December 30, 2008

The New York Times web site even has a feature about skateboarders capitalizing on the mortgage crisis by finding, draining, and skating pools of houses that are in foreclosure.

California officials estimate that there are tens of thousands of abandoned pools in the state, with as many as 5,000 in places like Sacramento County, where a building boom in the capital’s suburbs has gone bust.

Now, we’re not recommending that you trespass and/or take advantage of these deserted pools. Just pointing out the silver lining.  Happy New Year.

November 19, 2008

For those of you whose notebooks are filled with sketches and doodles, the ninth edition of Emerica’s Design-A-Tee contest maybe the perfect chance to leverage your design skills.

To qualify, you must somehow incorporate an Emerica designed theme into your doodle.  Get the Design-A-Tee template here and get your creative juices flowing because the contest ends December 3rd.

After the contest ends, three winners will be chosen, each of whom will receive five shirts bearing their winning design, and three pairs of Emerica shoes. Note: Upon entering the contest, your artwork becomes the property of Emerica (Sole Technology, Inc.) The three winners’ designs will be produced in a future Emerica Gear (apparel) line, and the only payment is the prizes listed (that means no royalties on your fantastic design).

Here’s what Emerica wants you to avoid:  Do not submit any entries containing the words “God Bless Emerica” (despite the title of this post) or depict an American flag with Emerica Triangle logos in place of the stars. Another cliché to avoid is the Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon graphic with a Triangle logo prism.

You can also enter now for a chance to win a year’s worth of Emerica shoes! All you have to do is build your own Emerica Team profile page and post a link to it in the comments sections.

Trick out your page with a cool background and fill each section of it–News, Photos, Video–with at least five posts. The company is looking for original, creative and personal content. When the contest is over,  one winner will receive 12 free pairs of Emerica shoes. This contest ends on December 31, 2008.

Though Emerica’s is mostly a guys brand, there’s no clause that prevents you from entering, so get crackin.

October 29, 2008

Press release from ESPN:

“ESPN is proud to announce that the X Games and Winter X Games will feature equal prize money for both men and women in 2009. ESPN has been a leader in promoting and programming women’s athletics, and this recent action sports prize purse increase is the latest example. This past summer saw the X Games feature women’s motocross for the first time, and the upcoming Winter X Games will feature a host of female Olympic medalists from several different countries. Starting with Winter X Games 13 in January, 2009, men and women athletes at all X Games events will compete for equal cash awards. –John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president”

Much of the credit for the equal prize money goes to the Action Sports Alliance, a nonprofit organization that provides a voice for women skateboarders that lobbied ESPN executives as early as 2006 before X Games 12. In the current corporate and economic environment, it’s great when companies do the right thing.

The next Winter X Games,  set to remain in Aspen through 2010, will take place Jan. 22-25th.

October 6, 2008

The ladies kicked off the 2008 GvR event with a Bowl Contest. Julie Kindstrand took the win with Megan Brown and Priscilla Lee 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

During the contest weekend, etnies also hosted the etnies Girl’s Jam Street Contest.  The girls all went at it in Saturday’s GvR etnies Girl Contest, but in the end it was top qualifier Rachel Reinhard with the win.  Check out the results below:

etnies Girl’s Jam Final Results:
1.  Rachel Reinhard – $2,500
2.  Lacey Baker – $2,000
3.  Leticia Bufoni – $1,500
4.  Marisa Dal Santo – $1,000
5.  Amy Caron – $600
6.  Vanessa Torres – $400
7.  Lorena Lima – $300
8.  Lyn-z Adams Hawkins – $200

The world’s top pro skateboarders will be in attendance, throwing down all weekend at the etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest in California. And there’s one special organization that is committed to getting girls to represent at the event.

We recently spoke with Courtney Payne Taylor, head of GRO - Girls Riders Organization, about her group and their efforts to change beliefs about girls and skateboarding.

PT: Tell us about your organization…

CPT: GRO, Girls Riders Organization, is a non profit group on a mission to inspire, educate and support girls in action sports. Currently focused on skateboarding we hold events across the country educating ladies about skating and building over all community awareness. It is a group run entirely by girl skaters for all girl skaters. Find out more and get involved at girlsriders.org

PT: What’s GROs relationship with Etnies?

CPT: Etnies is GRO’s largest supporter and has been for the last two years. Etnies is also one company that has been supporting girls through sponsorships and girls contests when many other companies have not.

PT:  What’s the history of GvR? Who are some of the women skating this year?

CPT: This will be the fifth year for GvR. The main part of the contest, GvR is for guys street only. For this the stands are full. The contest also hosts a girls street, girls and guys bowl contest, and the Hometown Heros finals.

Girls have had their events since the first GvR event. For the girls, there is no division between goofy and regular, they skate like any other contest, against everyone. That really comes down to numbers. The more girls who skate and compete, the better chance there is of building two equally matched teams to battle for the GvR Girls title.

Some girls that skated last year and should be back again this year include:

Street - Elissa Steamer, Amy Caron, Vanessa Torres, Leticia Bufoni, Rachel Reinhard, Lauren Perkins, Lacey Baker and many more.

Bowl - Julie Kindstrand, Amelia Brodka, Alize Montes, Cressey Rice, Allysha Bergado and more

PT: Tell us about your “Call To Action” and why it’s so important.

CPT: The call to action is our chance to show that we care about girls skateboarding and want to see it continue and progress. If we don’t show we care when we, the kids and new riders look for it in the future it will not be there. This is a call to be on time for the girls and somehow represent your support. Not only that, for those of you ladies who ride and rip, the contest is open, so enter. No matter what, come and have a blast.

PT: What’s next for GRO?

CPT: 2008 has some more workshops and sessions coming to Southern California and Arizona, then ending at the Tampa Am in Florida. 2009 marks some big changes and new events. All the info will be on girlsriders.org as the dates are confirmed. If you want to stay in the loop, please send us your information (Full Name, email, City, State and Zip code) to be added to the mailing list. Remember, GRO is what you want to make it so send us your ideas, get involved, lets make a change.

So, if you live in SoCal, and you’re looking for something to do this weekend, GRO has some very specific suggestions for showing your support:

Step 1 - Plan to be at Lake Forest Skatepark Friday by 1:30pm and Saturday by 11:00am.
Step 2 - Tell ten of your friends to check out this page and begin from Step 1.
Step 3 - Gather clothes and supplies; pink or purple clothes, markers, poster board.
Step 4 - Be creative. Decorate clothes and signs showing your love for the girl skaters.
Step 5 - On that weekend, gather your friends and show up on time for the girls.
Step 6 - Cheer loud and fill the stands.
Step 7 - Go to the Freshpark Ramps and skate the GRO GGOB (Girls Get on Board) Workshop with the Pros.
Step 8 - Start planning the date for the first weekend in October 2009!

For the complete event and band schedule, visit GRO.

Find out how Sam got into skating, what it’s like behind the scenes at high profile contests, how she competes in a male-dominated sport and what girly essentials go into her suitcase when she’s on the road.

Sam’s Perfect Day? No injuries, sunshine, shopping, along with plenty of falafels and smoothies!

To read the complete interview, visit coolermag.com

Name: Evelien ‘Evie Cakes’ Bouilliart

Age: 18

From: Aalter, Belgium

How did you get into skating?
When I was around the age of 10 they were building a skatepark close to my house and close to my school. So I saw all the guys that used to rollerblade getting into skateboarding. As I was young and looking for something to do in my life, I decided I really wanted to skateboard. I asked my mom for a skateboard and she was like, ‘Ooohh it’s dangerous’. But she said if I counted out all the little 1-cent coins from our change jar and I had enough, I could buy one of those shitty skateboards from the toystore. So I counted out all of the coins and I was so happy that I had enough. So I went to the store and walked proudly back to my house with the board in my hand.

Read the full interview.

August 3, 2008

That interview moved down the list Saturday as Jones edged defending champion Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins to take the gold medal in the women’s skateboarding vert contest at the Home Depot Center.

“This is the thing I wanted the most,” Jones said. “It’s so stupid and I’m not supposed to like contests and care about it. I just sucked last year and the year before so I got obsessive about doing good on it.”

Given the jam session format of the event, Jones credited her victory to a combination of smaller tricks including varials and kick flips rather than to a signature move.

Another result of the format was conflict over whose turn it was to skate with two girls often going at the same time.

“It’s just different,” bronze medalist Mimi Knoop said. “It’s something you have to learn. It’s an etiquette and I don’t think the younger girls have really learned it. It’s a respect.”

LA Times

Last year, skating on her 21st birthday, Marisa Dal Santo came out of nowhere to edge into first place, unseating Steamer from the top spot for the first time in three years. This year, Steamer stepped up and took her title right back - winning her fourth overall gold medal at the X Games. (Second, third and fourth places went to Marisa, Amy Caron, and Leticia Bufoni.)

When Steamer began skateboarding 23 years ago, she had few women to skate with and learned how to ride with the guys. She didn’t really set out to be a trailblazer, but that’s the role she’s assumed and her most recent gold medal proves she’s still the one to watch.

Check out this Elissa Steamer Profile.

Skateboard Street Women’s Final Results Results from ESPN X GAMES 14 at The Event Deck at L.A. Live in Los Angeles, Calf. on Friday, August 1, 2008. (Final Standings)

Name / Hometown / Score

1. Elissa Steamer / San Francisco, Calif. / 87.83
2. Marisa Dal Santo / LaGrange, IL / 81.50
3. Amy Caron / Huntington Beach, Calif. / 80.00
4. Rachel Reinhard / Colorado Springs, Colo. / 78.00
5. Leticia Bufoni / Sao Paulo, Brazil / 77.00
6. Vanessa Torres / Silver Lake, Calif. / 65.08
7. Evie Bouilliart / Huntington Beach, Calif. / 60.33
8. Lorena Lima / Sayreville, N.J. / 46.83
9. Lauren Perkins / Huntington Beach, Calif. / 42.83
10. Sophie Poppe / Destelbergen, Belgium / 23.25