Julie Goforth at the Lake Street Skatepark Opening ~ Photo Ian Logan

This past week the skateboarding world lost a bright light. Julie Goforth, 63 years of age, was one of our awesome skate sisters. She disappeared on Friday, July 10th while on a dirt bike ride with a friend in the El Mirage area of California. Julie was an experienced rider and had just purchased a new Kawasaki bike. Since her disappearance the dirt bike community came out in full force to look for her, as well as friends from the skateboard community. Her body was found on Thursday, July 16 in a remote desert location by law enforcement, and at this time, this is still an active investigation.

We are re-posting an IG post we made this past weekend, so we can share with all of you, just what Julie meant to our community.

Julie Goforth at Venice ~ Photo Ian Logan

Julie Goforth at Venice ~ Photo Ian Logan

Julie, we are having a hard time digesting the sad news today. It doesn’t seem real that you’re gone. 😢

You were a bright light in the skate scene. You had a smile for everyone you met and a kind word. When you dropped in you were having the time of your life, even at a contest it wasn’t about competition for you, it was about spending the day with friends and sharing the stoke. 🌸

Some of these photos are of Julie throughout the years at the Venice Ladies Day jam we helped put on with Heidi Lemmon ☀️

Heidi and I always knew the vibes would be good when we saw Julie roll up with her friends. In her 50s and 60s she rode with style and went for it. Skating better than most people half her age. She always went home with one of Heidi’s beautifully designed Ladies Day Jam medals and I suspect that Julie gave them to her granddaughter. That’s the kind of person she was. 🛹

A few years ago she authored a skateboard book for kids, GIRLS JUST RIP, filled with positivity and female empowerment. We interviewed her about her book and are including one of our favorite quotes she gave us here. You can read that interview with Julie and her illustrator Kristi Sanders HERE

You are loved and missed by every single person you ever met Julie. You made a big difference in this world. RIP ❤️ 🕊️

Patti McGee in 1965 on the cover of the 4th issue of Skateboarder Magazine

We are so sorry to share the news that the amazing Patti McGee has passed away.

Patti was the first woman to be inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame and she was also the only female skater (that I am aware of) to have 2 major magazine covers in one year - Life Magazine & Skateboarder Magazine both in 1965.

She was featured in a “Ma Bell” telephone commercial as well - and it is one of the best commercials, featuring a skater, that we have ever seen.

With 100% certainty, we know that Patti paved the way for all of us, because really, how many girls do you think took a chance & skateboarded back in the 1960's?  Not many.

She was an absolute icon in the skateboard world and in her later years, she attended almost all the women’s skate events in Southern California to cheer on the girls and women who were competing

But, most of all, she was an amazing lady and one I am proud to have known. We want to remember her fondly for her style and grace and continue to thank her for her contributions to women's skateboarding.

RIP Patti, and we hope you are up there skating free with that beautiful smile of yours.

All photos Anthony Acosta

Costa Mesa, CALIF. (May 30, 2024) – Vans Global Skateboarder Arisa Trew is making history in skateboarding. In 2023, she shattered barriers by becoming the first woman to land a 720 on a skateboard and then the first to perform the trick in a competition run, clinching the Women's Skateboard Vert gold at X Games California 2023. The next day, she added another feather to her cap by winning the Women's Skateboard Park Gold, making her the youngest X Games double gold medalist at 13. These remarkable achievements led to her being honored with the 2024 Laureus World Sports Award for Action Sports Person of the Year. Following the award, Arisa became the first woman to land a Switch 540. Now, she's taking Skateboarding to even greater heights by becoming the first female to land a 900, a feat accomplished 25 years after Tony Hawk's groundbreaking achievement.

“I was in so much shock when I landed the 900; it’s been a dream of mine since I made my first 540. It’s just awesome pushing women’s skateboarding,” said Arisa Trew.

Congratulations to Arisa for her unwavering determination in pushing skateboarding forward, a testament to her relentless pursuit of progression that continues to inspire future generations.