This is how every Monday shouldstart off - being fully stoked!
Thrasher dropped Mami Tezuka's "Sorceress" Bloodwizard part and it has people going crazy over it. We've watched it three times in a row and can't get enough of it. Chris Gregson filming and Mami skating the hel lout of everything - this is the best skate part we've seen - EVER!
Our advice? Watch it on REPEAT!
This is awesome! Dogtown and The Z Boys found an audience outside of the traditional skateboard community. Tony Alva, Peggy Oki, Stacy Peralta and more from the OG Zephyr scene break down why it worked and what was missing
Costa Mesa, CALIF. (Sept. 24, 2021) – Vans, the global leader in skateboarding for more than 50 years, is proud to present A Look Back: DogTown and Z-Boys, a retrospective of Stacy Peralta’s award-winning documentary that marks the film’s 20-year anniversary. Directed by Glen E. Friedman alongside filmmaker Eric Matthies, A Look Back: DogTown and Z-Boys revisits the documentary’s original cast to explore the film’s impact—not only on their lives, but on the culture of skateboarding.
Many original Z-Boys return to the screen for A Look Back, including Peralta, Peggy Oki, Wentzle Ruml, Skip Engblom, Paul Constantineau, Jim Muir and Tony Alva. A Santa Monica native and one of Vans first skate team riders, Alva’s name is forever linked to skateboarding’s origins. As a teenager in the ‘70s, he collaborated with Vans to create the brand’s first true “Off The Wall” shoe for skateboarding. More than four decades later, Alva’s story is just as powerful, immortalizing him as a revolutionary who turned Dogtown into skateboarding’s intrepid capital.
“The original film not only shed light on the foundation of modern skateboarding, it showed us the stories of those who made it happen,” Friedman said. “Our film goes a bit deeper into what some of the participants thought of the film they stared in, and how it has since affected their lives and their brothers who have passed since its release 20 years ago.”
Friedman, who makes his directorial debut with A Look Back, is universally considered as one of the most prominent photographers of his generation, most well-known for his influential images of rebellious artists from skateboarding, punk and hip hop. Ranging from the Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C. and Ice-T, to Z-Boys Alva and Jay Adams, Friedman’s photographs cemented the importance of these radical subcultures at their beginnings. His work is included in notable international collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Smithsonian Institution. Eric Matthies, who co-produced the film, is known for his broadcast, cinema and multi-media projects, and has produced globally recognized documentaries that have garnered a PGA Award, Grammy nomination, NAACP Image Award nomination, LAFF Audience Choice award, Saturn award, and Social Justice Fund nomination. A Look Back: DogTown and Z-Boys premiered globally on September 23 at the 2021 Paris Surf & Skate Film Festival.
“The Zephyr crew had an enormous impact on my peers and I, not only as skaters, but as artists and filmmakers,” Matthies said. “This project was a great opportunity to give something back to our skate community.”
The original DogTown and Z-Boys documentary rose to critical acclaim after its release in 2001, led by director and original Zephyr skateboard team member Stacy Peralta, and was co-written by Craig R. Stecyk III and co-produced by Friedman. Chronicling the rise of skateboarding in backyard pools in 1970s’ Santa Monica and Venice, the original documentary drew on a compilation of vintage images and video clips combined with present-day interviews, encapsulating how the Z-Boys ultimately created a skateboarding subculture that defined a generation and influenced those to come. The original documentary won two awards at Sundance Film Festival and an Independent Spirit Award in 2001.
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| Minna Stess ~ Photo Gabriel Zavala |
“As a teenager and female athlete in a male-dominated sport who also loves gaming, it’s very important to me to partner with companies who encourage diversity and inclusion for everyone,” said Stess. “I’m excited to join forces with HyperX as we all work to break the mold and change perceptions, while encouraging young women like myself to keep chasing after their dreams.”
We are so proud of GN4LW team rider Minna Stess for always working to change the landscape in male-dominated industries!
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif --HyperX, the gaming peripherals team at HP Inc. and brand leader in gaming and esports, today announced it is the official gaming peripherals partner of national skateboarding prodigy and champion Minna Stess. Enhancing HyperX’s ambassador roster and global gaming lifestyle brand, Stess will exclusively wear and promote HyperX gaming headsets and participate in various HyperX marketing initiatives, including social activations and We’re All Gamers campaign.
“As an inspiration for young female athletes, Stess’ fun, humble and authentic personality is a perfect addition to the HyperX roster as we continue to grow our gaming lifestyle brand.”
At 15 years old, Stess is one of the best park skaters in the world and the youngest member of the USA Skateboarding Women’s Park National Team. Park skateboarding made its debut at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics and Stess will be competing to earn her spot on the 2024 US Olympic team. Stess started competing at five years old and competed in her first Pro Women in California Skateboarding contest at age 11. She continued progressing as a contest skater , winning the Mystic Skate Cup Ladies Bowl in Prague, Czech Republic and placing second at the La Kantera Bowl in Spain. Stess has also competed in XGames and the Dew Tour, and recently won the 2021 USA National Championships.
“HyperX remains focused on infusing industries within the gaming ecosystem and encouraging all gaming personalities to express themselves, and we are proud to welcome Minna to the ambassador family,” said Dustin Illingworth, celebrity and athlete marketing manager, HyperX. “As an inspiration for young female athletes, Stess’ fun, humble and authentic personality is a perfect addition to the HyperX roster as we continue to grow our gaming lifestyle brand.”
As a HyperX brand ambassador, Stess will sport a HyperX sticker on her skateboard and receive products across all categories for herself and her community. In addition, Stess will get the HyperX Heroes treatment, including her own hero illustration as she joins a line-up of internationally recognized talent on the HyperX roster, including football player JuJu Smith-Schuster, basketball players Gordon Hayward and Ariel Powers, tennis player Daniil Medvedev, ice hockey player Filip Forsberg, international soccer player Dele Alli, professional race car driver Sage Karam, and more than 25 global streamers and influencers in the HyperX family.
Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word founder, Cindy Whitehead, will be moderating and speaking on a panel at the Smithsonian's National Youth Summit this Tuesday 9/21.
Joining her will be 70's pro skateboarder Judi Oyama and Olympian skateboarder, Jordyn Barratt.
It's shaping up to be a great panel so we hope you will join us!
The live program Sept. 21 will feature talks, workshops and discussions with scholars, historians and activists. Among the speakers and presenters are Minnijean Brown-Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine teens who worked to desegregate Central High School; professional skateboarders Cindy Whitehead and Judi Oyama; Marcia Chatelain, professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University; and Katherine Ott, curator at the National Museum of American History. This year’s Summit will pull from the content and scholarship of the museum’s exhibition “Girlhood (It’s complicated).”
Some 4,000 students are expected to participate in virtual discussions facilitated by their educators, the Smithsonian and Smithsonian Affiliate museums nationwide. Currently, 12 Smithsonian Affiliate museums have registered to host virtual Regional Summits, providing online viewing parties and supplementing the activities with their own programming for students in their local communities.
You can Register HERE to view the panel and also download materials like the pages below for your students, if you are a teacher .
Check out Rayssa's medal winning run during the Tokyo Olympics
Things have been moving fast for women in skateboarding since the Tokyo Olympics.
At age thirteen, Rayssa Leal has signed as a pro rider with April Skateboards. She just took first place at SLS in Salt Lake City this month, and a silver at the Olympics in August - so she is definitely on a roll!
GIRL Skateboards (notoriously known for not having a single girl on their team) has signed Breana Geering. Coming right off of her Thrasher cover this has been an epic month for Breana and so well deserved! Big congrats!!
The Cove Girls Skate Session ~ Photo Ian Logan
The class of 20121 inductees to The Skateboarding Hall of Fame have been announced and two women who ruled in the early years have been named as inductees!
Big congrats to Colleen Boyd Turner and Tina Trefethen! A full list of the 2021 male and female inductees is listed below.
The ceremony will take place on Friday, November 12, 2021 at Vans HQ in Costa Mesa. The inductions will include both the 2020 and 2021 inductees. Due to COVID there was no ceremony for the 2020 inductees.
Check out The Skateboarding Hall of Fame website for more details on on how to buy tickets to this amazing event!
Vans Skateboarding Presents:
A Snapshot of Brighton Zeuner and The Influences That Have Shaped Her Relationship With Skateboarding
The Olympic athlete speaks on skateboarding, fashion, and creative expression
Costa Mesa, CALIF. (Sept. 1, 2021) – Vans, the original action sports brand and leader in skateboarding for more than 50 years, is proud to present a look inside the world of skate team rider and Olympic athlete Brighton Zeuner. Competing on the world stage in Tokyo last month was a milestone in Brighton’s career, but for the 17-year-old, having fun will always be the most important part of skateboarding.
“For me, it’s just something I express myself through,” Brighton said. “Skateboarding definitely molded who I am today.”
Brighton’s relationship with skateboarding has shifted over the years since she first picked up a board at a young age and started skating with her brother, Jackson. Along the way, she’s honed her skateboarding style through influences from skate legends like Jeff Grosso, further developed her eclectic eye for fashion—seen through her latest vintage-inspired Vans collection—and owned the contest circuit, becoming a 2x Vans Park Series champion and X-Games gold medalist all before she was old enough to drive.
She views skateboarding as an outlet to tap into your individuality. For her, that’s meant standing out with her distinct style, which comes to life through a love of thrifting and partnerships with brands like Frog Skateboards, and is reflected in her hopes to go to school to become a fashion designer.
Looking at what’s next after the Olympics, Brighton says her mindset hasn’t changed much: she’s still focused on filming, skating in contests, and above all, continuing to progress and have fun. Vans is excited to back Brighton on that journey, as she leads the charge and serves as an inspiration for skateboarders everywhere.
Shop Brighton's collection at Vans.com/Wayvee.
Sky teaches Yungblud how to skate at Venice Skatepark...
Yungblud gives Sky a private concert - her first rock concert ever...
Sky gets guitar lessons from Yungblud...
The music and sports crossover series From The Top, executive produced by Elton John, introduces Olympians with musical artists both at the top of their game and examines the similarities of their paths to greatness.
If you missed any of the action today, you can catch up now and watch the Tony Hawk Vert Alert Women's Finals right here!
The skating was amazing and we are thrilled to see that "vert is not dead"!
This comp was so good that we are not even going to post the final results here - watch and see - all the women shredded today!
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| Image via HBO |
It was announced today that HBO has pulled the plug on a third season of Crystal Moselle's TV series BETTY, starring Rachelle Vinberg, Nina Moran, Dede Lovelace, Kabrina Adams, Ajani Russell, Alexander Cooper, Katerina Tannenbaum, and others. The show was almost like a continuation of Moselle's film The Skate Kitchen and was a must watch for female skaters everywhere.
No reason was given, but it could have been this season's story lines with their more adult content, failed to pull in enough younger viewers as it had in the previous season. The subject manner this season was more in line to what young women of that age would be going through and some of the sexually explicit and adult subject manner were not meant for the pre-teen crowd. That being said, this is part of what made the show brilliant - it was hitting on topics and moments that most other shows shy away from.
It's sad that it's gone way too soon.
Want to get over the sadness?
Watch Crystal Moselle's original film THE SKATE KITCHEN or catch up on both seasons of Betty. And make sure you follow the entire cast on their instagram accounts to see where they end up next. We don't think this is the end by a long shot!
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| Klara |
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| Tracie |
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| Briel |
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| Quinne |
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| Julie and Dailynn |
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| Cheryl helping a young skater girl |
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| Elsie and Jessie |
The first annual Venice Sports day happened this weekend and it was so fun! Coordinated by Alex and Edizen from Venice Paparazzi, Venice was filled with all sorts of events that were free to the public (everything from pickle-ball, hula hooping, roller-skating, handball and of course, skateboarding) were going off all day long. But the real action was at the skatepark where Vence21 put on the first event since COVID and it was a day to remember! -There were 100 medals given out along with sponsored prizes for style, best trick and more.
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| Girls Crew! |
The girls jam was packed with girls and women of all ages skating the mini bowl as well as the snake run and the street course. Everyone was having fun and so happy to see people in person that they had missed skating with during the pandemic.
And because events like this really do take a village - here are some of the amazing people who made this day happen:
Bart Saric (owner of Skater Made, skate coach, filmer & director)was on the mic until mid day announcing the ladies jam for us - and he did such a great job. The women and girls were getting pumped with his commentary and he got the crowd cheering for them loudly while they skated.
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| Isiah and the boys crew |
Starting at 2 PM Dan Levy from Juice Magazine was on the mic and Juice live streamed the event as well - for those who live elsewhere or couldn't make it down to the park.
Head judge and contest coordinator for this event was pro skater and legend, Lonny Hiramoto - who could be seen giving out medals for every sick trick or style session he saw.
DJ VRSA (who is also a rad downhill skater) was spinning tunes all day long to get the skaters energized and he ultimately saved the day by having his own portable power pack!
Big Robert Howard DOWNHILL DOGS provided security & registration and kept things in check throughout the event.
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| Penny |
The always smiling, Kimi Kallman, was in charge of the mountains of product that was handed out to the skaters. This woman in unflappable - do you know how hard it is to organize tons of age appropriate prizes and make sure everyone who skated feels valued? She does that and more!
Photographers: Chris Hooten, Gale Webb, and Ian Logan.
And a HUGE thanks to our fearless leader of skaters, Skate Park Association's Heidi Lemmon, for heading up the skate event, along with Jeff Greenwood and the OG Jam crew
Big shout outs to Sonya Young Jimenez Superintendent of West Region & Venice Beach,
Melody Valenzuela Gutierrez Senior Recreation Director,
Tristen Marler Venice / Marina Del Rey Field Deputy for council member Mike Bonin of the 11th District Council for City of LA, and
of course, life long skater Lance Lemond of the Venice Rec & Parks ground crew. Without them this event woudln't have happened so fast and seamlessly!
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| Angela and Penny |
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| Michelle |
If landing the cover of Thrasher this month wasn't rad enough, Girl Skateboards has announced that Breana Geering has gone Pro. Breana's pro model is out now at skate shops worldwide.
Another board for girls to skate that doesn't have a guys name on it - that's pretty rad!!
If you missed seeing the LEGENDS OF SKATEBOARD ART show in person, please make sure you jump over to THIS WEBSITE to see/bid on all the auction pieces that are up for grabs.
With big names like Shepard Fairy, Ed Templeton, Jimbo Phillips, Mark Gonzales, Marc McKee, Natas Kaupas, and more, creating unique art, there are amazing pieces to bid on with all proceeds going to help OG pro skater Allen Losi.
If you have been watching the news you know that the Taliban has taken over Kabul and all of Afghanistan, which means women and girls will no longer have the small freedoms they have had during the past twenty years. Under Taliban rule women and girls will go back to being second class citizens and have most of their rights revoked.
Places like Skateistan, which helped girls in the country get an education, as well as skateboard, likely will be a thing of the past...
Did you know that because of Skateistan, Afghanistan has had the highest rate of female skaters in the world? Or that girls in Afghanistan couldn't ride bikes but they could skateboard?
The film "Learning to Skateboard in a War Zone (if You're a Girl)" won BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT award at the Oscars for telling the story of the amazing work Skateistan does.
Shot in Afghanistan, the film highlights the work of the non-profit Skateistan, which was founded in 2007 in Kabul to teach Afghan girls and boys how to skate. Young skater girls take center stage as Director Carol Dysinger explores their journey from skateboarding novices to nollie-ing pros, and perhaps, more importantly, the life skills and confidence that they develop along the way.
This movie is all the more important now as the girls fade back into not been seen under Taliban rule.
Our hearts are breaking for everyone in Afghanistan but especially the women and girls. 💔
We love this new video from Sephora about skateboarder Naiomi Glasses and her personal journey. Watch and learn. We are all skateboarders and we all have different stories. It wonderful that skateboarding brings us together as one.
Get ready because it's been awhile... Venice 21 is happening on Saturday, August 21st and you should be there! Check out the schedule above and make sure you come out and have fun.
There are pup-cup divisions (for the little ones), a ladies jam, and so much more. Prizes and medals galore for best trick, stylish run and whatever else makes the day better!
See you on Saturday August 21st!!
Best of all, it's all FREE and we finally all get to skate together and see our friends!!
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| Christana ~ Photo Hannah Bailey |
We are seriously all about "To Balance is Trust".
This unique photo series, by Hannah Bailey, and supported by the Getty Images Show Us Grant, that shines a light on the real faces of female and non-binary skateboarders, empowering them to tell their stories and show us what skateboarding means to them.
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| Mac ~ Photo Hannah Bailey |
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| Helena Long ~ Photo Hannah Bailey |
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| Marcia ~ Photo Hannah Bailey |
For many, skateboarding has been seen for the first time on TV this past week with its Olympic debut.
Hannah's hope is that "To Balance is Trust" will intercept this competitive controlled vision to put it back in the hands of the people who skate through portraits and stories.
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| Lily Rice ~ Photo Hannah Bailey |
From wheelchair motocross champion Lily, to founder of Melanin Skate Gals and Pals Maz, to eight-year-old skater Mac, long-time skate videographer Yuri, and anti-racist activist/co-founder of SkateBoobs, Amy. Hannah was lucky to meet and photograph over 20 skaters from different backgrounds on different missions but united through their boards.
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| Yuri ~ Hannah Bailey |
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| Emily ~ Photo Hannah Bailey |
The series travels to the home of the Olympics, Athens, Greece to meet with Denia Kopita, a talented skater and online manager of diversity skate magazine Skateism. It travels to Haverfordwest, Wales, to meet WCMX champion Lily Rice who is pushing to make skateparks more accessible. And it features skaters part of the Melanin Skate Gals and Pals crew who are working to empower the BIPOC community to skate and be seen. As well as young Scottish skaters, Rudi and Mac, and professional London-based skateboarder, Helena Long.
All these skaters and riders are pushing the lesser-seen side of skateboarding in order to make it more accessible to all, to show it is something for everyone.
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| Amy Dunbar ~ Photo Hannah Bailey |
Hannah Bailey has been photographing women’s skating around the world for over 10 years, inspired by the diverse faces and underground culture of the scene. It has been her mission to question society’s perception of gender in sport and challenge how women are represented in the media through her images of skateboarding and portraits of skaters. In March 2020 Hannah won the inaugural Getty Images #ShowUs photography grant with the project ‘To Balance is Trust’, which aims to look beyond stereotypes, to shine the light on the faces of women, non-binary and female-identifying skaters, and support them to tell their stories.
