Our OG 80s surf sisters are telling their stories and it’s one that is parallel to female skateboarders from that same era. This is a movie that everyone that has a daughter that surfs or skateboards should watch.

It's the 1980s and the world of professional surfing is a circus of fluorescent colors, peroxide hair, and radical male egos. GIRLS CAN’T SURF follows the journey of a band of renegade surfers who took on the male-dominated professional surfing world to achieve equality and change the sport forever.

Featuring surfing greats Jodie Cooper, Frieda Zamba, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha, Layne Beachley, and more, GIRLS CAN'T SURF is a wild ride of clashing personalities, sexism, adventure, and heartbreak, with each woman fighting against the odds to make their dreams of competing a reality.

The film drops on April 19th on Apple TV.

Samarria Pro Bronson Bearing Release

The Ditch em’ Event is coming, Samarria Brevard’s Pro G3 Bearing Release Event. Ditch your old bearings and wheels for Samarria’s newest Pro G3 Bearings and Ricta Wheels at Bronson’s DITCH’ EM event x Skate Like a Girl. Meet on April 10th at Mike Fox Skatepark in Santa Cruz, CA

APRIL 10th, 9 AM - 12 PM

MIKE FOX SKATEPARK - 299 San Lorenzo Blvd., Santa Cruz, CA

While supplies last!

I LOVE SKATEBOARDING / A Girl’s Skate Video

We are so stoked about this new video that dropped today! S1 Helmets supports our movement in so many ways and creating this video together with S1 team riders and Girl is NOT a 4 letter word team riders was amazing!

Featuring (in order of appearance)

Quinne Daniels, Paige Tobin, Evette Halitzka, Klara Kermoade, Kaiya Daniels, Briel Weingartner

Created by S1 Helmets and Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

Filming by Colin H. Clark

Music by Velour Academy

Image via Powell Peralta

Exciting news this week!! it was just announced that Sakura Yosozumi, Gold Meadlist for Women’s Park at the 2021 Olympics, is now pro for Powell Peralta. Her Flight Deck and 7 Ply Decks are in stock and shipping to skate shops worldwide. Awesome!!!

Image via Powell Peralta

You can grab one of Sakura’s new pro boards HERE

Karly Moreno

Tonight Essie had an amazing launch party to celebrate their latest philanthropic initiative, hands all in in partnership with Project UnLonely, as well as their launch of the Essie Expressie Sk8 with Destiny nail polish collection. The event was held at The Annenberg Beach House and the OC Ramp painted in Essie’s new color collection was so fun! Nothing better than being right on the beach in Santa Monica, California, and skating a mini ramp with friends.

There were yummy eats and drinks, manicurists to give you a fresh and fast Essie Expressie manicure, skateboarding, friends, and good vibes. The weather could not have been more perfect - it was like a beautiful sunny and warm summer day.

Briana King

Hilary Shanks

It was great to see Briana King, Karly Moreno, TomTom, Hilary Shanks, and friends shredding the ramp throughout the party.

Make sure you check out our Instagram for a video of the event!

Photos @ianlogan x @girlisnota4letterword

Thanks so much to Essie for the invite!

The short film “A Good Friday to Fall” is written and directed by Rachelle Vinberg (from The Skate Kitchen and HBO’s BETTY) and features newcomer Dafny Estrada. It follows the two skaters throughout a fun day in the city where Rachelle shows Dafny what skateboarding and just having fun on your board is all about.

We don’t know how we missed this when it dropped in February, but we are happy we get to share it with you now!

In case you missed the live conversation with women in skateboarding today hosted by Los Angeles Public Library and Zach Moldof, you can watch the entire show here. This episode of LA MADE features skateboarders, Cindy Whitehead, Alex White, Monica Torres and Briana King!

Please join pro skateboarders Cindy Whitehead, Alex White, Briana King, and Monica Torres for a conversation about women in skateboarding through the years.

Hosted by Zach Moldof and the Los Angeles Public Library.

Thursday, March 17 at 4 PM PST streaming live on Facebook and YouTube.

More info HERE

Los Angeles is home to the most incredible mix of women who have shaped skateboarding. And while female riders have always been around, their entry into the skating industry is, unfortunately, fairly new. Join us to meet four trailblazing skaters who helped change the perception of what women in skateboarding mean and what the future of skating can look like.

Cindy Whitehead is one of the first female pro skaters, and today she runs Girl Is Not A 4 Letter Word, a non-profit dedicated to creating opportunities for women in skateboarding. Alex White was a sponsored skater and now works for one of the biggest and most respected conglomerates in skateboarding: NHS. Briana King is a savant of the contemporary era and one of the most-recognized skateboarders on the planet today. And Monica Torres is a pro skater and Brazilian transplant who won the first-ever Women’s Battle At The Berrics–a widely celebrated contest of the skateboard industry’s best talent.

Streaming live on the library's YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Thanks to the generosity of Skate Bud, participants viewing this virtual program will have an opportunity to win a beginner's guide to skating book.

Photos Ian Logan x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word

The Vans x Lizzie Experience was “something else entirely”!

Bands were playing, cocktails and food were flowing, people were skating the bowl, checking out Lizzie’s new shoe, and having a blast. The party was held outside at Goya Studios in the heart of Hollywood and it was a perfect night - the sky was clear and it was a typical winter evening in California, which means a perfect 60 degrees.

All of Lizzie’s friends we’re there to celebrate with her, dance, skate, and be stoked that a female pro skater has her own signature shoe with Vans.

If you haven’t checked out Lizzie’s new shoe or her capsule collection, it’s in Vans stores now!

The Lizzie Experience goes on through this weekend - so if you are in Los Angeles, we suggest you check it out - tickets in the link!

Thanks so much to Vans for having us!

USA Olympian skateboarder, Bryce Wettstein, skateboards with rad longboarder Carla Javier-Brea and some amazing roller skaters in this new video for clothing company Wildfang.

Check out Wildfang’s other videos featuring these skaters on Youtbe!

If you are anywhere near Houston, TX make sure you put April 9th, 4-7 PM on your calendar because GROW is throwing a girl’s skate event. There will be live music, art, and prizest!

“Girls Roll on Wheels” takes place at the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark at 103 Sabine Street in Houston.

Pro skateboarder Arianna Carmona will be there to do a skate demo and sign some autographs.

Bring your board and come on out and skate!

Team riders Klara and Briel ~ Photo Ian Logan

We are so excited to announce the launch of our NEW Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word website!

As always, we will be bringing you daily updates on what is happening in the world of girls’ and womxn’s skateboarding, but with a fresh new look and feel. We hope you love it!

Happy International Women’s Day!

Team riders Kaiya, Quinne, Evette, Briel and Klara at a recent GN4LW skate session ~ Photo Ian Logan

Bryce has a new pro model with Stereo Skateboards

Bryce Wettstein had her Stereo for Thrasher part drop on March 2 and in anticipation, a party was held at her home with friends and family. What Bryce didn’t know is that her sponsor, Stereo Skateboards was also giving Bryce her own pro model!

Congrats Bryce!

You can buy Bryce’s new pro model HERE

As a trailblazer in skateboarding, Lizzie is an inspiration, breaking down the barriers of what’s possible. So, when Vans set out to create Lizzie’s first signature skateboarding shoe, we listened closely to her and what she needed to progress. The result is The Lizzie, Vans’ first signature skateboarding shoe designed by a woman in 20 years. The Lizzie provides something else entirely for a wider range of skateboarders whose needs are not being met. 

“I really enjoyed the process of creating a shoe from the ground up,” Lizzie said. “I felt compelled to make a shoe that is simple, functional, feels good on your feet and has a bit of soul, and feel proud of what we were able to accomplish.” 

To bring this vision to life, Lizzie worked closely with Vans’ Innovation and Product Development teams on a performance-fit last molded directly from 3D scans of her feet. Lizzie wanted a shoe that represented her completely—from a slimmer fit tailored to her foot shape, to a leaner outsole for a closer connection to her board and improved flexibility. The impact cushioning in typical skate shoes left Lizzie feeling like she was floating above her board, so Vans listened to create a new lower profile footbed. 

The Lizzie features a new vulcanized construction with a lower profile sidewall foxing tape, an exposed radiused outsole edge, and flex grooves for a stable, broken-in feel. The universal fit features the perfect amount of EcoCush™ cushioning, increasing boardfeel for a wider range of skaters. A new 3D Embossed DURACAP™ toe and Sidestripe has even more durability in high-wear areas, while an all-new micro-waffle tread and Sick-Stick™ rubber offers maximum grip. 

Because Lizzie is also passionate about preserving our planet, her signature shoe received the Vans VR3 Checkerboard Globe designation, meaning it follows strict footwear materials guidelines for all major components and has been designed and engineered to have a reduced carbon footprint compared to Vans’ canvas shoes. Under the VR3 designation, The Lizzie will always be made in part with organic cotton, natural rubber and biobased foam. For its debut, The Lizzie also utilizes suede across the entire shoe sourced from Leather Working Group (LWG) tanneries that have been rated gold or silver for environmental responsibility. 

“I feel very connected to nature, and I’m stoked that my shoe could bring me even closer to it. I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to include sustainable materials and practices as much as possible throughout the entire process. It means a lot to me that Vans’ design team went the extra mile to make this happen,” Lizzie added.

The Lizzie is finished with minimal detailing, including Lizzie’s signature initials on the exterior tongue label as well as her first and last name on the underside of the heel flaps, visible only when flipped up. Bright pops of hand drawn citrus and botanical illustrations on the shoe’s interior lining speak to Lizzie’s love of plants.

  In addition to The Lizzie, the Vans x Lizzie Armanto collection features a head-to-toe assortment of apparel and accessories designed in collaboration with Lizzie that include workwear-inspired staples like the Lizzie Armanto vest and Armanto skate chinos in burro, a knit tank in black, and short sleeve mini tee in melon, as well as a bucket hat in natural, crew socks in white, and waistpack in burro. The offering features the same citrus and botanical graphics tying back to her signature shoe. 

Lizzie Armanto embodies the true spirit of creative expression in all its forms. With a storied career that includes many firsts—like the first woman to grace TransWorld SKATEboarding’s magazine cover and one of the first women in years to appear on the cover of Thrasher, the first to complete Tony Hawk’s Loop, and a part of the talented crew to compete in Tokyo’s 2021 Olympic skateboarding debut—Lizzie is a pioneer and role model. Continuing to break new ground, Vans and Lizzie are proud to deliver something else entirely for a new generation of skateboarders.

The Lizzie x Lizzie Armanto Collection will be available March 10, 2022 at Vans Skateboarding retailers and at Vans.com. To learn more, visit Vans.com/lizzie

Sakura Yosozumi~ Photo Garth Milan for espn

Here's what we know so far...

• Inaugural X Games event in Japan will take place in the City of Chiba April 22 - 24, 2022

• Competitions will feature world-class athletes in Skateboard, BMX and Moto X

• ZOZOMARINE STADIUM will host X Games competitions, cultural festival experience and music

X Games, the world's premier action sports event, announced today that a summer edition of the event will take place in Japan for the first time ever. X Games has reached an agreement with X Games Japan Organizing Committee, a consortium led by Japanese event production company Shin So Sha in conjunction with the City of Chiba, to collaborate on X Games Chiba 2022, which is scheduled to take place April 22-24, 2022. The event will feature Skateboard, BMX and Moto X competitions over three days at ZOZOMARINE STADIUM.

For more than 25 years, X Games has successfully organized action sports events in 12 countries around the globe, attracting more than six million attendees. Since its inception in 1995, the X Games have become the leading action sports competition and lifestyle brand, spotlighting the world's best action sports athletes in BMX, Skateboard and Moto X at the X Games, and Ski and Snowboard at the winter version of the X Games against the backdrop of each individual host city.

In addition to local Japanese broadcasts and ESPN's U.S. media, X Games Chiba competitions will be televised on ESPN networks around the world and distributed via other international media outlets and local television broadcasters in various markets.

Along with world-class action sports competition and athletes, X Games Chiba will feature musical performances, art installations, food and festival experience. The inaugural event will have a distinctly Japanese flavor, showcasing the beautiful country, cities and culture of Japan in everything from the course designs to the medals, and highlighting the youth and sports culture in Japan throughout the festival village and live event coverage.

Sakura Yosozumi, X Games skateboard bronze medalist and Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, said, "I'm so happy to hear that the X Games, the dream event for skateboarders all over the world, will be held in Japan! I think it's a stage that every skateboarder has dreamed of, and even now that skateboarding is an Olympic sport, X Games is one of my favorite events that I want to keep competing in. I have participated in the X Games twice before, but I have yet to win a gold medal at the X Games, so when I am selected to compete, I will do my best to win my dream gold medal."

Women's Skateboard Park Invited Athletes 

Lizzie Armanto
Yndiara Asp
Jordyn Barratt
Sky Brown
Kokona Hiraki
Poppy Starr Olsen
Grace Marhoefer
Kisa Nakamura
Kihana Ogawa
Jordan Santana
Mami Tezuka
Bryce Wettstein
Sakura Yosozumi
Brighton Zeuner 

Women's Skateboard Street Invited Athletes 

Andrea Benitez
Julia Brueckler
Lore Bruggeman
Leticia Bufoni
Chloe Covell
Mariah Duran
Rayssa Leal
Gabriela Mazetto
Funa Nakayama
Momiji Nishiya
Aori Nishimura
Keet Oldenbeuving
Poe Pinson
Pamela Rosa
Nika Washington

*PLEASE NOTE: The invited athlete list is regularly updated and is subject to change.

Judi Oyama - Photo Tim Stahl

We were stoked to hear that OG slalom racer, Judi Oyama, took some time out of her busy schedule to make the drive from Nor Cal to So Cal to get some time on the hill at the Presidents Day Jam in Poway, CA before heading off to the Texas Sizzler race that's happening next month. In Texas Judi will compete against the other women that made the top 4 qualifiers to compete at the World Skate Games 2022, Oct 24 - Nov 13 in Argentina.

The last time Judi had raced head to head slalom was back in 2019 and at this race the ramp was a double ramp drop in and along with the steep hill it proved to be fast - Judi conquered it with no problems whatsoever.

Judi placed second to Lynn Kramer this weekend and took home a nice prize purse of $350. Lynn received $500 for first.

I'm happy to share that the men and women racing had equal prize money!

Judi hopes to encourage younger girls and women to come try racing slalom. 

Judi Oyama - Photo Tim Stahl

“It is a great skill to know how to slow down on a hill and how to generate speed.”

— Judi Oyama

Judi had support for this race from:

• NHS - her original sponsor in her professional skate career starting 4 decades ago!

• Santa Cruz Skateboards 

• Bronson Bearings 

• Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word Movement

• Catto's Graphics

• Lenz Arts 

• Rip Tide Sports

Judi Oyama - Photo Tim Stahl

Women's Slalom Race Results

1. Lynn Kramer $500

2. Judi Oyama $350

Hybrid Open:

1 Collin Kruse

2 Brad Jackman

3 Aki Von Glasow

4 Lynn Kramer

5 Patrick Lehrmann

6 Brando Sanchez (new racer)

7 Scott Hostert

8 Collin Loren

9 Judi Oyama

10 Anton Gillespie

11 Paul Rowe

GS Open:

1 Joe McLaren

2 Collin Kruse

3 Brando Sanchez

4 Scott Hostert

5 Aki Von Glasow

6 Richy Carassco

7 Lynn Kramer

8 Brad Jackman

9 Patrick Lehrmann

10 Anton Gillespie

11 Ryan Beck (new racer)

12 Paul Rowe

13 Judi Oyama

Sponsors of the Presidents Day Jam include:

* Sk8Kings Skateboards

* Logan EarthSki

* Powell Peralta

* Muthr

* RipTide

* Badass Skatemom

* Seismic Skate Systems

Santa Cruz Skateboards drops another girls skate video! 

Roll with Fabiana Delfino, Minna Stess, Skylar Chadwick & Keet Oldenbeuving as the squad breaks through fences to skate a crusty rooftop before hitting a sick DIY park and wrapping things up at South Pasadena Skatepark. 

Sounds like one more may be dropping next week as well, stay tuned! 

Great to open the February issue of Harper's Bazaar this month and see a full page on skater/model Briana King. Briana travels a lot for skating and her modeling gigs, but on a sunny day you may just find her skating at Venice with all her friends.

We love seeing female skaters getting some love from major women's magazines!

Check out this new video from Santa Cruz Skateboards that dropped! Our team rider Minna Stess is featured - so stay tuned!!!

It begins in sunny Los Angeles where a heavy crew meets up for Keet's first skate trip to the states from the Netherlands! 

Watch Fabiana Delfino, Minna Stess, Skylar Chadwick & Keet Oldenbeuving as the squad rolls in to Griffith Park before sliding to Chevy Chase park to finish the session. 

Special guest appearances from Girl Skateboards Pro Breana Geering, Foundation Skateboards rider Austin Heilman and SC Legend Eric Dressen! 

Mami Tezuka

We are stoked to see Poppy Starr Olsen and Mami Tezuka featured in the new images for Vans Authentic Chino Loose Pant.

Made by skaters, for skaters, the ultra-versatile Authentic Chino Loose Pant is an update to Vans’ original Authentic Chino and combines a looser style, always-on-point fit and the durability needed to hold up during long skate sessions. 

Poppy Starr Olsen

An essential part of every skater's uniform, this workwear-inspired silhouette has an intentionally loose fit through the hip, thigh, and leg, with a long rise at the waist and a 18.5" leg opening. The Vans Authentic Chino Loose Pant also features key details like a coin pocket on the right side, “Drop-V” bartack on the top corner of the left rear pocket for extra reinforcement, “V” belt loop detail on the back waistband, and rear welt pockets with button closure to keep essentials secure when on the move.

Available in hero colorway oatmeal, as well as black, buckthorn brown, and grape leaf, the polyester, cotton and LYCRA® fabric blend ensures a comfortable, durable fit that moves with the body. The Vans Authentic Chino Loose Pant is finished with graphic accents like Vans' signature Checkerboard twill taping on the internal facing fly and a flag label sewn internally to the hem seam for added detailing when cuffed.