.

Keeping it in the skateparks- which Crossfire tales this half sentence to remind you to support!- 2006 ended with the Volcom Amster-damn am and the Globe Bowlbash in Holland. These two comps are the real deal when it comes to witnessing Europe’s finest. The Damn Am takes care of modern street skating to the tune of Real’s Nick Dompierre leading the charge, whilst the Globe Bowlbash hanled anything transition related with Andy Scott flying about nonchalantly in fine form.

We’re back on another promo tour for the next section, this time with the Circa team as they skate and party with their new video It’s Time. Pete Ramondetta, Tony Tave, Sierra Fellers, Jon Allie and a few more stragglers charge hard through Europe all the way to the Russian capital, Moscow putting on the odd demo and killing the odd hot spot at their ease. I must say Sierra Feller’s 360 flip over the riverside rail in the UK is no joke.

The curtain call comes for a Mexican skater by the name of Shadi Charbel Ruiz. Again, you might be scratching your head at the inclusion of a South American in a Euro video, but that’s globalization baby! In any case Shadi, who I have never heard of, is a pretty sick skater. 99% of his tricks are landed square over the bolts, and average a height of at least a foot and a half. Shadi stamps his Mexican authority on more than one Barceona spot, so hopefully someone will notice him and pay for him to skate somewhere else in the future…

That’s it, that’s all. Another standard issue installment of Puzzle video magazine ready for you lot to download and enjoy. Happy 10 years Puzzle!

Go visit www.puzzlevideo.com and look out for the next issue that will feature the Crossfire Xmas Jam 06 for the first time.
Ralph L-D