Photo and info via MERGE4

We are so stoked about this new collab for our pro team rider and USA National Women’s Park Team Skater, Minna Stess!

MERGE4 socks is proud to announce a new partnership with skateboarder Minna Stess. This collaboration is a celebration of Minna’s awe-inspiring journey, as MERGE4 has closely followed her skateboarding evolution from a young age, and today, we stand excited to witness her flourishing into the world-class athlete she is and will undoubtedly continue to be.

As Minna Stess captivated the skateboarding scene with her raw talent and unwavering dedication, some of the MERGE4 team was there from the early days, rooting for her every achievement and progression. This collaboration signifies more than just a partnership; it symbolizes a heartfelt connection between a brand that values authentic self-expression and a skateboarder who embodies the spirit of fearlessness.

“We’ve had the privilege of watching Minna Stess grow and evolve into the incredible athlete she is today,” said Cindi Busenhart, founder and CEO at MERGE4. “Minna’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring, and her commitment to pushing her boundaries aligns seamlessly with MERGE4’s values. This collaboration allows us to honor her remarkable story while inspiring others. Minna kicks ass!”

The MERGE4 x Minna Stess collaboration will showcase art by Kayla Caballero, skateboard legend Steve Caballero’s daughter, designed exclusively for her. The design will feature bats and donuts on MERGE4’s performance socks. “I have always loved my MERGE4 fam, and they have always been so supportive of me since I was a little SF Bay Area skater. Having my own sock means a lot to me and I’m super stoked on it!“ Said Minna Stess.

The upcoming collaboration between MERGE4 and Minna Stess is eagerly anticipated by those who have followed her growth as a skateboarder. These performance socks will serve as a medium to convey Minna’s story and MERGE4’s commitment to producing socks that are as unique and exceptional as the individuals who wear them.

You can get a rad pair of the new Minna x MERGE4 socks HERE

Santa Cruz proudly presents “Don’t Walk” featuring their women’s global team with a standout debut part from Santa Cruz team rider Keet Oldenbeuving.

Keep your eyes out for GN4LW team rider MInna Stess in the beginning of the video - Awesome!!

In 2021 our team rider, Minna Stess, made history when she became the youngest female national skateboarding champion, but what you may not know is, her driving force to compete came from a deal she made with her father to get the gaming PC of her dreams.

Relive this historic moment retold by Minna Stess, ANIMATED!

We are happy that on International Women’s Day this video of our BFF, Judi Oyama, has dropped!

Meet Judi Oyama, a 63-year-old skateboarder who has been ripping the streets and skateparks for decades. As a pioneer of the sport, Judi was there for the inception of Independent Trucks and helped recruit many notable names to the Santa Cruz Skateboards team.

But Judi's love for skateboarding doesn't stop there. To this day, she still competes in slalom competitions, and is even a member of the US Slalom Skateboarding team.

In addition, Judi holds onto a treasure trove of skateboarding memorabilia, including rare boards, vintage magazines, and more.

Join us as we dive into the inspiring story of this skateboarding legend and learn how she continues to push the limits and break barriers in the world of skateboarding, while preserving its rich history for future generations to enjoy.

Pro Tip: keep your eyes out for a guest appearance by our Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team rider, Minna Stess

The 2022 USA Skateboarding National Championships (presented by Toyota) semifinalists have been revealed. Watch today's video to get familiar with who's moving on to the next phase in Men's & Women's Park and Street disciplines.

The Semis will be held at CA Skateparks training facility on December 3, and the Finals will happen on the 4th. Visit USASkateboarding.com for more information!

Congrats to our team riders Minna Stess, Klara Kermoade, Katelyn West, and Maya Kenny for making the semi-finals!

GN4LW Team riders Katelyn, Klara, Mayzie, Maya and Mazel with the new issue of Bigfoot Magazine - Photo Ian Logan / at Exposure Skate 20222

When I was skating in the 70s, I dreamed of a day when I’d be able to buy a skate magazine that was filled with photos and articles about skaters that were not guys. I would have even settled for opening Skateboarder Magazine and seeing pages and pages of girls skateboarding vert, but that was just not the case.

Fast forward to 2022 and why we are such HUGE fans of Bigfoot Magazine and have absolutely devoured the two previous issues. But we have to say that Issue 3, which launched at Exposure this past weekend, might just take the cake! With the words TEEN SKATER across the top (poking fun at those teen magazines that told us the best way to get a boy to like us and how to put on make-up) with Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team rider Minna Stess flying high on the cover, it is everything we dreamed that a skate magazine could (and should) be.

Minna Stess holding issue 3 of Bigfoot Magazine featuring her on the cover. Photo via Migz

The genius behind this magic is the tireless Meghan “Migz” McGuire, who designs Bigfoot, takes a lot of the photos, writes 90% of the hilarious articles, drums up advertisers, handles distribution, and everything else it takes to get a full-fledged magazine like this out there! Migzy comes up with so many awesome ideas for articles and interviews (shout out to Amy Caron for the great interview with Minna!) and always makes sure to lift up and inspire this large community of non-traditional skateboarders with her photos and words. The catchy headlines and magazine issue themes make it even more special.

Without women like Migz paving the way, we’d be stuck trying to be accepted and featured in traditional male-dominated skate magazines, and that recognition for non-traditional skaters is the exception, not the norm.

Fast forward to Exposure Skate Comp this past weekend - we surprised team riders Klara, Maya, Katelyn, and Mazel and our newest team rider, Mayzie, with a first glimpse of the new issue. When they opened the magazine, their eyes got wide, and they couldn’t believe that some of the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team riders were featured in a genuine skate magazine - with photos of them shredding skateparks around Southern California and their names highlighting the two-page spread.

That is the magic of Bigfoot Magazine.

You can buy Bigfoot Magazine Issue 3 HERE.

When finding the right size, shape, and board spec, skaters strictly stick to what works best for them. This is the case for northern California park skateboarder Minna Stess who is not looking to switch up her ride anytime soon after stepping foot on Fabiana Delfino's Santa Cruz pro model. Watch as Minna takes a deep dive through every aspect of her skateboard gear in her Setups video above, and scroll down below for a detailed itemized list of all her skateboard components.

Minna Stess' Skateboard Setup Skateboard:

8.25 Fabiana Delfino Santa Cruz Pro Model

Grip tape: Mob Grip Henry Gartland (RIP) Memorial spray paint stencil T

rucks: 149 Independent hollow trucks Bushings:

Bones bushings mixed matched

Hardware: Independent Philips

Bearings: Bronson Speed Co Raws

Wheels: 56mm Ryan Reyes Bones pro wheel STF V6-wide cut 99A

We’re still reliving every minute of the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word x Bridge to Skate “Girls and LGBTQIA+ Skate Night” at Volcom HQ!

So many people showed up to skate and have fun in an amazing private skate park that most people never get the opportunity to skate. We had kids as young as a year old learning to ride a skateboard with their parent’s help to adult skaters who were stoked to have a night out skating with friends of all ages.

Adult skaters Hana Zanzi, Jessie Frietze, Kimi Kallman, Elise Crigar, and Ricci Tres were immediately part of the crew, taking over the mic, filming everyone, starting an impromptu contest for the younger kids, and giving out swag. It was a full-blown collab effort, and we love it when everyone is so hyped that they get involved.

USA Women’s Park Team rider, Minna Stess, rolled in and impressed everyone with her ollie over the Volcom Stone. At one point, we had three people filming that trick from various angles, and the photos and video are sick!

Huge thanks to everyone who came out and skated and had a blast - you make this all worthwhile!

Filming and Editing by Josue “Sway” Sanchez

Thanks to these sponsors for donating prizes for this event!

• CHERRIES WHEELS

• LIQUID DEATH

• ALOHA BAGS

• S1 HELMETS

• SUN BUM

• BADASS SKATE MOM

• DWINDLE DISTRIBUTION

• BIGFOOT MAGAZINE

• ESSIE NAIL POLISH

• MARLORU BEACH BAGS

• BAKER

• TEARIOT

• BONES WHEELS

• NIKE

• MINI LOGO SKATEBOARDS

• SLOW TIDE

• JACKS SURF SHOP

• SKATELITE

• AND VOLCOM FOR THE USE OF THEIR SKATEPARK!

Minna Stess ollies the Stone ~ Photo Migzy

Bridge to Skate and Girl Is NOT a 4 Letter Word hosted a skate night at the Volcom HQ park last night, where the kids were invited to come down and skate, eat snacks and get a whole bunch of cool free stuff. That’s it. Just come skate this killer private park, and in return, we will shower you with gifts. Oh, also, we’re going to invite Olympic high flyer Minna Stess to come hang, and GOAT Ricci Tres will be there too, ripping the park and killing it on the mic. Say whaaatt??

And with over 237K watching the live feed on TWITCH - the event was a huge success!

We’ve been eagerly waiting for this NHS “Roll of Their Own” video to launch - it’s full of serious shredders, including our team rider Minna Stess!

The premiere of the video was shown last night at Wheels of Fortune in Seattle and launched on thrasher this morning - trust us, you don’t want to miss seeing this one!

Minna, along with Marbie Miller, Nora Vasconcellos, Breanna Geering, Nicole Hause, Alex White, Poe Pinson, Samarria Brevard, Suzy Heath, and Fabiana Delfino, skate their asses off in various spots throughout the ROTO tour (and even play a little baseball). Great skating, and an inspiration for every person out there who skates for the love of it!

Team rider Minna Stess in the September Issue of Thrasher

September Issue of thrasher Magazine

The September issue of Thrasher is out on newsstands now, and the article “Roll of Their Own Tour” features Nicole Hause, Nora Vasconcellos, Marbie Miller, Fabiana Delfino, Suzie Heath, Samarria Brevard, Breana Geering, Poe Pinson, and Minna Stess.

** And don’t miss the cameo with Alex White!!

Pick up a copy now and support non-traditional skaters!