Longboard Girls Crew posted an editorial piece about this powerful video last week - and we too felt like it needed to be shared. Whether you agree with all of it or not, the message is clear - there are so many girls out there riding nowdays and they need to be seen and heard, a great reminder to all of us that skateboarding is not just for boys.
Longboard Girls Crew posted an editorial piece about this powerful video last week - and we too felt like it needed to be shared. Whether you agree with all of it or not, the message is clear - there are so many girls out there riding nowdays and they need to be seen and heard, a great reminder to all of us that skateboarding is not just for boys.
Photos: Ian Logan / Skaters: Zoe Benedetto & Paulina Eriksson
Stoked to announce that our Big Cartel site has been revamped and is chock full of fresh pictures and new items.
Even better, we are offering FREE SHIPPING through July 5, so place your orders before we run out of your favorite tees and hats!
Check it all out HERE
This looks like a great way to spend your Saturday - Loaded Boards & Orangatang wheels is having a group skate & longboard dancing clinic right here in LA - actually Temescal Canyon parking lot which is even better because its right on the beach near Malibu!
See you there this Saturday - they even have free pizza afterwards!
 |
| Coco Ho / Photo: Morgan Maasen for espn |
 |
| Travis & Lyn-z Pastrana / Photo: Martin Schoeller for espn |
 |
| Photo: Dan Monick for espn |
Next up in the 2015 issue will be pro skater Leticia Bufoni!
It's been announced that pro skater Leticia Bufoni will appear in ESPN Magazines "The Body Issue" which will come out on July 6. This will be the very first time a female skateboarder has been featured on her own. Last year pro skater Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins Pastrana was featured on the back of her husband Travis's motorcycle.
If you have seen this spectacular issue in the past (or viewed the pics posted above) you know it's all about celebrating an athlete and their incredible body, and it's done in a very tasteful way.
We can't wait to see Leticia representing!
Thanks to Adriana Cesar from Catch The Shine for alerting us to this incredible news!
Photos: Ian Logan Photography
Pauline Branom easily clearing the gap at Venice Skatepark on Go Skateboarding Day. #inspiration
All photos via TC McCacklefish
Dax showed up on our intagram feed one day and we were intrigued to say the least. First of all who doesn't love seeing someone like 17 year old Dax living her dream & surfing exotic locations all over the world? She also loves fashion, photography, & skates - it's a pretty awesome combination, and it made us want to know more about this young, powerful, pro surfer.
We hope you enjoy this exclusive GN4LW interview with pro surfer Dax McGill.
Who's Rad? Dax McGill
Age? 17
Home is? North Shore, Oahu
You have an interesting situation – living between California & Hawaii – can you tell us about that and how it works best for your training?
I call home North Shore about 7 months of the year, then California home for 4-5 months of the year. I love it. Every where I go there are waves. The waves are so different in California from Oahu. But I get really sick and bored of surfing the same wave. If you want to be the best, you have to be able to surf all kinds of conditions. But thats the fun part about it. Always learning and trying new things. We finally have a skate park again on the North Shore. The Banzai park is right down the street from me. It was under construction for about a year. It was so frustrating not having a park to skate last winter. But it made me that much more excited to get to California and skate some of my favorite parks like Etnies, Laguna Niguel, and Vans.
Beyond my earliest memories of being a kid. I started skating before I started surfing. But right when
my parents started taking me to the beach I was an addict I never wanted to get out of the water.
How long have you been surfing?
Since I was 2 years old I would ride on the front of my parents boards but I didn't start surfing every day by my self until we moved to Oahu when I was 6.
What got you into these 2 sports?
All of my friends and I started surfing after school together. Our Moms and Dads would all drive to Ali’i Beach. We’d do our homework, eat some snacks, and just surf until dark. They used to have a 1/2 pipe right at the beach. We’d skate in between surf sessions. It was really just what we all did together. There’s a huge pack of us surfers competing internationally that pretty much did that same routine after school everyday. And I think we all just loved skating so much that we continued it. The fact that it’s great cross-training just helps.
What do you enjoy most about both surfing and skateboarding?
Surfing- everything is always changing. So you always are thinking and learning.
Skating: You can go to the park and say I want to learn this. You can do the same run a 1,000 times trying to land it.
Do you enjoy competing in contests or is free riding your thing?
I love free surfing. Being able to just try anything you want and draw different lines instead of trying to get 2 scores in 20 min is so fun. But I have a hard time when people beat me. It eats me inside and I just want to come back and win. So I get a crazy drive from competition. I don't skate enough to do skate contests. I used to until about 2 years ago when I started traveling more for surf contest then being home.
Surfing – tell us a little about what contests you are competing in and your ranking for 2014:
2014 I ended up finishing around 50th on the WQS but I only competed in 3 contests, so I was really happy with that result. I ended up winning the last contest in Chile. This year I am
going to do almost all the 6,000 on the WQS and see how I do. Then next year really try to qualify for the tour. Currently, I’m also ranked #1 for the Pro Junior tour (under 20).
Goals for 2015 that you can share with us?
Progress, learn, see and do new things.
Girls Who Skate that inspire you?
Nora Vasconcellos. Her style is so unique
Girls that Surf that inspire you?
Steph Gilmore. She’s a combination of power and grace.
Favorite place you've ever skated?
Woodward West
Favorite place you have ever surfed?
Restaurants, Fiji
Favorite Trick or maneuver – skateboarding?
Airs
Favorite trick or maneuver – surfing?
Airs
What is your training routine like?
I surf when the waves are all time perfect. I'll cancel training. But I will train about 5 times a week depending on the waves.
As far as food that “fuels you” – anything you’d like to share?
I eat really clean, fresh organic foods when I am home and as much as possible on the road. I am gluten free and non-dairy 95 percent of the time. I do have my cheat days where I have my bread and butter.
Sponsors:
Electric, T and C Surfboards, Stance Socks, Creatures of Leisure, Banzai Bowls, Future Fins and Tonic
Three Things You Don't Know About Me:
1. I love fashion. When there’s an occasion and I get to wear a really cool outfit, I loose sleep over it. Ask my whole family about it... I will be up for hours putting together different out fits or adding things onto the outfit I am going to wear.
2. I sleep talk and yell every night. I will sleep walk on occasions too.
3. I am 17 and still can't sleep the night before Christmas
What’s Next?
I am home for the first time in awhile nursing an elbow injury from skating. I don’t have a contest until June. So I am just going to be surfing and skating a bunch. Trying to draw new lines and get higher and higher with airs!
Instagram: @daxmcgill
Twitter: @daxmcgill
Pro skater Amelia Brodka is a busy girl, between promoting her amazing documentary film on women's skateboarding, UNDEREXPOSED, to putting together EXPOSURE, the largest all female skate contest in the word, she's also now appearing in this new commercial for Crystal Geyser.
Congrats Amelia!
Photos Ian Logan
Venice Skatepark was the place to be on Go Skateboarding Day for both skaters and spectators. The day started off with a street contest in the morning and in the afternoon the Ladies ONLY Bowl Jam began. Girls from all over and all levels came out to skate, have fun, and cheer each other on.
Julie Westfall, Pauline Branom, Cheryl, Meredith, Nicole Noller, Almudena, Tisa Chan, Ocea Lei Iverson, Haven Herzog, Mary, Courtney, Hailey Villa, and more, came out to represent. Every girl out there skated their heart out and put on a great show for the crowd.
If you'd like to see video of the event it will be on our Periscope Channel (@girlisnota4LW) for the next 24 hours so jump on over and watch it!
Huge thanks to Rollin' West Productions, Lauren, Wiley, Heidi, Lance, and all the volunteers, vendors, and sponsors of this event for making Go Skateboarding Day such a great one!
See you all at Venice Skatepark today to celebrate GO SKATEBOARDING DAY. There's a street contest, a women's only bowl session, and a snake run demo by Dusters California. Prizes, giveaways and more!
Get out and SKATE!
We are proud to announce that Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word is one of the sponsors of the upcoming Vanguard skate camp, sponsored by Element Skateboards at the Hermosa Beach Skatepark that are happening each week throughout the summer. Each camp is one week long so you can plan a camp session around all the rest of your summer travels.
The skate camps are open to all ages, guys and girls, and all levels. So come and learn to skate or sign up to take your skating to the next level with their expert coaches.
There will be prizes, giveaways and other fun things donated from the list of sponsors above.
** We'd love to see as many girls possible out there skating so please let us know when you sign up as we have a special Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word gift just for you!
images via Vans
We've always loved the fun, colorful designs of Murakami, so to see the new collab that's launching on June 27 between Vault by Vans x Murakami makes us smile. From shoes and apparel, to toddler sneakers, and skate decks, there is something furn for everyone. We are loving the skate decks!
This is a limited release collection so jump on it fast - some good stores on the list to try Opening Ceremony in NY & LA , Proper in Long Beach, CA, Barneys in NYC and Las Vegas, and Undefeated throughout Los Angeles.
You can see the full collection and check out the complete store list HERE
This Sunday is GO SKATEBOARDING DAY and the place to be is Venice Skatepark. Fun events will run all day and skaters from all over will be there.
10 AM kicks off the street contest - open to male & female skaters
1:30 PM is the start of the Ladies Only Bowl Demo - so come out, skate with your friends and have the bowl all to yourselves. Numerous photographers have said they are coming to shoot this event so now the time to possibly get some sick pictures of yourself!
3:00 PM Dusters California is putting on a snake run demo that will be awesome to watch.
All day long there will be raffles, giveaways, prizes and more so come out and skate with your friends and have the best Go Skateboarding Day ever!
 | |
| Chauntae Schwoegler |
 |
| Anyone know this rad girl? |
 |
| Julz Lynn |
 |
| Jessica Bassett |
 |
| Sarah Kate |
 |
| Cassie Oseguera |
 |
| Brenna Pawley |
 |
| Minna Stess |
 |
| Madi Thomas |
 |
| Chauntae Schwoegler |
In addition to being a contest it's a time to make new friends and reconnect with old ones and to have other girl rippers participate from different parts of the country We love that the entire Silly Girl Skate Team showed up to skate & support the event!
This event also aims to empower young girls. Skate Like A Girl strives to build community coalitions with other individuals, groups and organizations that are working to create an inclusive and positive space for all skateboarders. Something we here at GN4LW fully believe in!
Congrats to all the girls who showed up and to Skate Like a Girl for putting on such a great event!
RESULTS:
Pro Division:
1. Julia Brueckler $2000
2. Christiana Smith $1000
3. Vanessa Torres $500
4. Kristin Ebeling
5. Shari White
Intermediate Division:
1. Lexi Briggs (SEA)
2. Brenna Pawley (AZ)
3. Kat Sy (SF)
30+ Division:
1. Marie Baeta (SF)
2. Nicole Noller (CO)
3. Jessie Van Roechoudt (SF)
We've been huge fans of Tattly tattoos since 2012, and we always love a company who reaches out to help kids in our action sports community so we were really excited to hear about the latest Tattly temporary tattoo, STOKED!
Stoked! with artist James Victore is part of the "Tattly Does Good" design collection. Tattly's talented artists are partnered with meaningful not-for-profit organizations to raise awareness and raise funds.
Started in Brooklyn, the Stoked mission is to promote personal development, academic achievement, and healthy living to under-served youth through action sports culture. 80% of this Stoked! Tattly will be donated to this empowering organization.
We ordered our STOKED! set of Tattly's to wear for this weekend's GO SKATEBOARDING DAY at Venice Skatepark where there will be a girls bowl jam happening, we hope you will join us!
Don't forget - Tattly's are temporary tattoos that all ages can wear, they are also waterproof - great for all of us surfers!
You can get a set of your own STOKED! Tattly's HERE.
All photos by Charlotte Louise ThomasCheck out this great blog post from one of our favorite UK based stores TOP SHOP. They did whole article featuring some of the coolest skater girls from the UK including our instagram friend, Stephani Nurding. We love seeing skaters Danni Glover & Rianne featured as well - these girls all rip!
See the entire post and the girls interviews HERE
To check out more of Charlotte's skate photography head on over HERE - it's pretty amazing!!
Girls Skate UK on instagram is another great place to keep up with the girls skate scene too
More proof that skateboarding has wowed the fashion crowd, beautiful images of California soul skaters are the focus of Nico Guilis' new gallery show & blog, "Find Your California". We loved seing our friend Sierra Prescott (featured above) featured, as well as some other California girls who just skate for the love of it.
Read the whole article HERE
Photo Mark Williams via Birdwell Britches
Check out GN4LW team rider Kyra Williams, she's featured this week on the Birdwell Britches site along with her father, and brother in an article about fathers day and surfing families. Love the pic they posted of Kyra surfing recently in Fiji!
Check out the entire article HERE
Fun little video of skater Evelyn Abad - It's nice to see a skate video with some misses thrown in because we all know it happens!
Reality is sometimes better than fancy edits.
Enjoy your weekend - get out and SKATE!
Photo Ian Logan
GN4LW team rider Zoe Benedetto is on the west coast competing in surf events all next week, but she took some time out of her crazy schedule to do a shoot with us in Venice this morning where she absolutely killed it.
Yep, that's how rock stars roll.. More from Zoe's photo shoot soon. Stay tuned!
Pro surfer Tia Blanco won worlds this week and she's featured on Maxim's website today. She's absolutely gorgeous and an amazing surfer, but one of the things we liked best about this video is her rad quote:
"I've always liked to beat boys and stuff, because I don't like the misconception that boys are better than girls"
ummm yeah, we think that's pretty badass!
Keep your eye on Tia this week as she is competing in round 3 of the Los Cabos Pro which will be webcast live tomorrow.
Go Tia!!