vol 13 no 1 summer 2014
DESCRIPTION
The Travel IssueTRANSCRIPT
VOL.13 NO.1 SUMMER 2014
$5.95
THE TRAVEL ISSUE:CALIFORNIACOSTA RICASOUTH AFRICA
LET’S DO THIS!RAGING IN MONTREAL’S TRH BAR
CONTENTS
SUMMER 2014REGULARS:
FEATURES:
28 EDITORIAL - Takeoffs & Landings30 ARTIST PROFILE - Roberto Janz32 NOTEWORTHY - Stuff You Should Know About37 EDITOR’S CHOICE - A Curated Collection of Stuff68 MANUFACTURING PROFILE - Omen78 THE NEXT WAVE - Francesca Rosario86 LONGBOARDING FOR PEACE UPDATE- The Netherlands, Ethiopia, Mexico, and more88 GOT STEEZ - Katie Nielson90 ROCKIT TALK
Chris Vanderyajt headed down to California to capture the team in action
Over 400 skaters took to Gun Hill and had a blast at Comet’s annual “nontest”
The staggeringly beautiful landscape is matched only by the friendliness of the locals and quality of the skate spots
The Gravity team heads down for a ten day tour of paradise
It’s a bar with a killer bowl right in the center - where else but Montreal?
Heritage TM Shawn Rowbottom shows the kiddies how it’s done.Photo by Jordan Langdon
AJ Haiby at the 2014 Catalina Classic Photo by Mark Nisbet
38 THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE SWISS SKATEBOARD SCENE - PART 1
52 RDVX CAN’T BE STOPPED
50 ITHACA SLIDE JAM
60 A VOYAGE TO SOUTH AFRICA WITH LANDYACHTS
70 THE COSTA RICA EXPERIENCE
80 TRH BAR
ON THE COVER:
CONTENTS PHOTO:
10 | CONCRETE WAVE SUMMER 2014
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 11
P R O M O D E L S D R O P P I N G S O O NL IAM MORGAN | JAMES KELLY | PHOTO: DUSTIN DAMRON
2014_CONCRETEWAVE_AD_PRO.indd 1 5/27/14 2:38 PM
Billy Johnson, Ollie. Photo by Jordan Langdon
PUBLISHER/EDITORMICHAEL BROOKE | [email protected]
ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNERStacy Lowery
ASSOCIATE EDITORJoey Bidner
PHOTO/COPY EDITORJordan Langdon
I.T. Department HeadRick Tetz of CalStreets.com
HEAD OFFICE1136-3 Center Street, Suite 293,Thornhill, Ontario, L4J 3M8Ph: 905.738.0804
Skateshop DistributionBuddy Carr Designs PO Box 1895, Carlsbad, CA [email protected]
Canadian DistributionInward Supply 514-996-7138 Landyachtz 778-785-6855
CONTRIBUTORS (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)Mark Nisbet, Christian Barnard, Christopher Vanderyajt, Adam Yates, Jacob Lambert, Kyle McQueen, Robbie Lyons, Guto Lamera, Adam Green, Geoff Clifford, Tracy Molinar, Dubes Dubendorf, Roberto Janz, Kurt Hurley, Mike Roberts
Concrete Wave is published by North of La Jolla Inc. Subscriptions (6 issues) are US$26 FIRST CLASS or CAN$26. Address change? Mag not arriving? Contact us - don’t go postal. We can sort it out. [email protected].
Publisher’s permission is required before reproducing any part of this magazine. The views and opinions expressed in Concrete Wave are not necessarily those of the publisher. Printed in the USA.
VOL.13 NO.1 SUMMER 2014
28 | CONCRETE WAVE SUMMER 2014
Hard to believe we’ve hit Vol 13 No. 1. If you add the three years I co-published International Longboarder, then we’re talking about 15 years. It’s gone by so quickly. This issue marks our first truly themed issue. We know that many skaters love to explore, so we know you will be delighted to take a trip to Costa Rica, South Africa and California. I am delighted to report that many readers and advertisers commented about the positive changes we implemented in our previous issue. These changes are a direct result of three very talented people. Joey Bidner, our new associate editor, Jordan Langdon, our photo editor and Stacy Lowery our art director and designer. They are creative, passionate and fun to work with. I am proud of their efforts and glad all three are with me building CW 2.0. I’d now like to hand the next part of the editorial over to Joey Bidner.
In this issue, we cover three stories from some exotic locations that may leave a gut wrenching feeling in your stomach, planting hopes of one day traveling to a mysterious place for a skate trip. This is great, and we are happy to motivate you, but a memorable skate trip is not dependent on the location you choose. More than anything, what makes a skate trip is who you are with and in what fashion you are traveling. Look at your neighboring town and find an exciting trip in a stuffy van with your crew. The best kind of trip is one spent with long hours in an over crammed van sitting way too close to your shower deprived friends, having beans for lunch and dinner, and darts for breakfast. Find comfort in the blown-out budget living from skate spot to skate spot. The time spent away from your domestic lives to experience the raw nature of a skate trip is worth the struggle, and you don’t need to go far from home to experience it. This is the true gift skateboarding can give you; the ability to look past the straight lines of your life to give you the freedom to get a little blurry and let loose. There is not much monetary gain that comes out of a skate trip, maybe some nice photos, but mostly great times with your friends, a story or two, and a few new tricks up your sleeve. This is how we want to keep it.
So, with all this said, we are proud to share with you some of our experiences, as well as those willing to share their own. We are looking forward with a new team behind Concrete Wave, a revised direction, and some freshly squeezed creativity in our cup.
In hopes that you receive it well,
TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 29
JanzRoberto
Roberto (Beto) Janz was born in Curitiba, Brazil. His contact with skateboarding started in the 1990’s. From here he got in touch with rock ‘n roll. These became the two things that would rule his lifestyle and work.
ARTIST PROFILE
From underground art to corporate works, his art doesn’t leave any doubts about his intention to express ideas and lifestyle. He leaves his personal mark on each new creative endeavor.
“Working for multinational brands in large agencies never gave to me more than financial support for survival, my soul has always belonged to skateboarding and rock n’ roll.”
Beto works with different types of materials, ranging from wood to bronze.
Now living in Toronto, Beto is looking for new opportunities to spread his work and skateboard/rock ‘n roll culture through his art.Betojan.com
Many people underestimate the value of high performance bushings which is why R.A.D. makes it easy by offering exactly what you need. They are available in 3 durometers; White-86a, Red-89a, Blue-92a. Each set comes with 2 bushings made with 100% R.A.D. American urethane, 2 stamped flat washers, packed in a reusable container. Bushing Height: .600 Inches radesigns.com
Spanning the size gap between the Kanthaka and Tesseract, the Overland is designed for the all-around rider seeking a happy medium between a shorter technical double kick and a downhill freeriding machine. Mild radial concave and subtle wheel well flares ensure a comfortable stance, while a beefy kicktail and steeper nose provide crisp pop and ample leverage for ollies, slides, manuals and shuv its. Aggressive griptape along the rails lock you in for slides and speed, while a milder strip down the center of the deck allows for less abrasive ollies and street tricks. Textured urethane on the bottom provides vibration damping, durable protection, and ultra-smooth rail slides. loadedboards.com
Concrete Wave traveled to Joplin, Missouri, to check out the first installation of Progressive’s Pumptrack made from concrete. The track is permanent and is an absolute blast to ride. The track is a perfect addition to skateparks and would be a great fit for ski resorts, summer camps and your back yard (assuming you have the space!) progressivepumptracks.com or pumptracks.ca
Pantheon Longboards blossoms into existence with the Embryo deck. This board is the first in the Pantheon lineup and sets the tone for what is sure to make some waves. Pantheon aims to focus the industry toward a more conscious self-awareness. The light is not as beautiful without the contrast of darkness. Pantheon focuses to keep the industry small by being small themselves. pantheonlongboards.com
R.A.D. BUSHINGS LOADED
PUMPTRACK - MADE FROM CONCRETEPANTHEON
NOTEWORTHY - THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
32 | CONCRETE WAVE SUMMER 2014
Local Honey is proud to introduce their new line of longboarder road rash kits. These kits were designed by skaters along with experts in the safety field. They can be utilized for multiple minor and major injuries. The kit also includes SPF protection, bug repellent and much more. Local Honey offers two sizes of road rash kits: 1-2 person compact kit and 3-4 person kit. Both are easy to take on the road. Expect the unexpected.localhoneyboards.com
A film project is looking for video and photos of ARA (Another Roadside Attraction, Inc.). This was a Colorado Pro-Am Skateboard Race and Freestyle Circuit from 1976-1978. All vintage photos and video taken of the Circuit that had Tour stops in Boulder, Mom’s Hill-Lakewood, Vail, Aspen, Breckenridge, Dillon and Silverthorne are welcome. Please contact Peter Camann at [email protected] or Harvey Hawks at [email protected] if you have either photos or video.
La Costa Boys and So Cal Racing are hosting the biggest racing event in North America and have joined forces with the 2nd Viva La Costa Reunion crew – for one epic weekend. Plans include special “legends” events throughout the weekend. Come out to race or just enjoy the vibe of this history making event. July 18-20, 2014 Oceanside, CA
How can action sports be used to teach physics, algebra, data collection, and help students to grow in their engagement and motivation in science and mathematics? The answer can be found in the new publication from Bill Robertson (aka Dr. Skateboard). The book combines physical science concepts in areas such as forces, motion, Newton’s Laws of Motion and simple machines set in the context of activities that young people enjoy doing, such as riding bikes and skateboards.
ROAD RASH KITS
ANOTHER ROADSIDE ATTRACTION US SLALOM NATIONALS
ACTION SCIENCE BOOK
UtahPowderTours.com
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 33
The Shralpers Union was started in 2009 by Noel Korman and 3 sidestance industry OGs in NYC. The Union has 915 members and 17 chapters worldwide. It was designed to bring people, shops, new companies and charity events together. Members receive discount and benefits at many locations as well as a whole crew of great people supporting you. shralpersunion.com
Joey Nickell showing off his version of a fully loaded Mr. Baked Potato. Mr. Baked Potato comes naked with a sticker kit that lets you create your own customize graphic. The deck is 9.6” x 33” with 1/4” miro-drop, mini kicktail and fenders. jetskateboards.com
Caliber have been hard at work developing a street truck, the Caliber Standard, that embodies the same principles they used as a foundation for their original tombstone RKP truck. Caliber say the goal was to design and manufacture a skateboard truck for the skater who rides every kind of terrain imaginable. calibertruckco.com
SHRALPERS UNION JET SKATEBOARDS
CALIBER TRUCKS
The Prophecy is Justen Ortiz’s board of choice. It features futuristic Hollow Tech construction in a twin tip shape, flared wheel wells and a wicked graphic. Light, Strong and fast...the Prophecy is a board that is guaranteed to take your skating to new levelslandyachtz.com
LANDYACHTZ
NOTEWORTHY - THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
34 | CONCRETE WAVE SUMMER 2014
What’s clearly the most obvious jaw dropper about this board is the construction and price. The new thermo carbon technology is offered not only on the Boombox but a variety of boards in this season’s Bustin line. It’s a beefy, custom carbon fibre top and bottom weave, with their own thermo adhesive, comparable to epoxy resin, between each ply of maple. What you get is an incredibly stiff and responsive board with insane durability. I could not believe the price tag when I came across the board at only $179.95, most boards in this category of construction are well over $250. Putting the shocking construction aside, its shape has something special going to. The deeper than usual radial drop, along with an aggressive angle of rocker, make it a strong freeride board. Locking your feet into each of the drops gives the sensation of a foot stop at each end. The added weight of the composite thermo carbon Boombox adds a bit of heft to the ride; as you would expect with a wheel base of 28.5-29.5 and a full length of 41.5’’. So if you are a little dude, bumping down to the Thermo Glass Boombox might be your bag of beans. Shaving a lot of weight off the board by thinning the core, shortened to 38.5 long and a touch of flex makes it far more forgiving. I’m so pleased to see Bustin take to the plate in the world of pinnacle construction.
The cast race is on! With more companies upping their game to produce a cast truck closer and closer to a precision, I am pleased to see the fresh emergence of Atlas trucks set the pace this season. If you are one to wreak havoc on your set of cast trucks, slopping the king pin and bending the hangers, these are the trucks you might want to try next. The trucks come with tapered king pin that wedges itself progressively into a tighter fit as you wear down its seat in the base plate, ensuring it remains snug for far longer than most base plates. The 10mm internal axle is milled down to an 8mm bearing seat, which gives you the strength you want without forcing a 10mm bearing on you. Because of the extra beef put into the trucks to make them more durable, you are faced with a far heavier truck, but let’s be honest, were playing with gravity, so for downhill it’s no sweat. And last but not least, the most anticipated of all; the spherical pivot cup. Your first insightful question might be “but what about replacing the pivot cup?” Well, atlas has specifically patented their own pivot cup washer design that you may notice has etched groves in its body, which traps dirt and prevents wear. Also, because of its even pressure from its spherical shape, you’re less likely to get slop. The angles offered on this truck are great for DH and freeride; as the 3 degrees of rake allow you to ride it at 51, and 45 degrees. So, all in all, you’re basically getting a versatile truck for the same price as any other on the market but made far more durable and feature filled.
I’m assuming all of you are looking for a shoe with a long lasting sole, but this shouldn’t be the only thing we look for in a great skate shoe. For DH and fast freeride, I personally look for a shoe with torsional stiffness. Don’t you hate when you’re riding fast, and you go to slightly shift your feet to prepare for what’s coming only to find your foot is slipping around in your shoe without the shoe moving much on the board. These micro foot adjustments are important and you don’t want a shoe that does not respond to the small movements. The Etnies Maranas are a perfect combination of a torsional stiff shoe that lasts long without sacrificing much board feel, not to mention one of the longest lasting soles I have found. It has a tight heel cup and we have its cup sole to thank for a lot of its attributes. The toe of the shoe has a light cap to increase its durability, but is small enough to not stiffen the shoe. If you’re one to get heel bruises, I especially like the foot bed because of its slightly elevated gel heel support.
BUSTIN BOOMBOX THERMO CARBON
ATLAS TRUCKS
ETNIES MARANAS
A CURATED COLLECTION OF PRODUCTS WITH AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS AND REVIEW.
BY JOEY BIDNER
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 37
Most readers of Concrete Wave are somewhat
familiar with the history of the longboard companies that are featured in this magazine. What many people may not be aware of is that back in the 1980’s, the Swiss skate scene was into carving and slalom skating long after everyone had turned to ollies and rails. Over the course of the next several issues, our goal is to showcase some of this history to give you a sense of just how deep the roots go.
38 | CONCRETE WAVE SUMMER 2014
What was the skate scene like in the 1980’s?The skateboard scene in the early 80’s in Switzerland was made up of a number of small brands. We had PC Slalom boards, Cem, Radical and Hooger Booger. There was a famous old school skater named Heini Temperli and all the fast slalom riders were on his team.
Why do you think the Swiss kept up with downhill and slalom (and skyhooks!) when most of the skate world moved on?I think we live in the “asphalt paradise.” Switzerland is truly the Hawaii for skaters. We have good public transportation, and a fast skateboard brings you happily to the bus station. When it comes to slalom, we have a big history. There were so many good riders in the 1970’s and 80’s. Of course, we Swiss have a culture and history of racing. One example; Andreas Pfander was wining the Red Bull Downhill Contest in Rio Brazil in the early 90`s.
How did you get you get into skateboard manufacturing?It was 1987 and I was in school. One to the projects I worked on was a snowboard. This was the first time I got in contact with wood, fiberglass and epoxy and I got hooked.
What led to the creation of Indiana? After my experience with making the snowboard, Hooger Booger stopped making skateboards and concentrated their efforts on snowboards. So at 19 years of age, I decided to start up Indiana in 1989 in my parents garage. At that time you could not find nice products in the skateshops for alternative
skateboarding, so I felt that it was a good time to get into it. You don’t need much money to do it. The adventure can start just next to your house. You can ride your local hill. This, to me, is still the message.
What are some of the things you’ve experimented with when it comes to manufacturing?We’ve used a lot of different materials: wood, fiberglass, carbon titanal. I think Indiana was one of the first companies to have snowboard with a wood core. This means not a plywood construction, but a vertical laminate.
Can you believe that Indiana has been around for 25 years? What are some of your favorite memories?Indiana was like my family. The relationship with my workers and team riders was like that. I was also very young and had no experience in business and how to make a nice product for skateboarding. We built up our own woodshop and used a lot of material from the ski and snowboard industries. The business has changed a lot in 25 years.
We were winning many slalom skateboard events all over the world with riders like Maurus Strobel, Noemi Reichel (we always supported women in skateboarding) and Luca Giammarco. These were top athletes and they dominated.
One of my favorite memories is a series we first called Rollerball. It eventually turned into the Burning Wheels Tour. It was a Boarder Cross Series for skaters and it was a lot of fun, but to much work for a small company like us, but we were always very creative. In 2000, Indiana won the ISPO Brand New Awards with our skateboards and longboards with flex. To be perfectly
honest, I think we were too early with our style of riding.
What are three very important things that you’d like the skate world to know about the Swiss skate scene?I think the whole Swiss skate scene was very strong and unique. Our problem was always that our products were quite expensive to export. Finally, our country is very small, but it is beautiful.
First up is Christoph Peller of Indiana Skateboards.
Far left - Chistof Peller, founder of Indiana Skateboards in his shop, circa early 1990’s
Top Left - Indiana’s Asymmetrical Tomahawks for racing in the early days
Middle - Daniel Vuichard from Hooger Booger and Christof
Right - Andreas Pfander, Boby Vetterli, Alex, Kevin Fries, Christof Peller and Dyhan Fischer at a slalom contest
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 39
photo: neftalie.com
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The course was moved this year to Gun Hill. This run was different than previous years since you aren’t able to see the entire course. However, Gun Hill proved to be an excellent choice as riders hit speeds of close to 40 mph. There was an insane amount of urethane laid down on the road as riders squeezed everything they could out of each run.
For most of the morning, the weather was decent. Not exactly warm, but no rain or wind. By the time noon hit, the rain started to rear its ugly head. It was on and off for a few hours and by the time mid afternoon hit, a number of riders had headed out. A few brave souls kept bombing the hills and charging the ramps. But no amount of rain or wind could dampen anyone spirits. The Ithaca Slide Jam had worked its magic. A huge thanks to the generous and hard working folks at Comet for putting on such a memorable event. There is no doubt that the Slide Jam nontest format is an incredible way to generate a huge amount of skate stoke. They truly set the bar.
Comet has been in the business of skateboarding for seventeen years and the Slide Jam is their way of showcasing the best of what the east has to offer. Folks came from far and wide. Louis Pilloni and Liam Morgan flew in from California.
Concrete Wave set off to Ithaca for the third annual Slide Jam. Ithaca is the home of Cornell University and is located in the region known as the Finger Lakes. This quaint college town is home to some great hills. The first slide jam had about 80 riders and this year it reached almost 400.
photo - Christian Barnardphoto - Christian Barnard
by Michael Brooke
50 | CONCRETE WAVE SUMMER 2014
INTERVIEW WITH JASON SALFI OF COMETWhen you think about to original event that you put together three years ago – what were some of your reasons for doing it?In year one, the main reason for doing the Ithaca Skate Jam was to offer the east coast skateboard community a different style of event with a non competitive skate jam format. In 2012, we had 80 plus skaters show up and shred all day. It turned out that even in the first year the reach was way beyond regional. In 2013, approximately 275 skaters registered for the event, we had more features on the hill and the energy level was way higher. We galvanized the non competitive angle, coining the word “Nontest” to describe the event. Our background at Comet stems from grassroots, underground skate scenes. You don’t show up at a back yard pool or a full moon mountain run and start having a best line or trick contest, you just vibe off of your homies and the level naturally elevates. The Ithaca Skate Jam is about friends skating with each other and having fun.
What things have you changed since the original slide jam? In 2012, we were not that organized at all about putting features on the hill. We really owe a huge shout out to Ben Dubreil. He brought that launch ramp PVC pole jam thing that expanded a lot of minds. The 2013 features were rad but the hill was a bit short for everything that we packed into it. The 2014 event was on a hill with three times the space to open up the flow. The features are starting to get better. Every year the event gets more organized. We still feel like we are just getting started. Many of the improvements this year were made possible through a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program and partnering with the City of Ithaca.
Do you think the focus on just riding as opposed to competing is the future for skate events?Competitive and non-competitive skateboarding have been around since way back. Skate jams are as much the
future as IDF events and outlaws and just mobbing hills with friends are the future in downhill. The future is what we make up. It is all self-expression. What I prescribe for the future though is much broader. Whether it is a race, bowl contest, street league or whatever kind of skate jam, we need an ethos of responsibility for the earth and our neighbors, rooted in the ground, big or small, on wheels or not.
Events are ephemeral but they take a lot of energy, resources, and then what? The future for events is to move away from a linear mindset. Our goal is to plan events that expand the community of skateboarders beyond who we know skateboards today and plan for the future use of all the materials needed for the event. This year we designed and built all of the wooden features for continued use from already used material. For example, the banks and platform from the euro gap are becoming the walls of our new wood shop. Events are better when they are self-contained. As in the past, we supplied food all day but more of it and added on site medical care free of charge for broken skaters so anyone who with
minor injuries could avoid expensive emergency room visits and be in the mix all day.
Any final comments?The Ithaca Skate Jam is possible through several people pouring their hearts and souls into making it happen. Everyone plays a role. Kadie Salfi is the archetypal mother, chief organizer and kitten herder. It is the woman’s touch that makes the event special. Number wizardry and binary code support by Pat Govang, Bob Rossi. Kaya, is the trickster full of last minute exuberance, gifts of art and design. Special shout outs to Mike Judah, our merry emcee and musical organizer, and the talents of DJ Double A and Eliot Rich. Mario Korf, Ira Garrison, Mclovin, the Comet Team, Aaron AFB Grulich, the volunteers, Mayor Svante Myrick for backing us, and The City of Ithaca and the Tompkins County Tourism Program for granting us the honor of stoking the people.
Comet’s head honcho Jonathan Salfi
An overview of Comet’s HQ
Kadie Salfi
CONCRETEWAVEMAGAZINE.COM | 51
This past February, I was sent to California to photograph the first RDVX film tour. I was super excited about this assignment
as it would be the first time I was going to Cali to shoot, even though I knew most of
the spots we would be visiting had been photographed many times. Before leaving
Jersey I made it a personal goal to shoot these well-documented locations with
some new perspective.
RDVXCAN’T BE STOPPED!
Words and Photos by Christopher Vanderyajt
Upon arriving in LA, we met up with our crew at the Skate House and
headed to Santa Barbra to crash at the Orchid while we shredded some hills in that area Despite less that perfect weather, the crew stepped up to push through the cold, rainy, foggy conditions to get the trip off on the right foot.
PREVIOUS - With limited visibility in ice cold temps, LOUIS PILLONI and BRETT CIABATTINI speed down the mountain run through the dense fog.
LEFT - AXEL SERRATO - Making steezy slides artsy through the thick of the fog
RIGHT - BRETT CIABATTINI - Sometimes free riding on pavement is just not enough…so Brett decided to b line it off the road for the pole jam.
After leaving the Orchid, we headed south to the San Diego area to hit up some of its local hills. Murphy’s Law struck with a vengeance, and we were pounded with monsoon rains, leaving us unsure about what possibilities we would have to skate, shoot, and film. Luckily, a combined professional attitude took hold as we all knew we had to get the shots regardless of road conditions. In retrospect, those sessions turned out to be some of the most epic days of filming, shooting, and good old fashion skate-trip fun I’ve ever had. Not to mention we were still able to get a few cliché California sunset session bangers for good measure.
LEFT - Daniel Luna checks it switch at this classic spot
BELOW - Waiting room
TOP RIGHT - #clichéepicsunsetsession with LOUIS PILLONI
BOTTOM RIGHT - Van life
All and all, from a photographer’s perspective, I couldn’t have been happier with how the trip turned out and that I had the chance to photograph some of the most amazing people. I have to give a special thanks to Louis Pilloni, Brett Ciabattini, Axel Serrat, Jimmy Riha, and Daniel Luna because without all their hard work and dedication I would not have been able to do my job. It was certainly a pleasure working with them and I am looking forward to the next opportunity to capture some epic skating.
TOP - The RDVX Team ripping through the forest of shadows. (left to right Axel Serrat, Louis Pilloni, Brett Ciabattini
BOTTOM - It’s a set up
TOP RIGHT - Launch party
BOTTOM RIGHT - Jimmy Riha…Rad Train ripping the night train
photos by Jacob Lambert
Concrete Wave- How did the idea for this tour come about?Adam Yates -The idea came about during a small chat that I had with Tom Edstrand, one of the owners at Landyachtz, back in the middle of 2013. I first traveled to an international downhill event; Hot Heels, all the way back in 2003. I had the pleasure of traveling with him, Darryl Freeman, Yogi Baumann and Steve Daddow for a period of a few weeks. During this time it became clear to me that I wanted to represent Landyachtz someday in my future and that the future was looking like it was going to focus heavily around skateboarding. The people that I met and the experiences that I had in South Africa back in 2003 were just too good to be a one-off.
After a decade passed, I was fortunate and very privileged to be sponsored by Landyachtz and the opportunity arose that I could potentially revisit the scene where it all began for me. I’ve been appointed the international team and marketing manager at Landyachtz for 2014 and this was to be my first task for the year; organize a trip with seven team members to South Africa for a Skate and Explore tour like no other. The goal of the trip was to generate a strong Landyachtz presence and get more people on skateboards, turning wheels. It’s always been about the stoke and giving back to communities that support our brands! We also had two new team riders to expose to the country and the world.
Who joined you and on the trip?Our team is full of characters and great skaters so the decision was always going to be a hard one. These Skate and Explore Tours offer a great platform to mix the diversity of our team with a variety of unique adventures. There were the Canadians; Kyle Martin, Kyle Wein, Bricin “Striker” Lyons, and Dave “Guff” Leslie, and the Australians; new bloods Matt Bates, Jacob Lambert, and myself. Our local distributer in South Africa,
E xploring the world through
skateboarding is something
that Landyachtz has embraced for
years. This sense of exploration
began early on and centered
around road trips with friends
in search of that feeling you get
while skating a newly discovered
hill for the first time. We feel
that skateboards can take you
places, enhance your fun factor
and open the door for journeys
you wouldn’t otherwise go on.
Heading to South Africa isn’t
your everyday vacation, and
for the crew it turned into an
unforgettable adventure and an
opportunity to skate a country not
often skated.-Nate Schumacher
62 | CONCRETE WAVE SUMMER 2014
Baboon Boards, sent their shop manager, Alyosha “Yoshi” Diebold, with us for a little local knowledge on where NOT to go!
Did you guys end up finding any local rippers? Because South Africa is so massive the stoke spreads a massive 2800km, between Cape Town and Durban. Two completely different scenes both in style and age. Cape Town has a reputation of being the birthplace of racers and can date back to early 2000 with names like Stuart Bradburn and Mike Zietsman. Durban has a lot of different terrain; urban, parks and plenty of downhill. The scene here is only around two or three years old, and they already have a massive presence in the freeride scene and also are becoming super competitive in the downhill events.
In Cape Town, we have Alex Meyers. His chill attitude changes when he gets on a skateboard. He turns into a machine that does things at one pace, FAST. He’s proven to be a racer as well, taking top spots on podiums at a few of the past
Kyle WeinMatt Bates
downhill events. In Durban we have Dylan de Fleuriot. This guy is very calculated and likes to break things down to their simplest forms. He oozes style with his flailing limbs. He’s always on the hunt to expose new terrain and adds variety to the growing scene. We are stoked to have these guys on the team, representing us there in South Africa.
Were you doing a lot of filming? Was this for documentary?When we do these Skate and Explore tours we try and get the most out of them. Documenting is a massive part of what we aim to achieve with these trips. Shooting for future advertisements, product videos, and R&D on new equipment, all can be captured and used as we need it. The video that comes post tour will only continue to spread the stoke long after we have left! It’s another way Landyachtz likes to give back to the communities we visit; documenting their people, their culture, their country, and exposing it all for the world to see! There is plenty of kickback as a result of having both a videographer and a photographer in the van. After all, on this specific Skate and Explore tour, we are visiting Mother Africa. Who knows, Bricin might have felt the need to take on a bull elephant, you’ll just have to watch Guffs edit!
What did you think of the skate scene in SA?The scene in South Africa is growing at a rapid pace. The different
Adam Yates
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communities get behind each other and support the local scenes by hosting a heap of different events. There is so much going on for all types of skaters. They hold get-togethers once a week for beginners as an introduction into skateboarding, teaching the basics in a safe controlled environment. They have slide jams that follow the same style as international slide events with kickers and rails being incorporated into urban downhill runs. The local group SAGRA (South African Gravity Racers Association) holds international events that draw the big names to South Africa each year including the final event on the current 2014 IDF calendar, Hot Heels, which has been around for over 10 years. There are retail outlets popping up in most of the main cities or towns where there’s a need for skate gear. These shops offer a spot for the locals to come, hang out and spend their money, then hit the hills. Local manufacturers are also increasing in number. Precision truck, board, and bushing companies are supporting locals by supplying them with locally built and designed products. The people of South Africa are very passionate about looking after Mother Africa and her people.
What is one key thing that you’ve learned from this trip?There’s so much that comes from a trip to a place like South Africa. Raw, natural talent comes from so many diverse regions and often overlooked are the communities that have
limited means for promotion. They aren’t subject to media or marketing commercialization like other parts of the globe. They don’t do it to get sponsors. They don’t do it to get paid. They don’t do it to build a profile. They do it for the unadulterated indulgence that skateboarding offers them. This is why we all started right? The people of South Africa say that they learn from us, I think it’s fair to say that we can learn from them!
Any final comments?Thanks to Landyachtz for the opportunity to revisit such an amazing place and share the emotions and memories with my buddies, both new and old. To the people that made our Skate and Explore tour possible, thank you! There are so many people that have helped in so many ways, and, true to the way that the skate family is around the world, accommodated and welcomed us with open arms as their own. I thank you all, for the chance to learn a little more about you as a community.
Lakker Bru, Aweh! Yatedawg.
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CW: What are the origins of Omen?Sam Swenson: Omen Longboards started with the Carbon Matrix, which was the collaboration between a bunch of local Seattle skaters including Nate Blackburn and Trevor Preston. Omen didn’t have a physical location at the time, so the Matrix was outsourced to a local company. Due to the relatively low price tag (compared to other carbon boards) Omen gained some notoriety pretty quickly. After a little under a year, Omen procured space in a north Seattle garage and started producing the first Pike prototypes.
Is it difficult to be located outside of southern California?No, not at all. We drool over the videos coming out of California but we don’t sweat living here. We’re only a few hours from one of the best hills in the world, and when the weather really sucks up here we can usually find the sun in Vancouver, Oregon, or northern California. Seattle is a beautiful city in the spring and summer, and the winter provides us with some of the best
powder in the world. We love the trade off between seasons, and the variable climate forces us to be more dynamic riders.
What does the brand stand for?Omen stands for local-ism and for doing things right. All our research and development takes place at our shop in Seattle, all our boards are built here, all our shirts are printed here, our videos are filmed and edited here for the most part… you get the picture. We rose from the shared ideas of local skaters, so we are indebted to them and to the Seattle skate scene. We’ve never sacrificed the quality of our handmade boards in order to facilitate more sales, we’ve never outsourced any part of the production process, and with the single exception of the Canadian hard rock maple we use for our boards, we’ve never used any materials that don’t originate in America.
What makes your boards different?Using huge hydraulic presses and a multi-phase heating process, we give each of our boards a dramatic concave
scheme designed to facilitate one or more types of riding. Part of the reason we are able to give our boards particularly dramatic concave is that the climate around here is pretty humid so the wood we have stored in the warehouse has a naturally higher moisture content. This means that we can subject a board to intense heat and pressure without it cracking as quickly as it might in a very dry environment.
One of the most unique and immediately noticeable aspects of our boards are the graphics. While many companies use large stickers to cover the board as the last step in production, we apply our graphics before we’ve even pressed the board. Because we’re using an entirely in-house screen-printing process, we have the freedom to use any color schemes we want and to easily change graphics in order to customize boards. It’s a less efficient process, admittedly, but we think the finished product looks better this way. Our boards have a more unique look because no two are exactly the same. In addition, we hand paint all exposed wood grain on the sides and wheel wells because we think it looks mean as hell and we don’t like seeing the layers of wood and glue that are exposed when the wells are cut out.
When it comes to research and development, what types of things are you doing?We research and develop like most small companies do. Once we have a shape in mind, we press a handful and get them out to team riders and local shredders to give them the opportunity to test concave schemes, wheelbase options, overall size and durability before we turn them on the public. Omen rose out of the northwest skate scene, so we are indebted to the skaters and supporters who helped us get to where we are. Losing sight of that would send our company in a direction that nobody here is interested in.
What have been some of your challenges?Probably the most challenging aspect of
MFG. PROFILE
OMEN LONGBOARDSphotos by Kyle McQueen
Left to Right - Sam Swenson, Devon Dotson, Tom Hutt and Zac Boetes
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starting a new company is generating interest in the product with a limited budget. We were fortunate to have support from local shops from the beginning, which helped give our boards a good reputation. In the early days we were really experimenting with pressing and applying graphics, so we had to do a lot of tweaking and post-production work to turn out decent looking Pikes. Our original screens for the Pike were hand made from wood and warped within a few months, so for a while we were doing touch up on almost every board we made. At this point, factory second boards kept us alive. There were times when it seemed like that’s all we made, which was incredibly frustrating from a production standpoint, but ended up exposing our boards to a huge audience because of the super low price tag. We’re happy to say that isn’t an issue anymore; we haven’t made a factory second board in months.
What’s your team like?The Omen team has grown pretty organically so far. That is to say, most of our riders came into a position on our team because they were killing it at local events and making a good name for the northwest skate community. We don’t sponsor kids based on emails or Facebook messages, but on their drive to build their local scene, wherever that may be, and skate for the purpose of growing as a rider and having fun with their friends. We’re very fortunate to have such a tight team, from the original northwest
crew, to the east coast boys, up into Canada and all the way down to Jose de Icaza in Ecuador. We love our team and look forward to watching it grow.
Are you optimistic about the future of longboarding?Hell yeah we’re optimistic. Longboarding has grown exponentially in the last decade, and we don’t see it slowing down much. It’s really humbling to see the international scene developing the way it has, and we think that’s what is going to drive the continued expansion of the sport. Personally, we’re really excited to become a more dynamic company that can offer a more diverse lineup. We’d like to be able to cater to riders of every size, age, and skill set. While we will always be a performance longboard company, we are set on blurring some lines that separate the longboard and skateboard industries. Most of our team riders are already dividing their time between downhill and park skating, so it’s natural for us to make an effort to support all aspects of skating that our guys are engaging in.
What are some of your key goals?Expanding our lineup is our main focus right now. Summer 2014 will see several new Omen boards added to the lineup, hopefully some podiums for our racers, tons of local races and slide jams, and some gross sunburns and road rash. Our favorite combination.
Devon Dotson sanding the decks
Tom hutt carefully sprays
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It’s safe to assume every skateboarder dreams of traveling. The thrill of meeting new people, skating new spots and checking out the scene in different areas of the world keeps the passion fresh. When Gravity was invited to Costa Rica for a ten day tour we knew what an honor that was. We had seen pictures and videos of the growing skate scene down there, but nothing prepared us for what was in store.
Brad EdwardsFrontside Tailbone
By Robbie Lyons. Photos by Guto Lamera
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Our main contact and Costa Rican distributor, Sebastian Fumero, organized the entire trip and invited Brad Edwards, Guto Lamera, Richard Camacho and me along for the journey. We knew the CR skateboard scene had been rapidly expanding for many years, but what we witnessed firsthand was entirely something else. Their skateboard culture was seriously passionate about progression, hungry for growth, and focused on having fun. Not to mention, everyone I met was humble, open-minded, and willing to learn as much as they could. It was the epitome of skateboarding in my eyes, run by skaters for skaters. When Sebastian picked us up from the airport that first day, it was on! The very first night we attended a local party with live music and a heated mini ramp session in the back. The beers were flowing, the band was jamming and everyone was enjoying themselves. It was the perfect welcoming, and a perfect transition into the trip that was about to begin.
Robbie Lyons getting pitted
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The first two days of the trip were spent in the city of San Jose, where we got to skate the infamous Arenas Skatepark and El Cano ditch. All of the local shredders and Gravity patrons were there, skating with us and showing off their unique styles. Due to an unfortunate knee injury before the trip I was unable to skate, but that didn’t stop me from representing and thoroughly enjoying my time. In a sense it helped me gain a different perspective on everything. As an outside spectator I was able to perceive things differently, interact more with the locals, and really embrace the culture.
Brad EdwardsFrontside layback
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Initially I was blown away with how hungry the local skaters were for progression, it really showed in the way they rode. They were never focused on having the best equipment but always about making the equipment work for them. It wasn’t about brands or riding whatever the newest “trendy” product was, it was just about riding. The guys and girls alike would leave it all on the line, every single session. At the same time, they had fun. In fact, I’ve never seen people have so much fun while they skate. Since the scene is tight-knit, everyone knows everyone and they all support each other. It’s not about who you are or what you ride, there’s just an unspoken unity amongst the skaters.
Richard ComachoKickflip Fakie
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My favorite part of the scene was how pure it was. I felt as though I was reminded of why I started skating so long ago. It wasn’t about getting sponsored, it was about embracing the lifestyle and sharing a passion with friends. It was never about gaining fame or fortune, it was about expressing individuality. To put it simply, it was about skateboarding for the love of skateboarding, nothing else.
Brad EdwardsFrontside Rock
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It was an honor to know the scene here in the US has influenced and inspired the scene in Costa Rica, I honestly had no idea it was like that until I saw it first hand. It was encouraging to know we’ve had an impact on them but refreshing to know they are creating something unique. I think the scene back home could take a step back and take a few notes from the Costa Rican scene. It’s not that I feel like the US scene is entirely misguided, I just feel like it’s been corrupted throughout the years. There was respect in Costa Rica that isn’t always apparent here. People don’t skate with ulterior motives like I’ve seen in the US, they just do it for the passion, and for what it ultimately represents. I wish that attitude was more evident at home, so we can all carry on the traditions of our sacred counter culture together. I remember the scene like that when I was younger but so much has changed since then.
After our first two days in the city, we embarked on an epic journey from one side of the country to the other. We saw cities, beaches, jungles and more. Sebastian had rented us a van which we packed full. The locals had their own van full of shredders, and we caravaned our way to the best spots the country had to offer. The ones that called my name the most were the private Tilawa Skatepark, the infamous Arenas park and a very special, very secret pool I can’t speak of.
Robbie LyonsFrontside Melon
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Heading back to the hostel that night was so bittersweet. I was so thankful for the entire experience but didn’t want the dream to end. Without diving in too deep, this trip changed my life completely. I Left with a whole new perspective and newfound inspiration; not just in my skating, but in life as a whole. I was reminded of the purity of the skateboarding I remember from my youth. I was reminded of my humble beginnings and the long road I had traveled since that point. A fire was sparked inside of me that can’t be extinguished now. In fact, it’s continued growing since our return. I would highly recommend everyone head to Costa Rica at some point in their lives. Go with an open mind and I guarantee you will have nothing but great times.
Sebastian FumeroFrontside Slasher
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Francesca is the ideal example of how quickly a rider can progress.
Every time wheels hit the pavement there is a clear sense of determination and confidence that has led Francesca to being one of the fastest learners I have seen. It seems every time I skate with her, she continues to impress, in a matter of sessions. She is one of the safest, dialed riders around with a perfect balance of pushing her limits, all while recognizing the implications and risk we take while bombing. Whether it be racing, freeriding or high speed runs, Francesca is on her way up, you’ll continue to see more and more of her on the IDF circuit and your local jams.
What you have been up to this past year?Well last year was my first race season. I hit a handful of the IDF races and it was a great experience for me but tough because I started backwards you could say. Instead of taking it step by step, from easy to hard, I just jumped in and got heavy into DH with big races. Last year I was able to hit Angie’s Curves, Monterreal Longboard Festival, and the Catalina Classic
What are your plans for this year? I plan on hitting a few heavy events, but I want to focus a bit more on freestyle again. That’s where it really all started for me and where my roots
lie. I love blending the two elements of freestyle and downhill. As for racing I’m planning on hitting Maryhill, Whistler, Pikes Peak, and Angie’s Curves. Other than that, I’m working closely with Palisades developing boards within their line, as well as managing the skate shop I’m a co-owner of, Grind Skateshop. I feel so blessed, to not only be able to skate, but also work in the industry. I feel quite balanced in it all.
-Dubes Dubendorf
featuring Francesca Rosariophotos by Tracy Molinar
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Tell us a bit about your work with Palisades.Well, the work shop is just around the corner from the Grind, and I love getting my hands dirty in the shop. I have been working on shapes for a new board which I physically cut myself on the band saw in development. We just released the board, it’s called the Ravage, and it’s a freeride deck. I also should mention I’m working with Holesome pucks as assistant team management, as well as some R&D with Acid Chemical Co with their bushings.
So from what I gather, you’re not just looking to be in the industry as a
rider but are also looking to have your hands equally in the business of the skateboard world. Absolutely, and I think the two really go hand in hand. It’s important for people making product and making decisions in the industry to still be out there riding, so I feel I have something to bring to the table by connecting my riding and industry understanding. As well,skateboarding has done so much for me, I feel that this is my way to give back to the system; to help other people find skateboarding.
Other than helping build product and consulting with brands, what are some
of your plans on giving back to the skateboard community?Well, last year I went for a skate trip to my home country, the Philippines, and it really changed a lot for me. We went down there to give away some product and get kids hyped and I was blown away by how strong the skateboard community was. However, I did notice the limitations in the region, and I would like to do what I can to give more opportunity for people. So, within the next few years, I would like to get in touch with some distributors in an effort to get more products over there so riders can have more choice. Most of all I would like to help host events; I find that’s the most immediate way to help create a strong scene and potential industry.
Any final comments? Anyone you’d like to thank?Yeah would like to say thanks to Concrete Wave for taking the time and giving me this opportunity, and to all the young girls out there to keep shredding and keep the stoke alive. A huge thank you to all my sponsors and people that help make it possible to live this dream, Palisades longboards, Divine wheels, Paris trucks, Bates leathers, Holesome pucks, Acid bushings, Ava sunglasses, Pj Von Zip, and the Grind Skate Shop.
I n early spring of 2013 I woke up in some chicks apartment in downtown Montreal and headed towards St Laurent Blvd. to a
“meeting” with Fred Vitu and Joe Valina. I wasn’t really sure what the meeting was about, but when I walked into the building I instantly had an overwhelming feeling of pure comfort. The walls were all torn up, broken glass everywhere, a hole in the ground to piss in, everything was perfect. Going deeper into this cesspool of disease, the core of a bowl was revealed, and that’s when I knew this was truly the last bar I ever had to go to.
Js Lapierre is truly a gifted skater. He stepped onto the ramp with no plan, said: “I think I’m going to stalefish it”, and two tries later put this down.
The meeting, which consisted of two bottles of Dan Akroyd’s Vodka (the bottle shaped as a human skull), lasted about 8 hours; 20 minutes of trying to be professional and formal and, the rest of the time was spent in the bowl. Finally, Joe and Fred revealed the name of the place...Trh-Bar. Since then the bar has opened to the public, and recently we celebrated its one year anniversary. The constant evolution of skateboarding is ever present within these walls, and just like skateboarding, it is growing stronger every day. From skate premieres to bowl contests, to free mohawks, Trh-Bar has got it covered.
On that note, let me take you through the average shift at the one bar in Montreal that is doing something truly unique. Joe and I started to open the upstairs bar on a Friday while the bands loaded their gear. Very quickly we realized that these guys were super sketchy. I turned to Joe and said “Man, we gotta start scanning these bands closer”. They were straight up squeegee kids, and two of them had black eyes and were already drunk as hell. The stench of chaos was in the air. So the night went on and when the
This isn’t your typical drop in, rock fakie, tail stall, trick. With Ratpack it goes; drop in, bs 360.
band started we were in awe. They sounded like Suicidal Tendencies mixed with Minor Threat, it was fucking amazing. I instantly jumped on the ramp, fuel by the sound of true punk rock, and started skating the ramp that was built by none other than Barry Walsh and Marc Tison. The energy level was electric as usual, and not only was there an amazing show with a perfect mini session while I was getting paid to “work”, their was about fifteen 22 year old chicks screaming at the top of their lungs sitting on top of the ramp. Talk about the perfect environment. Joe hopped in and started to film the madness. It was incredible!
After 80 hours in the bar in a week, things can feel repetitive. So step up your game and hit the coping.Cigg - Ally-Oop Pivot.
The next band started and they were even better than the first. I was serving drinks at the bar when I dropped everything, ripped off my shirt and dove full blast into the mosh pit that was being formed, and again, not to repeat myself, but I’m at “work”. I started throwing fists and screaming at the amp, it was completely perfect. The show went on and so did I... but the best part is yet to come. Seeing as I had been having such an incredible time, and Joe and Fred being the great people that they are, when all was said and done and we started to clean up, they told me not to worry about it and join the party downstairs. How amazing is that?!! Your boss says ‘f**k it, go party’ with no strings attached. So I did just that... downstairs the party was full blast,
Ratpack was feeling a little stiff, so after slugging one down, he came back with a glean in his eye and this lein air went down first try.
Dirty Blvd.
chicks everywhere (who are happily giving away their bras as decoration), people shredding the bowl, terrace fully packed, and the music blaring over St Laurent Blvd. Truly wondrous.
Look, this place is the genuine article, and it is run by two of the most honest people I’ve ever met. They literally walk outside to make sure no one with a board is waiting in line. We are all safe here, and that is very rare! So from the bottom of my heart and the wonderful city of Montreal....Thank you Fred and Joe for making us feel like kids every night of the week.
Again, with no plan, JS throws a spontaneous boneless first try.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Cigg hits the wall in this corner pocket. Thanks Joe & Fred!!!
-Cigg
We have some great things brewing in the Netherlands. Thomas Christopher Slager is teaching kids how to longboard, and selling t-shirts to pay for helmets. This June, Jesse van Hulst, and friend, Robbert van Haaften, will go on a longboard trip through several different countries. They will start in the Vondelpark in Amsterdam and will end in Kopenhagen in Denmark after 500 miles. Their journey is to promote longboards as a viable form of transportation.
NETHERLANDS
AMESBURY PROJECT TORONTOA huge thanks to Sheldon Norton who created a 17 minute film on our program at Amesbury Middle School in Toronto. You can see the film at vimeo.com/90798452. In April we showed the documentary to all 600 students and they were thrilled with it.We also wanted to acknowledge the generous donation of thirty completes to the school by Landyachtz.
We are delighted to announce that we have joined up with Skate 2 Donate. Their mission is to bring communities together and strengthen them. The non-profit strive to promote local art, music, and business through events. As they state proudly: “we are skaters, we will unite, and we will grow as big and as rad as we possibly can.” skate2donate.com
Longboarding for Peace is a global movement of peace, balance and justice powered by longboarders. We empower people to step on, step up and make great things happen in their communities.Visit longboardingforpeace.org for more information
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MEXICO
ETHIOPIA SKATE
Cesar Bojorquez contacted us from Tijuana with this report. “In recent months longboarding has been growing a lot in this city. This is a great thing since this city has been through a lot. There’s poverty, unemployment, deportees and violence, and we deal with them everyday. There is a growing community of skaters, of which I am part of, and we mostly skate in a spot near Tijuana’s Beach. Once or twice a week a van full of kids arrives at our spot driven by Connie. She volunteers at a foster home and brings kids to skate. We really like her because, other than being really nice, she gives us lifts to the top. The kids really enjoy going skating. I was speaking with some of my friends and we thought it would be a good idea to help Connie by teaching the kids how to skate safely”We are working with Cesar to get the kids helmets.
David Milgaard spent 22 years in a Canadian prison for a crime he did not commit. He is one of Canada’s most well known wrongfully convicted persons. You can’t have peace without justice. This fall, Longboarding for Peace will be traveling to a number of colleges with David to ensure people learn from his story. In May, Longboarder Labs in Vancouver, BC, sent David and his son Robert some LFP completes. These decks were designed by the co-owner of Longboarder Labs, Rick Tetz.
Ethiopia Skate began as a peer group of young skateboarders led by 16 year old Abenezer Temesgen. With the help of Sean Stromsoe, Aurelio Macone, Thom Estifanos, Addisu Hailemichael and so many friends they have grown this grassroots movement substantially. Their vision is to connect Ethiopian skateboarders with each other and coordinate opportunities for foreign skaters to link up with locals and skate spots around the country. They encourage the youth to attend school and to practice English with native speakers, while learning more about themselves through skateboarding. Ethiopia Skate also wish to see more public places for skateboarding and more access to skateboard equipment, as we help guide this influential youth culture. This is where LFP comes in. Thanks to Landyachtz, 10 completes are heading with Sean on his return to Addis Ababa this summer. A documentary of his exploits will be coming later on this year.
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In the history of downhill skateboarding there have never been more female riders than there are today. The numbers are growing, and the talent is phenomenal. The ladies are
so good now, that in my day they would have challenged any of the guys with their racing ability. Simply put, the ladies charge hard! And there is nothing feminine, or subtle when Katie Nielson from Vancouver, Canada, throws down.Skatie Katie, as she is sometimes known, was born in Vancouver 27 years ago. She grew up
a self proclaimed “tomboy”, and loved to play baseball and race go karts with her dad and older sister. At 13 she got her first skateboard; a basic logo Darkstar board with bones wheels. Somewhere around 2006 she was hanging at the LBC Longboard Shop party in N. Vancouver and got turned on to downhill by catching an old Timeship Racing video of Maryhill. Mike McGoldrick and Benn Bailz were amongst the first downhillers she knew, and it was Benny who took her around to all the spots in W. Vancouver. She quickly learned the thrill of tucking down runs that she won’t even touch these days because of how gnarly they are still. Her first downhill board was a Landyachtz Evo given to her by Benny. Two weeks later she was off to her first Danger Bay (5) and Jakes Rash experience. The rest is history.
More about Katie:Seylynn is a historic skatepark where Katie used to hang out. It was there that she met Jeff Budro who hooked her up with a Sector 9 sponsorship. 4 years later she made the decision to stay true to her Canadian roots, and now rides for Landyachtz.
Katie is going to a private Cosmetology school in Vancouver called “London School” where her focus is old school barbering. Straight shaves is what she’ll do most, but once completed she’ll be able to do almost any men’s cut, epic beard shapes, color and some quality long hair designs for the ladies too!
Philosophically, her political view consists of the “have a penny, leave a penny and need a penny, take a penny” ideal. Everything in moderation though!
She has an older sister, and a twin sister.
Although she doesn’t have a favorite food, she won’t eat anything with mayonnaise on it. In fact she despises condiments all together.
Favorite movies are what she calls “chick flicks”, so bring on the romantic comedies.
She doesn’t watch TV much, but after knee surgery she watched a full season of “Jersey Shore”. She is currently tapping into “Mad Men”.
Unlikely to put a lot of effort into music, Katie likes all music except Reggae! She can’t stand Reggae.
Strictly Canadian Questions:Favorite beer? Vodka.
What about Hockey? “I used to play roller hockey in the streets when I was a kid”.
Finally, I asked Katie to tell me something no one would know about her. She said, “ I give crazy good manicures”. Who wants some nails?
By Kurt Hurley
photo by Mike Roberts
KATIE NIELSON -
If you’ve never heard of Bombora Boards... it’s probably because you’re not from Ontario, Canada. Bombora Boards owner/operator Rob
DeFreitas is one of the main contributors to the growing longboard scene in the province, and has built his skateboard business from the ground up over the past 5 years. He is the shining example of how someone can grow their hobby into a passion, and eventually a successful business.
CB: When did you first get into board building?
Rob DeFreitas: Years back I entered a grip tape art contest being held at Roarockit and took home first place. The prize was a kit that gave you everything needed to make your own pintail. I was so stoked that I ran home and built my wife a pimpin’ custom pintail with gold leaf pinstripes in an attempt to get her out skating with me. She never really rode the board much, but I got hella stoked and fell in love with board building.What makes Bombora unique?
Although I have recently moved to producing my decks on a larger scale, I still build most of my prototypes by hand using the Thin Air Press vacuum bag - this allows me to test features without having the expense of building molds that take a lot of time and money to produce. This gives me an edge in the market because I can create, modify and perfect relatively complex designs without the limitations of cost. How has your work with the local community helped your business?
We are very fortunate to have such a rich community of skaters here in Ontario. The community really pushes each other, and it is part of the reason why there are so many world-class longboarders that come from here. We draw on the community to help improve our company in many different areas. Our riders, events, manufacturers, materials and just about everything else are all locally sourced. Because of this we have built a very strong credibility within the scene, and we plan to spread that stoke across everything we do.At one point you had as many as 12 models in your lineup, why did you decide to
reduce the amount of decks you produce?
It was a bitter pill to swallow because of the time we put into designing each of those decks, but we were stepping up production and switching from individually hand pressing decks to a larger scale production through a local manufacturer. We were able to take feedback from our riders and decide which models would have the most appeal moving forward.Any advice for a young builder starting out?
Make skateboards for fun, not to make money. If you build them to make money you will not have fun....HAVE FUN!!!!!Future of Bombora Boards?
HOVERBOARDS!!!!!!
BUILDER’S TIP:DROP THROUGH TRUCK HOLES
Drop through trucks will allow your baseplate to be mounted to the top side of your board, which brings the standing platform on your deck closer to the ground. Similar to a Drop Deck, being closer to the ground will help provide stability and make it easier to push.
» drop through router template (or paper template) » router + top bearing flush trim bit » drill + 3/16” drill bit » wood screw (smaller than 3/16” shaft) with appropriate driver bit » jigsaw » 3/4” - 1” spade bit » ruler (to find centerline) » pencil » file/rasp - optional step
1 - Mark the centerline on your deck and align/secure the router template where you want to mount your trucks. Once the template is in place, you can trace the inside cutout with a pencil so you know what material to cut out with the jigsaw.
2 - Start by cutting two large clearance holes that will be used to place your jigsaw blade into. Once you have those holes cut, you can use the jigsaw to remove the majority of the material within your final cutout. You want to cut fairly close to the line so that the router (or rasp) has less material to remove.
4 - Drill the truck holes.
5 - With the cutout complete, you can go ahead and mount your drop through trucks and hit the hill.
ITEMS NEEDED:
by Chris Bennet
3 - Set the height of your flush trim bit so that the bearing runs along your template and the bit itself is deep enough to cut through all of your veneer layers. If your bit is not long enough to go through all layers at once, you will have to remove the material in stages. When everything is in place, you can start to run the router bit along the inside edges of the template to remove the final cutout material.*You can also use wood files and/or rasps to remove the final excess material from your cutout.
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