The mighty little power house is at it again. Hoopla team rider Annika Vrklan getting air with style & grace.
The mighty little power house is at it again. Hoopla team rider Annika Vrklan getting air with style & grace.
We all know the awful things that happened today but I wanted to share some images that I took today that may show another side of things, and I want to tell you about the kindness of strangers.
I had a friend monitoring a police scanner and updating me on unfolding events via text message so I knew what to do and what was happening. In the beginning, right after the shooting, most of us were stranded in parking lots and had no idea how bad it had been. Or what the "real" story was. My friend C.L was a lifesaver. I am very thankful she did all this for me. On her birthday no less.
I tried calling my mom, husband, and a few close friends to let them know I was OK, but with approximately 10 helicopters hoovering overhead I'm not sure if they got all of what I was saying.
My assistant & I stood along with hundreds of others with our suitcases by our sides, waiting and watching, to see what we should do next. People shared any info friends on the "outside" called them with. Some airlines were updating via twitter and that's where we all got the most current info. I have to say @LAX_official on twitter was THE best source of up to the minute info we could find on general things we wanted to know.
About 3 hours in we thought things had been contained but then we'd hear sirens and see bomb squad vehicles racing into the area with lights flashing and sirens blaring - a bit unnerving to say the least. Sometimes it would be more ambulances, which was even worse, because we knew there were either more injuries, or perhaps fatalities.
I spoke to an undercover law enforcement person who gave us the best advice "Do not listen to what anyone tells you. No one knows right now when the airport will be back to normal. Not even me". We found that to be VERY true.
People were walking in the streets on Sepulveda just outside of LAX - weird to see so many people pulling luggage in the middle of a normally busy road...
There was a young Indian woman with a newborn slung across her chest in a baby sling and a cart full of luggage trying to leave LAX and get to the Raddison Hotel nearby - she had to walk as there were no cabs or cars that could take her. I offered her help and advice on the easiest route and other people took it upon themselves to also step in & help her.
Loads of airport vans were put into service just outside the police barricades so the elderly, infirm, pregnant women and small children had somewhere to sit with air conditioning.
There was a young man - high school age perhaps walking down Sepulveda passing out free water to hot and thirsty people who were stranded or walking in the streets.
These are just a few of the things I saw that were people spreading kindness today.
My flight has been rescheduled for tomorrow and I am finally home - 8 hours after I left this morning but I haven't turned on the TV or radio for news or images of today's events - I feel like I am just finally decompressing from what happened today but I know from what I have seen in others is that out of bad, comes good - so I choose to focus on that at the moment.
I saw today that the act of a selfish human being does NOT destroy the godness in others.
My heart goes out to the families of the victims of today's tragedy.
Pretty cool.
Photo: Lee Leal
Wishing you all a safe & Happy Halloween!
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| Photo: Joanne Barratt |
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| Photo: Joanne Barratt |
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| Photo: Tommy Trinh |
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| Photo: Tommy Trinh |
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| Photo: Joanne Barratt |
I have been watching Poppy for awhile now, & finally had a chance to meet her at the Vans Girls Combi Classic event last year - she was so focused and charging hard - she blew me away. Now that I've hung out with her a few times I realize that was only one part of her amazing talent. She's a awesome artist, does great on camera interviews, is hysterically funny, and is a total sweetheart. It's been so cool getting to know her, and I'm excited to keep watching her shred and see what she does next!
Who's Rad: Poppy Starr Clarabelle Olsen (My middle names are after my two
Grandmothers)
Age: 13
Age: 13
Home is: Bondi Beach, Australia
How Long Have You Been Skating? Almost 5 years
Favourite place you've ever skated: Bondi, Combi, Mini Mega at WW
East
Favourite Trick: Back side air
Sponsors: Perfect Moment, iskate Australia flo – Vans, TSG, Decent
Hardware, Monster Skate park
Three Things You Don't Know About Me:
Three Things You Don't Know About Me:
1. I eat with my fingers a lot and I always forget to brush my hair –
drives my Mum crazy
2. I like public/motivational speaking and I run my own business www.poppystarr.com One day want to sponsor
girl skaters
3. I draw ALL the time. If I don't have paper I draw on my body. – also
drives my mum crazy
What's Next?
Coming up next is EXPOSURE I cant wait!! Really looking forward to seeing all the girls again. Its going to be so
awesome! This month I gave a motivational speech to fellow Women Entrepreneurs at
Google Australia, their HQ is sooo coool! I’m featured in Dolly magazine
this month (Nov issue). They chose 10 teenage Australian girls who are at the
top of their game and featured them in an article ‘Dolly All Stars for 2013’ –
some of the girls are amazing and have achieved so much already
On Saturday 26th Oct I have a story airing on Saturday Disney just focusing
on my skateboarding
I have just finished filming a trailer for a feature length documentary on
the History of Australian skateboarding. I am painting signal boxes for Waverley council at the moment and
designing/drawing this years Christmas card range. All the money is saved so I
can go to the Girls Combi Classic in Jan 14. I am also writing/illustrating a children's picture book about a young girl
skater and hope to get it published
Photos via The Daily Mail UK
Pretty cool to see the late Heath Ledger's daughter Matilda, starting to skateboard. Maybe her mom's been letting her watch the Lord's of Dogtown movie her dad starred in? In any case, I think it's rad that we have yet another girl skating. Yeah, Matilda.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down and doing an interview with Kryptonics - this is a wheel I rode back in the day, in 2012 when I skated down the 405 Fwy, and I'm now riding the new blue 82A's on my cruiser board. It's always been one of my favorite wheels and I can't tell you how stoked I am that they are back!
What was the year you rode for Kryptonics? I rode them mostly in and around 1978
What color wheels/size did you ride? Blue's when I wanted gripping power on any plexiglass ramps I think they were 60 mm? Greens for everyday cement parks
How better where they from the competition? They were amazing - nothing gripped like blue kryptos in my book - they were my secret weapon.
Who got you on Kryptonics? I can't remember - they just started giving me wheels when I asked
What was your favorite Kryptonics ad from back in the day? I think there was one with Salba in it I liked
Best memory with riding for Kryptonics? Plexi glass ramp in Fountain Valley - guys were sliding out once they got to high up on vert and those wheels helped me stick to the wall
What is your favorite memory in skateboarding from the 70’s and early 80’s? Competing in the Gold Cup Series - beacuse you got to see all your friends & team riders that lived in other places at each contest & really push each other
What is your favorite memory in skateboarding? Spending every waking hour skating either the dogbowl or upper keyhole at Marina Skatepark with some of the best vert skaters in the world
What are you doing now? I am a Sports Stylist® - which means I am a fashion stylist for pro & Olmpic athletes. I also have a collab board with Dusters California called "Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word", and I work to promote women in skateboarding.
What are your thoughts about the Original star trac wheels coming back - I can't wait to ride them!
Anything else to add? I recently put a vintage set of Krpto's on my board when I rode down the closed 405 FWY this past year - I chose Kryptonics because I knew it would be a smooth ride - and it really was.
You don't want to miss this - remember last year? Yep, Alana Smith pulled off the very first 540 McTwist in competition. Hell YES!
I can't wait to see what happens this year!
So stoked to see Jordyn Barratt featured in North County Kids Magazine as the skater of the month!
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| Photo: Michael Chantry |
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| Photo Lucia Griggi |
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| Photo: Richard Oyama |
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| Photo: Richard Oyama |
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| Photo: Mike Smiley Goldman |
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| Photo: Aria Pramesi |
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| Photo: Stephen King |
Total Legend RESPECT today on Who's Rad.
Her name is Judi and she is one of the original crew of girls that shredded parks, pools, and pipes back in the 1970's. I met Judi at a contest when I was 16 years old when we were competing against each other in the pro women's pool riding division, and we've been friends ever since. I have total respect that she's still out there kicking butt at the skatepark and racing slalom (she just got back from competing in the World Championships!) - so that's why she's this weeks Who's Rad.
Watch your backs girls because Judi isn't going to stop shredding anytime soon. Happy Birthday Judi!!
Name: Judi Oyama
Age: 54
Home is: Aptos, California
How Long Have You Been Skating? 40+ years
Favorite place you've ever skated: Winchester Skate Park in San
Jose California the pink pool was amazing 10’ 2 foot vert
Favorite Trick: Front side grinds
Sponsors: Sk8kings, Khiro Skateboard Products, Independent Trucks,
Pleasure Tool Bearings, Abec 11 wheels (CC), shoes Emerica, socks Socksmith
Design
Three Things You Don't Know About Me:
1. I'm currently #1 in the Women Masters World Rankings 2013 for slalom.
2. I'm the Vice President of Board Rescue a 501(c)(3) non-profit public
benefit corporation. We provide skateboards and safety equipment to
organizations that work with underprivileged and/or at-risk youth. The 4thAnnual Art Show is Nov 2th and will have boards on ebay a few days later. All
proceeds go to Board Rescue.
3. When I was a kid I
brought my horse in my house so I could show him my bedroom and had to
back him out down the hall to get him out. I didn't tell my parents
until a few decades later.
What's Next?
I just competed at the 2013 ISSA World Championships in Hockley,
Texas Oct. 11-13. I competed against the top two European ladies Lienite Skaraine, (LAT),
Natalya Dudina, (RUS) and the 9x women’s world Champion Lynn Kramer (USA). I
placed 2nd in the Giant Slalom, which is not my favorite event. I
prefer the Tight Slalom and Hybrid because it is head to head and it is more
technical then just speed, which is fun but not my thing. They had a BAR (Bad
Ass Ramp) that was 3 meters tall and tilted at a slight forward angle that made
it feel over vert. I was scared ever time I went off but once you got the push
at the bottom at the transition it was all about racing the clock and the fear
left me. Saturday
placed 3rd by 1/5000 of a second due to rain we only got two qualifying timed runs late Saturday after being on the hill for 8 hours and got the third overall because Lienite and I were tied for second the tie breaker was the hybrid race.
Follow Judi here on her BLOG she's also on Twitter @oldschooler & on instagram @judioyama
placed 3rd by 1/5000 of a second due to rain we only got two qualifying timed runs late Saturday after being on the hill for 8 hours and got the third overall because Lienite and I were tied for second the tie breaker was the hybrid race.
Follow Judi here on her BLOG she's also on Twitter @oldschooler & on instagram @judioyama
Check out Burton Girls snowboard video teaser. If this doesn't get you amped for snowboarding this season, nothing will.
We should also mention how much we LOVE the BURTON GIRLS site - make sure you jump over and check it out.
Thanks Donna Burton-Carpenter for all you do for women in action sports!
Monday morning inspiration - a video by GrindTV with The Pink Helmet Posse. Listen to their answer when asked what they think about it when some people say that girls shouldn't skateboard.
You tell em' girls!
Photos: Paul Figura
Love that photographer Paul Figura, make-up artist Renee Parenteau and model Leticia Cline took time during their photo shoot in Florida last week to do a couple rad shots with the GN4LW sticker.
Thanks so much you guys - super fun & beautiful shots!!
It's time for the Who's Rad section to spread it's wings and feature some girls you may not have even met yet, or even know about (yet). Girls like Sofia "Sowi" Rodriguez who skate hard and and who just happen to live in other parts of the world. They longboard, street skate, and rip in pipes and pools - they are everywhere. Girls skateboarding is taking over the world... And I'm pretty stoked about that!
And by the way - check out her video on how to do a kickflip body varial - on a longboard. Yeah, the girl is rad as shit.
Who's Rad: Sofia “Sowi” Rodriguez
Age: 20
Home: Montevideo, Uruguay
How Long Have You Been Skating? Almost 3 years by now
Favorite place you've ever skated? Potrero de los Funes, San Luis, Argentina
Favorite Trick: Onefoot bigspin, backside check
Sponsors: Orangatang Wheels, Loaded Boards, Longboard House
Three Things You Don't Know About Me:
1. Im kind of addicted to jelly candies. In fact I’m completely addicted to jelly candies.
2. My left eye has it’s own life. I cannot control it all the time.
3. When I was like, 13 years old, I used to be an emo. True story
"Make Your Own Cool" Skateboard Photos: Ian Logan
This is by far my favorite event that I get to be involved in each year, designing a one of a kind skateboard for the Board Rescue Fundraiser.
This year I decided to do a chalkboard skateboard titled "Make Your Own Cool". All the art was done by me with cahlk on a painted chalkboard surface and then sealed so it won't rub off. The chalk itself is nestled in an empty bullet casing and secured to a chain I pieced together using various sizes & types of chain links in gold & silver, and of course there is a little gold skull dangling from the chain. Top of deck has my signature and "Board Rescue 2013".
In case you're not familiar with this rad event, Board Rescue (a non-profit 501c) invites a select group of pro skaters & artists to design a skateboard which is then auctioned off to raise money to help get kids in underprivileged areas skateboards and gear.
The boards will be showcased on November 2, 2013 at the Santa Cruz Boardroom and later auctioned off on ebay to the highest bidder. Click over to Board Rescue to get all the details on the party and auction.
This years featured artists include:
Jimbo Phillips, Colby Phillips, Duane Peters, Jason Adams, Steve Olson, Steve Caballero, Justin Forbes, Jason Jessee, Steve Alba, Lucas Musgrave, Keith Meek, Bryce Kanights, Cindy Whitehead, David Hackett, Danny Sun, Kori Thompson, Christian Cooper, Eli Roe, Erik Fieber, Chris Sprouls, Lizzie Armanto, Richard Sanchez, Laura Thornhill-Caswell, Joey Vela, Desiree Ronald Astorga, Adrian Pina, Stan Strocher, Jeremy Micheal Elder, Gary Holl, Candace Wright, Jonny Miller, Judi Oyama, Angela Stucky, Katie Steidl, Ben Dodd, Mark Widmann, Jacob Meggers, Jay Watson, Austin Poland, Nicole Lenz, Sonnet Wilder and more…
A huge thanks to my good friend of many years, and fellow pro skater girl, Judi Oyama for asking me year after year to be part of this amazing event! xx
Photos by Mel Anderson This is another reason why I love instagram. Found these rad photos of @macdrebot taken by her friend @melanderson11 when they tagged their shots #girlisnota4letterword - looks like they had fun on their trip to Venice Beach this summer.
Please keep posting your pics with the #girlisnota4letterword hashtag and we might just run them here!
Open Official Trailer from LongboardGirlsCrew on Vimeo.
Once again a film from the Longboard Girls Crew is going to inspire generations of skateboarders - this time with their longboard trip to Israel which was directed by Daniel Etura. I don't care if you ride vert, street, get around town on a cruiser, or just longboard to the beach to surf, these girls will inspire you. This is only the trailer and it's amazing - can't wait until we get to see the entire film! Congrats girls!!
Photo: Jason Kenworthy / info via GrindTV
Super excited to see GrindTV feature the rad girls from The Pink Helmet Posse. You may remember Bella from the Who's Rad we did on her HERE.
Bella Kenworthy, Sierra Kerr and Relz Murphy are taking the skatepark's across Southern california by storm and people are taking notice - they may be young and small in stature, but they ride like the big boys and kick some serious ass.
In fact check out what Jamie Owens from Transworld Skateboarding Magazine had to say in the article on GrindTV “They’re incredible, I’ve seen a handful of talented teenage girls in the park, but never girls this young. They’re the real deal. I have daughters myself, and I was so pumped when I saw this footage I sent it to my wife, because our girls are just getting bit by the skate bug, and this will put them over the top.”
Well said.
If you are in NYC make sure you catch up with the Silly Girl Skate Team - they are out there ripping it up through October 17. Here is the info on where they'll be - make sure you check them out!