skate photos – Caught in the Crossfire

Ph: Thomas Harrison ollies high to take the HUF jam.

Tomharrison_crossfirexmasjam2012 What a day. The weather held, the atmosphere at BaySixty6 was electric and the people that mattered most traveled long distances to witness what went down at this year’s 10th Anniversary Xmas Jam event. It was absolutely amazing.

The level of skating was upped. All of the individual best trick jams were rife with NBD’s as predicted. The unsponsored comps seriously impressed.

The DGK video premiere worked a treat following the onslaught of skateboarding, so this day will be one that we never forget. HUGE thanks to the Bay staff, all of our filmers and photographers plus all who made the effort to be there. We are talking about everyone who traveled distances including so many UK pro teams and shops and didn’t just sit at home waiting for footage to drop. Those who repped know that you will never replace the energy that we witnessed on the internet. You cannot beat it live.

We are working on footage and gallery photos today and will drop a full feature as soon as we can. In the meantime here are the results. Look out for more visual treats rolling through our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Big thanks to all of our sponsors Ricta Wheels, DGK, Superdead Skateboards, Grizzly Griptape, HUF, Slam City, and Stand Up Skate Shop who helped form this event and celebrated 10 years of good times.

UNSPONSORED BEST TRICK JAMS:

Tomas Monkevičius – Kickflip FS board slide on the small rail.

Nai Sukanant – Switch Hardflip on the small stair set.

Gytis Bluivas: Switch bigspin heelflip down the small stair set.

Craig Loveless: Nollie hardflip down the small stair set.

Alex Tibble: Switch fs flip over the small gap.

SPONSORED BEST TRICK JAMS:

RICTA BOWL JAM:

Best Hip Trick: Greg Nowik: FS late shuv and many more.

Longest Gring: ‘Chav’ Dan Hill.

Best tricks out of the bowl/transfer: Joe Habgood – FS nosepick on the outer wall/ FS 180 to nosestall and backside 180 to rock fakie into the barrier out of the bowl.

DGK HUBBA JAM: Gytis Bluivas – Crook nollie flip out.

HUF HIGH OLLIE JAM (driveway): Thomas Harrison (6 boxes).

SUPERDEAD GAP JAM: Split winners – Daryl Dominguez – 2 x kickflips, heelflip. Ewen Bower – FS Ollie revert, FS Stalefish revert, Benihana.

GRIZZLY GRIP TAPE LEDGE JAM: Thomas Harrison – FS tailslide fs 270 shuv out, in and out of ledge.

WALLRIDE JAM: Jed Cullen – Blunt fakie, Pivot fakie, fakie rock (on high section).

RAIL JAM: Luke Kindon – Crook to back lip slide.

STAIR SESH: Charlie Birch – FS Bigspin.

It was very difficult judging the winners on the day so there will be many honorable mentions in the main feature as it was tough to judge due to the amount of amazing stuff that went down. Look out for that soon and until then, take in these photos from Tom Halliday.

gytis_bluivas_crossfirexmasjam

Gytis Bluivas ripped hard and killed the DGK Hubba and small stair set. Someone sponsor him please.

Witchcraft’s Joe Habgood ripped all day long, spotted here in the backside disaster pose with an upcoming ripper.

ewenbower_crossfirexmasjam2012

Ewen Bower completes a hat trick over the Superdead Gap with a floating Benihana. Pisstaker.

More soon.

Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official feast day in the early seventeenth century, and has gradually become a secular celebration of Irish culture in general. To celebrate this special day here this year, we decided to treat you to a feast of culture seen through the lens of Irish skateboard photographer and Shiner’s main man in the trenches, Jerome Loughran.

JL: Growing up in Northern Ireland and then later re-rooting myself to Wales allowed me to meet people along the journey that have left an impression. During that time, I have never forgotten those that helped me shape who I am today, so I could have easily added another 20 photos in this feature. These 5 photos are just some of the amazing skateboarders that made an impact on this man behind the lens. Enjoy.

Only fitting that any St.Patrick’s day photo article would be kicked off by none other than Jay Dords. Dords is the guy has held the scene together in Ireland together for years. He is a true skate legend. He’s one of those rare skateboarders who has not only kept the scene going in the dark days, but he’s never seen a penny from all his hard work and crazy ideas either. You know what though? It never breaks that big smile on his face! This photo was shot after a weekend of Jay building this DIY block in Derry, Northern Ireland. Jay built it, consumed some Harp lager and then proceeded to shred it. What is more Irish that Thin Lizzy and Harp Lager? (besides the stereotypes!!) Dords influenced me to get out there and get involved, and now all those years of him asking me questions about f-stops has unleashed a mean photographer in him too. Watch that space.

This is Mark Munson. Meeting Munson is like meeting a brick wall at 50mph, you won’t forget it! The man knows what’s what and won’t ever be afraid to tell you so! I’ve learnt so much from this guy over the years. His team management skills are basically made up of “stop crying and do it you wanker!” His approach usually works as well! I’ve been on many rad trips with Mark and would always be glad to have him in the van or at the park shouting abuse at me. There’s a slight Irish link in this photo as it was shot in Greystones, just outside of Dublin.

Less of an Irish link here but I went on a skate trip to Ireland with Marc Churchill once so hopefully that counts! Everyone knows Marc. If you don’t, where have you been hiding?! Weird that that the guy I used to watch on Channel 5’s Rad TV show is now the guy that constantly calls me and keeps me in stitches with one of his many comedy personas. Marc is constant entertainment and also knows how to do a good sticker job! If I had to only shoot with one guy for the rest of my life it would be Marc, basically because it’s like shooting with 12 different guys! This photo was shot in Oregon. If you have not seen the Punch An Eagle In Flight tour edit yet, do it.

For those that don’t know this guy, this is Darran ‘Grim’ Ward skating the Chepstow park. Grim is best known for running Freestyle Skateshop in Newport, Wales. Grim has been my landlord and housemate for nearly 10 years and I have been through so much with this guy, it’s unreal. This photo should have seen light of day much sooner, as he has always had my back and gets hyped on my photos, so this should stoke him out. Not only is he the biggest and gnarliest vegan I have ever met, he is officially the only person I know that has punched himself out in anger at leaving the house without his wallet! He was driving at the time and I was in the passenger seat!

This is a photo of Caradog Emanuel with an ollie up and out to crooks. He is another Welsh skater that I have had the pleasure of traveling with over the years. ‘Dog’ is like Churchill- a stand up comedian. Put the two of them together and you have an ultimate double act! Caradog has a fresh approach to skateboarding, something that sets him apart from others. If you haven’t seen his section in Kill City’s Rookies video yet then, damn, get yourself a copy and break open a Guinness!