Who knew that if Minna wasn't a
pro skateboarder, she'd love to go pro in gymnastics?
We love to see our team riders inspiring other kids to get out and skateboard!
Way to go Minna!!
Leo Baker and Cher Strauberry are everywhere right now! Gucci just launched Gucci Grip and Leo and Cher are the new faces of Gucci’s skate-inspired watch
advertising. Named for the way feet stick to the board, the Gucci Grip
was introduced last year as an ode to 1970s skate culture via a campaign
shot by Ari Marcopoulos. It's all pretty damn cool.
And in case you missed the premiere of SMUT from the newly formed Glue Skateboards - we have it here.
Leo Baker, Stephen Ostrowski and Cher Strauberry are changing the (male dominated) landscape of skateboarding and making sure the LGBTQ community is well represented.
Check out Glue Skateboards Instagram HERE
The new Skate Bud Book by Zach Moldof
We are so excited about this new book SKATE BUD from Zach Moldof at Stoke Much Magazine.
The new pocket size book goes over everything from skate etiquette at the skatepark and street spots, to what to do (and not to do) when you run into a pro at your fave park. The book also has diagrams and explanations for tricks, so you never get mixed up again on what's what. It goes over the different disciplines in skateboarding - from mega ramps, to freestyle and those who have paved the way are mentioned as well.
And here's a small spoiler, Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word founder, Cindy Whitehead, wrote the forward. 👍 and there are contributions from others we love, Daniel Fedkenheuer and Yash Presswalla
The book is 202 Page and the 4x7” size means it's easy to put in a back pocket or your backpack. And at $15 it doesn't break the bank - it also makes for a great stocking stuffer!
Order a copy of the new SKATE BUD book HERE
It is also a really great companion to the SKATE BUD app that you need to
download immediately! It comes up with a map showing you where the
skateparks are located, and once you click on that icon you'll get the
name of the park, the address, and see detailed photos. You can also
save the parks you like into "favorites" for easy access later. We love
that each location on the app has symbols that make key info clear: is
there parking or lights? Is the park a plaza, transition or hybrid?
Check out the new episode of Pushing For Gold, presented by TikTok, there is an interview with Team U.S.A.'s women about the historic importance of next year's Summer Games in Tokyo and how the pandemic has altered the timeline.
Featuring coach Mimi Knoop and Olympic hopefuls Samarria Brevard, Alexis Sablone, Alana Smith, Bryce Wettstein, Mariah Duran, Brighton Zeuner, Jordan Santana, Jordyn Barratt, and Minna Stess.
Watch more 'Pushing For Gold': https://bit.ly/Series_PushingForGold
FLOW STATE Presented by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
It is so rad to see Leticia go way out of her comfort zone and try something new.
In this episode of Flow State, Dylan takes Leticia Bufoni rock climbing for her first time at Stoney Point. Leticia is afraid of heights and he asks her to boulder a 20-30ft project without a rope!
My heart was pounding when she got stuck near the top!
Leticia is a professional street skateboarder and five-time X Games Gold medalist currently training for the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
What is Flow State? An optimal state of consciousness where we feel and perform our best while being completely immersed in an activity. It’s the feeling i live for and I find it most when i’m outdoors — whether in an activity or even a meaningful conversation.
In this series, Dylan take athletes and celebrities on adventures in and around Los Angeles, CA. By pushing them outside their comfort zone, he hope to get to know more about his guests, their drives and passions, and ultimately, more about himself.
Along the way, the show will pull back the curtain on Los Angeles, revealing its hidden outdoor gems and communities.
Costa Mesa, CALIF. (Nov. 11, 2020) – Vans team rider Fabiana Delfino’s smooth style and powerful approach is redefining skateboarding from the ground up. The Florida native’s flowy style and roots have been applied to a new Vans head-to-toe collection, led by the Sk8-Hi Pro in cool blue featuring her signature palm tree graphic.
The Fabiana Delfino Sk8-Hi Pro offers stellar performance features that Vans Pro Classics have become known for, including Ollie Guard for added durability – a first for the silhouette. DURACAP reinforced underlays in high-wear areas have also been added to prolong the life of the shoe.
Paying tribute to the Sunshine State, Fabiana incorporated her signature palm tree insignia paired with a cool blue colorway into the Sk8-Hi Pro and apparel collection. Custom artwork also appears on the heel counter with her namesake emblazoned across the tongue label. A cool blue Sidestripe over a natural corduroy upper rounds out her Floridian-inspired design.
Fabiana’s shoe is supported by a head-to-toe collection of apparel and accessories, including a body-skimming stripe polo with contrast ribbing at the neck and sleeve cuffs and Fabiana logo embroidery on the chest. Pair it with the Fabiana cord backpack and Fabiana cord hat in oil blue, both with embroidered logos on the front and back. A Fabiana boxy tee, long sleeve boyfriend tee and boyfriend fleece crew, and crew sock finish off the look, complete with the oil blue/black colorway and custom art.
The Vans Fabiana Delfino Collection is available now at Vans retailers and Vans.com/skate.
Photo of Bryce Wettstein via Dew Tour ~ Photographer Bryce Kanights
Nice "day in the life video" of Team USA's Bryce Wettstein!
Via Dew Tour: Skateboarding has the power to open endless creative avenues that go beyond four wheels and a wooden plank.
A pure example of such energy is apparent through the vibrant life of Bryce Wettstein. Currently sitting as USA’s top-ranked Olympic skateboard hopeful in women’s park, Bryce shows us first-hand that skateboarding is just one of her many creative outlets.
Follow along as we join Bryce for a day of observing her musical talents, inspiring the next generation of young women skateboarders, and more. And of course, it wouldn’t be a proper day in SoCal without wrapping things with a sunset surf session.
Via Juice Magazine Instagram: The Future is Now and we are so happy to announce that Juice Magazine #77
will begin mailing out to subscribers this week and hitting the
newsstands soon too. We are honored and grateful to have the amazing
Beatrice Domond @BeatriceDomond gracing the cover of this edition with an epic photo by @MikeOMeally
! As all generations of skateboarders continue to grow, adapt and
contribute to keeping the fire burning, the new generation is coming in
hot with many strong women leading the charge. Beatrice Domond is a
great example of someone who skates for all the right reasons with pure
stoke and positive vibes. Beatrice is setting the streets on fire and
representing the now and future of skateboarding, and we’re stoked to
feature her in the mag and on the cover.
Via Quell Skate Instagram: "Community has been more important than ever. @_froskate_ has demonstrated through every challenge that this year has brought, together we can figure out a solution. We are so thrilled to feature them on the cover of Issue 006- releasing this Friday on quellskate.com
This month is so exciting - two skateboard magazines, JUICE and QUELL, both feature Black Female skaters on their covers!
Supreme's Beatrice Domond is featured on the cover of JUICE Magazine launching over a fire hydrant and the founders of Fro Skate are featured on the cover of QUELL.
What a great time in skateboarding - change just keeps happening in a positive way and we love seeing it!
Where it all began... This video filmed back in 1975 shows how transition and vert skateboarding began. Some freestyle and slalom mixed in too. Brings back some good memories...
Skaters Vote from Colin Read on Vimeo.
Skaters Vote has teamed up with filmmaker Colin Read to create its self-titled
official voting PSA. Narrated by Tony Hawk, and featuring a diverse
ensemble of skaters including Mark Gonzales and Mark Suciu, the goal of
the “Skaters Vote” video is to not only energize the skate community to
vote in the upcoming election but to explain that voting is an easy way
to stay activated.
The video PSA was the concept of Colin Read, skate video creator and director of music videos for groups such as Radiohead, Danny Brown, and Doves. Produced pro bono by Sea Cow and Pulse Films, with a team of film industry professionals who love skating—including creative director Jacob Ireland, producers Leon Derriey and Cameron Cuchulainn, and director of photography Eric Schleicher—it was filmed within New York City in the month of October.
Sea Cow explains: “It’s the most pivotal year in modern history. There’s a lot at stake—and a lot to skate for. Plenty of messaging has already been created that targets the youth vote…but skaters are a peculiar breed. We don’t like people telling us what to do—which is why we skate in the first place! It’s easy for skaters to get turned off by people who don’t understand them, seemingly making demands.
Skaters also have a finely-tuned “bullshit meter,” so we don’t want to turn the audience off with overly serious or dramatic messaging. Instead, we’re creating a simple message: If you can skate, you can vote. We’re making it feel like a natural, community-oriented activity. It’s that simple: skaters vote.”
ABOUT SKATERS VOTE
Skaters Vote was created with the goal of encouraging skateboarders in the United States of America to register to vote. Skateboarding is a global community. From the national level to the local, governmental policy and politics impact our lives and love for skateboarding.
Skaters Vote aims to give every skater in America a voice in the systems that shape our lives by facilitating registration and providing non-partisan information about elections.
Vans dropped this new video and photos with Cher Strauberry today and it's so good! Check it out and get some rad ideas for making your own custom Vans!
To see more on Cher and her custom Vans go HERE
This Pandemic is bringing us all sorts of surprises - but we have to say that this is a good one!
Lizzie Armanto announced via Instagram yesterday that she and her boyfriend, and fellow skater, Axel Cruysberghs got married in a very private ceremony 10 days ago! Lizzie looks absolutely gorgeous in the photos that were taken by photographer Anthony Acosta and her friend Allysha Le.
Big congrats to Lizzie and Axel! 💗
We are so looking forward to watching this film!
Woolf Women is a true account of Jenny and her 4 friends who accept a challenge to go to Sumela – an ancient monastery built in AD386. It clings precariously to a vertical rock face with a terrifying sheer drop of 1,280 metres and is located deep in the Pontic mountains of Turkey.
Jenny has been struggling to get over the unexpected and sudden loss of her father. Her friends are worried about her welfare and state of mind. Her depression has already led to her losing her job and as a result she gives up her home to go live in her van and skate professionally full-time. In order to seek solace and distraction, she plans and dreams of an adventurous skateboard expedition with her friends.
Upon meeting Marchella, the expedition becomes a reality and the girls make it their mission to go to Sumela, with the hope that Jenny finds closure and they can become the first ever Downhill Skateboarders to skate from Sumela. However, shortly before their departure, Jenny meets with another major unexpected calamity.
Woolf Women is a film about personal courage, friendship, adventure and duct tape. It is a testimony to the words – belief and determination. Young, free spirited and athletic - the girls cruise by road for over 5,500 kms each way into uncharted waters to reach Sumela.
Featuring exciting skate scenes, interesting conversation and stunning scenery, Woolf Women is a modern-day Odyssey like no other.
You can watch it HERE via the Raindance Fim Festival taking place in the UK
Follow the Woolf Women on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Website
The Woolf Women
Jenny ‘Jungle’ Schauerte
International Downhill Federation racer Jenny was born in
Boston, USA but grew up in the mountains of Bavaria. Jenny is a downhill
skater, artist, designer and adventurer. She travels a lot, absorbs her
environment and uses the world as her creative outlet. She recently
left London because it got too flat and instead lives in her van,
chasing the sun and the mountains. Aside from the obvious thrill and
adrenaline, she feels lucky to be part of the skateboarding community -
seeing people at events and absorbing the crazy atmosphere and the
feeling of "no limits".
In her Masters project at Central St. Martins, adrenaline was featured.
Through experimentation, interviews, mixed media, a 9 mins short film, 2
magazines, her dissertation showed undeniably that adrenaline can
relieve mental and physical issues including depression and anxiety.
Alejandra ‘Salamandra’ Gutierrez
Salamandra was born in Colombia and qualified in university as a
mechanical engineer. Learning to skate at 22 years old, she forms part
of a nomadic tribe of millennials that prefer to always be on the move.
Albeit Salamandra has suffered multiple injuries during her travels, the
freedom to skate and the rush of adrenaline has helped her find focus
and peace from troubled times. She always takes good care of her fellow
skate women and would bind everyone’s wounds up and put a smile on all
faces.
Jasmin ‘SpaceyBee’ Hangraef
SpaceyBee moved from the rather flat Belgium to Austria to feed her passion for Downhill Skateboarding. Light and breezy, Bee is the acrobatic member of the Woolf Women crew and will most likely be the risk taker that the girls will have to watch over. She is a player and will whip out her slackfline or find a funny game to play at any boring moments. Her love for skateboarding has led her to promote the sport through sponsorship programmes and advertising.
SpaceyBee moved from the rather flat Belgium to Austria to feed her passion for Downhill Skateboarding. Light and breezy, Bee is the acrobatic member of the Woolf Women crew and will most likely be the risk taker that the girls will have to watch over. She is a player and will whip out her slackfline or find a funny game to play at any boring moments. Her love for skateboarding has led her to promote the sport through sponsorship programmes and advertising.
Lisa ‘QueenApex’ Peters
QueenApex is a sports teacher from the Netherlands and is known as the girl with a cute accent. Full of energy and a desire to conquer the world, Queen Apex spends most of her time travelling the world and competing as a pro skateboarder. Apex is looking forward to the Woolf Women expedition and due to her experience will play a crucial part in testing out the risk and safety hazards during the expedition. She is always smiling and manages to cheer up Jenny and the gang when there are edgy moments. She knows how to play safe and still be wild and free.
Anna ‘PixieCharms’ Pixner
Pixie is an Austrian travelling the world. Being an ardent Buddhist, Anna is a believer of fate and destiny, having had a near fatal accident which included puncturing her lungs. She finds peace and healing in the nature and would climb a mountain like a jumping mountain goat. She is also a highly skilled street skater and said to be one of the best at toe sliding. Anna hears the calling of wolves and believes that Woolf Women will help other women embrace the sport without fear.
QueenApex is a sports teacher from the Netherlands and is known as the girl with a cute accent. Full of energy and a desire to conquer the world, Queen Apex spends most of her time travelling the world and competing as a pro skateboarder. Apex is looking forward to the Woolf Women expedition and due to her experience will play a crucial part in testing out the risk and safety hazards during the expedition. She is always smiling and manages to cheer up Jenny and the gang when there are edgy moments. She knows how to play safe and still be wild and free.
Anna ‘PixieCharms’ Pixner
Pixie is an Austrian travelling the world. Being an ardent Buddhist, Anna is a believer of fate and destiny, having had a near fatal accident which included puncturing her lungs. She finds peace and healing in the nature and would climb a mountain like a jumping mountain goat. She is also a highly skilled street skater and said to be one of the best at toe sliding. Anna hears the calling of wolves and believes that Woolf Women will help other women embrace the sport without fear.
We love this trailer for the film Skateboarding's First Wave - a documentary short about skateboarding in Pacific Palisades in the early '60s.
Featuring the Palisades Skateboard Team:
Barry Blenkhorn Williams, Scott Blenkhorn, Colleen (Boyd) Turner, PhD, Lt Col, USAFR, Retired, Peter Burg, Don Burgess, Ric Burgess, Donna Cash Harris, Jerry Giancola, Kevin Jones, Terry Keller, Tim Keller, Chris Picciolo, Rick Purcell, Suzie Rowland Levin, Burke Murphy, Shane Murphy
If you'd like to get a copy of this amazing film (well worth it) you can buy it HERE
We love that Allysha Le is on the "Talkin Schmit" podcast this week! Tune in to hear all about her history in skateboarding.
"Allysha Le was born in Torrance and raised in El Segundo and started skateboarding at an early age with the likes of SAlba and MAlba before getting sponsored by Osiris and H-Street and then eventually riding for Mimi Knoop's all female company Hoopla Skateboards.
Now on Creature, we talk: skating with T.Mag, Lizzie Armanto, SF and Potrero Park, Chris Russell and Patrick Ryan, leaving Hoopla, Joe Fong, solving the Rubiks Cube, The Chili Bowl contests at Potrero Del Sol and much more... "
If you want to help support the show, head over to https://www.talkinschmit.com and pick up some merchandise.
Follow Allysha on Instagram: @Allysha.Le
We are happy to announce that eleven-year-old, Elle Warne, is now part of the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team and movement. Elle enjoys skateboarding just about anything she comes across - and we love that. She is also a firm believer in getting groups of girls together to encourage more girls to get on a board and skate.
Welcome to the team Elle!!
Make sure you follow Elle on her Instagram @Elle_Warne
And on her super fun YouTube Channel
RIP 🙏🏼 Sad news that one of our
‘70s skate sisters and one of the original freestyle girls of that era,
Ellen Oneal passed away.
Ellen was known for her beautiful
flowing style and her perpetual smile during hard freestyle routines.
She was sponsored by Gordon & Smith back in the day. She was also
the featured female skater in the movie SKATEBOARD starring Leif Garrett
and Tony Alva.
.
Ellen was inducted into The Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2014. 🛹
She will be missed by all of us ❤️
Photos by Jim Goodrich and Warren Bolster
We love everything Joan Jett does and stands for, so we want to share this rad post where she included the GN4LW logo in her #WALKTHEVOTE message earlier this week.
We couldn't agree more with what Joan posted - grab your friends and your skateboard and skate over and drop that ballot into a official ballot box!
If you are 18 or older you have earned the right to vote and as a female, this was a hard won battle - so use your power and VOTE!!
We know what music we will be listening to on our way to the ballot box! ❤ #JoanJett
xx Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word
Team USA's Jordyn Barratt on what it was like when she heard that the 2020 Olympics were being postponed.
Molly-Anne rolls into New Jersey and is met by Zoe and Matilda cheering her on!
We are super excited to announce that Molly-Anne completed her 800+ mile skate down the Eastern Seaboard! She has so many stories to tell - from being attacked by a Great Dane on day one, to horrible road conditions off and on, meeting some amazing and supportive people on the road and MORE!
GN4LW Team rider Zoe Herishen and her friend Matilda were in New Jersey to greet Molly-Anne as she rolled into her last stop of the trip. And they even got her to skate the local skatepark with them - so cool!
We are trying to line Molly-Anne up with a great podcast so she can tell you her story in her own words, because this is a story everyone should hear! We will keep you posted!!
Big congrats to Molly-Anne - skateboarding 800+ miles alone is a huge feat!!
Many thanks to Tracey Herishen for filming and editing this awesome video for us.