The Blueprint team have were one of four teams invited to Transworld’s annual Skate & Create video competition to win the cover of the magazine. Watch Nick Jensen’s Sylvain Tognelli, Marty Murawski, Paul Shier, Danny Brady, Jon Nguyen and Kevin Coakley in their new US job roles put together by Oliver Barton.
Tag: skateboarding
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Spliff All Star night footage
Beibel’s yard gets smoked in this Spliff All Star visit.
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Fun session in Bob’s Backyard
It’s true what they say: “If you build it, they will come.” Have a gander at what’s going on over at Bob’s backyard fun palace and start thinking of how to fill your own garden with every line possible.
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Flip Backyard BBQ Sesh footage
The Flip team got a backyard BBQ session on the go in a Californian pool. Watch what went down with the beast that is Andrew Langi and much more with David Gonzalez, Alec Majerus, Louie Lopez, Oscar Meza, Arto Saari and Curren Caples.
Portrait by Percy Dean
Every year we look back on the video edits that made the cut, the ones that surprised the most, the tricks that made our eyebrows raise and the overall contributions and dedications to skateboarding at ground level.
The UK has produced more skateboarders than ever who have proved they can cut it at the highest levels. We are currently seeing another shift where pro’s are getting a run for their money by the upcoming ams who are hitting the road, getting amongst it and most of all, getting down to business. London based skater Tom Knox has put in the hard work this year. His Blueprint/Emerica section hit our homepage on day of release and rightly spread worldwide to claim the recognition it deserved across the board. Raise a glass to Tom today as he is Crossfire’s Fresh Blood of 2011.
Enjoy his Reflections looking back on an incredible year in skateboarding and expect much more from him in the future.
What did you learn most from 2011?
Not much really, it went by so fast! Just how to be productive with my time, as I’m not in school anymore so I can do whatever I want for the first time in my life. It’s really fun, but can feel strange sometimes.
How are you getting by as an am rider living in London and what other interests outside of skateboarding are filling the hours?
Well, I still live at home so my rent is not as much as living on your own, plus I save money by eating here. I have a big family and we all live at home, so I spend as much time as I can with them because I know one day when I eventually move out I will not be able to. It’s really fun, I am definitely lucky to have the family I have around me. I play a lot of music in my spare time. Guitar and flute. I also swim all the time, play football, tennis, and watch loads of movies.
Best personal moment of 2011?
Probably getting my part finished and released. I worked quite hard on it so was good to see a final product.
How long did it take to put together and what did you feel was your biggest achievement from it?
It took about a year, but it went by quickly as we were filming through the winter, plus we had no camera and injuries to deal with. The biggest achievement is probably the spots that we found. At the time I didn’t really realise the missions we went on because either me, Jake or Smithy would mention a spot we found and we’d just all go skate it. Once it came out, quite a few people mentioned the previously unskated spots that we had we discovered and that felt like quite an achievement as London is quite a hard city to do that in.
What was the most ridiculous thing that happened whilst filming for it?
Probably the time when myself and Jake we’re going to film some stuff with quite a few people, but one by one they bailed out. So we decided to skate this spot near his place in Peckham. I tried a line for a little but wasn’t feeling it, so we decided to go back to his and except the failed mission. Then some dude asked us where a street was that we didn’t know, he hung about for a sec, then grabbed Jake’s camera bag. When Jake tried to pull it back he bottled him round the face and ran off. It was so horrible. He was bleeding everywhere and had the most swollen face. He took it like a man though until he realised it was a WKD bottle!
Watch Tom’s Emerica/Blueprint section filmed by Jake Harris and edited by Dan Magee.
What was your most memorable skate trip of the year?
I have just returned from a trip to Japan with the Blueprint boys and it was one of the best places I’ve ever visited. We had a really good crew, weather and skate spots. I’ve never been to Japan before so it was cool to see what everything is like out there. The locals showed us an amazing time too.
The Japanese skate scene seems quite unique, what’s it like in comparison to here?
It’s really good man. I look at the guys I’ve seen in videos and they have a very unique outlook on skating. But when you go there it’s just like any other scene. Their skating is up there. I saw a girl do a backside flip out of a foot of vert, was insane!
Did you hit up any of those Gou Miyagi rail spots?
Nah, not really. There are tiny rails everywhere though and so many spots. The Japanese respect authority over there, so unlike England, you don’t skate a lot of the spots you pass on the street and go to the ones you know aren’t a bust. I think if you lived there you could find some crazy obstacles for sure.
Who ate the strangest food on the menu from that trip?
Most the stuff you eat is strange. There is some stuff that the locals eat. I didn’t try it but Sylvain (Tognelli) did and said it was the strangest thing he’s ever eaten. It was so alien to his taste buds!
If you had to pick a tune of this year what would it be?
I only started listening to Bob Dylan’s Street Legal album this year, so good.
Most satisfying line made this year
There were a few but probably the line at Liverpool Street where I end with a fakie ollie down the stairs. It was the middle of winter, I hadn’t filmed anything in a while. I was trying it for about an hour and just couldn’t make it. Then my wheel fell off! I got a friend to give me one of his and he said that I would only have one more try and luckily I made it.
What was the newest trick added to the bag this year?
Switch back smiths.
Skate DVD you watched the most?
Dimestore The Duece.
Who would be your MVP of the year?
Neil Smith.
Who are your Fresh Blood tips for 2012?
Casper Brooker, Kyron Davis and Jacob Harris.
What are you looking forward to most in 2012?
Traveling a bit more and hopefully get myself to some places I haven’t been yet.
Backside Smith. Photo by Percy Dean
Let’s end this on some quality viewing. What are your top 5 video edits of the year?
1. This is a web part of Gilbert Crockett. I think the footage was just a compilation of a load of web stuff he’d already had out. I watched this a lot before I went skating this year as really gets me hyped.
2. Neil Smith’s well deserved pro part.
3. I really like watching raw footage, something about it makes me really want to go for a skate. This makes me want to go throw myself down some stairs as he makes it look so easy.
4. Brian Delatore has been around for a while but has blown up in the last year. This welcome to Habitat video shows what his skating is all about. Good spots, fast lines and sick tricks.
5. It was such a pleasure to go on trips with Sylvain this year. He’s always up for an adventure.
‘Wooden Nickels’ episode 8: Sylvain Tognelli from Mark Nickels on Vimeo.
Surrounded by blue skies and a winter chill, the Crossfire Xmas Jam warmed a few hundred people at Bay 66 Skatepark yesterday. The rain held, the skateboarding poured and only four people managed to spill blood on the day. Thankfully there were no broken bones to talk about.
Manny Lopez came off worse by running into Tim Prozorov and suffered a collision injury that forced the ambulance service to drive him to the nearest hospital for stitches. Adrenaline was needed to slow down the bleeding so it could be stitched up so he will be feeling sore this morning. Get well soon Manny, we all missed watching you skate.
Some big stuff went down in this session. Notable mentions to Chroliver, Nowik, Cullen, Raemers, Zwijsen, Collins and many more for all day shredding and of course, the legendary Mark Brewster’s vocal skills on the mic all day. Churchill has got nothing on this cat. Look out for a video edit and a photo gallery very soon and thanks to all who got off their backsides to get amongst it with us on the day.
A rowdy crowd filled the after party who roared along to the premiere of the Kill City Skateboards Rookies DVD. It was the first time some of the team riders had seen the film due to a trip to Barcelona last week and it did not disappoint. Beers were raised, the film dropped its hammers and there should be some tasty hangovers out there today.
Big thanks to all who drove for miles to share these good times and make these events work plus all of the staff at Bay 66 Skatepark, and our associate sponsors Slam City Skates Plan B, Flip and Superdead Skateboards
More big shouts out to Heroin, Death, Drawing Boards, Science, Crayon, Kill City, Lovenskate and Blueprint Skateboards, Andy Evans and Sam May for being involved in a another great day of skateboarding.
This jam was for Bingo on his Birthday. RIP.
UNSPONSORED STREET JAM RESULTS:
Flat Bar Comp: Lewis Bell – FS Feeble Shove-it (Drawing Boards deck/tee)
Hip Comp: Ben Rafferty – BS 360 Flip (turning with it) (£25 Slam City Skates voucher)
Mini Ramp Comp: Rob Safe – 540′ (!) (£50 Slam City Skates voucher)
Driveway Comp: Taylor Reid – FS bigspin to flat (£100 Slam City Skates voucher)
AM/PRO BEST TRICKS RESULTS:
Plan B Flat Bar Comp: Jake Collins – Front tailslide 270 out – £50
Superdead Long Arse Hubba Comp: Chris Oliver BS lipslide/FS bluntslide/5050 – £50
Plan B Hubba Jam: Ben Raemers – FS boardslide pisstaker / FS 5050 to fakie / BS tailslide fakie and more – £100
Superdead Wallride Comp: Chris Oliver: FS bluntslide across the quarter – £100
Superdead/Plan B Longest Driveway Ollie: Phil Zwijsen – £100
FLIP SKATEBOARDS MINI RAMP COMP RESULTS:
Overall Mini Ramp Steez Award: Split between Greg Nowik and Jed Cullen
Highest FS Air: Chris Oliver (Over 6ft?!)
Combo Grind/Slide: Jake Collins – BS smith/tail slide
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SUPRA Douglas boot
The clocks have gone back, the Autumn has kicked in and inevitably the Winter will be inviting us into the big chill here in the UK over the next 2 months. For some it’s a bleak period, for others it’s a joyful season, but for many of us, preparation for cold, winter nights ahead starts now in terms of clothing and shoes.
SUPRA are one step ahead of the other shoe brands this year and have released a series of boots so you can combat pretty much any weather system when off your board. Question is, are these for you? What do you wear when you are not skating? Are you the commercial sports style person? Do you like a shoe? Are you partial to a boot? If it’s the latter then get ready to be introduced to Supra’s newest range of footwear designed to heavy duty wear off the griptape. A boot that is so durable that you can hike in them, as i found out a month ago whilst visiting Lulworth Cove down on the South coast.
These Douglas boots are all terrain vehicles, designed to tackle hillsides, puddles, dancefloors and pretty much anything that this planet will serve up. So far, they are not even fazed by the tasks that they have been put through so far, they look exactly the same as they did when they jumped out of the box, and when they have got dirty, these boots are so easy to wipe down and clean up.
I have noticed that I have formed bigger calf muscles in these last 6 weeks of wearing them daily, as the Douglas are heavy but not like foot bricks. They are kind of like Black Sabbath, but within the first 4 albums. None of that (debatable) average shit they released afterwards that you can never actually remember. They come with tough metal eyelets, leather laces, heavygauge stitching, a gusseted tongue (ooh missus) and they are super warm and comfy once on your feet.
If you are looking for a winter boot this year, the Douglas could well be your best option. Keep and eye on Supra as they are making some big waves in an area where a lot of other skate brands are just repeating themselves right now. These come highly recommended this winter. Pick them up in the Supra shop as they now deliver direct to the UK.
Zac
Lulworth Cove, October 2011- no problem for the Douglas.
It’s not often i’m on the receiving end of questions, it’s usually the other way round, but on this occassion due to the 10 Year Anniversary and Front being involved, yours truly decided to do an interview with Front Magazine ahead of this year’s Massacre. A slither of this Q&A session was published in the Magazine in October, but this week, the lads at Front have made the entire interview available online.
Visit the Front website to find out more about where your daily skate and music zine comes from plus a little more on some of the highlights of the last 10 years here.
Over the last 2 months Matthew Bromley has been beavering away in here contacting who we thought were the best 12 illustrators out there to produce a deadly, toxic, nuclear mutated sticker ahead of our TOXIC WASTERS skate sticker exhibition that will be held at our Halloween Massacre on October 28th.
In the end, invitations were sent out to Paul Parker, Mr Gauky, Kyle Platts, Sam Taylor, Matthew Bromley, French, Stu Smith, Fos, Craig Scott, Dan Singer, Paddy Jones and Tom Slater. All of them replied with excitement as who else has thrown a sticker exhibition in years? They make up one of the most important parts of skateboarding. Read our recent feature on skate stickers here for proof. The illustrations came back swiftly and Stu Smith at Lovenskate was waiting for them. Watch this video of how these stickers were printed and get hyped on the results.
Only 100 limited edition, collectors sticker packs have been made, all cut and made by hand. Visit our store to pick up an exclusive slice of skateboard sticker history now before they get snapped up, available now for pre-order at £10 (+postage) before Halloween on 31st October, or £15 (+postage) after Halloween.
Not only will you receive 12 limited Toxic stickers, but also 2 bonus x Vans stickers, 1 x Front Magazine sticker and a Crossfire in the packs!
Thanks to all of the artists involved and for your support in making this work!
Every year, we wait for this video to drop as it’s always one of the very best road trips out there.
Get stuck into footage of this year’s run with the Hoon Skateboards team and their mates as they roll from The Gold Coast to Newcastle in Australia and hit up every park in their way.