THE WORLD'S LARGEST SKATEPARK DIRECTORY

Skatepark Respect Interview

Do you know how much a trash truck weighs? Well, it’s almost the equivalent of the trash Skatepark Respect ambassadors and volunteers have removed since this project started. The numbers talk for themselves: 26637 pounds of trash (12.082 kg) collected, almost 3000 hours of cleaning, 130 ambassadors around the world, 130 skateparks with regular interventions and hundreds of anonymous people who just want to have a better place to skate, or to be. Steve Zanco often reminds us of the broken window theory. When a sign of vandalism is there and you do nothing, other windows will be broken, and it will escalate. The president of this non-profitable organization explains us how he and his ambassadors are reversing the cycle. This is much more than just pure love for skateboarding. This is all about community. Who are the dirtiest: riders or non-riders? All the above. Skateparks tend do be a place to hangout and for the most parks the riders do take care of the place, but they are some that don’t. "When skaters really care and step up that’s when real change happens" Steve Zanco (president of Skatepark Respect)   VISIT WEBSITE Do the riders have to be the gatekeepers of the skatepark? Skaters and all the folks who enjoy the park are de real champions. The city hall puts all the money, get things built and often contract cleaning parks out, but the real day-to-day maintenance should be done by the people who enjoy it. When riders realize this is an amazing gift, they treat them like that. When skaters really care and step up that’s when real change happens.   Let’s think of ten random parks. How many are clean in the morning? Zero (he laughs). The cities take care of the landscaping and other recreational areas… those tend to take priority, not the actual skatepark. Have you ever caught somebody dirtying/vandalizing a park and what did you do? It has happened and things can escalate. When it happens we have a conversation with the folks and explain the reasons why it’s important to keep it clean or the reasons to not tag it up. We really explain that these things can be closed, this can be taken away quick. There are times when folks get all grumpy about it, and we try to fight that message. When they realize that their actions are direct reflectors of what happens at the parks and if it stays, they tend to say ‘I’m sorry, my bad’. Who tends to “trash” most? Younger or older? It tends to be younger, twelve/thirteen to mid-twenties. Tell us about a good cleaning operation that you will remember till the end of your days. There was one in Denver. It snowed until an hour before the event. We were really worried. But we had the support of local groups, city hall, the park rangers and we had over fifty volunteers, plus an extra fifteen from the city hall with blowtorches, shovels... We got rid of well over fifty full bags of trash and we also did some landscaping’s and removed graffiti. It was an all hands and deck operation. The place was spotless and we were able to skate that day. Afterwards our ambassadors became the stewards of that park. What’s the criteria to become a Skatepark Respect’s ambassador? There is a bit of a conversation and we ask them questions. We just want them to clean the park. Of course, we can’t control what happens all over the world but finding individuals who want to support the cause is huge. We encourage them to clean up their parks, we don’t ask them to do anything crazy. Do you have goals regarding ambassadors outside the US? We started in the USA but when Covid hit we weren’t able to do clean-ups, travel, do a lot of things, so we looked for other opportunities to continue the movement, but without us necessarily being there all the time. There were a lot of amazing people around the world that were reaching out and saying ‘hey, how can we be part of this?’; ‘how can I do this in my area, do you have any tips?’ We were creating these relationships and creating the ambassador program. Our goals for the ambassador program are to encourage them to share their information, their stats: how many pounds of trash did you pick up; how many hours do you spend; do you have a bunch of volunteers? Who did you talk to? Do you have good stories? The park was about to be closed but we fought for that; Our goals are to spread the message and encourage people to do something little like pick up a piece of trash. If all people were like Japanese, your organization would not be needed, don’t you agree? I’ve been in Japan a lot and it’s incredible. You don’t see any trash cans and there is no trash. I went on the train there and somebody did a graffiti. At the next stop, with no extra time, a group of folks came on, cleaned it, got rid of the graffiti and the train didn’t miss a beep. It’s their culture of respect. They appreciate what they have. Their culture is unique, they see the things they have as a gift and respect others property. That’s a cool mindset.     How much trash have you removed and with how many ambassadors? We have 130 ambassadors and we have removed 26637 pounds of trash (12.082 kg), almost 3000 hours of cleaning and 130 skateparks. It’s growing all the time. We’re shipping out kits constantly to our ambassadors with trash pickers, trash bags, scrapers and gloves, we have also a how to clean a skatepark guide.                    How do you recommend city halls to keep skateparks clean? City Halls really ask these questions. The primary answer is to partner up with the community. If that means we have ambassadors, great! If not, really have a presence there. Show the skaters that the city cares. The locals must have the same conversations and say ‘hey, this is an amazing gift, if you show that you care the city’s going to partner with you and you get more obstacles, constant maintenance, improvements, upgrades and making an easy and symbiotic relationship. Working with the locals is where the real value comes from.’ Do you go to schools to talk about your project? We do. We have a few educational programs that we currently have running. With after school programs we educate kids how to keep things clean and give basic skate education as well: taking care of your board, how to take care of this place. It's about respect as a whole, respecting your things and others. We are working with the concrete industry too, to increase the awareness of the concrete trade. What do you do when you go to a skatepark and find a broken ledge or a ramp that needs to be fixed? Do you fix it yourself? That depends of the support of the city. I try to reach them saying ‘this needs to be fixed, can we help anyway?’ We recently had one that 75 volunteers repaired every crack in the concrete. We had tons of epoxy, we went there with tubes, scrapers, we had all this high school kids helping, it was really good. But it’s all about working with the city because you can’t do it on your own. Sending a text message or a picture to someone, create collaborators. Give us a word to describe a dirty skatepark. ‘Sad’. Because it’s so easy to clean these things. It just takes a little effort. This is also a way to fight several negative stereotypes regarding skateboarding… The stereotype is still there, but it’s better now. The Olympics are helping, Tony Hawk and the Skatepark Project have been a huge advocate for that too, but it still exists. Some folks in the city and in the community still think skateboarders are just doing drugs all the time, tag things up and want to wreck things… But it’s not like that… Being a better person, perseverance, mental toughness, all these things are skateboarding. It’s an accepting community, it doesn’t matter who you are, your believes, religion, just let’s skate. Those things are changing in people’s minds, but it still exists in the older crowds that are not exposed to skateboarding. We try to show the positive side of it, we’re here to help de community.   Visit Skatepark Respect

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How Troubl3 Keeps Making Trouble with Skateboards

June 29 2022 - Interview with Troubl3  “I always have been a troublemaker”. If Andrew, 41, had to pitch his idea, this could be a good punchline. It’s one of those cases where a business’s name is not just marketing, but a character’s extension. "So, Troubl3 is giving the middle finger to a lot of skate shops that do not support local people." Andrew (Owner Troubl3)   VISIT WEBSITE TROUBL3 is a Canadian skateboard shop based in Otawa. It was born in 2018 from the desire to go against the flow. “Skateboarding industry has become a mass production machine. Everything comes from China or Mexico, where people are not paid right. I buy something for one hundred dollars that really costs ten dollars”, he claims. “Then I thought: if I’m going to be a troublemaker, I might do something different. If I’m making a board it’s got to be unique like any skater is. I’m going to make one by one; it’s going to be tougher, it’s going to last more, every single board is going to be different. When you buy, it’s not just a board, it’s a piece of art and an experience”, he adds. This is something “one hundred percent customized”, from size, shape, wheels base, and a “seven veneer deck”. He proudly details: “Each veneer that goes into each deck is hand picked.” He buys local (wood from Quebec, for instance) in small batches, presses, shapes and hand paints the decks himself also, when he can, he promotes local artists to draw on the skateboards. “So, Troubl3 is giving the middle finger to a lot of skate shops that do not support local people who make stuff. They say they are local, but do not buy local”, Andrew reenforces, protesting against the rules of the game. “I always compare skateboards with pizza. I love pizza: a large one costs 50 bucks, the same you pay for a skateboard sometimes. Those skateboards are made overseas, they cost nothing to make, the price of pizza is gone to double, but the price of skateboards stayed the same for 30 years." “I evoke Paul Schmitt’s case all the time: a big name in this industry who shifted his business from California to Tijuana because people want to keep the price of a skateboard at 50 of 60 dollars for eternity. So, to keep his business going and pay his people, he had to move”, Andrew says.   He likes to be different. “Being marginalized is something good in skateboarding”. Although he admits the way he runs business is not sustainable: “The breakeven would be making 250 skateboards a month. Right now, I have had a month when I made four or five, others one or two.” It doesn’t matter. He believes this is the way. And he gives a discount if people really ride them and not just hang his skateboards on the wall. Authenticity is his brand, like the style he prefers for riders: “I like to see the most unorthodox skater. Do you do treflips? Fantastic, so can any other kid. I don’t care, throw your board against the wall, flip it on your head, do a back flip, do something I want to see. It’s different, do skateboarding and not do what others do.” “There’s a kid in Indonesia I started to follow who's skateboarding reminds me of a young Christian Hosoi. When I see the kid skate I can recognize Christian Hosoi’s influence. Can you recognize the inventors of other tricks you see people do at the park?”, he asks. Andrew sponsors five “troublemakers”: Eric Martin (Ontario), Dustin Lawrence (Ontario), Connor Callan aka Meat Feet (Arizona), Luis Uribe (Texas), Shinichi Nichiyama (Japan). He enjoys watching them and supports them the way he can. About his local skateparks, Andrew recommends: Bob MacQuarrie skatepark in Otawa Joel Gauthier skatepark in Rockland Local bus stop where where it's super smooth and is perfect for slappies, now that people stopped using busses, due to Covid, it's always empty and available.

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The story behind Drop-In Surf and Skate Camp

You can feel the good vibes from the start. Mac Messenschmidt, 43 years, caught some morning waves at Praia do Areal, in Portugal’s west region, before meeting up with us. Life is to be lived and this german entrepreneur brought his mantra into business, providing a unique surf and skate experience to his guests. From Berlin to Lourinhã: The story behind Drop-In Surf and Skate Camp "Many of my surf and skate teachers were once my guests." DROP-IN SURF AND SKATE CAMP Could you describe the concept behind Drop in surf and skate camp? Altogether we have three houses, but we don’t allow more than 20 people to stay at the same time. They all take part of the experience as a single group and we treat our guests like family. You take people to surf and skate and people can roll at Drop-In as well? Yes. Most people want to surf, but skate has turned into a good part of our experience. We have a bowl and a mini ramp and that's not usual around here. Thanks to my son, skate is rising at my place. He’s nine years old (we also have a daughter who’s 11) and he is almost better than me [he laughs]. When it’s flat, we take our guests to skateparks in Lisbon, specially the one in Campolide [aka Bairro da Liberdade skatepark]. Recently we did a skate camp and it was a success, people loved it. Although someone broke a foot, but that comes with the job… How and when did you start this adventure? It was after my previous business went down. A bit before my thirties we created a clothing brand, called Fourasses (for Surf, Snow, Skate and Sex). Things exploded and, before we knew it, we also had a skate shop in Berlin. At some point we needed an investor to keep up our growth. That's when things started going wrong, and in 2006 the business was a disaster. I had to sell everything and pay back debts. That was quite a shock, I believe. And then you went to Portugal. Yeah, before our kids were born, fortunately. My wife and I always wanted to buy a house in Portugal, even when we were living in Berlin. We went there in 2007 and 2008. We looked at many surf spots, from North to South, but this region was always one of our favourites. So we decided to settle down in Lourinha and it didn't take long before we had our first house and that was the beginning of Drop-In. Where do your guests mainly come from? Old school man... When I closed FourAsses I had a lot of friends in the skate world in Berlin. Before I knew it the place was full of Germans who came to visit me.They create the buzz and that’s why I usually work only with german speaking guests. I don’t need to put Drop-In on Booking or other platforms. Since day one guests have been spreading the word. And they return. 15 years have passed and people who go back to Germany say ‘Vacations? Go to Mac’. People who come here are also educated, cool, and local economy likes them. Did any former guest turn into a good rider or surfer after receiving the Drop in ‘baptism’? Many of my employees are actually former guests who want to come and work here for a while, the same with several surf and skate teachers who work here. I’m not really a boss. We are one big family here. Describe living in Lourinhã? This village is definitely different than Berlin. I was used to living in a crazy city with a lot of parties and in the beginning we did have to adapt a bit to the rhythm of Lourinhã. This village offers you a different way of living. When I go to a local market, I must save half an hour extra because I know I will bump into people that want to talk a bit. It was weird at first, but now I like it. We have this slogan in our house: ‘There are good times and then there are good times’. We always must take the best of everything. Even if it’s shit. Visit Drop-In Visit Lourinhã Skatepark

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Interview with Tomás Borges, Skateforeveryone School founder

It’s in Monsanto Park, almost three times bigger than Central Park in New York, in sunny Lisbon, that lies one of Tomás Borges’s preferred skateparks. Here he teaches and enlightens young and old. It’s where the fear goes away. At the age of 27, Tomás Borges is still building his dreams, whilst helping others achieve their ones on a skateboard. When did you start your skate school? Skateforeveryone was created back In 2019. I started alone but now we are a 5/6 people crew. How do you work with your students? We match students in groups and usually classes are held in Monsanto Skatepark or in Campolide, aka Bairro da Liberdade skatepark. We organize sessions by group, level and age. How have things been going? Things boomed at first. We received loads of requests while teaching people at the skateparks and it didn't take long before we were getting found online too. But our core is on the field, it’s where who wants to become a skater sees and understands what service we provide. Then Covid-19 hit us, but when the gates were open again many people from all different age groups started to skate because it's an open air and an individual sport (whilst many collective sports where still facing restrictions). What drove you to create a skate school? I didn’t want to create something ‘touchable’ because we humans produce a lot of waste and the planet’s sustainability is something I care deeply about. So I decided to create a service from people to people. Since childhood I love skate, worked in skate schools in the past and I have a sport’s academic background, so in 2019 I decided to create my own skate school. How challenging is it to work with so many different ages? We must be prepared to understand different levels of fear. A child has no fear of the consequences, whilst adults are afraid of the risks. So we definitely have to adapt our methodology to different age groups. I’m proud when an adult loses his fear on a coping thanks to my tips. Have you worked with some late beginners? Yes, indeed. A guy called Zé Pedro, who discovered skate when he was 43 years old. He would come to the skatepark, almost daily, and just try to do ollies. Then, one day, he saw me giving lessons, joined my classes and it didn´t take too much time to become a very good skater. Now he rips in the bowl. So, it’s never too late to start to skate. "I am proud when an adult looses his fear on a coping" VISIT SKATEFOREVERYONE

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Hotels with skate - Sant Jordi Hostels Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia hostel Barcelona is the Barcelona Skateboard Hostel. A designer hostel with top facilities and great location. It has a skateboard theme that reflects the vibrant urban culture and artistic creativity of Barcelona. We reached out to Gisela Mena, marketing manager of Sant Jordi hostels, to ask a couple of questions. Tell us a quick story about the early days of Sant Jordi Hostels Sagrada Familia. The Sant Jordi Group, dedicated to the temporary accommodation of guests and students, was founded in 1999 to provide personalized service of accommodation and welcome people of all ages who want to stay in the city of Barcelona, with good prices and customized service and attention. Initially, the Group focused on serving university students in shared apartments, but in 2003 decided to take a step forward and create the first hostel of the chain: Sant Jordi Alberg, to accommodate guests traveling alone or in small groups, with shorter stays in Barcelona and looking for affordable accommodation while getting high standard service and for whom socializing is a fundamental part of the travel experience. Why did you decide to integrate skate into your concept? Gradually we developed a concept of high-quality service and social atmosphere and we wanted to give an extra to the experience of our guests and we opted for the thematization of our hostels. Our guests are mostly young people with an adventurous spirit and many of them, besides partying, are lovers of sports, music, art... That is why we decided to dedicate our hostels to different themes. The first one in Barcelona was skateboarding and urban arts and in 2010 the first skate hostel in Europe was born: Sant Jordi Hostels Sagrada Familia. Its name comes from the location near the emblematic icon of Gaudi, but the essence of the hostel is far from the imaginary of the Catalan architect. Our skate hostel converted into a museum of unique vintage pieces of skate history, allows you to relive the golden years of skateboarding, in addition to practicing the sport inside the hostel itself on our mini ramp. All this is decorated with urban art that we periodically renew with artists from around the world. Our Sant Jordi Hostel Sagrada Familia was designed from the beginning to be a skater's paradise. Knowing that Barcelona is considered the European capital of street skating and probably the best city in Europe for skateboarders, we thought it was more than appropriate that Barcelona was the city with the first skate hostel in Europe. Our goal was to create a skate hostel that would be the ideal accommodation for skaters visiting Barcelona and, at the same time, a comfortable place for all other travelers looking for the best facilities and services of a hostel in Barcelona, all at a reasonable price. Also, our hostel has been visited by skateboarders such as Evan Smith or Luan de Oliveira. Tell us a bit more about the local skate scene in Barcelona. For years Barcelona has been among the best places to skate in the world and year after year skaters from all over the world come to our city to enjoy our spaces, beaches, landscapes, and social life with a multicultural atmosphere that makes this city unique in the world. In the 90's Barcelona was a kind of Mecca for skaters and this has led to the creation of emblematic spaces in our skate scene as the MACBA, in addition to the commitment of municipalities to create spaces dedicated to this sport such as municipal Skate Parks (in Barcelona there are 5 public skateparks). Maybe because of this, the city landscape itself has become skate-friendly in many aspects and its spaces invite to practice this sport. Visit Sant Jordi Hostels website

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Hotels with skate bowls - Bukubaki

The perfect vacation spot for adventurous people seeking thrilling experiences, mindfulness and tranquility. We reached out to Alexandra Freire at Bukubaki to ask a couple of questions. Tell us a quick story about the early days of Bukubaki. Before we talk about the early days of our little corner of heaven on earth, it's important to explain the ideology behind Bukubaki! Bukubaki grew out of the ideology that our whole life revolves around "living in the elements". The responsibles for this project have always lived in the mountains with snowboarding, mountaineering, skiing, and hiking to the sea with sailing, snorkeling, and surfing. Bukubaki is a little bit of everything. Here you can live in a forest, on the ground in a tent with all the comforts or suspended in a treehouse with visual perspectives. All experiences are intended to fill the hearts of those who know how to appreciate them. While navigating the world, they saw a "beautiful world", wounded by pollution but not dead. And here they tried to convey the love for this world that needs to be taken care of, with attention to the environment that not everyone understands. That said, we undoubtedly have a magical and enchanting concept. Not only because of the type of accommodation but because of our whole ideology. This brought us to our first fantastic days! We had a huge turnout, a lot of receptivity, a lot of curious people and this was the starting point for success! Why did you decide to integrate skate into your concept? Skateboarding has always been present since the beginning of the project, together with surfing, and yoga. We are privileged to have a bowl designed especially for us and it is one of our biggest attractions for travelling skateboarders. Skateboarding was chosen because, as explained above, the responsibles for the project have always had a lot of contact with adventure and fun, so... why not include skateboarding in such a personal and translucent project in their lives!! Tell us a bit more about the local skate scene in Peniche. Let's keep in mind that in Peniche what runs in its veins is surfing! Surf is the soul of Peniche! Still, for surfing, there's nothing better than training with a skateboard! So, everything is always interconnected! We have a lot of skating and a lot of skaters in Peniche, although it's not very rooted, it's something very appreciated and practiced. Visit Profile page Visit Bukubaki website

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Hotels with skate bowls - Noah Surfhouse

Noah Surf House lives in total respect and consonance with Mother Nature and was born and raised with its eyes towards the sea. This little gem consists of 8 rooms and 13 bungalows, all decorated in an original way. Once you step into Noah you instantly regret you didn't book more days. This week we reached out to Ângela Pereira, communication manager at Noah, and asked three short questions. Tell us a quick story about the early days of Noah Surf House. And why Santa Cruz? Marta and Gonçalo - the owners, were born and raised around Santa Cruz. The wild Atlantic ocean, the rocky cliffs and sand golden dunes were always their natural environment. If their dream was to build a “house” which could gather sea lovers from all the 4 corners of this world, then Santa Cruz should be the place. Santa Cruz, even though it’s a well-known beach destination among Portuguese people, it’s still very “non touristic”, unchanged and raw. Mostly due being located between 2 big surfing spots (Ericeira and Peniche) and its inconstant weather/sea. We, as locals, rather find it special. We love that it is (still) not crowded or overpriced and that we cannot count on sunny warm days every day of the Summer, we like to be surprised and accept whatever Poseidon feels like giving us that day. This being said, Santa Cruz presents its delicacies only to a few and not every day. It’s not the ordinary definition of paradise… there is no warm water, the northern breeze blows more frequently than we'd like, the sky is grey on most summer mornings, the waves can be rough and powerful… But when conditions are right… Santa Cruz can be overwhelming and one forgets the bad days right away. The good is really good! Somehow all these ingredients combined seemed perfect to open this house. Why did you decide to integrate skate into your concept? For those days when NEPTUNE wakes up in a bad mood, and we cannot go inside the ocean, we can still surf wood waves at the bowl. There's no excuse anymore! Surf, skate or die! Tell us a bit more about the local skate scene in Santa Cruz. In Santa Cruz, while skateboarding or longboarding, you will discover surprising characters and places and inspire dance moves and steps to the sound of the OCEAN in an intense sharing with the local community. Especially the longboard dancing community is growing stronger each year. The local association Sealand organizes several longboard meetings during Spring and Summer, with workshops, challenges and gigs. No need to say that you need to book in time. Do it now, you can thank us later. Visit Noah on trucksandfins Visit Noah website

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Samuel Lucas, Illustrator / Graphic Designer Interview

Interview with Samuel Lucas, Illustrator / Graphic Designer. |  by Sebastião Belfort Cerqueira Samuel Lucas is a very busy graphic designer, but a happy one. Which makes talking to him a freaking pleasure . He took a little time to tell us his story and it’s basically the story of a dude who got to become involved in the work of some of his heroes. How do you beat that? I know you basically do freelance stuff, but I’ve learned that now you're piling up some official jobs on top of that? I know what you’re talking about but, well, to tell you the truth everything is pretty much freelance. Even with Thousand Islands Records [Canadian label], where I’m an art director, it’s still freelance, they pay me by the project. But it’s my choice. I worked briefly in an advertising agency but it just wasn’t my thing. No freedom, no artistic freedom. With Vazva, the spanish clothing brand, it’s the same type of arrangement. At one time, before the corona panic, I was doing four different collections or drops a year for them. I knew that throughout the year I’d be working for them during certain periods, which is cool for a freelancer, because it helped me fit the rest of my work around those dates. With the stuff I’m doing for Cruzade Skateboards it’s pretty similar. Speaking of Cruzade, it’s funny because those graphics caught my eye recently and I had no idea who was doing them. They sort of reminded me of some Creature graphics but maybe a little more cartoonish. Yeah, I’d been following their stuff pretty much since they started because they were working with a Spanish artist I thought was really good. I had thought more than once that I’d like to be able to work with them sometime and then one day they just sent me an email. We hit it off really quickly and got to work. But right now, man, the skateboard market is pretty insane. I just finished a collection for Cruzade in late April that’ll only be coming out in 2022. They don’t have enough raw material, enough wood to keep up with the demand. Samuel Lucas on instagram Follow Yeah, I’d heard similar stories. But going back, I’d like to ask you how you started. Were you always drawing a lot, was there any particular gig that made you realize that you could do illustration for a living? Well, I’d say I started when I was in high school, around 2009. We had this website for promoting punk shows and that’s when I began paying more attention to the bands I was listening to, learning about them and I remember noticing the Vans Warped Tour posters, how they looked. Then at about the same time I got into my school’s students’ union and there I was involved in actually organizing concerts. The first one we did was a Fonzie [Portuguese skate punk band] show. We had to draw a poster and there was no one else so I just thought I should give it a try. I still remember, the whole poster was done on Paint. But it must’ve worked, because just through word of mouth I started getting requests to design posters and other stuff for other Portuguese punk bands. Eventually I won this international contest to design a merchandising line for Etnies. The prize was simply them going through with it, like actually producing and distributing the line like they do all their product. That gave me quite a bit of visibility. And I used it to open some doors. I’d get in contact with bands and be like “hey, I did this, what do you say?” From 2010 to 2014, while I was in college, all the money I made I could just spend on partying and going out. After college, and especially after having worked with big names like NOFX, The Casualties or No Fun at All, I thought maybe I should hold on to this more seriously, because it was what I enjoyed doing and I had been doing fine so far. Your style definitely makes me think of a lot of 90s punk albums, and 80s skate graphics, Jim Phillips comes to mind... were you looking at the work of any particular artists or was it more a sort of vague influence from a whole era? No, you’re right there. Jim Phillips was for sure someone I paid a lot of attention to. Him and his son Jimbo were both probably my main inspirations. There were also some other guys I really liked, like Sean Cliver, Brandon Heart... then more on the punk music side Horsebites (Richard Minino), Dan Mumford, Godmachine... I mean they’re all different but it’s also useful to be able to adapt a little bit according to each client’s needs. I was looking at your stuff and thinking, this really is illustration. It’s not a drawing or painting that someone puts on a record cover or a skate deck, it illustrates an idea or tells a little story. How do you get to that? For example, for a record, do you talk with the band, do you get to listen to the album? Yeah, usually they’ll send me the album while it’s still in production. Most of the times I’m either in contact with someone in the band or with a manager or someone like that and they’ll give me a starting point, a basic idea that I’ll explore. It’s usually a simple process. After the initial briefing we send the design back and forth a couple of times until it’s done. For example, if there’s an album that’s going to have a big booklet with all the lyrics and a lot of pages, I try to imagine a graphic solution that’ll run through all of it, something that’ll make sense from the cover, through the booklet and the cd itself, to the back cover. Right now Thousand Islands is preparing a compilation album. And “thousand island” is the name of a well-known type of salad dressing. So we’re redoing the label’s logo to look like a bottle of salad dressing and I was telling them that the compilation will have to look like a restaurant menu, with different types of dressings and stuff like that. Particularly in the case of punk bands, where most of the times they have something they really want to get across, you can take that conceptual side and explore it to the limit. One example that I’m really happy with is the work I did for [Portuguese punk band] Artigo 21. Their album was going to be called Ilusão [Illusion] so I thought we should find a way to reveal every image as an illusion. The cover shows someone sitting at home, in a nice house, watching this smiling politician with a background of green trees on their smartphone. Then you open the cover and everything turns out to be complete shit. The dude is handcuffed to his phone, the trees behind the politician were a set, there’s a guy starving beside him, factories everywhere... Having the little cutout really increased the cover’s production costs, which for a Portuguese band, in the Portuguese market, could well mean that they’d have a hard time making their money back. But I’m glad they thought it was worth it anyhow. That’s cool. It already says a little bit about your process but I wanted to ask you about a particular project you did. I really liked the board design you made for Trucks and Fins, the one with the UFOs, I think you nailed the site’s spirit. I wanted to ask you: how did you come to that one? I’m also very happy with how that one turned out. The process, I mean, Haroun [T&F co-founder] just told me “you know what the site is about and you know our work so just do whatever you think is better” and, well, it was like you said, I just had to think about what the website was. I knew it had to be something pretty futuristic and then I thought it would be cool to refer to the website’s international scope, so I had the idea of including all these famous monuments. So yeah, I thought of these UFOs coming to steal all the skateparks and taking them to another dimension, which would be the dimension where Trucks and Fins is. When we do a new version we can continue the story and have the aliens skating the parks they stole on Mars or somewhere like that. Also, the central ship, which is taking a skatepark with a skater in it, is taking the Venice Beach skatepark, which for us is just as iconic as all the monuments that are lying about broken at the bottom. It’s a great idea and a great graphic, I hope they’ll go into production some time soon. Before we go, are you working on anything cool right now, is there anything you’d like to announce? There’s one thing that I’m really hyped on. Rastilho Records is doing a re-issue of Censurados Ao Vivo [classic Portuguese punk band live reunion album] and I’ll be doing the design for that. Also, I’m starting a collection for this American punk band that I’ve been a fan of for years. They’re called A Wilhelm Scream and they’ re huge in the States, and not just there of course. Their first t-shirts or posters were done by Jimbo Phillips and I was looking at them and thinking that I’d love to do something for those guys one day. Then about two months ago I got an email from their manager and I was ecstatic. I’m doing two designs for them. That’s what I call a happy-ending. Thanks a lot, Samuel. Check Trucks and Fins’ instagram for the chance of winning a Samuel Lucas custom-designed deck. TRUCKS AND FINS INSTAGRAM

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Pascal Lieleg - Skate Photographer Interview

Interview with Pascal Lieleg, Photographer. |  by Sebastião Belfort Cerqueira The man behind Official Bowlshit is one cool dude. Read on if you want to know the origins of the mysterious tribe of the SkateoFaris, the secret reason why people start skating transition, how to successfully mix beer with skating, and lots of other fun bowlshit. As one of the most active photographers in the Trucks and Fins community, there’s quite a few things I’d like to ask you. However, first of all, I was looking online and I was trying to figure out if you were a professional photographer, I mean, do you do photography for a living? Mmm... I don’t like to use that term. It’s hard to tell when that point comes when you’re a professional. Is it just because you earn money from it? I feel all the time like I have to learn a lot of things when it comes to photography, I’m not finished yet. I wouldn’t call myself a professional, just very ambitious. Plus, I don’t like the pressure. You know, when someone says “oh a professional photographer is coming”... I’m just hoping I can make them happy with my images, but you never know. Sometimes people like them, sometimes they don’t, photography as a lot to do with taste. So, yeah, I do it, but my normal profession is as creative art director for a hotel brand. In my semi-professional way I try to get better at photography and earn some money while I’m at it. One day I hope I can say I make a living from it. That would be the dream. Because I saw you have a whole different side to your photography, outside of skateboarding, like shooting real models and for brands like Adidas and some others... Yeah, I’d say it’s all about context. I do a lot of running and so I came to Adidas because they have a running group here in Hamburg and that’s how I got the connection, cause they said “hey, we need a photographer”. It’s always like that, that’s why I got to work for Men’s Health and Adidas and sometimes for other big brands. It’s always cool to be at the right place at the right time. But let’s get into skateboarding – I always like to ask people when and where did they start. I guess I was 12. Yeah. Now I'm 33, so I was 12, I was in school. One of my classmates had a board. We were at this school for the whole day, it was like nine hours and then you went home. And the school had great conditions, like big sports facilities, and we also had a little skatepark. It was one rail and two quarter pipes and the bank, that's it. But at least we had something back in the day. And, yeah, we shared this guy’s board because he was the only one who had one. I was so addicted from the first moment that I was wishing I could also get one. And then I got one for Christmas. Yeah. For Christmas, I got a complete. And it was not the typical first board you get when you tell your parents you want to start skateboarding. They’ll usually go to a big Walmart or something and buy a board. But my parents went to a good skate shop and bought me a really good board. So that was quite cool. Since then I had just a few breaks from skateboarding. In my hometown we didn’t have a skatepark, not a real skatepark, we had some quarters. But the city was always trying to put these quarters where we wouldn’t annoy other people, so it was hard for us, it would be like in some industrial parking lot somewhere. Until eventually this guy that was involved in looking out for the youth of the city decided to organize the community and we got our first real ramps and an official park. How old were you then? I guess I was 16 or 17. But before that sometimes we had the chance to go to this big skate hall. That’s one good thing about the area, a forty minute drive would take us to one of the biggest skate halls in Germany. It’s really huge, with 3,200 square meters of skate area. At first, when I was just starting, it was a pretty shitty park, they’d build ramps on pallets and everything was really DIY... but it had a lot of character. But then they got some support from the city and from some big companies and they started improving the ramps until it became a really good park. Nowadays it's called Playground Skatehall. One good thing about it was that, when they were starting, they had miniramps with different sizes, they had huge transition and a half-pipe. Now they have completely re-done the park about four times, I think it’s in its fourth version, but the cool thing is that they still kept some of those first features and my favourite one was the bowl. We didn’t have one in my hometown and so I was always eager to skate it when I went there. And the funny thing is none of the locals ever seemed interested in skating it, most of the times I’d be the only one in the bowl. Yeah, I didn’t have any type of transition around when I started skating, it was just street. So nowadays when I go to a skatepark I just suck at it. It's really funny. I love both. I also do some street stuff. But the main reason why I chose transition was I just had to drop in. Because, back in the day, I was pushing mongo. I wanted to hide it, and when I dropped in nobody saw that I pushed mongo. So I have the theory that most of the halfpipe and bowl skaters are secretely mongo pushers, that's the reason why they start. Mongo pushers are also good at fakie. But, yeah, actually it was just two or three years ago I decided I’d teach myself how to push normal. It was a hard pressure to put on myself but I kept at it and now, even though I’m not as fast as I am pushing mongo, at least it doesn’t look as stupid as in the beginning. It’s really tough. Especially when you’re older and you only have those precious moments to go skate and you know you can have so much fun doing it the way you’re used to. It’s a hard decision. But anyway, I wanted to talk about something else. More than once, when you sent us pictures of skateparks for Trucks and Fins you also sent us little articles about them that were really cool. It’s more than just information about the park, it helps us get an idea of its environment, the people who go there, and so on. Do you have any more of those planned? Yeah, unfortunately some of the parks are closed, and that’s kind of annoying. But when I send you any stuff I always try to ask myself what I would find interesting when I go to a park. And for me it's always the people who are in the park and, like, trying to get to know a little bit the community surrounding it. Because... I don't know, maybe it’s the same everywhere, but at least here in Germany every skatepark in every town is like a community thing. It's not just that some mayor of the city said “Oh, I want to have a skatepark.” It's never like that. It's just the community. In Jever, the town where I grew up, which is famous for its super bitter beer, when we first got our shitty ramps, we formed a group, we called ourselves the SkateoFaris, and we took care of the place. The city let us have a space where we could have the ramps and we wanted to make our little park grow. The city didn’t want to spend money on it so we had to earn it ourselves. We gave skate lessons to kids, we did demos whenever there was a public celebration in town and asked for donations, we sold SkateoFari t-shirts, we invested everything back into the skatepark, and that’s how it grew. And nowadays... it's really, really funny... The skate group still exists 12 years after we founded it. And they, the actual members of that group have no idea who it was that founded all that. They know Joshua Dings but they don't know me and Kevin Kellermann. They still call themselves SkateoFaris, but they have no idea about the history behind their crew. That's pretty funny. It’s a great story. Sometimes we hear about a community getting together in order to convince the local authorities that the town needs a skatepark, but it’s not everyday that people actually take it upon themselves to make money and invest it into their town’s skatepark. It’s pretty inspiring. Moving on, and since you mentioned beer, I really liked your “Beerics” video. I thought it really had some production values to it, and the rhythm is really well-managed. I wanted to ask you, did you shoot it and direct it all by yourself? Yeah! People have asked me that question a couple of times but, yeah, it was all very spontaneous. Tom [Tieste], the skater, has been working for some time as a trainee in this small brewery in Bremen, learning how to make beer. One day he asked his bosses if he could skate the brewery, you know, along the different parts of the process. It was quite funny, because he knows I do some video stuff and he told me about the idea and asked if I could be there to shoot two or three days later. I asked him how long he thought it would take to shoot and he said maybe one and a half to two hours. I have to say he was well organized, he had a good plan. But it was only when I got there that he told me exactly what his plan was and I was like... “ok... fuck.” I had to think about a lot of things. And I guess in the end we were there for four and a half or five hours. Which was okay, yeah. It was okay. But in my head I was always like “you have to remember when he comes from the left side where he goes to, so then the next cut he must come from this side...” Because otherwise you get confused, you know, when he comes from one side and next scene he’s coming from the wrong direction... I had that in mind all the time so the pressure was really high. Yeah, I'm still a little bit proud of that one. Well, you should be, because it looks like something that was made for a big skate brand by two or three photographers or filmers. Speaking of that, are you planning on doing more youtube stuff in the future? How should I put it... yes, I do plan to do more of that stuff. But in the end it's always the time. I love to edit a video but I hate it at the same time because it takes ages. For me the hardest part is to find the beginning and to find a way in which I would like to tell the story. When you have the raw material, you have a lot of options. I want to entertain the viewer and to find my style, but in video editing I don't feel like I've found it yet. I experiment a lot and I try to use new techniques or to adapt stuff I see on skate videos. But there's a lot of things I have to learn. That said, I want to do some artsy stuff, but it's hard to do artsy stuff that everybody understands. I want it to be artsy, but understandable at the same time. But actually I am working on some things right now. Last year I went to the DIY Sintra spot with Joshua [Dings] and I want to edit some video of that trip, I’d like to do it like a travel movie, because I took a lot of photos and I’d like to combine them with the video. Plus he also did some hard tricks there, he did a darkslide, we also have this one with another guy, Chris, who showed up at the spot and was a very good skater. Josh did a blunt to fakie on the quarter while Chris did a backside alley-oop wallride over him. I can’t wait to show that to people. Can’t wait to see it. Now, we’ve recently prepared a short interview we do to every new photographer who joins Trucks and Fins, but since you were onboard before that, I’d like to ask you a couple of questions that we put on there. The first one is more of a request: choose a photo you took that you really like and tell us why. Ok, I have this one I really love. The thing is, when you see it too small, like on instagram, you can’t feel the image. You need to look at a big version in order to understand what’s going on. This circle is like a full-pipe, it’s an art object made by this artist called Karolina Halatek. It’s seven metres long, I guess, and it's five metres high and the surface, the inner surface is completely like a led stripe. It’s a plastic full-pipe and it’s completely lit up. It had been standing outside the art museum in Bremen for some weeks and it was completely unprotected, there was no security, I had seen people riding bikes through it. So I went there at night with a couple of friends from Bremen, Louis and Gino, and I asked them if they could do a double. I wanted them completely on the sides and I shot it straight from the front because I wanted the image to be as confusing as possible. It looks flat but then the skaters are not on the same plane. I left a little step that was in front of the sculpture just barely perceptible, but otherwise there are no clues, it’s completely dark. I thought when I dropped it on instagram every skate magazine would be like “What? What is this?”, but it never happened... [laughs] I’m sure it’s because there are not many magazines anymore and they must all be pretty busy. Anyhow, I’d seen that picture on your Trucks and Fins profile page and always thought it was really strange. It makes sense that it’s an art installation, you don’t just find that kind of stuff out there in the wild. Yeah, and you know what’s funny: I really liked the installation so I found Karolina Halatek on instagram and sent her the picture. I thought it was a good picture of her work. But she was really pissed, she was commenting on the post like if she was shouting “NO SKATING ALLOWED!” and I had to say “sorry, we didn’t know, there was no security, nothing...” And then what’s even better is that the Bremen museum organized a competition of the best photos taken at the installation and mine was considered one of the top ones. I also have another good one there where Louis is doing an ollie into it and it looks like he is falling into nothing, like that big wide hole is taking him. The only thing is that his ollie is not that perfect. That's why the shot is not that special but the idea is nice. Sounds cool. Now let me ask you another one from our short quiz: if you could choose a combo to shoot, like any skater doing any trick in any spot in the world, what would your dream combo be? Ooh, that’s a good one... It’s really hard... but there’s this new guy that no one had heard about until Thrasher put his part out, this super sick bowl skater, John Worthington. I know, I think he’s on Creature now. Watching his part I was like “what the hell?” I’d love to see him destroy our local bowl in Bremen. There are these really hard stairs, like in this tight pocket, it took me months to be able to get around them, I was super stoked. I actually met one of my best skate buddies there once. He’d come from Stuttgart and he had a to-do list – he wanted to do all the stairs in all the bowls he could find in Germany. He’d saved Bremen for last and it took him one hour of straight tries. He told me those had been the hardest he’d ever done, and he’s definitely more talented than me. But anyway, I’d love to see Worthington hit those stairs, he’s so skilled at doing hard transition and shallow ends that I imagine he could probably do a backside or frontside air over that pocket. I’d love to take a photo of that. I see you really know your bowlshit... You know, it’s a funny thing, there’s a cool side to not using my real name in my work as a skate photographer. First I can go to the skatepark incognito, people may know Bowlshit but they don’t know that I’m the guy who’s taking all the photos. Some people think Bowlshit is a company, I’ve gotten messages and emails wishing me and all my team the best of luck and stuff like that. It’s funny. You see, when I started doing photography in college I naturally started shooting skating, because that way I could go skating and still get work done for my courses. In my group of friends there was this Swiss guy who used “bullshit” a lot. Anytime he was pissed off he’d say everything was bullshit. Only with his accent it sounded like “bowlshit” and I just thought that was the perfect name for my photography projects. Then we had to build a website for another course and design a logo and I just made everything look like it’s a brand. It’s like one big joke. I can act like I’m this big company. Newspapers that have used my photos ask me for the copyright and I tell them the copyright is “bowlshit”. Having an official newspaper write that the copyright is “bowlshit” is just funny as hell. It’s a great joke. Before we wrap this up, is there anything you’d like to add? Any new stuff in the works? Yeah, there’s one thing I’m starting right now... it was planned for last year but because of the whole corona thing it got postponed... maybe for October or November of this year, anyway, I’m working on a photo book. I’m choosing the best photos from the past four or five years of skate photography and putting them in a book. I’ll probably try to do it through crowd funding or like a pre-sale. Just do one run, for the people who let me know they want it, and when it’s done, it’s done, no second edition. Sounds like a good idea. Be sure to let us know when you get that pre-sale going, we’ll help spread the word.

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Glen Jones Interview - Skate Photographer Interview

Interview with Glen Jones, Photographer. |  by Sebastião Belfort Cerqueira Swamp Ramps in Mississippi, punk rock in Minnesota, Glen Jones’ camera has been along for the ride since the early 80s. Now he’s in Portugal and he’s starting up an elementary school. Go sign your kids up. Before we get into skate photography, which I know you do because you like it, would you let us know what you do for a living? I’m a school teacher. I’m in Lisbon right now starting a new school. I’m an elementary Montessori school teacher. I’ve been doing that for about twenty-five years now. Montessori is a teaching method, right? It is a teaching method. It’s a very empowering teaching method for kids, it looks at the individual versus, you know, trying to teach the masses. It’s an educational approach that jibes really well with how I think teachers should teach. When I look back to all the great teachers I had growing up they all had these mannerisms and these ways of really looking at me as a person and not just another pupil. With Montessori that kind of mindset is ingrained in the approaches. I could talk on and on, do a whole interview about why I chose this as my field of work but it is a really good fit. I’m also trained as an archeologist, I was going down the route of being a professor and I found out I enjoyed working with children more than publishing and all that. I love digging in the dirt, I do it every time I can, I enjoy the fieldwork but I wasn’t cut out for the harsh reality of academia. I prefer my academia working with and inspiring young people. So, yeah, that’s that... now, skateboarding! Yeah, let’s get into it. Of course the first question is: when did you start? This all goes hand in hand with the photography. I had a skateboard as a young kid, around seven or eight, in the seventies when they were in the same shelf with the yo-yos and other toys. I had a drugstore board and I cruised around my driveway and the whole block. The eighties rolled by and I had a BMX bike and one day, probably about 81-82, a friend of mine said “You have to see this ramp where these guys are riding.” I went there and I was blown away. In this little town I grew up in, in Mississippi, Ocean Springs, not too far from New Orleans, there was this brilliant vert half-pipe and a couple of guys who were kingpins in the scene and who were really good. They were also the coolest guys ever, Dana Buck and Lindsey Kuhn. They are still in the skateboard world [Kuhn owns Conspiracy Skateboards]. So of course the next day I was showing up with my skinny seventies board and kind of getting laughed at, because they had the big pig boards, but I jumped right in, me and a few buddies. We were just inspired, so we got the bigger boards, put up with the razzing and became a part of that crew. We had a kind of Deep South Gulf Coast skater network in the eighties, going from New Orleans to St. Petersburg, Florida. Skateboarding was kind of dead and it was all backyard vert ramps. We had a really strong community and part of that was doing zines and shooting photos, so that’s where the camera came in. I liked to play around with a camera when I was little. I had this cheap little 35mm and after my dad saw that I had real interest he gave me his Nikon F, which was a really well-made camera, and I still have it, I still use it. Then, my oldest sister was a photo journalist and for my thirteenth birthday she brought me her old darkroom. My birthday gift was her setting it up and teaching me how to use it. All that came together at the right time, when we were all skating and I wanted to document it. I love photography. I can’t draw very well but I can shoot photos and it’s always been an output, so I have documentation of everything, from seeing my friends’ crusty little punk rock bands to going to skate contests, writing for zines and shooting for zines, plus the road trips that we all took. I got to be known as the guy with the camera. I still have all these negative files and covid has allowed me some time to start scanning more of them. When I grew up all the cool kids’ films were set in the fifties but now I realize the eighties have become this sort of mythical era for punk rock and skateboarding and people want to see these things. My girlfriend says I ought to write a book and get a real website going instead of just facebook or instagram. That’s something I look forward to doing but I don’t want to keep looking back, that’s for sure. Right now, I love supporting Trucks and Fins because they help get me around to these spots, to meet other skaters, and I’m pleased to take photos and try to help out in documenting skateparks, it’s a cool thing. I always bring my camera when we ride, I skate for half the time and take photos for half the time, probably more photography if I’m having an off session. "In this little town I grew up in, in Mississippi, Ocean Springs, not too far from New Orleans, there was this brilliant vert half-pipe and a couple of guys who were kingpins in the scene and who were really good. SEE PROFILE Do you still have a darkroom set up? Right now I have my changing bag and my development tanks and I scan the negatives. It’s a hybrid work form. I would like to get to a point where I could have a darkroom again because I do miss watching the images appear on the paper. But, you know, photography is such a thing... I do have my artsy side and I love capturing a good visual. But I guess if I had a style it would be not having one, I just like documenting everything. I haven’t had much instruction, mostly self-taught and my sister. When I was in high school I took a night class at a community college and was taught by an old, crusty photo journalist from Mobile, Alabama. He was chain-smoking I think even in the darkroom and was a crotchety old bastard but he was really good about his technique, he was all about the mechanics of it, really practical. I’ve done a few shows with my work. The most fun I’ve had with that was just before moving to Portugal a year and a half ago, in an upstairs gallery above my friend’s skate shop back in Minneapolis. I’d been shooting all these images for years so I did a show with about one hundred and sixty prints but it was all meant to be left there. I gave instructions to the owner of the shop to keep the show up for a month and then give the photos to all the guys that were in those shots. That was my “thank you, Minnesota and skateboarding”. I had all these images and I just wanted to give back to a scene that was so good to me. I’m getting really curious to see your older stuff. Because the photos you have on Trucks and Fins and on your instagram account struck me as being different from the usual skate photos. I don’t know if you’ve read the little essay I wrote on one of your photos, but I feel like there’s many where the skatepark is empty or maybe there’s someone riding but they’re not the focus of the picture at all, you get this overview where you can see the whole setting. I was wondering if that had anything to do with that joy of searching for and finding a new spot?  Well, of course. I’d also say that stepping back and putting a skatepark or a scene into a larger perspective might be a more recent thing I’m doing. And I wasn’t really aware of that until you pointed it out but it has to do with that visual thrill of exploration and trying to put it into a context. It’s cool to be able to look at a park and be able to go “so that’s where it sits”. Instead of that one skater, that one rad trick, maybe as we get older we get a little bit more introspective and we see the bigger connection. But also being in Portugal, with the ocean right here, I’m sure that’s affecting the light. When I’m out I’m always noticing the colours and the light. So whenever I see that and I’m skating I always try to step back and be like “whoa, look at these trees in the background and the way it all ties together and everything.” Also, I’ve never had a super wide lens, so I’d have to lurk back a bit for fear of cropping limbs off or something and that might have had an effect on it. I think also for Trucks and Fins I tend to do that a bit more, but skateparks are amazing architectural features with all the lines and the curves and just trying to play around with that is fun. I was planning on asking you whether seeing pictures in skate mags had had any influence on you wanting to take pictures or whether it had more to do with just wanting to document stuff. I get it from your story that it was mostly the documenting side of it. Goodness, I had a little 110 Kodak camera in the seventies. I loved to just sneak around and take shots of my friends when they weren’t looking, you know, like playing spy. Later it was probably skateboarding and wanting to document that. And also wanting to fit in with the skateboarding crew. I was a bit younger and so I wanted a good reason to be around. Of course even after I got over these insecurities and I was skating with them I’d still always have a camera with me. I had a friend that used to laugh at me at shows and he’d say “yeah, next to the band, the guy with the camera is the next interesting person.” I was never able to play that up to my advantage. Right now I’m really anxious to be able to go out and get lost in all of Portugal’s nooks and crannies, and to the eastern part of the country where it’s drier and rolling, and of course if there’s a bowl or a half-pipe or some place to skate I’ll shoot that as well. There’s this writer called Elijah Wald, he has some really good books on the blues and on rock n’ roll. On one of them he says that he used to go to these dances when he was a kid and the guys who could dance always got all the girls. And so, as he couldn’t dance, he learned to play the guitar, which made him the next interesting guy. It’s kind of the same thing. Of course, who doesn’t want to feel cool like “oh, I’m documenting this”. But now being older I’m just happy I did it. I just scanned some old band shots this past weekend and I had some of Babes in Toyland. And I know Lori [Barbero] and all of them and they love it when I post old shots. It’s good that we have those memories and it’s different, because that’s what everyone has now with their phones and everything. Doing it back then it was a little more select, maybe a little more special. I don’t know what’s going to happen to this generation when they’re my age and they have so much from their past to look at. It’s good to look back but also to keep going forward. There are some things I love about digital, it doesn’t seem as enduring. It gets done and stored into a digital file that could very well disappear, where film to me has this real physical permanence. So when I do go out and take skate shots today, I take my film camera with me but I wait ‘til the session is really happening, then I go back to my old film skills, where I just want to get two or three really good shots. I’m not a film-only elitist at all, I know what I like and I enjoy shooting both. Right now I’m really anxious to be able to go out and get lost in all of Portugal’s nooks and crannies, and to the eastern part of the country where it’s drier and rolling, and of course if there’s a bowl or a half-pipe or some place to skate I’ll shoot that as well. It’s a good excuse to get around, right? You plan a roadtrip to go skate and have fun and you get to see the rest of it. Yeah, it’s a little harder now, when you get older, but it was really the calling card back then, when skateboarding wasn’t as massive. You would roadtrip and connect, you’d get a hold of people and crash on couches and skate their ramps or bowls. I’d say every third weekend we’d go somewhere else just to meet up with friends and do that. Today it’s a little harder, not just because I’m older, but because back then you had such a small scene that you were really excited to meet another skater. I went to visit my sister in Minneapolis in 1983. I was at a mall and had my “Skate and Destroy” Thrasher t-shirt and this kid came up to me and asked me if I was skater then looked down and checked my shoes to kind of make sure. He was like “we got a half-pipe down the road” and gave me his number because he knew from my accent I was from out of town. He did exactly the same things we were doing down south. He had a skatezine and a backyard vert ramp, you know, the whole eighties skate kit you had back then, but it opened a door and I met people at that session the next day that I’m still friends with now. Today I don’t know if it’s as easy to make these connections, but it’s still exciting and vibrant. I go to the park down here in Estoril [Parque das Gerações] and despite some of the park design issues and the maintenance or whatever, it’s a really vibrant scene. You see whole families there watching and skating and it’s very different from when I grew up, where if you were a skater you might as well be an alien. Of course we also liked that because it made us rebels but I like that it’s now being seen as a viable thing to do. There’s the downside that it gets marketed more but I’ll take the good with the bad. I also really like to see so many girls riding because for so long, skateboarding was such a boys’ club. When you get a bunch of teenage boys together talking smack, it’s sometimes not the most respectful atmosphere, so it’s good that there’s this balancing factor coming forward. When I started skating back in 99-2000, I never got deep enough into the skate scene where I got to travel and meet other skaters, but I know some people in Portugal have similar stories to yours. Still, to European eyes, there’s something about America being the place where it really happened, so there’s this sort of authenticity about your story that fascinates me, it’s like I’m watching the Nine Club. The funny thing is I came from a really small town that was not tied into the scene but we had some guys that lived there that had been around. And we were about five, six hours from Texas, that really influenced southern skateboarding. I don’t know if you remember Zorlac Skateboards, Craig Johnson, John Gibson, but these guys would drop by our town whenever they went off towards the East coast. There was a small scene but when you showed up to other people’s ramps sometimes you’d see these pros you saw in the magazines, like Monty Nolder or John Gibson, and you learned really quickly they were skateboarders just like you, they were accessible. So some of my favourite memories have to do with befriending some of these pros and getting to go on roadtrips with them. We did feel cool but, still, I wouldn’t sell Portugal or Europe short. Even when the magazines were coming out back in the day, we’d read Transworld and they’d always seem to have some freestylist from Iceland, there was always some ditchy-looking skatepark in England. And we knew of the Swedish [Eurocana] skate camp where the Mctwist was figured out on one of the first big transition ramps. Then Spain too. I had a friend from the States who moved to Barcelona and that’s all he could talk about – street skating in Barcelona in the early 2000’s, how everyone was showing up there to ride. So, you know, I’d say Europe is a player, it might not get in the limelight but the stories are there, and I’m sure Portugal stories are there too. I bet there are some guys around that can really tell what it was like. Because I come from Mississippi in what we called a backwater scene there was safety in numbers, we all hung out together in a tight community and I can only imagine Portugal has a similar story. As it wasn’t that mainstream I’m sure the people who did it were probably more dedicated, so, yeah, find those people, I want to hear those stories. I do have my artsy side and I love capturing a good visual. But I guess if I had a style it would be not having one, I just like documenting everything. Yeah, it’s true, I’ve recently interviewed the skatepark builder João Sales and he sort of told me a similar story to yours, set here in Portugal. Speaking of skateparks, I’d like to go into your punk rock photography, but first I have to ask you about this skatepark you shot. It’s the weirdest skatepark I’ve seen, it’s fascinating and it just looks unskateable. Do you remember the Samora Correia skatepark?  Oh that one! It is unskateable. I don’t know if [T&F co-founder] Haroun told you my idea: in doing this tour we found some skateparks that are completely unskateable and that is the top one. What we need to do is have a Triple Crown Event over a couple of weekends, invite all the skaters over to ride these bad skateparks, and that one would be the crown jewel. Whoever designed that skatepark had no idea, no clue, and if you can do anything on it, you’re a great skater. It really is amazing. I’m thinking Salvador Dali designed it. Because you get to recognize the features that you’d think naturally belong in a skatepark, like rails and stairs, but they’re all in the wrong places. It’s a surrealist skatepark. I thought it was meant to be ironic. We just sat there for fifteen minutes looking at all the lines that could never happen. It was funny, but it’s also a sad commentary. Obviously that town had good intentions, I don’t want to be insulting nor mock people, but maybe next time they could talk with some skateboarders first. That park is so humorously wrong that you kind of have to go there just to get a good laugh. Yeah, I think it would be hilarious to throw a contest there to see what anyone could do. It would be fun, and it would also bring attention to better skatepark design. Any more questions? Yeah, I’d like to get into the rock n’ roll part now. I saw some gear shots on your instagram page. Are you in a band? Oh man, I used to be in a lot of bands. Once again, back in the eighties that was part of the whole skatepunk kit. You either got a bass or a guitar, I happened to be handed a bass. That was part of the image, I guess. In 1985 I was in a little punk rock band called Spastic Fury. I played with other things off and on, throughout the nineties, and I think my last gig with any sort of semblance of a group was about five years ago. I still play, I have a studio right here, with my amps and my instruments. Music for me is like a model train, I do it for my enjoyment and if I can pull it together and play something out live and people like it, great. One thing that excites me is that there are some really great musicians in Portugal. I’ve been following Tó Trips and I got to see the Dead Combo on what was going to be one of their last tours and then I saw his new band [Club Makumba]. His solo stuff – I love the dusty guitar, I love what he’s doing with all the variations... it’s Iberian, there’s some spaghetti western in there but there’s also a Portuguese sound. And then his new project, that drummer, wow, there’s something like these old Portuguese colonies sounds creeping in, these polyrhythms... it’s an interesting melting pot. So, yeah, I do look forward to meeting some musicians and throw some ideas around. I was lucky to have some great musicians back home that I played with over the years. Those music scenes in the eighties and nineties were much like the skate scene, there was a community there. Again, with the camera I could have a foot in the door and then they’d find out I played bass as well and the next thing you know I got set up in a band or two. I probably have as much music stuff and band shots from that era as I do skateboarding. I was lucky to have some great musicians back home that I played with over the years. Those music scenes in the eighties and nineties were much like the skate scene, there was a community there. Did you get to shoot any bands you really really liked? Oh yeah... I mean, who didn’t love Fugazi? I caught their first tour camera in hand. But the funny thing is, when I first moved to Minnesota, after high school, I was living in this punk rock house and bands were always crashing on our couch. Once there was a band coming from California and they were having a hard time getting a gig in town. They ended up playing in my friends Chad and Josh’s basement for about twenty of us, and that was Green Day. And that’s actually where the singer met his future wife Adrienne. She was this cool, punk rock... well, goddess, if you will. Small world, her brother is Steve Nesser, the old Birdhouse pro, and that’s how close these scenes are. Lots of overlap. But yeah, I do have some band shots like that. I’m trying to think of bands I like... I’ve got a couple of good, crusty shots of Mark E. Smith in one of his many reincarnations of The Fall. Phenomenal... There’s a club in Minneapolis called the 7th Street entry, it’s an institution, and there’s a corner next to the stage where there’s a little bit of brick sticking out and you can stand on that with your heels and lean up against one of the bass monitors in the ceiling and kind of wedge yourself in there. For about three or four years when I was first living there and going to shows religiously, that was my corner and so I have many shots from that tight corner, looking out at bands. So yeah, I guess I love music too. And maybe if I did one thing, I could catch up and actually finish one thing. Of course my main work has been my profession, which is teaching. The skateboarding I love, I still do, not as much as I’d like to. The bass playing I enjoy, I plug in about every other day, occasionally I write my own melodies and songs. And yes there’s the photography. Maybe if I quit three of those and just focus on one I could finish something. I’m sure when the time comes and I kick the bucket I’m gonna have fifty unfinished projects and that’ll be my epitaph “almost got it done but...” I’m sure that won’t happen. But it’s a cheery note to wrap this up on. Is there anything you’d like to add? I covered a lot of ground, thank you for the opportunity, because I haven’t talked about this stuff in a long time. But I’m happy to share and if after seeing my photos you have any more questions, just let me know. Thanks, Glen.

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Daniel Yábar Interview - Skatepark builder

Interview with Daniel Yábar, Skatepark Architect. |  by Sebastião Belfort Cerqueira Daniel Yábar’s skatepark designs have drawn much attention, revealing an unusual sensitivity to textures, colours, and surrounding spaces. In this interview he lets us know how his architectural ethos has more to do with giving the people what they need than necessarily creating masterpieces. I’ve had the chance to read about your process of becoming an architect and designing skateparks in other interviews you’ve done, but I haven’t found one where you tell the other side of that story, that is, how you became a skater. Where and when did you start? I started skating in Logroño, the capital of the Spanish region of La Rioja. I think I started when I was thirteen, more or less, after seeing the movie Thrashin’ [1986] with my friends. We decided we should see if we could get some skateboards. I found this Sancheski orange cruiser and that was my first step. Then we always went to the only place around that seemed skateable at all, the Plaza del Espolón. It’s a square in the centre of Logroño, where people still go to skate today. We didn’t do anything, we just cruised. Not much later we saw a guy there doing an ollie, just going up a little step, just jumping and landing and we were like “wow!” That was the beginning. Logroño is a small town but there was a big boom in skateboarding. Suddenly there were like three or four different crews of people skating on different routes. That meant like 50 or 60 people skating in Logroño. The city was pretty small so we hung out all over the city, I mean, we knew the city to the millimitre, we knew each spot, each little place... We’d go all around the city, to the industrial park, pretty much everywhere just finding places to skate. So you had a little skate scene in Logroño, that’s pretty cool. When was that, like the late 80s? I think I was thirteen so... I’d say around 91. But we were the first generation in Logroño that ever skated. People there didn’t understand it, they’d be like “what are you kids doing here with those things?” I’m still friends with some of the guys I started skating with and some of them haven’t stopped skating. I live in Madrid now, but when I go to Logroño to visit my parents I still get to hang out with them and with the new generations. "We knew the city to the millimitre, we knew each spot, each little place... VISIT WEBSITE I know you began designing skateparks as a trade after spending some years in another architect’s studio. That was some years ago, how long have you had your own studio? I finished college in 2004, I think, yeah I’m pretty sure. I spent four years in that studio in Bilbao. They did a lot of singular projects, like wineries, football stadiums, bullrings, etc. The head of the studio was an architect from Bilbao called Diego Garteiz and he knew I was a skateboarder so he told me that if I knew of any skate-related projects, any skateparks or anything, that he’d be open to work on them in the studio. I did three or four skateparks in the studio, but then I moved to Madrid, I’d say around 2008. So you’ve been on your own for over ten years now. I was looking at your website and all the projects you have there are of skateparks or skate plazas – do you still do typical architect stuff, like houses and offices and so on? Well... sometimes I get some different projects. I designed the offices for the football federation of La Rioja, I also did the project for a local medical centre in a small town near Logroño, but, I mean, when you go down the way of a certain specialization, you have to let go of some of the other stuff. In the beginning you try to work as much as you can, but now I’m more focused on skateparks. I don’t know how to express this idea of specialization better. I guess in architecture, when you know how to design skateparks or houses, it doesn’t mean that you know how to design hospitals or stuff like that. So nowadays if someone offered me a project for a house I’d probably have to refuse it or refer them to a friend. Then that means that you can have your studio running on skatepark projects, that must be a cool feeling. Well, most of the projects are about the skatepark, but many of them include compatible uses, landscaping, integration with city planning. Sometimes you design a skatepark but it has to include an outdoor gym or a fitness trail, sometimes it’s not just a skatepark but it has to be a bike park too, or a garden... but yeah, all things surrounding a skatepark. Many architects who have their own firms will say they only do their kind of singular designs, and maybe ten years from now I’ll be able to say something like that, but right now I think the skaters have to come first. Do you have a team working with you? I work on my own. In Spain we have a saying that helps me explain this: quien mucho abarca poco aprieta. [Don’t bite off more than you can chew.] Yeah, I guess we have a similar one in Portuguese. What about the building part, do you have anything to do with the people who end up building the parks you’ve designed? It depends on the management model. Many times the owner, the council, whoever is in charge only wants the design to begin with. Then they organize a public tender and the builders have to submit their proposals. That’s the most common model in Spain. Sometimes they say “ok, we want it designed and built”, and so the architects and engineers collaborate with the builders and submit joint proposals to the same tender. Looking at your portfolio, one could say you have both the more traditional kind of skatepark and then the ones that I understand have drawn more attention to your work, which are more integrated into the urban landscape. Which of your projects do you feel blends in better with its surroundings? I think a good example would be the one in Santa Cruz, in La Granja. Maybe also the skateplaza in Logroño or the Santa Lucia skatepark, in Vitoria. But it’s not that big of a deal for me. I’m not prejudiced in favour of the unique design, integrated kind of skatepark nor the more traditional, sports facility-type ones. It depends on the goals of the project. If the skaters or the council are asking you for a functional skatepark, it’s very egocentric of you to say “no no no, I don’t do traditional, I only make singular designs”, like you want to be the architect-designer. If they’re asking you for a traditional skatepark with a simple and functional design, then that’s what you have to give them. Many architects who have their own firms will say they only do their kind of singular designs, and maybe ten years from now I’ll be able to say something like that, but right now I think the skaters have to come first. Places like Macba or Love Park are huge, they’re massive. Five times larger than most skateparks. How can you compete with that? I get it. Actually I was thinking that it must be rare to get the opportunity to turn a regular city square into a skateplaza. How does that happen? Did you ever have to convince the people from city council, were they looking for that in the first place? At some point, as an architect, you have the obligation to give the best possible advice to the skaters and decision makers. As an architect and a skater I have to tell them what I think is best. Sometimes they’ll say “no, I know what I want, I want a traditional, concrete skatepark, with fences around it.” I may try to tell them that that’s not the way skateboarding and contemporary skateparks are going, but they have the final say. Sometimes the local skaters and the local authorities know about skateboarding and where it’s headed, so you don’t really have to give them much advice. It depends on the project. I remember the case in Santiago de Compostela. The skaters were skating this plaza for years that is not exactly in the centre but still in a good part of the city, behind the Galician Parliament. They had conflicts with the neighbours and people walking around with their kids and everything, so city hall wanted to take them out of there, build them a standard skatepark outside the city. The local skaters’ association tried to fight to stay in the plaza but the council wasn’t having it so they had to arrive at a compromise. The plaza was in this big park, inside of which we managed to find another plaza with granite floor that was completely abandoned. We did a little street course with rails and stuff, so in the end they had the same granite surface to skate and although they weren’t in the original plaza, which was skatestopped, they only had to move like 15 metres away from it. Do you think that in the near future there’ll be a bigger overall sensitivity towards the benefits of having skateparks in livelier parts of the city, instead of being confined to urban voids? I think there’s already some awareness and some sensitivity, as you say. Not only on the side of the skateboarding communities but also with the decision makers. When you are dealing with these decision makers, you find a little bit of everything. You find some people who are really well-informed and really know what the people want and then you find others that have no idea what we’re talking about. I think there is more awareness and, as time goes on, people learn about these things, also because of the olympics. People in general are more interested in skateboarding now that they’ve heard that it’s going to be an olympic sport, so they’re trying to figure out what it’s all about, what the skateboarding communities are looking for in terms of facilities and everything. I feel in general there is more and more knowledge about what skateboarders need. Well, one thing is for sure, I think your skatepark designs really help in bridging that gap. If I was going to meet with city council tomorrow to get a skatepark built I know I’d take some pictures of your designs to show them how architecturally and visually rich a skatepark can become. [Laughs] Thank you. Moving on, does it ever happen to you, when you’re just walking around a city, that you look at some place and you immediately think it would be a perfect spot to transform into a skatepark? Yeah, sure. It happens to me but I’m sure it happens to all the skatepark designers. It comes with the profession. Still, many times you see a really cool spot in the street and then, when you want to bring it into a skatepark design, you realize that this spot needs a lot of space. Nowadays skatepark design is going through a standardization, where every distance between features is really measured and so on. So when you see a cool spot that you’d like to adapt, often you find out you need a lot more space than you have, and if you need more space that means you won’t have room for all the standard features, you know, the hubba, the eurogap, the manual pad... You might have to sacrifice your whole design just because you found an amazing spot in some street in some city... it’s not as easy as it seems. For example, in the Santiago plaza I was telling you about I included a reproduction of a famous street spot, this handraill in Málaga. It’s like a long ramp, then you have three stairs and there’s a long rail alongside. So when you get to the three stairs you can slide the end of the rail. This spot is amazing, it’s near the sea, this long, blue rail. Lots of pros have skated it. The thing is the ramp is so long you really need space if you’re going to try to reproduce it. However, in this case, in Santiago, I was working with one stipulation: that the skateplaza would be pedestrian-friendly. In order to make it safe for pedestrians, I had to follow the Spanish accessibility laws. Of course that ramp in Málaga was built according to these norms, because it’s in a public street. That, plus the shape of the area we were working with, made it possible to reproduce the street spot. skateparks by Daniel Yábar La Granja Skatepark Skateplaza Logroño Santa Lucia skatepark Jerez skatepark Antoniutti skatepark See all skateparks I was wondering, if you could choose any place in any city, maybe even a famous skate spot like Love Park or Macba, to make a project for, which would it be? Well... the ones you’ve said are some of the more internationally recognized... but for example, the Macba plaza... you’re talking about 5000 square metres. The average skatepark will have an area closer to 1000 square metres, so the plaza is like five times bigger. It’s really difficult. But actually once I had this idea for the main space in Macba, where you have the long ledge and the gap, just by the entrance to the museum. I thought it would be pretty cool if it were a symmetrical spot. Because you have the ledge on one side and it determines what tricks you can do whether you’re regular or goofy, so it would be great if you had the same ledge on the other side. But anyway, places like Macba or Love Park are huge, they’re massive. Five times larger than most skateparks. How can you compete with that? Just that main area of Macba is 1000 square metres. If you design a whole skatepark with just a ledge, a gap, and a low-to-high... well, people want more stuff. Speaking of wanting more stuff, I have to ask you if there’s anything that you’re working on that we can know about, maybe something going into construction or about to open to the public? Right now I’m working on the design for a skatepark bowl, in Tenerife, near La Granja. The city organized an opinion poll and they asked me for two designs: one was a granite skateplaza, the other was a bowl. So they had this poll and the bowl won. Actually, I find that a little unexpected. I mean, here in Portugal the tendency is always more towards street skating. I’m pretty sure the street course would win here. In this case the bowl won but I think because in Tenerife you already have some good street plazas. And also because you have a lot of surfers, you get people there that are into surfing or longboarding and those guys will also get in the pool to skate. I guess it wasn’t just skaters, the surfers may have helped to tip the scale. Very well. Would you like to add anything to wrap this up? Well... I don’t know... maybe I’d just like to go back to that idea we were talking about: I really don’t feel that all skateparks need to be this special, singular design that blends in perfectly with the urban landscape, but I’m also not of the opinion that they should be a detached, enclosed sports facility kind of thing. Both options are ok if they serve the needs of that particular community. If you ask me, I’d say the direction skateboarding is taking leans more towards the integrated kind of skatepark that is a part of the city, that is built with the city. That’s the opinion I think most skateboarders have... but you need everything. The city needs everything: the sports facility for training and competitions and the olympics and Street League, but also the plaza in the town, integrated into the life of the city. The ideal would be to have everything. Yeah, I guess that would be perfect. Thank you very much, Daniel. Thank you.

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Wasteland - Skatepark Builder Interview

Interview with João Sales, Wasteland Skateparks. |  by Sebastião Belfort Cerqueira A skater since the late 80s, João Sales grew up deeply rooted in the Portuguese skate scene. Check out what he has to tell us about DIY spots, how to get a skatepark built in your town, some of the cool parks he has built along the way, and a bunch of other stuff. Let’s start from the beginning: When did you start skating? I started in ’89, when I was thirteen. My next door neighbour had a board that had belonged to his cousin who didn’t use it anymore, so we both shared that same board. I loved the experience of riding it, so I convinced my mother to get me a board for christmas. From that point on it was just meeting new people, finding out what we had in common and following the skateboarding adventure. I still haven’t stopped. And where was this? In Leiria, I’m from Leiria. I’m assuming that back then there would be nothing close to a skatepark around your area. There were already some ramps around here. Some guys had already built a couple of ramps around the town. There was one in a neighbourhood kind of far away from my house that I didn’t even know of [until later] and there were these guys who lived next to a school who also had some small ramps. That’s where we started to get together and to get to know each other. "That really inspired me and that was how I grew up. VISIT WASTELAND WEBSITE How about your first skatepark experience, where did you first find one? Skatepark... I would say probably Pedrouços. Yeah, I’d say a proper skatepark, for the first time, Pedrouços. Though here in Leiria they eventually brought the mini ramp from the other neighbourhood over to a more central part of town, close to the city swimming pools, and the city council got a half-pipe built, so from that point on we had like a ramp compound. Let’s call it our skatepark, which was made up exclusively of quarterpipes and mini ramps. This was around 1990-91. Maybe I should add that one of the things that influenced me the most was watching these older skaters who were so active. They got inspiration from what little skate scene there was in Portugal at the time - there was hardly any national coverage of skateboarding - but whatever they saw they brought back to Leiria and they would just get to work. That really inspired me and that was how I grew up. That reminds me of something I had planned to ask you later on, but I might as well just ask you now: what tips would you give to someone who really wanted to get a skatepark built in his or her area? Should they go directly to city council, should they first talk to a skatepark builder and get a cost estimate, where do you start? I’d say the first thing to do is to join efforts, to get a working team together. So if someone doesn’t have a skatepark in their city, the first thing is to find other people that share that same need. And then you try to look for people who may not be skaters or bmxers or whatever but who hold the same views, people who feel that the skatepark would be positive for their community and who are able to explain the benefits such a venue would bring to the community. Then, once you’ve put all this together, you try to reach the decision makers. It’s usually the city council, but it might be another entity, a private one for example. Then you ask for their help in assembling the conditions for building a skatepark and later, yeah, you can provide them with some skatepark specialists’ names for the building part. I mean, before that comes the designing part, because it’s important to understand exactly who you’re making a skatepark for before building it. We can’t build a skatepark like the one in Belmonte where there is no one in the community to ride that sort of thing. Of course. Now, getting back on track and following what you were telling me about the ramps when you were a kid, how did you get into building skateparks and when was Wasteland Skateparks born? That was a long process. We never stopped building things in Leiria. City council was barely helping at all. We knew there was this Powell-Peralta tour coming through Portugal, there would be a demo in Lisboa and one in Porto and a couple of days in between with nothing scheduled, so we convinced the council to build a half-pipe inside this pavillion to hold a demo. There we had quite a bit of support and help and we got the demo to happen. When the half-pipe was dismantled we planned to put it back together by the city pools, where we had all the mini ramps. Unfortunately someone stole our sheets of plywood and we never got past the structure. Then with no kind of warning the council just had everything destroyed overnight, even the mini ramps which were fine, so we were left with nothing to skate. We didn’t really resign ourselves to that and we kept skating and building small ramps here and there, and eventually we got a chance to take the ramps into this pavillion and share it with other sports, like with a schedule and everything. From there we went to this other pavillion that had no walls, we had some help from Radical Skate Clube, who donated some ramps they didn’t use. From there we went to another one, owned by this local association, who took us in, and we founded Vidigal, which was the only indoor skatepark in Portugal at the time, in the early 2000s. We would build and mend ramps but eventually there was no one left to look over the venue and it was closed down. We kept building ramps and by this time we were making them in concrete, I had learned how to mix concrete and we built like a jersey barrier. We built it in this dead end road where there was an abandoned construction site we knew would be there for some years. It was under a bridge, we used the barrier between the lanes and made a little cement run-up. We built some bumps and created an access to the inclined planes under the bridge so we kind of had our own little skatepark, far from everyone’s sight. Then this Emerica Europe tour came by, with Ricardo Fonseca, Ed (Helder Lima), Pontus Alv and some others and they really liked skating our spot. Pontus Alv told me I had to watch their video because they were doing the same kind of thing in Sweden but already on a different scale, and I watched it, and that’s when I realized I could build skateparks with my own hands. All you had to do was get the community together and it could happen, and that’s when Cerâmica came about. It was an abandoned brick factory, and all that’s left standing is the kiln, which is lined with bricks and sand so all we needed was to buy the cement to mix everything and make concrete ramps. We built it on the weekends, among friends, and while we were doing it I lost my job - I had worked for sixteen years on car parts. Around that time came a call from Lisboa inviting us to build a bowl in Alvalade, which we did, still without any real expertise and kind of winging it. I did it with my friend Nuno Cainço who still works with me and who started skating with me in the early 90s.   I’d rather feel that someone is just skating, with no plan, and we’re being shown an excerpt of that, like the feeling you got from watching Tommy Guerrero skating street in the late 80s. That spot, Cerâmica, can it still be skated? Yes, to this day. It started around 2009. I still go there every now and then to fix some holes and roll around a bit. I might add that Cerâmica has been featured on the cover of a magazine and in various ads, even in American magazines. Now, on to different things. There’s this idea that I find interesting when people talk about skateparks and that’s that there are some that “flow” better than others. If you had to try and explain this idea of a skatepark having a particular flow, what would you say? It’s a tough question. It depends. I think skateparks are like street spots. It has to do with how you interpret that space. I’d say here in Portugal we may still have to get used to riding different types of skateparks in order to get to the level that we see elsewhere. Because one of the main things about skateboarding that was left behind for many years is knowing how to roll on a skateboard, not just doing tricks and lines, but adapting yourself to the terrain you’re on, whether it be a downhill street or a flat sidewalk, the way your body rolls on that type of terrain. In Portugal for many years most skaters were trying to compete and land tricks and get scores and kind of left the basics behind. That confidence of being able to go fast on a skateboard down a street was lost along the way. And that’s the kind of skill you have to take into a skatepark in order to interpret it differently, maybe leave aside the difficult flip tricks and just roll around the park, trying not to push and using the ramps in order to flow through the park. I really agree with that. It has to do with different types of skaters. I’m most interested in watching skaters that are not just doing single tricks and not even lines. A line is like a sequence with beginning and end. I’d rather feel that someone is just skating, with no plan, and we’re being shown an excerpt of that, like the feeling you got from watching Tommy Guerrero skating street in the late 80s. You kind of feel that the magic of skateboarding has to do with how you explore your surroundings and inscribe yourself into all of their shapes and patterns. Yeah and obviously some skateparks call for that sort of skating more than others but it really has to do with the type of skater that’s going to use the park. We usually build skateparks with quite a bit of transition and there are skaters that don’t even use the ramps, they just skate flat. The park has its potentialities but it’s up to each one to decide if they’re going to make the most of them. I’d say usually older skaters will develop a tendency to leave the technical tricks aside and go for a more fluid approach. It’s more fun than trying a really hard trick for hours and leaving frustrated. But it has to do with what you want and how you want to spend that moment you have for skating. I’d say the essence of skateboarding is carving and many people don’t realize that. They don’t even loosen their trucks enough to be able to carve. Of course, because it’s way easier to kickflip when your board isn’t tipping all over the place. Moving on to your working process: how does it go, do you have everything figured out in your plans or do you leave stuff to be decided on the spot and as you’re building? It varies according to each project. Some we start and everything is already settled, the budget is final, and we know there’s practically no room for changing anything. Others we walk into with a blank sheet and we can do whatever we feel like. It has to do with the client, the location, the budget too, usually. We did Boobie Trap in Barreiro and the first time we worked there we had a fixed budget but no plan whatsoever as to what we were going to do, so it was just skater talk at the spot that defined what was going to be built, and that’s really satisfying. And how about that thing we all kind of have, as skaters, of reading the city in terms of skate spots, like looking at stuff and thinking that some skater we know could probably do a trick there, do you get that? Like looking at stuff and thinking “this would make for a cool feature in this park I’m designing”? Oh yeah. And not just in the city. I go for walks in these woods close to where I live and I see all sorts of organic shapes, like enbankments and inclines, that I think would be great for a skatepark. And when we’re given the freedom to build those things out of concrete it’s just magical. Yeah, I had sort of figured from your website that you liked building stuff that flowed organically along continuous lines. But I’ve only skated one park built by you guys, the one in Santo André, and that one is a bit different. I was there yesterday. They asked us to do a little work there, a couple of improvements. We’re soon giving the city council a cost estimate. The central feature of that skatepark is a perfect example of what we were talking about. It was the only thing we designed in that skatepark because the overall design was done by Luís Fortes. There was some free space in the centre and so we took inspiration from a sand dune and built this unique object that has a kind of transition on one side and a pyramid spine on the other. They skate it a lot and they really like it, which makes us very proud, because we really enjoyed building it. I can tell you I took some pretty good slams trying to figure out how to skate it some years ago. And what about imagining a certain skater using the stuff you’re creating? Does that happen to you when you’re building a skatepark? Yeah, of course. Sometimes we’re looking at a certain transfer and we’re thinking “this guy is going to come here and is sure to hit this” and sometimes we’re surprised. People we wouldn’t even dream about come to our parks and just come up with stuff that is completely out of the box. That must be a cool feeling. It’s a really good feeling. When we were working on Boobie Trap there was this transfer that we used to talk about and be like “nah, I don’t think anyone is going to try this” and then Danny León came by to film a little video for Red Bull and on the first day he was there he did the transfer, which means going from this spine onto this other ramp that kind of looks like a sausage lying down. That brings me to another question, which is linked to that idea we touched on earlier of a skater knowing how to adapt to his surroundings: I think this feeling that adapting plays a central role in skateboarding is behind that sort of unwritten philosophy among skateboarders that a skatepark is a place to learn and warm-up but the streets are where it really counts. What do you think? I don’t know. I think people should skate wherever they feel like. Skateboarding came from the streets and I don’t feel like we should take it out of the streets. Plus it’s more visible on the streets and if you’re filming or shooting photos it’s more challenging to do it in that sort of natural environment we call street. As skaters we tend to give more props to something that’s done on the streets. That being said, if you can land some really hard trick in the park you can probably do it on the streets and vice versa. Only, there are features that you don’t really find too often outside of skateparks. At least here in Portugal. I’m thinking of pools for example. We don’t build bowl-shaped swimming pools so if you want to get good at skating pools you have to know someone who has a skate bowl in their backyard or go to a public skatepark. But I feel what’s most important is just skating, anything goes. Sure. At the same time, I get the feeling that we’re currently going through this sort of technical boom, with people doing harder and gnarlier things on a skateboard than ever, because we’re watching a generation that had more access to skateparks than previous ones. Would you agree? I would. Skateparks are safe places and meeting points where you can just have a session and be sure there will be someone there to hype you up or help you out with a hard trick. You can take a couple of friends on a street session but there that’s all you have. At a skatepark you progress quickly and safely, on the streets it’s harder. You have timings, you may get kicked out or there may be a car parked in the way, there are many things that can stop you from progressing out on the streets. But yeah, I feel that kids today have it easier when it comes to progressing. Also because there’s a lot more information than there used to be. Yeah. And nowadays with all the videos you can find online... I remember looking at the trick tips section in some magazine as a kid and it was just a photo sequence with captions that I felt told me next to nothing. There’s nothing like learning a trick in person, from someone who’s doing it. The level of skating went up in Portugal, particularly since around 2000, because you could finally find someone who was already pro skating there in front of you. When you went into a pavillion for a contest and those people were in front of you you picked up all sorts of things. I remember this contest where Ed, who was like six at the time, asked me how to do a front board. He learned it right then, I just told him to align his shoulders with the rail and look to where he was going to come off the rail and he got it and used it in his run. He knew how to keep in touch with people who could skate and give him the right hints, like Ricardo Fonseca and others, and he grew as a skateboarder. "we got to develop strong ties with the people involved and that doesn’t have anything to do with what ramps we built there, those are links we’ll keep for life." Now, coming back to the relation between skatepark and city streets, I was looking at the work of this skatepark designer called Daniel Yábar and most of his stuff is way more integrated into the city planning than what we have here. Most of our skateparks are usually in some corner where they’re not in the way of the average citizen and there are well-defined boundaries between them and the rest of the city. Do you think the approach of blending the skatepark with the cityscape is a newer tendency? And is it a good thing? I think it’s good. I think that happens in his case because Daniel Yábar is a skater. He wanted to bring street elements into the skatepark, even in terms of the type of materials you can use, so that he comes to the point of camouflaging the skatepark. So if no one is skating it, the place just looks like a normal city square, but everything is built with the proper dimensions and all the characteristics that make skateparks perfect for progressing. I think that’s really interesting. Me too. But unfortunately I feel like that’s the kind of thing that would be very hard to do here. I feel like most city councils would rather have the skatepark and skateboarders out of the way than in a really central and live part of the town. The toughest part is getting people to join your cause. If you need that place to exist you have to convince the decision makers that it is a worthy enterprise. Nowadays we need that kind of space closer to where people live. I’m not talking about small cities like Leiria, but in places like Lisboa and Porto there are people who spend hours in traffic just trying to get out of town to go skate a public skatepark in the suburbs. If that park was more central, even kids would be able to frequent it more while at the same time being closer to other people, to the area’s residents. They would eventually learn to respect each other, because it would be easier for skaters to interact with non-skaters. In public squares there are usually dead spots, areas nobody uses. If those areas are given life by skaters they’ll not only drive away people with less noble intentions but also attract other people that just enjoy watching the skaters and hanging out. I think that’s good for the cities and you need to let the local authorities know that, and also that there are people who can do that type of work: not just building skate ramps, but building obstacles or sculptures that are good for skating but may be enjoyed by any passerby. skateparks by wasteland ramps São Pedro da Cadeira São Pedro do Sul Trinitat Boobie Trap Navarcles See all skateparks Yeah, I definitely feel like the tendency in Portugal has been towards the more ghettoized skatepark. But then there are places where the opposite happens and a really cool atmosphere develops, I’m thinking about Parque das Gerações, which is not only in a cool place with a nice view but also has the conditions for non-skaters and skaters’ families to hang out and feel comfortable. Yeah, but Parque das Gerações is different. There you have private enterprise alongside the public investment. The council payed for the ramps and the access roads but then you have a private shop and a cafe that manage the place. When that happens you have the perfect conditions for people to hang out and skate and progress. On the other hand, when all you have is an empty skatepark, like the one in Expo, where there have been some attempts at getting a concession going but it just never happened... there was no private enterprise there and when that happens the place will eventually die out and be forgotten. We should be wrapping this up but I’d still like to ask you if you have a favourite Wasteland project and why? Well, each project has its particular charms. On many we got to develop strong ties with the people involved and that doesn’t have anything to do with what ramps we built there, those are links we’ll keep for life. One of the projects that was really meaningful for us was this bowl we built at [Portuguese skater] Guelas’ place. We teamed up with these Belgian builders to make it and they taught us how to polish concrete. Everything that happened there opened many doors and new opportunities for us. From there we moved on to the Boobie Trap, where this skater set aside some money he got from one of his sponsors in order to be able to build ramps with his friends. That was really special, we were taken in by this local skate and surf association with whom we’ve remained good friends. Another cool one was at Clive [Chadwick]’s house. He’d been wanting to get a bowl in his backyard for some time and he got many people who build skateparks around Europe to meet up at his place and build it. It was great for us because we made all these new acquaintances and learned a lot. There are many examples, but the friendships you develop are definitely what matters the most. What about the future, do you have many plans, anything that you’re particularly hyped on? We have some projects on paper that are already going through what you might call the official motions. Also some proposals to make and two small bowls that we’ll begin building pretty soon. I can’t really say too much about the projects we have on paper because we still haven’t gotten the final thumbs-up, so we’re not sure the parks are going to be built, but I’m thinking they’ll go from paper to reality sooner rather than later. Those are good news. I hope you start building as soon as possible, so that we’ll have some more pins to add to Trucks and Fins, which means somewhere somebody has a new spot to skate. Thanks a lot, João. Anything you’d like to add? I’d like to thank all my team, all of them skaters. I don’t have enough words to thank them for their continuous efforts, designing, building, but also when we have to stay home because there’s no work and they manage to stay positive and push through. I can’t find the words to thank them enough for that. I’d also like to thank my familly, who’s always supported me, all our clients and friends, who have made so many projects possible, and you and the Trucks and Fins team, for the work you’re doing. Thank you, João.

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Interview with Txus Domínguez, CEO of Zutskateparks

August 10, 2022 Zut. It's the Basque word for ‘vertical’, which can be used for almost all kind of stuff that's vertical. Even that too, explains Txus Domínguez with a naughty smile. CEO of Zutskateparks, a Spanish builder, who started his journey with La Kantera and since then has been involved in the construction of more than 100 skateparks all over the place. If we want to guess how skateparks will look like in the future, this is one of the guys with a crystal ball. His prediction? A mix of styles at the same spot. "I like skateparks where everything flows. A good chaos." ZUTSkateparks You have been involved in the construction of more than 100 skateparks in many countries. Did it all start with La Kantera? It all started when I was a kid and started making wooden ramps. We did that because of our natural restlessness. Then came La Kantera and before I knew it a thousand copies were made of it and I told myself: ‘I have to do more’. The La Kantera bowl was my first project of this magnitude and I never stopped since. Do you keep finding mistakes made when building skateparks? It’s a shitty thing. Designing skateparks is quite cool, but working with some city halls can be crazy. For many of them it’s just about politics. They don’t care if it has real quality or not. Sometimes the most important thing is to make it just to show off. Yes, they are some who think logically, but most of them think differently. How is that? It happened with me. I was asked by an architect to design a skatepark in Madrid. He was handling all the talks with the City Hall, but because he didn’t know nothing about skateboarding, he told me a public tender would be held, respecting the criteria. A bigger company came, presented a smaller price, and won the project. Two months of hard work went to the gutter. So, is it hard to compete with the majors? The thing is many of those majors are general constructors, they are not specialized in skateparks. Yes, they are very good companies, but I’m talking about those who reduce the price sometimes to half of it, killing the market. And why do they offer so little to build it? Because the workers are poorly paid, they do not have the necessary skills and the result mostly turns out to be a disaster. That is when they come to me, to try to solve the problem. Doing that, will increase the final cost and it will end up being much more than before others tried to reduce the price to "win" the project. How do you think skateparks will look like in the next 15/20 years, considering how the skate scene has evolved since the 80’s? I hope skateboarding continues to evolve in the next years. We saw what happened in the last 40 years with the appearance of half pipes, bowls; simple circuits that became more complex. Now we see a mix between street and flow. I think it works fine at the Olympics. This could evolve to something… I don’t know if it could be a blend of big and small, a mix between bowls and street… you name it. Are you working on a new skatepark concept? I’m putting pure skate aside and working with surf and skate parks. They are organic shapes with "dunes". It’s not just for surfers, people who think that are wrong. They are transitions from where they can jump, there is a street line too where they can ride and do some flips… I have made that in Galicia. You have dunes where you can do some snaps, it’s easier, it’s like doing a coping with no grinds. You can do grabs and whatsoever. It’s a place where surfers can do aerials, grabs, where you can do fast street, mixing all these lines and styles. I made one of these in France, an indoor park where the under-20 surf national team works. I’m now building one in Galicia, with miniramps that turns into mini dunes at the rear, where the corners are curved. Everything flows. Everything mixed… I don’t like "linear" skateboarding. The street section at the Olympics looks nice, but it looks better to me if a rider gets out his board, flows around and doesn't stop. It’s like in the old days when we had total freedom on the streets, when everything was improvised, a good and nice chaos. So, more transition and less street… Surf/skate parks are growing everywhere, but I can’t say if this will be the future. Let’s see. There’s a park in Stockholm I would like to visit, it’s like a dish, they mix many concepts. From the first draw to choosing materials: what is the ideal skatepark for you? Well, I have to say there was only one time when I had total freedom for that: when I built the bowl at La Kantera. I drew it without showing it to anyone. That was the one I like the most. Since then, there’s always some things people ask to do differently, and I have to respect that. That’s why I sometimes joke: give me the Arrigunaga bowl and downhills and I’m happy with that (he laughs). Could a good skatepark be considered a piece of art? Of course, because you must be an artist to design that, it takes a lot of creativity to do it. They are like concrete sculptures. But you can mix materials, too, like a plastic artist. I make artistic details at some parks: a dragon’s head, a whale’s tale, etc. Like an extra? Yes. If a city hall keeps his word and, in the meantime, they don’t change the project I reward them by doing this art details. It’s a way of saying thank you. What people don’t understand is that drawing a skatepark takes a lot of time and many city halls ask projects for "the next" week, as if this was possible! Visit ZUTskateparks Find out more about La Kantera

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The old school paper guide that helped boost skateboarding in Brazil

September 21, 2022 The story of Marcos Hiroshi, a Brazilian skater, who, in the beginning of this century, was responsible for mapping out all the skateparks and skate spots in Brazil in one guide for ‘100% Skate’ magazine. If there is one thing we know at Trucks and Fins is how much time and work it is to make a skate map, but to pull this off in the days when there was no internet, is insane. Back in those days everything had to be done the “old-school” way, send things by post. But, Marcos made the impossible happen and even found a skatepark in the middle of nowhere in the Amazon jungle! Twenty years later, he still proudly says this was a key moment to put the community in touch with skateboarding. A skatepark guide in a magazine that brought together the skaters in Brazil and created an “onda de skate” (a skate boost), which resulted in what we can see today. When did you start skating? I was three years old, when my father bought me a skateboard as a toy. It became more serious when I was around eight years old, when I started riding the streets of São Paulo. When I was about fourteen years old, my friends and I found a nice spot, far away from home. Here we could do wallrides and other tricks, but one day a security guard came, took our skateboards, and called my dad. He wasn’t incredibly happy with that, and I was forbidden to skate. Only at the age of sixteen, when I got my first job, I got myself a skateboard again and never stopped since. Then you became a professional. Yes, it was in 2003. I got a sponsor after participating in some youth competitions. But it was not enough, though. Yeah. I worked in a bank at the same time because I graduated in management. But the bank was sold and all the people from my department got fired. I thought: ‘I will dedicate myself one hundred per cent to skate with the compensation I received’. Unfortunately, the money ran out and I had to find another job. Then you came across to ‘Cem por cento skate’ magazine. Cem por Cento skate (100% skate) is a Brazilian magazine, one hundred per cent dedicated to skateboarding. They started a project in the beginning of the century and wanted to create the first skatepark guide in Brazil. I was chosen to embrace this project. So, making a skatepark catalogue from scratch in a huge country like Brazil, in the early 2000’s. A great undertaking. Yeah, my guys thought it would be finished in three months… It took a little bit more, I presume… [he laughs]. I took a year and a half. Remember: in the beginning of this century there was no internet. I had to send handwritten letters, asking them to fill out a form about all features of the park, to print photos and send all that by mail. I phoned to everyone to check out if they knew someone who knew someone who knew of a good spot, things like that. That’s how I met a lot of people from all around the country and made friendships that still last two decades later. How many skateparks in Brazil did you gather in that guide? We did that in stages: 427 parks in our first edition in 2002, then we increased to 721 parks in 2004 and in 2006 we had a total of 1024 skateparks and spots. It was an ‘ants job’, like we say in Brazil. What distinctive features did you have? The same you find today and some other warnings, like ‘hey, this place is dangerous, you must go there with a local rider, don’t go alone’. We added a danger scale and things like that. What was the most exotic skatepark you found? We were able to find a park in the Amazon Forest, right in the middle of the jungle. And they were some other bizarre parks too. Due to a total lack of criteria about spending public money we had all kinds of crazy spots: hand wide handrails, a quarterpipe facing a wall... We made observations on the spots description like ‘there’s this place but it’s horrible’. Instagram Marcos Hiroshi See all skateparks in Brazil

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How has the Rayssa Leal phenomenon changed the image of skateboarding in Brazilian so...

How has the Rayssa Leal phenomenon changed the image of skateboarding in Brazilian society? Well, let's start off with this... In 2022 there are more girls than boys in skateboarding schools in Brazil. Don't miss the second part of this conversation with Marcos Hiroshi, former Brazilian professional rider, where we tried to understand how Brazil turned into a massive player in the world of skateboarding. How do you explain the evolution of skateboarding in Brazil? We had ups and downs, but at one time skateboarding started to appear frequently on TV and city halls all around Brazil started investing in skateparks. We had this mayor in São Paulo who started building a skatepark in each community youth Centre (places with schools, specialized courses and sports equipment, including, of course, skateparks). In São Paulo around thirty skateparks were build and the city became a reference in skateboarding. Most of these skateparks were built in the city’s outskirts, in poorer neighborhoods and many good riders came out of those initial skateparks. Mainstream media helped, too… Indeed. It was when the X-Games appeared. Suddenly, skateboarding was on TV all the time and we had our ace, Bob Burnquist, who became a true ambassador. Many others came afterwards: Sandro Dias, Rodrigo TX, Tiago Lemos, Luan Oliveira and the most recent of all, Rayssa Leal, who at the age of thirteen years old won the silver medal in the Olympics. Photos credit: Julio Detefon / CBSk What was the impact caused by Rayssa Leal in Brazil? A tremendous impact. Every child wants to ride now. Parents are being pressured by their kids to put them in skateboarding schools. The Olympics showed that a little girl can ride and have fun like if she was in a playground. I can even tell you more. In Brazil now, we have more girls than boys in skateboarding schools! Photos credit: Julio Detefon / CBSk You have accumulated a lot of experience in skateboarding events in Brazil… Yes, we acquired a lot knowledge in the last two decades. The CBSK (Brazilian Skate Confederation) exists for twenty years and has many skillful people. We have associations, federations, statutes, projects connected to schools, you name it. They are also many social associations that take kids from streets through skateboarding. All this know-how resulted in big events and we have created a whole group of specialized people along the way. The image of skateboarding in Brazil has changed… For sure. It became mainstream and less marginalized. Several years ago, parents didn't want their kids to skate. And a girl? Never! But now that all changed overnight. The general public now understands something about skateboarding because the Olympics and all the Brazilian "skateboarding" idols. Now we have public money allocated to skateboarding, to prepare the Olympics, because skateboarding is an official sport. This money is also used to build more skateparks. The CBSK has an agreement with local and central government to act like an official advisor with skatepark builders to prevent bad constructions. Photos credit: Julio Detefon / CBSk How many skateboarders do you have in Brazil? A search made in 2015 by Data Folha (data platform from newspaper Folha de São Paulo) concluded they were about 8,5 million skateboarders in Brazil, but I can say for sure that we have now more than ten million, after the Olympics in Tokyo. Instagram Marcos Hiroshi See all skateparks in Brazil

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Meet skatepark hunter Patrick Peeters

October 28, 2022, interview with skatepark hunter Patrick Peeters Meet Patrick Peeters, one of our top skatepark hunters, who visited 107 skateparks in less than a year. Patrick Peeters is a Belgian TV camera operator who discovered skateboarding during a "bad moment" in his life. Skateboarding helped him "clear" his mind and chasing skateparks in Europe has been his passion since then. 107 skateparks, in less than 1 year, is one hell of an effort, so we decided to have a chat and find out more. First, tell us something about you. Where are you from, what do you do and how/when did skateboarding turn part of your life. Hello, I'm Patrick, I'm 46, I live in Belgium where I work as a television cameraman. As a teenager I skated, but can't remember doing anything special. I just liked cruising around and jumping over some self-build quarters. Then I stopped skating for 30 years, but have been back on a board for the last year and half. So yep, I'm back skating again and love it. In the beginning actually my sister wanted to start with inline skating, so I went along at the local pumptrack with her and that's how it all started. What drives you to find, discover and help update new skateparks? I love to skate at different parks, just so I can find spots I like. Skating different parks helps me get comfortable on different surfaces, shapes, heights of quarters, and carve in different bowls. I was planning to make a Facebook Page or something similar, to collect my pictures of different parks, to get my own sort of database. And then I discovered Trucks and Fins. I knew this was what I was looking for. I believe there are more people that would love to have information and see quality photos of skateparks, before making the decision to go there or not. And that's why I love to help update the website. Can you tell us how far you go to explore a skatepark? When I drive to a skatepark the first reason is to find a spot to skate. The second reason is to get photos of the park because I am there. I'm lucky to be allowed by my chief to make some detours on my way to work abroad, so I can drive some extra km's to check out parks in France and other places. Along the way I have found some great skateparks. Recently I was on vacation in Tenerife and of course couldn't resist to check out all the local parks and put them on the Trucks and Fins website. You have visisted 107 skateparks, what are your favourite? And what about the worst? I didn't end up skating all the parks. Due to weather or not having a board I didn't skate every single one of the parks. But from the ones I did skate the worst was Grand Marais Skatepark near Amiens in France. It's a concrete bowl with a nice shape, but because it's old, there are pieces of concrete coming off everywhere. I just left after a couple of minutes. It really wasn't possible to skate there. The best? I can't really pick "a" favourite, so here are my top 3: Du Grand Large in Mons, Strombeek Bever near Brussels, and Sint Niklaas skatepark. They all have a nicely shaped bowl and a street section with different obstacles in an interesting setup and quality quarters. Based on your experience, does the average skatepark have the right features for average riders? What could improve? For me there is no ‘standard rider' because of the different disciplines. It's difficult to build a park that's right for all of them. For street you want lots of flat space and obstacles, for transition skating you want a lot of quarters and half pipes in different heights, and for a bowl you want a good closed bowl to carve around. But I guess Blaarmeersen in Gent, Sint Niklaas and Strombeek Bever are all-round good parks. What could improve is getting more in contact with the local skate community when building a park. I have visited a lot of big expensive parks with a bad surface, bad quarters, or the trend now to paint bowls... Skateboarding is a social gathering, too. Do you have a happy story at a skatepark you would like to share? Recently I met a woman who was skating but wanted to skate more and with other people. She was happy to learn about the 'skating for adults’ lesson I was following each week, and she joined our group. When I was on a little holiday in Vienna, Austria, I met some local skaters who invited me to their park, lended me a board, Vans and full protection gear so I could have a go. It was a fantastic moment skating together and being welcomed like that. What is your favourite trick? Not sure if it qualifies as a trick, but I love to carve and I hear nice comments about my carve skills. I know it's definitely not a standard skill. At the De Kuil bowl in Den Haag one skater said that at the time he first tried skating a bowl, he already skated 10 years but couldn't carve, and was impressed with my carving after 1 year skateboarding. Another skater said he held competitions between his friends to see who was able to carve a curve after a curve, but they couldn't do it. And to see me do it like I do after just 1 year was really great. So, I guess it is a trick! Who’s your favourite rider (actual or all time, it’s your call)? To be honest I don't follow any specific rider. I prefer to follow adults on their journey to learn to skate than more experienced skaters. But of course, as a kid and still now I know Tony Hawk and really like his style. Would you like add something I didn’t ask? I want to go more into what skateboarding has done for me. I started to skate when I was in a bad place in life. Skateboarding gave me a thing to focus on. Something to clear my mind, a reason to go outside and do something, to meet other people, and do some good exercise. It has helped me a lot on a mental and physical level, which I could never have imagined when I started. As I have become fairly active on Instagram with my skate account, I had some people who told me they are inspired by my journey, by my progress, and so I think it's given me an extra boost to share it all, the positive and the negative. And I always like to leave a positive remark or an encouraging note. We all have our own journey, our own progress, don't compare yourself to others. Just have fun and enjoy your own skills. Could you give us your opinion about our project, Trucks and Fins? I love it! It is exactly what I was looking for. A map with all the skateparks, with some pictures, so I can plan a skate trip to the parks of my interest. I hope every skater will get to know this map, and to use it for their trips. Patrick Peeters Instagram See Patrick Peeters his skatepark portfolio

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Style is fundamental in Olympic Skateboarding

October 31, 2022, interview with Marcos Hiroshi Subjectiveness, originality and fearless tricks are the secrets to success in Olympic skateboarding. In this third part of the interview with Marcos Hiroshi we get a comprehensive view about how judges value a good trick. Stay foolish is still a good mantra. How have the Olympics changed skateboarding in Brazil? We got the power to advocate. Skateboarding now has the same importance and relevance as many other sports. Now we can talk to politicians and demand a skatepark like other sports demand new facilities. Skateboarding is becoming more popular in Brazil… Yes, even folks who didn't know anything about skateboarding are now more curious. People want to know more about skateboarding and hear stories about their heroes. The bad image of skateboarding belongs to the past. A rider is not an outcast anymore. Skateboarding is now a kid’s sport. It's something that brings all people together. It's more than just winning or taking over the other one to rule. The image of that girl being raised was a landmark in the Olympics. The Japanese skater, Misugu Okamoto, missed the podium after bailing a flip attempt and falling into the concrete bowl. While she was crying, other competitors showed up to hug her and lifted her on their shoulders, becoming one of the most powerful images of that competition. This was the perfect calling card of skateboarding. Now you have that uncle who during a family dinner is talking about the young girls who are rocking in skateboarding, like Rayssa Leal. That's a good thing, because people are interested in skateboarding and it unites people. It is about empowerment. Thanks to this, riders are receiving scholarships. They do not ride just to get a sponsor; they get money from the state or local government. That money will sustain the skater and that is a huge change! Furthermore, many specialists started to work on the backstage: therapists, physiotherapists, coaches, referees… people who became professionals. I was in Tokyo during the Olympics and people from other sports were saying ‘hey, I like the way things work in skateboarding.’ They got impressed. You have conquered a place… Yes, but we are having some disputes with Worldskate, which is more related to roller skate. Skateboarding wants to take their own decisions and follow its own path. Worldskate has nothing to do with skateboarding. Fortunately, skateboarding is rising in other countries due to the Olympics. I went to China recently and I noticed how powerful skateboarding is. I saw some exceptionally good things in Turkey too. You are a judge member at skateboarding competitions, including the Olympics. How subjective is your analysis? There is a fixed value for a trick. The extra comes from other factors like did he do that it at the limit, the speed, style... For that we give hundredths of a point and that is what makes the difference. Let us say a deep slide is worth 5,10 but the guy who does that perfectly and with style gets 5,86. We value the one who makes the difference. It's not like snowboarding, where there are mandatory maneuvers with a closed and fixed value. Subjectiveness is one of the more important parts of skateboarding. Style and individuality mean a lot, which is the essence of skateboarding. We stand to prevent riders to become robots. How do the judges establish judgment rules? The CBSK created referee courses to explain, in each state, how the evaluation system works. Judges learn how to take notes, what to pay attention to, etc. Do you watch training sessions to? Yes. In the Olympics we must watch all training sessions since day one. Is there a specific training sessions’ number? Yes. If a competition starts on Thursday, then Tuesday and Wednesday are dedicated to practice and official training sessions. That is when we see what the athletes are preparing and what they are going to do in competition. We start to study them on previous days. Based on that we, the judges, start to set an average to a special trick. Give me an example. Let us say we see a guy doing a flipnose blunt. We start to discuss: how much should we grade it? And then we start to make charts to divide it in those items that we talked about before. We go to the park, too, to try it. It is impossible to understand the difficulty level of the obstacles from a higher point of view. By going there, we see the distance between obstacles, how high they are, witch side is more difficult, if there is a crack. Those details will help us to have a full guide and to give a fair rate. You must decide very quickly. Because competitions have TV broadcasting, judges cannot debate rates, we must decide almost immediately. We have 15/20 seconds to do it. That is why we prepare everything in advance. Is there a chance of a rider surprising you during a competition? That is almost impossible. If a rider wants to show a new trick, he must try it before, at training sessions, where we are studying them. I remember one time a guy doing a Caballerial nose flip. He was just trying, but we started to debate ‘how are we going to score this if he does it during the competition’? How many judges were you at the Olympics, in Tokyo? Five judges and a head judge. I was a park judge. Are the Olympics changing the skateboarding categories? Mixing styles in one competition is the future? Yes, the future is to combine all features at one single track. The rider of the future will be the one who has not just a category, he must do everything well. It is by watching championships that you see who has that profile. Andy Anderson is a good example; he is someone from freestyle who rocks in park. Park is still too attached to bowl and vert; the future will be a fusion of all these categories. Instagram Marcos Hiroshi Read interview part 2

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Mumbles skatepark, a triumph against the odds

What started to be a most wanted but affordable seafront concrete skatepark in Mumbles, Swansea, Wales, became a legal battle between the skateboarding community and some minor (but financial empowered) group of objectors, including Bonie Tylers’ husband, who did not want to have a skatepark close do their mansions. Five years later, though, the dream came true. Skateboarding won. Mumbles skatepark in Swansea, Wales, was projected in 2018 with a 199.000-pound budget ($240.000/€224.000), but due to legal costs the final investment went up to double. Throughout this process a large and loudly community stepped up, putting in place many initiatives. But what called the attention of the mass media was the moment when a multimillionaire harassed some kids: the video went viral and helped the cause. We talked to Jason Williams, chairman of Mumbles Skatepark Association, who explained what went wrong, what people did to stand out and how hard was to go against those who have the money to stop, or at least postpone, a dream of so many. «The whole thing became a political hot potato and I’m glad to say we managed to use all this to the advantage of the project», he says. Built by Maverick Skateparks, it was opened last Friday, the 17th of February 2023. What was the trigger that made you stepping forward against those people who wanted to stop building the skatepark? It was all about getting a concrete park. Swansea’s got a rich surf and skate history, and a concrete park was long overdue. We get that not everyone wants a skatepark or feels an area need a skatepark, but there was a massive support for the park, and we had to co-ordinate to ensure the very vocal minority didn’t overshadow what a skatepark brings to a community. Tell us about the process of making your association. Tomsk, Will and Jono were all involved from the beginning, advising the local council, but once initial planning permission for the project was granted, it was clear a more formal group/association was needed. Ironically, I didn’t attend the first meeting, but got voted in as chair and told afterwards! What kind of initiatives did you put in place? We held some meeting etc, but really relied on social media to engage with the communities (skate, bmx etc). We also worked closely with the local council driving the project and lobbied the larger County Council as well. “There was also an incident where the individuals had threatened some kids using the mini ramp on site, which was filmed and went viral. Following that, the amount of support for the project skyrocketed and it all went pretty viral.” Then, it came local opposition… Yes, it got complicated when some local opposition with significant financial backing issued a judicial review in an attempt to stop the project, which really seemed to galvanise those in favour. There was also an incident where the individuals had threatened some kids using the mini ramp on site, which was filmed and went viral. Following that, the amount of support for the project sky rocketed and it all went pretty viral. Hitting local, national and international press and web sites. The whole thing became a political hot potato and I’m glad to say we managed to use all this to the advantage of the project.   How did non skater people react to your advocacy? Where they just ignoring or did they join the ‘battle’? Was this more than just a skatepark? Overall, pretty good. Throughout, we’ve focussed on the positives a skatepark brings and the importance of an open, visible, accessible site. Covid and lockdown really shone a light on the need for free, accessible facilities and the whole start of this came from school kids saying they wanted a skate park, so the parents were all in favour. With the issues mentioned above, that support just went off the scale (our online petition went from 4500 signatures to 24000 signatures in a week!). Could you name special episodes that took place that you will remember for ever? So many moments: the ‘incident’ and being contacted by local and national press, including TV interviews with the BBC. Our story appearing in pretty much all the UK press. Being asked to participate in a debate on live national radio (cancelled at the last minute as no-one was prepared to participate from the group that issued the judicial review). A local brewery creating a delicious beer and soda called Damn the Man, to help fundraise. Finally getting everything signed off, the building of the park started. What kind of support did you have across this prolonged period? Legal, mostly? None, really. We did have some well-wishers giving us informal advice, but we pretty much worked it out ourselves. The core of the Association are older, so experience from work, friends etc helped. When it came to the formal legal issues, the Council led and we fed in as much as we could, to ensure the right messaging was coming across. We did have to get involved in formal council stuff, but again, we just worked it out. “Bonnie Tyler’s husband was one of the group who signed the judicial review” How those people who wanted to stop building the skatepark changed their behaviour as your voice got bigger? Is it true that singer Bonnie Tyler was one of those at the frontline? Bonnie Tyler’s husband was one of the group who signed the judicial review. They were all in the background really and thought they could throw money and big-time lawyers at it and get it shut down. We were lucky that the local councils really saw what the skatepark could provide and bought into the project. That meant they worked through the legal challenge, rather than rolling over. It helped that there was so much press about ‘the incident’ and a huge amount of focus and support on the project. Because of this legal battle the skatepark will cost much more. How and who do you think should pay the difference? Yeah, that sucks. Not just legal costs but build costs increased, all because a bunch of millionaires tried to stop it. Luckily, we did get support from lottery funding and the Mumbles Community Council made up the difference. “I’d recommend every project gets a panto villain to bring the community together!” This episode had impact at the media, like you said. Do you think your cause could be an example for other organizations around the world? Absolutely, I’d recommend every project gets a panto villain to bring the community together! In all seriousness, I don’t know if we did the best job, or if we were just lucky. Also, each project has a different context and different challenges. In a nutshell, we tried to remain positive, repeat key messages about community (not just skate, bmx community) and the wider benefits of skateparks, tie in politicians and councillors wherever possible, and just kept pushing. If you had to ‘baptize’ this skatepark on a consequence of this social movement, what would be its name? Loads of people have come up with ideas already, mainly as a big FU to those who were against it. Me, I don’t really care, I’m just over the moon it’s there. Let’s call it ‘one’, as we’re already talking to the local council about a possible 2 or 3 more parks. Visit Mumbles skatepark Find out more about Maverick skateparks

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A skateboard is the best thing you can take with you on travel adventures

Trucks and Fins welcomes Bros Around The Globe who will share with us their inspiring travel adventures. In their first blog you will get a comprehensive perspective on how traveling and skateboarding share the same ‘mantra’: freedom and connecting people. So simple. So pure. So healthy. If you’ve stumped upon this, chances are you’re thinking about bringing your skateboard with you on your next trip. And if you haven’t thought about packing it, you should, because you’ll probably regret it if you don’t. As a skater, a skateboard is the best thing you can take with you on a travel adventure, besides well, your skate shoes, of course. Whether you’re heading out to the next town over or abroad to a new country when you take your board with you, the possibilities are endless, and Trucks and Fins can navigate the skate along the way or even help find a place to stay. Though it may feel awkward to carry and seem like extra weight at first, the benefits of bringing your skateboard will soon reveal themselves in more ways than one. Between waiting for buses, taxis, trains, and all the downtime that travel provides, your board is sure to keep you occupied when you're not seeking out new skate spots or exploring a new city on four wheels. With a board in tow, you have the ability to get from point A to point B, all while expressing the creative outlet we call skateboarding. As you hit the streets to take in the new sights, sounds, and smells, the pure joy from kicking, pushing, and rolling in a foreign place is a feeling second to none. “Skaters respect other skaters no matter where they may find themselves in the world and there’s a special connection in a shared passion and lifestyle” Besides skating legendary spots, parks, and plazas, you’ll quickly learn your skate doubles as a universal language for making new friends. Not to mention it helps you navigate language barriers and tap into skating’s tight-knit subculture. Skaters respect other skaters no matter where they may find themselves in the world and there’s a special connection in a shared passion and lifestyle. Skating knows no boundaries, no borders, nor skin colour because every skater knows how much, blood, sweat, tears, and time goes into the learning process. When you meet other skaters, there’s an unspoken bond that brings high fives and high vibes in whatever corner of the globe you may find yourself in. Skating can be a tool to clear one’s mind, let off steam, challenge yourself, be present, and rediscover the learning process. Besides helping you get around, it’s a useful tool to have when traveling long-term and can be all the above and more. You may even inspire others to get on a board or help a groom cruise for the first time. Each skate mission will give you a glimpse into the local skate culture and diversity of skaters worldwide. You’ll meet new friends, skate legendary spots you can only dream of, and make memories to last you a lifetime. All made possible by a wooden toy and the desire to ride. “Becoming friends with locals is always a powerful travel experience, leaving you with the feeling that you were fully immersed and a part of the city” When you arrive at a new destination, just show up at the local, and you’ll be in the neighbourhood crew before you know it. Young or old, beginner or professional, skateparks serve as places for people of different backgrounds to interact with each other. When you’re on the road, stopping by the skatepark or DIY spot is one of the best ways to take in the vibe of a unique place and meet new people. No matter where you are in the world, skaters are gonna skate. Becoming friends with locals is always a powerful travel experience, leaving you with the feeling that you were fully immersed and a part of the city, town, or village you were visiting. On your journey, you can’t forget to make a stop to support the local skate shop. Around the world, skate shops serve as a catalyst for developing and sustaining the local skate community. It's a place to gather and chop it up to gain some insight into what you should really see and do in a new place. When traveling, the best advice is always from people who actually live there. A skate shop is the root of a city’s skate culture, and it brings people together. Skate shops are much more than a storefront, they support real people and put their money back into the local skate scene. Skate shops around the world always have a welcoming atmosphere that illustrates just how vibrant the skate community is. “Travel and skating are all about freedom, creativity, and thinking outside the box. When you combine the two, you’ll experience the best of both worlds” Traveling with a board taught me how skateboarding and traveling are similar in many ways. Through both, you must be present and only concentrate on the now. Skateboarding, like traveling, has always taught me about patience, persistence, never giving up, and mental toughness. Both prepare you to adjust when a mistake arises and to keep trying when something doesn't go your way. They teach you to adapt when things don't go correctly and push you out of your comfort zone to try new things. On the road or on your board, there’s a humbling feeling when you fail or fall down, leaving you to get back up and do it again through sheer determination. Freedom, creativity, and individuality are values of skateboard culture. There is no question that skaters are unrelentingly dedicated to the progress of the sport and welcome anyone who has the courage to get on board. The skate community is built on mutual respect. Instead of one-upping each other, skaters continually encourage each other and embrace their differences, something ever so prevalent when you travel the world with your board. Travel and skating are all about freedom, creativity, and thinking outside the box. When you combine the two, you’ll experience the best of both worlds. So when it comes to packing for that next trip, make sure you leave enough room to bring your board. Your skateboard will take you to places you could only dream of and give you memorable experiences that will stay with you long after your adventure is concluded. With 85 million skaters around the world, you’ll be sure to find your tribe when you travel, and all you’ll need is your board. Website Bros around the Globe Instagram Bros around the globe

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I like skateboarding as a hobby, not a job

William Montgomery rides particularly good. Or better: Big Chicken shreds, already with a signature. He’s just seven years old but has already visited more than 75 skateparks from coast to coast in the United States of America, during his school holidays. “It’s fun to roll quietly through airports”, he says, never forgetting the most important thing: skateboarding is for fun. Meet this very special Trucks and Fins’ skatepark hunter. So, William, first tell us about your nickname: why ‘big chicken’, what’s the story behind it? My dad got a Big Chicken Beer sticker from henhouse brewery in Santa Rosa, and I put it on my helmet, and we decided it should be the name for my Instagram account. Explain a bit more about the drawing on your helmet. Who made it? It is a Nutcase helmet with a bunch of travel and skate stickers on it that I have collected. You have visited about seventy-five parks. How did you manage your time with school stuff and other activities? Exploring the Bay Area on weekends (we have a lot of spots) and taking my board with me on holidays. Fun to roll quietly through airports. Can you choose the best skatepark from all these seventy-five? No, but I really liked Vans Huntington Beach, Woodward Tahoe, Fremont, Cookeville and Potrero. In the last couple of months, you have travelled from coast to coast. Was that all planned? How did you program your tour? I just go wherever my mom plans (we like to travel) and then my dad helps me go to skateparks while there :) When did you start to skate? Tell us a bit of your personal story, and about your dreams regarding skateboarding. I started in April 2020. I saw my friend Jack’s skateboard and wanted one, so my parents got a penny board for me, and I used it at Shredders Skate Camp. Big thanks to Chris there for encouraging me. He said I was good and my dad’s friend Mark gave me a bigger board. Reese Forbes then taught me to go fast and the guys at Potrero help me. I like skateboarding as a hobby, not a job. Considering we are a community-focused directory, tell us how important are skatepark hunters like you for the people around the world who like to find new spots to ride and new places to discover. My dad likes Trucks and Fins, especially when we travel to new places like Portugal, so we don’t travel to a boring one. I like to see parks to ride before going, so I can imagine what I can do there. Instagram Big Chicken

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The sanctuary of La Kantera

Interview with Txus Domínguez, the spiritual father of La Kantera skatepark, Spain's most iconic skatepark, aka Algorta skatepark. The eighties, a one-of-a-kind decade. An era of creativity in music, movies and art performance. A decade stuck between the old and the new global world, when waves crossed the Atlantic Ocean rapidly, bringing along new ideas and tendencies. That happened with skateboarding too, when the incredibly young Txus Domínguez and his Getxo Boys brought the Californian sun to the Basque Country in Spain and build La Kantera, currently one of the oldest and most renown skateparks in Europe. Txus Domínguez guides you into a journey to the past and tells us why this place is so special, so mystique and so iconic. La Kantera. First things first: what does it mean? In Spanish we say ‘cantera’ for two things: a training ground for kids to learn a special sport or (and this is the case) a kind of quarry. This was a place packed with stones, that is why we called it La Kantera. La Kantera was built in 1987. You were still so young but had an extraordinarily strong role in this process. I’m from Getxo, a place in the Basque Country with a huge surf tradition. In the 60’s a company called Sancheski showed up and built the first skateboard. Initially they build skis, but after being in the US, they brought "skateboards" into Spain. I received my first Sancheski when I was six years old. This was a toy at the first stage, but in just a couple of years skateboarding had turned more serious. Surfers started building ramps. Madrid built its very first skatepark and quickly we started to put pressure on the City Hall. Was it hard? Not really, because there were many surfers in the region, some of them worked in the City Hall. We went to schools to collect signatures. We got more than three thousand signatures. In the meantime we started to build ramps everywhere, that was when my brother and I met the architect who still works with me and helps to build skateparks. He’s six years older than me, he was sixteen when we first had meetings with the City Hall. Do you still remember how much the first park cost? Around twenty-five million pesetas (former Spanish currency), which is now something like 150.000 euros. Architects who had designed the plans made it too vertical, fortunately we saw that in time and changed the plans. We started these discussions in 1984 and three years later La Kantera was inaugurated. Did you find resistance during those three years? No, we had good vibes since the beginning and after La Kantera was built I promoted some events and the City Hall helped, like the Arrigunana Downhill race, the famous Bajada Arrigunaga. That was held in the 90’s. Police helped by closing the streets and we also received some money to organize things. What makes La Kantera so special?      A mix of several things. For one we have a strong culture of surf and many hills in the area. Skating with speed is something natural for us here in Getxo. That’s the type of skate we mostly did here in La Kantera, a very surfer kind of style. The place is special too. It's located on the beach side with the ruins of an old military fort. All this has given a big charisma to the place. It was the cradle of big skaters, too. Yes! If there was a national competition in Spain, let’s say with 40 riders, 25 of them were from La Kantera. Many great skaters were born here: Alain Goikoetxea, Alfonso Elvira, Javier Mendizibal, Alfonso Lute Fernandez, Ivan Fano, Jon Txufo… It turned into the Santiago de Compostela for pilgrims of skateboarding… Before we knew it people from abroad started to come. Big names in skateboarding flipped out when they discovered our park. This looks like California, the Americans used to say.  How has La Kantera evolved since 1987? Was your bowl, built years later, decisive to boost it?  After La Kantera was built, some fifty copies were made in the Basque Country, but all worse than the original. There was a time that La Kantera died out a bit, because people got bored, they wanted new things. Around that time, I went to California with some friends. I wanted to skate in pools, that was my dream. I stayed there for three months. When I came back the City Hall proposed to enlarge the park. I drew a bowl from scratch, and it was built in the year of 2000. It’s a famous bowl… Yeah, it’s not a perfect bowl. It has a different transition, it’s not like the actual bowls, where everything is more perfect. At the begging people said it was crazy. I built it when street skating was the "thing", and vert was almost dead. People were riding with 30 mm wheels, and we were riding with 60 mm wheels. I was doing ollies, but not flips or gabs. Fortunately, guys from Consolidated like Peter Hewitt and Steve Bailey came to La Kantera and fell in love with the bowl. That's when we were put on the world map and people from all over the globe started to come. La Kantera skyrocketed. Big names started appearing at our bowl like, Christian Hosoi, Steve Caballero, Gordon Smith, Steve Clark, Nicky Guerrero, Florian Bohm, Steve Olson… Not to forget all the famous street skaters as well. The ‘fiestas’ that you organize, they are famous too. What drives you do to that?     Just to have a good time with the community and meet new people. It all started when I did the Arrigunaga Downhill. First it was illegal, then we wad agreements with the City Hall, and it became legal. It was just speed, fun and beers. At a new years’ eve, we had over 5000 people watching it. But there was a time when a kid almost died and the city said ‘the party is over’. I also organized some parties at La Kantera during all these years, the famous ‘pool parties’. The flames and the skull you see in photos, that’s me who drew it. But because of my work (I make skateparks) I currently just organize one party, I call it ‘killer fifty-fifties’. Theoretically it’s only for over fifty-year guys, but anyone can participate, really. It’s an old school event, with almost no sponsors, no security bays, it’s pure fun, simple chaos. It’s a way to go back to the origins.        Visit La Kantera skatepark Visit ZUT Skateparks

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The story behind the iconic Nude Bowl

July 21 2022. A jewel in skateboarding history - a "secret pool" built by a gangster, maintained by naturists and decades of cat-and-mouse play between cops and skaters. Is this all an urban myth or true? Time to find out. The story goes that the grounds were initially built as a secret getaway for the infamous Al Capone, but unfortunately that seems to be an urban myth, because Al Capone was way dead when this property was developed. In February 1963 a pair of nudists bought the place and transformed a cactus garden into the Desert Gardens Ranch. Secreted away in the San Jacinto Mountains, just outside Desert Hot Springs, it offered people a secluded and year-round sunny haven to run around naked. The ranch was active until the late 70s and was shuttered down around 1980. Image Nudist Newsfront Magazine archives Jeff Bowman - former President of the Desert Hot Springs Historical Society, nudist and pre-Dogtown skater In 1984 a group of skaters discovered the spot that consisted of an abandoned kidney-shaped pool, thanks to a local who had found the bowl and talked to a neighbor who skated and told him to go check it out. Back in those days skaters had to jump fences to skate abandoned and dry pools. So it didn't take long before the word spread there was a bowl you could skate and party without being afraid of getting chased away. Visitors had to travel through the desert to reach the spot and it was a bit of mission to get there. Basically it was a place where you could skate, camp, party, shoot beer cans, get drunk and do whatever you want. The only thing you had to worry about were snakes, scorpions and tarantulas . (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});   "Wheels of Fire" with Tony Alva and Rick Spidey turned the Nude Bowl into a pilgrimage of skate. The Nude bowl was a "secret" spot until Santa Cruz released "Wheels of Fire" with Tony Alva and Rick Spidey in 1987 ripping up the bowl. That's when the scene blew up and the nude bowl turned into a Mecca for skaters. Throughout the next years the nude bowl started appearing in magazines and videos, and unfortunately by the 90s, large parties and violence became pretty "normal" here. The nude bowl had turned into the perfect setting for out of control parties, drugs, nude skating, fighting, biker hangouts, you name it. Basically it was one massive fight club in the desert. After numerous complaints about guns, fires and fights, the police filled the bowl with dirt to avoid further problems. A couple of years later two skaters Jeremiah Risk and Rodney Rodrigues spent nights digging up the dirt with bulldozers and repaired the bowl. After a few months, the police broke up the concrete and buried the remains of the bowl again. Photo Courtesy of Josh Baish (2022) Then around 2014 Nude bowl images started surfacing again on the internet. The pool has been dug up again, repaired and is now intact. You are all going to have to look for the location of this pool yourselves, because we decided to keep this one "secret". So happy hunting, shred it whilst you can and behave.  Famous skaters having a go at the Nude Bowl Pooling Around: IN THE NUDE FIRE UP The Nude Bowl w/ Pedro Delfino, John Worthington & Cedric Pabich For Indy X Slayer Chris Russell at The Nude Bowl

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La Iglesia Skate Church in Spain - Spot Check Spain

What they said back in the 90’s "Heaven is a Halfpipe"... This park is a stunning place to visit! In 2015 they transformed the 200 years old abandoned church into a skaters dream. It’s not just a miniramp in a church. It's the colorful graffiti artwork by Okuda that is breathtaking and makes this place worth a vist. My advise... take your time to check it closely if you are there! The open Bowl/Miniramp had it’s best days cause the surface of the ramp has some holes and cracks (Oct 2021) but it’s a well built ramp and loads of fun. A handful people just travel to that place to take some shots, so most of the time there are no skaters and you’re kind of „alone". An old Lady (the wife of the original owner of the church) opened the doors for us, she just speaks spanish, but she is a lovely soul and really liked to see us skating in that place. The entree for the church is free but we decided to donate 15€ to keep that place alive and hope that some day the ramps get a new surface. Copy and paste to keep such places alive! Project Name by Okuda: KAOS Temple Adress: C. A, 3, 102B, 33428 Coruño, Asturias, Spain Opening Times: 15:00 - 19:00 (on Saturdays closed) Involved: Red Bull / Okuda (Artist @okudart) / Skater: Danny León / Church Brigade Visit Skatepark Visit Pascal Lieleg

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Rote Flora - An illegal DIY skatepark in the middle of Hamburg 

An illegal DIY park in the middle of Hamburg they just can't get rid of, with a weird mix of skaters, squatters, dealers, drug addicts and tourists taking photos. The Rote Flora theater was constructed in 1835 and was shuttered down after World War II. After the war it turned into a cinema and later on a store. In the late 1980s, locals heard about plans to make the theater into a venue for performances of 'The Phantom of the Opera'. Afraid, this would change the area and attract tourists, locals proposed to turn it into a community Centre instead, but this alternative was completely ignored by the city. When in 1988 the rear end of the building was demolished and it didn't take long before sabotage attacks started occurring on the construction site. After a while the city had no other choice then giving the community a temporary lease to use the building. When the lease expired in November 1989, the occupiers stayed and Rote Flora was squatted. The squatters said the building was a "free space for realizing an autonomous life". In 2001 the collective said "We are the 'UFO in the neighborhood'. The black hole in public space. The city won't get rid of us because we are a part of what life is." Regarding the new owner, the collective said "we neither asked Kretschmer to buy Flora, nor are we in the slightest interested in his opinions about the political ideologies and the work of the Rote Flora." Kretschmer had signed with the city a contract that expired in 2011 and that's when a resistance campaign called "Flora remains incompatible" against possible eviction started. Things have remained pretty much the same until 2014, when a change in plans for the site was announced that would ensure the building would not be demolished and could remain a cultural centre (wikipedia). Over the years, Rote Flora has also become a destination for alternative tourism and a popular skate spot. Bang in the middle of the centre of Hamburg, behind the theater you will find the Rote Flora bowl. This DIY project was started by several skaters back in 2005, when they built a miniramp in the backyard of the occupied theater. In between 2005 and 2007 the local founders got professional help by Matt of Minus ramps and they started to built the first part of the bowl. The guys just kept on building and years of extensions later the Flora bowl is known worldwide as one of the oldest and most central DIY skateparks in Germany. What makes this illegal spot really unique is it's location. There's not many spots in the world like this. During the Thrasher Skate Rock Tour Jake Phelps and other American rippers fell in love with the spot cause they were not used to a DIY skatepark that is that close to the center and built illegally. Photos Courtesy of Pascal Lieleg aka Bowlsh!t   Visit Rote Flora Skatepark Official Bowlshit Flora Skatepark DIY Documentary

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2er DIY Skatepark Builders Jam 2022

September 22, 2022 2er DIY Skatepark, one of Europe's largest DIY's, has been revamped and has got some rad new obstacles to hit. We reached out to Yamato Living Ramps to find out more. 2er DIY Skatepark is one main part our company’s foundation. Yamato Living Ramps evolved from 2er skatepark and Betonhausen DIY in Berlin. 2er started with some really simple ramps more than 15 years ago and is now one of Europe’s largest DIY’s. Today it’s run by an official non-profit club, 2er skateboarding e.V. The park has been legal for several years, with differing contracts. Recently, the land got sold to the city of Hannover who then offered the e.V. a 50 year lease. This of course was a big push for more building to be done on the park. We’ve established the Builders Jam format in the past to tackle quick development several times now. Friends and concrete lovers gather from near and far, material, places to crash, food and a ton of drinks are provided, and with a common goal to chase, volunteers are then set free to shape the park. This particular time, Yamato orchestrated a bit more, we tore down a section of the park prior to people arriving, and a rough idea was drafted within the members of the e.V. A big push this time came with the Belgian crew that showed up. It was nice to see the evolution of skills and size of pieces that got tackled. In the end, 2er now features a radical steep bank / built-in loop section, a steep vert QP, a sick granite lip pocket and a dip / step-up push-bump thingy for a ton of new options in the park. Personally, I was sceptical about the work load / fun-skatability ratio of the loop thing, but I got proven wrong. Seeing people pump the doorway and the loop in one flow is pretty rad. I can’t wait for the next section to get build, which – so they say - should then be a more streety bit. Time will tell. Visit 2er DIY skatepark Webiste Yamato Living Ramps

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The story behind the iconic bowl of Marseille

Prado Beach skatepark, in Marseille, aka Bowl of Marseille, is one of the best in France and also one of the most iconic parks in Europe. Every line was meticulously designed to provide a high, but controlled speed, where physics and aesthetics combine like no other, with the Mediterranean Sea as eyewitness. Tic Tac, tic tac. Everybody knows Newton’s cradle (or pendulum), a gadget of five balls suspended in which we lift one ball at one edge, we release it and the fifth ball rises. It’s the magic of physics. This is one simple way to understand the difference between kinetic energy and potential energy and that's what inspired Jean-Pierre Collinet when he designed the Bowl of Marseille, the most famous skatepark in France and one of the best in Europe. “The bowl is the permanent propulsion of a skateboarder. It might seem something natural, but it’s not. A skater doesn’t have a pedal or other mechanical support. The bowl is the way to transform the potential energy into kinetic energy and vice-versa. I always wanted to preserve energy in this skatepark”, Collinet said in several public presentations and interviews. People say the world is shaped by math and they’re probably right. In the Bowl of Marseille, there is no doubt about it and that’s why it's so unique. Its conception put physics and aesthetics on the same level. In other words: this skatepark was made for speed, high-calculated speed and no waste of power. “The bowl is the way to transform the potential energy into kinetic energy and vice-versa. I always wanted to preserve energy in this skatepark” Jean-Pierre Collinet “There was a boy who had a big pool at his backyard that was 3,30 meters deep. That was when I learned what was possible and not possible to do in a bowl. At the same time, I had a teacher who taught me the concepts of physics”, Jean-Pierre Collinet explained. His studies about how to make interceptions between geometric figures were one of the keys to the success of this project. The best secret of this park: clean and diversified lines and technical transfers. You ride until your breath is over. The Bowl of Marseille was inaugurated in 1991 and was built by Constructo skateparks, It was one fo the first bowls in France and costed around 220.000 euros (a million francs, the former French currency), something like 440.000 euros (482.000 dollars) with the inflation rate. Its importance for concrete skateparks is consensual and the global skate community (not just the French community) recognize it, because it didn’t take much time to become one of the most searched parks worldwide. Tony Hawk gave a hand by displaying it on Pro Skater 2 video game, leveraging Marseille to the top level of skateboarding in Europe. Tony Hawk gave a hand by displaying it on his Pro Skater 2 video game, leveraging Marseille to the top level of skateboarding in Europe. That’s why The Mucem (The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations) in Marseille showcases a 1983 Tony Hawks’ skateboard. A revolution happened. Nothing new to this passionate Mediterranean city, after all they are used to hold bigger revolutions, like the History books tell us. All this buzz made the Bowl of Marseille the perfect candidate to host major events, like the Quiksilver Bowlrider, which takes place on the third weekend of May. The resemblances with California are purposeful. Collinet was inspired by the skatepark of Huntington Beach (currently known as Vans Off the Wall Skatepark) and after creating the Bowl of Marseille he found other parks very similar, like the one in Lugano, Switzerland. But you can’t copy the aura. Each park has its own and the Bowl of Marseille is made of love for skateboarding. In 2017 the park was totally renovated (with a cost of 590.000 euros/646.500 dollars, financed by the City Hall) "Prado Beach had some skateble pipelines thanks to the construction of the sewers and I started to ride them. I was used to it because I did that in the USA. People started to go there to see me ripping it”, the skater and architect added. As representative of the King of Spain group (the name of their neighbourhood with the same name in Marseille) Collinet went to the City Hall, advocating for the construction of a skatepark at Prado Beach. The politicians said yes, and the rest is an ongoing story. In 2017 the park was totally renovated (with a cost of 590.000 euros/646.500 dollars, financed by the City Hall), featuring a smooth concrete and all distinctive characteristics that make the Bowl of Marseille unique. For those who still don’t know it, take a note: a spine with 1,70 meters, two separated halfpipes, five bowls with a depth from 1,80 meters to 2,70 meters (this one called ‘the mega’) and a street section. The weather is a perfect ally. Due to the Mediterranean climate, you can skate there almost every day and during night hours, too, because of the artificial lighting. BMXers are allowed to ride but only specific hours, depending on school periods. If Paris is the capital of France, Marseille is the country’s capital of skateboarding. The oldest French city was shaped by many cultures and that diversity is the heart of skateboarding. If you ride there, you will understand it. So, say ‘bonjour’ and go skate. Visit Prado beach skatepark

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The Mystery of the Belmonte Bowl

Quandary in the Quarry - The Mystery of the Belmonte Bowl. The village of Belmonte (population: ca. 3500) lies towards the northeastern part of Portugal. It’s head of a rural municipality where you can find about 54 people per square kilometre and where they’re highly likely to be advanced in years, as the ratio of elderly to young people is close to 3:1. Towards the northeastern part of the village, not far from the local Intermarché supermarket, there’s a small residential neighbourhood facing an abandoned quarry. Inside this quarry sits one of the biggest skate bowls in the world. It’s a kidney shaped bowl, wrapped around a half-pipe that leads to a fullpipe ending in a cradle. The pictures should help make this clearer. It’s close to 4 metres deep and has almost a full metre of vert all around. There are oververt extensions over a metre tall. It’s a beast of a thing, especially when you consider the standards of skateboarding and skateparks in Portugal. Anyone that sees it immediately asks himself “What the hell is this doing here?” And it seems to me to be a fair, reasonable question. Anyway, when faced with a Portuguese skate-related mystery, there’s always one thing you can do, and that’s call up Luís Paulo. This dude was the first Portuguese skater ever to get sponsored, one of the few to have met Tony Hawk and the only one to have done an aerial over him, so he’s been in the game for a bit and knows his shit. I thank him for giving us the lowdown on this one. Apparently the whole idea came from the Belmonte Municipality. They are close to Serra da Estrela, the only ski resort in Portugal, where there’s also quite a bit of downhill biking and hang gliding going on in the summer, so they figured a skatepark would attract some of that crowd and get some more visitors to come to the village. Not a bad intuition. However, as it often happens, they didn’t consult any skateboarders before diving into the project. At the time, the largest skatepark in the world had just been built in Shanghai (SMP Skatepark – it’s since been surpassed by the one in Guangzhou) and the architects hired to do the job in Belmonte decided to take inspiration from one of its sections. They did an impressive job: the bowl is nicely tucked inside the quarry walls, the transition is good and the full pipe and cradle look amazing. The only problem is that vert skaters in Portugal are thin on the ground. They did build a street section above the bowl, but unfortunately they didn’t study this subject as well as the transition bit, and it’s just unskateable. As it is, the Belmonte Skatepark, which was inaugurated in April of 2011, is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a still pristine coping. We have seen examples of what can go down at that bowl when the right people find it, but they’ve been few and far between. In 2012, Jake Phelps and the Thrasher crew (P-Stone, Rhino) came by and brought Peter Hewitt, Pedro Barros, and Grant Taylor for some serious ripping. One year later the Carve Wicked team (Sam Pulley, Alex Perelson, Sam Beckett, Rob Smith, etc.) also dropped some hammers. But the place can take it. In fact, it’s begging for it. If you’re into big walls, start planning that trip and type this into your GPS.

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Riding Through Time: The History of Venice Beach Skatepark

Venice Beach Skatepark stands as a testament to the vibrant skateboarding culture that has thrived in Southern California for decades. Situated along the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk, this legendary skatepark has a rich history intertwined with the evolution of skateboarding itself.Photos Courtesy of Octavio Scholtz Early Days: The Birth of Venice Beach Skateboarding In the 1960s and 70s, Venice Beach emerged as a cultural hub for artists, musicians, and free spirits. Amidst the bohemian atmosphere, skateboarding found its home on the streets and concrete expanses of this eclectic neighborhood. Surfers, seeking to replicate the feeling of riding waves on land, fashioned makeshift skateboards from wooden planks and roller skate wheels, carving their way through the streets of Venice. Dogtown and Z-Boys: Pioneers of Vertical Skateboarding The rise of vertical skateboarding in the 1970s ushered in a new era for the sport, fueled by the innovative maneuvers and rebellious spirit of a group of young skaters known as the Zephyr Competition Team, or the Z-Boys. Hailing from the nearby neighborhood of Dogtown, these pioneering riders, including Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva, and Jay Adams, revolutionized skateboarding with their aggressive style and fearless approach to vertical terrain. The Birth of Skateparks: Venice Pavilion and Beyond As skateboarding gained popularity throughout the 1970s, cities across the United States began constructing purpose-built skateparks to provide skaters with safe and accessible places to ride. In 1975, the Venice Pavilion became one of the first official skateparks in California, featuring wooden ramps and bowls that attracted riders from far and wide. The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Venice Beach Skatepark Despite its initial success, the Venice Pavilion Skatepark fell into disrepair by the late 1970s, eventually closing its doors in 1989 due to safety concerns and financial issues. The Venice Pavilion may have been just a structure of concrete and steel, but to those who knew it best, it was so much more. It was a sanctuary for skaters, a sanctuary for dreamers, and a sanctuary for all who sought refuge in its welcoming embrace. For over a decade, Venice Beach lacked a dedicated skateboarding facility, forcing riders to seek out alternative spots to practice their craft. In 2009, after years of advocacy and grassroots efforts from the local skateboarding community, the Venice Beach Skatepark officially opened its gates, marking a triumphant return to the heart of Venice Beach. Designed by renowned skatepark architect, Jesse Martinez, in collaboration with California Skateparks, the new Venice Beach Skatepark features state-of-the-art concrete terrain, including bowls, ramps, and ledges, catering to riders of all skill levels. Legacy and Impact Today, Venice Beach Skatepark stands as a symbol of resilience and community spirit, embodying the enduring legacy of skateboarding in Southern California. From its humble beginnings on the streets of Dogtown to its modern incarnation as a world-class skateboarding destination, Venice Beach Skatepark continues to inspire riders from across the globe, offering a place where creativity, expression, and camaraderie flourish amidst the sun, sand, and sea of Venice Beach.Visit Venice Beach skatepark

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Carving Through Time: The History of Mount Hawke Skatepark

Nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of Cornwall, England, Mount Hawke Skatepark stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of skateboarding culture. From its humble beginnings as a DIY skate spot to its evolution into a world-class facility, Mount Hawke has played a pivotal role in shaping the local skate scene and leaving an indelible mark on the global skateboarding community. The Early Years: From DIY to Destination In the late 1980s, a group of dedicated skateboarders in Cornwall sought to create a space where they could ride, connect, and express themselves freely. Armed with little more than passion and determination, they transformed an abandoned swimming pool into a makeshift skate spot, laying the foundation for what would become Mount Hawke Skatepark. Community Spirit and Innovation As word of the DIY skate spot spread, skaters from across Cornwall flocked to Mount Hawke, drawn by its unique terrain and welcoming atmosphere. Inspired by the creativity and camaraderie of the local skate scene, the founders of Mount Hawke began to expand and improve the facility, adding new obstacles and features to accommodate the growing demand. The Rise of Mount Hawke Skatepark By the early 2000s, Mount Hawke had evolved into a full-fledged skatepark, complete with a diverse array of ramps, bowls, and street obstacles. Its reputation as a premier skateboarding destination continued to grow, attracting riders from across the UK and beyond who were eager to test their skills on its legendary terrain. A Hub for Progression and Community Mount Hawke Skatepark quickly became more than just a place to skate—it became a hub for progression, creativity, and community. Today Mount Hawke is Cornwall's largest indoor skatepark, set in a 24000 square ft (2229 square meters), purpose built warehouse, with everything you could ever want to skate under one roof. The biggest part of the current skatepark was designed and built by FourOneFour skateparks in 2016. In 2017 the bowl was installed after being donated by Ramp City skatepark. An outdoor concrete plaza was built by Maverick skateparks in 2020. Riders of all ages and skill levels came together to push the boundaries of what was possible on a skateboard, sharing tricks, tips, and stories as they honed their craft. The Legacy Continues Today, Mount Hawke Skatepark remains a beloved fixture of the Cornish skate scene, beloved not only for its world-class facilities but also for the sense of belonging and camaraderie it fosters. From hosting local contests and events to providing support for up-and-coming riders, Mount Hawke continues to play an integral role in shaping the future of skateboarding in Cornwall and beyond. Conclusion As we reflect on the history of Mount Hawke Skatepark, we are reminded of the power of passion, creativity, and community to transform a simple idea into something truly extraordinary. From its humble origins as a DIY skate spot to its status as a world-class facility, Mount Hawke stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of skateboarding and the boundless possibilities that arise when people come together in pursuit of their passions.Visit Mount Hawke Skatepark on skate map.

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Exploring the Vibrant History of Linda Vista Skatepark in San Diego

Welcome to Linda Vista Skatepark, a cultural landmark buzzing with energy.Nestled within the sun-soaked streets of San Diego lies a 34000 foot haven for skateboarders—a place where creativity, friendship, and adrenaline intertwine to form the beating heart of the local skate scene. Join us as we delve into the captivating tale of this iconic destination, from its humble beginnings to its status as a cornerstone of the San Diego skateboarding community. Construction and InceptionAs the landscape of skateboarding has evolved, so too has Linda Vista Skatepark. In 2013, a group of concerned citizens began a signature campaign to build a skateboard park in the community and this marked the beginning of the Friends of the Linda Vista Skateboard Park. With the help of skaters, skateboard professionals, and the community the design of the park was approved. The construction began August 2016 with the grand opening on January 16, 2018. The park underwent a major renovation, adding new features and amenities to accommodate the ever-changing needs of the skating community. The renovation of the park was done by Site Design Group and California skateparks. Today, Linda Vista boasts a diverse array of obstacles and terrain, from classic street elements to expansive bowls and transitions, ensuring that there's something for everyone to enjoy.The Skateparkproject, founded by professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, provided about $40,000 in “seed money” to get the project off the ground. Most of the funding came from a $4.6-million grant the state Department of Housing and Community Development awarded the city in 2014 to construct skateparks in Linda Vista and City Heights. A Hub of ActivityFrom the moment its gates swung open, Linda Vista Skatepark quickly established itself as a hub of activity and creativity. Skaters from all walks of life flocked to its ramps, bowls, and ledges, eager to test their skills and connect with fellow riders. What emerged was a vibrant community united by a shared passion for skateboarding—a community that continues to thrive to this day. Events and CelebrationsOver the years, Linda Vista Skatepark has played host to a myriad of events and gatherings that showcase the best of San Diego's skate culture. From amateur contests and demos to film premieres and art installations, the park buzzes with activity year-round. Notable skaters and industry insiders often grace its ramps, lending their support and inspiration to the next generation of riders.Linda Vista CommunityAt its core, Linda Vista Skatepark is more than just a place to skate—it's a tight-knit community bonded by a love for the sport. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a first-time rider, you'll find a welcoming atmosphere and a supportive network of fellow skaters eager to cheer you on and share their passion. From impromptu jam sessions to casual hangouts, the park buzzes with a sense of camaraderie that's truly infectious.As we reflect on the storied history of Linda Vista Skatepark, one thing becomes abundantly clear: its impact extends far beyond its concrete confines. Linda Vista has been a home away from home—a place to push boundaries, forge friendships, and find solace in the simple joy of riding. As the sun sets on another day of shredding, we can't help but feel grateful for the vibrant community that calls Linda Vista Skatepark home. Here's to many more years of laughter, learning, and endless stoke.Visit Linda Vista skatepark

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Lower Bobs Skatepark: Oakland's Underground Gem

Tucked away in the heart of Oakland, California, lies a hidden gem cherished by skateboarders far and wide – Lower Bobs Skatepark. Unlike the glitz and glamor of more mainstream skateparks, Lower Bobs exudes an authentic underground vibe that has captured the hearts of countless riders. Originally established in the 1990s by a group of local skaters, Lower Bobs was born out of a DIY ethos and a desire to create a space where riders could express themselves freely. What started as a few ramps and obstacles cobbled together from salvaged materials has since evolved into a sprawling labyrinth of concrete features and graffiti-adorned walls. The park's rugged terrain and DIY aesthetic pay homage to skateboarding's roots in street culture, attracting a diverse community of riders who appreciate its raw authenticity. From gritty urban landscapes to handcrafted transitions, every inch of Lower Bobs tells a story of creativity and resilience. Despite its humble origins, Lower Bobs has gained cult status within the skateboarding community, drawing riders from across the country and even around the globe. Its legendary status is further cemented by the iconic events and competitions held within its confines, where skaters push the boundaries of what's possible on four wheels. But perhaps what truly sets Lower Bobs apart is its sense of camaraderie and inclusivity. Here, riders of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels come together to share in their passion for skateboarding, forging lifelong friendships and memories in the process. In a city known for its rich cultural tapestry and vibrant street art scene, Lower Bobs Skatepark stands as a testament to the power of grassroots activism and the enduring spirit of skateboarding. It's more than just a skatepark – it's a living, breathing testament to the DIY ethos that continues to shape the sport and culture of skateboarding to this day.

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Mafra skatepark tour with the crew

Next stop on our mission to visit all the skateparks in the world is the new Mafra skatepark in Portugal Now that we've almost mapped out all the skateparks in the world, it's time for our next mission: visit them all. Special thanks to Bana skateshop for sponsoring our first spot, to Patrick Costa for the show and to Rodrigo Simão for filming and the video edit. We started our trip to Mafra with a couple of street spots and then went to check out the new skatepark in Parque Desportivo Municipal de Mafra. The new 1.648,91 m2 Mafra skatepark is a wooden park, built by Academia dos Patins in 2023. Mafra skatepark is made up of 3 different sections, featuring a bowl, jump area and street section. Visit Mafra skatepark

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Alcobaça skatepark tour

Skating a UNESCO World Heritage Site Skateboarding at a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Yes, you heard it right! Our search for skateparks in Portugal took us to the enchanting town of Alcobaça, and we couldn't be more amazed. Nestled amidst the awe-inspiring Alcobaça Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we found a hidden gem—the remarkable skatepark built by the renowned Wasteland Skateparks. This skatepark is the epitome of perfection, crafted with utmost care and skill by Wasteland, known for creating premium quality parks across the Iberian Peninsula. The tight and challenging bowl is a skater's dream come true, providing the perfect canvas for riders to showcase their skills. Whether you're a seasoned skateboarder or a newcomer to the sport, the Alcobaça skatepark offers an unforgettable experience that seamlessly blends the thrill of skateboarding with the grandeur of historical architecture. Don't miss out on this incredible fusion of culture and sport—Alcobaça is undoubtedly a must-visit destination for skateboarders seeking adventure and inspiration. This roadtrip was made possible by Wasteland skateparks and Dropin surf camp who were brave enough to have us over for the weekend. Visit Alcobaça skatepark

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Venda do Pinheiro skatepark tour in Portugal

Next spot on our mission to skate every skatepark in Portugal is Venda do Pinheiro skatepark, a gem built by Wasteland skateparks. Last weekend we were back on the road with the crew, this time with Keanu Schwedt, Patrick Costa and Margarida Cepeda. Menu of the weekend: Venda do Pinheiro, Lourinhã and Alcobaça skatepark. This roadtrip was made possible by Ripar skateshop, Wasteland skateparks and Dropin surf camp who were brave enough to have us over for the weekend.   The first park we hit was Venda do Pinheiro skatepark, located in Parque Ecológico Venda do Pinheiro park. The skatepark features a flowbowl built by the Portugese legends, Wasteland skateparks back in 2018. Definitely worth a visit if you are looking for transition, flow and good vibes. Video production: Rodrigo Simaõ (Edit and filming) and Haroun Cherif (DJImini) Visit Venda do Pinheiro skatepark

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São Pedro da Cadeira skatepark tour

Our mission to skate every skatepark continues. This time we went to São Pedro da Cadeira in Portugal, a parish in the municipality of Torres Vedras, about 55 km from Lisbon. This bowl with pool coping stands out because it's also one of the cleanest parks in Portugal. All that thanks to the local community. Find out why. Skating with the Atlantic wind behind you. The West Portugal coast has something mystique and spreads it out all over its territory. Going to São Pedro da Cadeira skatepark is all about breathing pure air whilst flowing on some super mellow concrete. Built in 2020 by Wasteland Skateparks during the pandemic, this concrete park features a quarterpipe, a ledge, a delta, and a bowl with pool coping and tiles (assuring the unique crack sound. Grrrrrrr!). It is probably one of the cleanest parks in Portugal too thanks to the local community who nurtures and fosters the spot with love, like polishing the stone coping before our arrival! “It’s really a clean place because the park where the skatepark is located is very well cared for”, says João Sales, from Wasteland Skateparks, praising the local parish council members: “One of them is a skater and he is constantly taking care of the joints and putting the varnish on the coping.” The local love for skateboarding has another chapter that must be told: “This is a small skatepark, for the local neighbourhood, but it was even smaller in the initial design. The chairman of the parish council asked us to enlarge it, we said it was impossible for the available budget, but he helped out by paying the concrete. Thanks to this we were able to extend the skatepark, by building more obstacles with no extra costs.” São Pedro da Cadeira is a parish with a population of 5217 inhabitants belonging to the municipality of Torres Vedras, about 55 km from Lisbon. To respond to the skate fever the city council has invested in this facility inside of the Parque Verde Nossa Senhora da Nazaré, witch contrasts with the agriculture field and vineyards in the region. The bowl is definitely worth a visit, João Sales says why: “It’s not too deep because the skate scene in Portugal in 2020 was like 95 per cent street and 5 per cent transition. In this bowl the beginners lose their fear and have this pool coping with tiles that looks like we are dropping in on an empty backyard pool in someone’s house.” Extra tip: when you leave the park take a few minutes to enjoy the view from the Assenta Beach cliffs while eating the regional cake with a shape of a horseshoe. It will lift your spirit for riding the next day. Visit São Pedro da Cadeira skatepark Find out more about Wasteland skateparks

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Pataias skatepark tour

Our mission to skate every skatepark continues. This time we went to Pataias, a parish in the municipality of Alcobaça, on the West Portugal coast. Next to the Perforated Valley Beach and surrounded by trees, the park offers a combination of nature and skate, with a variety of obstacles that make sure you can ride multiple lines. The iodine from the Atlantic air enters deep into the pores, that’s a sign the beach is very close. A journey where we can fall on concrete or water. It’s good to have a menu of choices. Diversity is what Pataias Skatepark offers, with a variety of obstacles that provides multiple lines, with a pyramid dividing the park into a transition and street section. Who said a small park has to be boring? “When you have a bank with two quarterpipes it’s possible to go to the sides and not just back and forth. It’s a detail that matters deeply”, says João Sales, chairman of Wasteland Skateparks, the builder responsible for its construction in 2017. The broom is mandatory, but not because of human garbage. It’s the only drawback of having a pine forest as neighbour. But once it's clean you're ready for your fresh air session. Wasteland Skateparks carries the flag all the time: every park must be unique. This one, for instance, has a special feature: a single piece of pool coping on the quarterpipe. “There is nothing like this elsewhere in Portugal”, João Sales ensures, explaing why each skatepark must have its singularity: “There is so much to create in skateboarding, that it’s not worth to replicate ideas. The fun thing is to visit different parks and meet up with different people to learn from them and teach them at the same time.” Special note: Sunday might even be the best day if you want to skate and travel to Pataias, because the Sunday market, right next to the park, is the perfect way to finish off your session. The small tents with barbecue are irresistible, especially after a three-hour session where we gave it all. It was the perfect fuel for the next stage: a long and challenging downhill toward the Perforated Valley Beach (it’s how it is called, like if there was a hole in the valley). There is no greater sense of freedom than this. It’s the hidden secret of Pataias. Visit Pataias skatepark Find out more about Wasteland skateparks

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Nazaré skatepark tour

Our mission to skate every skatepark continues. This time we went to Nazaré, a village in the West Portugal coast, known worldwide for its giant waves. To honour that legacy and prestige, the local skatepark features a handmade concrete wave. You don’t find anything like this in the rest of the country. While elderly woman display long stalls of dried fish, waiting for the sun to do its work (the same fish their husbands, brothers and sons caught in the Atlantic Sea); while surfers are keen to surf the famous giant waves in Praia do Norte, an achievement only for the brave; while tourists save moments for eternity by taking pictures in the promontory O Sítio; while locals and outsiders enjoy the seafood, the Trucks and Fins crew proved that Nazaré is a place to skate as well. After leaving the Pousada da Juventude in Alfeizerão with its rural landscape and family of sheep behind, we went straight to Nazaré Skatepark to check out the vibe and a special feature: a concrete wave of 2,20 meters, which makes this small, but fun park, unique. “There’s no other like this in Portugal”, says João Sales, chairman of Wasteland Skateparks, responsible for Nazaré Skatepark’s profound renovation in 2014. “Once we were in Nazaré, we thought it would make sense to invite surfers to skate this park. I was inspired by a park in the Basque Country in Spain, which has this special characteristic. It’s totally handmade, the concrete was placed manually, and it turned out to be something between vertical and inverted. It’s a 2,20-meter wave, something really cool”, he adds. This was one of the first public skateparks built by Wasteland Skateparks. Building is not really the right word; adapting is the one. “There was a previous park here. The actual mayor, Walter Chicharro, who decided to develop sports activities in Nazaré, asked us to renovate the park with a small budget. We did that”, João Sales proudly remembers, explaining why he had to build small ramps on the bottom side of the park: “There’s a wall and a parking lot. We always must adjust to the surroundings.” Nazaré Skatepark was not made for big crowds. It fits about 15 riders at the same time, and you can skate three possible lines by exploring the quarterpipes, the delta, the spine, and other street obstacles. Some improvements are needed, though, João Sales acknowledges this. “It’s more a bureaucracy issue, but because we have a big affection for this park and for the local skaters, sometimes we come here to fill some concrete holes and to fix the rails”, says the Wasteland Skateparks’ chairman. This park has one major plus point: its astonishing location. Going to this village in the Silver Coast of Portugal is a full experience. Even better with a skateboard. Visit Nazare skatepark Find out more about Wasteland skateparks

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Sobral de Monte Agraço skatepark tour - the windmill

Our search for skateparks in Portugal continues. This time we went to Sobral de Monte Agraço, a parish in the municipality with the same name, on the West Portugal coast. Set in a rural landscape, this park transports us back to the past. The Sobral de Monte Agraço is a good example of a park that looks better than it is. The park comes with a little extra challenge, a special slant. The park doesn't have a straightforward inclination, it even goes slightly laterally down as well. So basically a bit too much speed in one direction and not enough in the opposite direction. But hell, maybe we are being picky. It is a challenging small park, indeed. Bring a broom, because the skatepark is located in a small forest area so you might have some cleaning to do. Located 44 km from Lisbon, this municipality with 10.541 inhabitants offers the tranquillity to skate and a nature experience, creating that unique time stop sensation. Going there in September has a plus point: you can enjoy the annual fair with traditional food and the bull runs. Is there a better warmup? Visit Sobral de Monte Agraço skatepark

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Ribamar skatepark tour in Portugal

Embarking on a mission to skate every skatepark in Portugal brings you to unexpected destinations, each with its own unique charm. Our journey led us to Ribamar skatepark, nestled near the picturesque town of Lourinhã. While it may not boast the grandeur of some renowned skateparks, Ribamar captivates with its unconventional design and the opportunity to test our skills in overcoming its quirks. After a fun couple of hours, we decided to wrap up the day at the scenic beach of Areia Branca. Join us as we delve into our experience at Ribamar and its surrounding beauty.   Ribamar skatepark may not be the most famous destination on Portugal's skateboarding map, but its unassuming nature conceals an intriguing skate spot. Located near the charming town of Lourinhã, Ribamar skatepark offers a unique experience for skateboarders seeking a challenge. While some may perceive its peculiar obstacles as drawbacks, we found them to be an opportunity for creativity and pushing our skills. Embracing the Quirky Design Upon arriving at Ribamar skatepark, we were greeted by a collection of unconventional obstacles that piqued our curiosity. The park's layout features an amalgamation of eclectic elements, from oddly shaped ramps to curiously placed ledges. It may take a few tries to adapt to the park's idiosyncrasies, but once we embraced the challenge, it became a playground of possibilities. Ribamar skatepark encouraged us to think outside the box, igniting our imagination and pushing us to invent new lines. Making the Most of It Despite the initial unfamiliarity, we quickly found our rhythm at Ribamar and each trick we landed felt like a small victory. Ribamar's quirkiness transformed our skate session into a fun and challenging experience filled with laughter and a sense of accomplishment. Rewarding Scenic Escape As the sun began to set, we wrapped up our session at Ribamar and set our sights on the nearby beach of Areia Branca. Just a stone's throw away, this picturesque coastal spot offered the perfect retreat to relax and reflect on our skatepark conquest. We reveled in the beauty of the sandy shorelines, the soothing sound of crashing waves, and the refreshing ocean breeze. Conclusion Ribamar skatepark near Lourinhã may not be the most conventional skatepark you'll come across, but it presents a challenge for skateboarders eager to break away from the norm. Its peculiar design and quirky obstacles invite skaters to unleash their creativity and master new tricks. Moreover, the proximity to the breathtaking beach of Areia Branca provides a picturesque escape to unwind and savor the sense of accomplishment. So, if you find yourself on a skateboarding adventure through Portugal, don't miss the opportunity to embrace the uniqueness of Ribamar skatepark and discover the hidden charm of Lourinhã's skate scene. Crew of the day: Rodrigo Simão, Margarida Cepeda, Purple and Madmax. Visit Ribamar skatepark

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Arruda dos Vinhos Skatepark tour

Embarking on our mission to skate every skatepark in Portugal, we arrived at Arruda dos Vinhos, a small town nestled in the western region of the country. Despite the scorching 30-degree Celsius temperatures, we were determined to make the most of our skate session at the local skatepark. Although Arruda dos Vinhos Skatepark may not boast the most impressive features, its basic setup and scenic surroundings provided us with an enjoyable afternoon with our crew. Arruda dos Vinhos Arruda dos Vinhos, located approximately 30 kilometers north of Lisbon, is a charming municipality in the Lisbon District. With a population of around 14,000 residents, this town exudes a peaceful atmosphere and offers a refreshing escape from the bustling city life. The area is known for its picturesque landscapes, surrounded by rolling vineyards and lush greenery. Despite its relatively small size, Arruda dos Vinhos has a rich cultural heritage and traditional Portuguese charm. While the skatepark may not be the main draw, Arruda dos Vinhos offers a scenic backdrop that adds to the overall experience. The town's natural beauty and idyllic surroundings make it a pleasant place to spend time outdoors. After a session at the skatepark, take a stroll through the town's charming streets and relax at local cafes. Interested in the wine scene? Don't miss the opportunity to explore the vineyards and wineries in the area, where you can sample regional wines and learn about the winemaking process. Arruda dos Vinhos skatepark The Arruda dos Vinhos skatepark, while not the most "remarkable" in terms of design, still provides a space for skaters to have some fun. Built with basic metal elements, the skatepark follows a simple back-and-forth setup, featuring a quarter pipe, a bank, and a jumpbox. In conclusion, Arruda dos Vinhos Skatepark may not be the most remarkable skatepark in Portugal, but it provided us with a decent skate session in a beautiful setting. The town's scenic landscapes, cultural heritage, and welcoming atmosphere make it worth a visit for those seeking a peaceful escape from city life. While you're there, take the time to explore the local attractions, taste the delicious wines, and immerse yourself in the traditional Portuguese charm of Arruda dos Vinhos. Crew of the day: Rodrigo Simão, Margarida Cepeda, Purple Visit Arruda dos Vinhos skatepark

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Lourinhã skatepark tour in Portugal

Continuing our mission to conquer every skatepark in Portugal, we arrived at Lourinhã, a charming coastal town located in the western region of the country. Our focus this time was Lourinhã Skatepark, a haven for skateboarders seeking a session in the Oeste area of Portugal. With its unique features and street section with a nice variety of obstacles, the skatepark offered us hours of fun before we headed back to Dropin Surfcamp, where we concluded our day with more skating. Little did we know that Lourinhã had more to offer than just a fantastic skatepark. Lourinhã, the land of dinosaurs Lourinhã is a municipality in the Lisbon District, known for its rich history and captivating natural beauty. With a population of around 26,000 residents, this quaint town holds a special place in Portugal's cultural heritage. Lourinhã is also famous for its dinosaur fossils, making it a popular destination for paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts alike. The region's unique geological features have preserved a significant number of dinosaur remains, earning Lourinhã the nickname "Land of Dinosaurs." Lourinhã Skatepark Lourinhã Skatepark stands as a testament to the town's vibrant skateboarding scene. The skatepark is an older park featuring two small bowls connected by a spine, offering skaters the opportunity to transition between the bowls. The street section of the skatepark is well-designed, boasting a variety of obstacles such as rails, ledges, and stairs. Lourinhã Skatepark proved to be a playground where we could unleash our creativity.   Dropin Surf camp After our skate session, we headed back to Dropin Surfcamp to continue the stoke. Dropin Surfcamp, located in Lourinhã, extends its warm hospitality to skaters as well. They welcomed us to stay for the weekend, offering not only a place to rest but also a chance to further explore our passion for skating. With their bowl and miniramp facilities, we were able to continue our skateboarding adventures, honing our skills and enjoying the laid-back atmosphere. Dropin Surfcamp perfectly complemented our experience in Lourinhã, providing us with a well-rounded and unforgettable weekend getaway. In conclusion, Lourinhã Skatepark proved to be an exhilarating stop on our skatepark tour in Portugal. Beyond the skatepark itself, Lourinhã itself holds a captivating history, particularly with its dinosaur fossils that have garnered international attention. Whether you're drawn to the skatepark's unique layout or the town's dinosaur legacy, Lourinhã offers a delightful blend of adventure and cultural exploration. If you find yourself in this charming coastal town, don't miss the chance to shred at Lourinhã Skatepark and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of dinosaurs that once roamed this remarkable region. Crew of the day: Rodrigo Simão, Margarida Cepeda, Purple and Madmax. Visit Lourinhã skatepark

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Cadaval Skatepark tour

Continuing our mission to skate every skatepark in Portugal, we arrived at Cadaval, a charming town situated in the picturesque region of the Lisbon District. Our next destination was Cadaval Skatepark, nestled within Parque dos Lápis. Designed by Francisco Lopez, this concrete skatepark boasts a street-focused layout in a back-and-forth setup with a nice variety of obstacles. Accompanied by a crew consisting of Tiago Miguel, Rodrigo Russo, Rodrigo Simão, myself and Madmax, we embarked on a good vibe session, reveling in the park's diverse obstacles, flow, and various lines to explore. Cadaval Cadaval, with its population of approximately 13,382, offers a serene and welcoming atmosphere, making it an ideal setting for our next stop. The town exudes traditional Portuguese charm, with its narrow streets, quaint houses, and vibrant community. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Lisbon District, Cadaval provides a refreshing escape from city life. Cadaval's unique inviting ambiance added an extra layer of enjoyment to our trip. Cadaval skatepark The skatepark presents an array of obstacles, from rails, spine, ledges and more. The park offers a nice variety of features that enable riders to find their own lines and navigate the flow of the park with style. Fun park to explore its dynamic setup. To top off the day, we ventured beyond the skatepark, exploring the streets of Cadaval to discover some street spots. It was a fitting end to a fulfilling day of skating, leaving us with a sense of accomplishment and anticipation for our next skatepark roadtrip. In conclusion, Cadaval Skatepark in Parque dos Lápis provided us with an invigorating skateboarding experience, surrounded by the welcoming ambiance of Cadaval itself. This small town, with its rich heritage and serene atmosphere, offered the perfect backdrop for our skate session. Whether you're a local skater or a visitor exploring the Lisbon District, Cadaval Skatepark is a must-visit destination for skateboarders seeking a diverse street-skating experience without crowd. Embrace the charm of Cadaval. Crew: Tiago Miguel, Rodrigo Russo, Rodrigo Simão, Madmax and Haroun Cherif Visit Cadaval skatepark on our marp

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Bombarral skatepark tour in Portugal

Continuing our mission to skate every skatepark in Portugal, our next stop brought us to Bombarral, a small town situated in the Lisbon District. Our attention turned to Bombarral Skatepark, which, to be frank, falls short of being one of the best skateparks in the region. However, with the determination to make the most of our visit, we gathered a special crew consisting of Tiago Miguel, Rodrigo Russo, and Rodrigo Simão. Despite the park's shortcomings and in need of repair, our goal was to infuse it with our vibe and style, striving to make something seemingly lackluster appear extraordinary. Bombarral Bombarral, with its close-knit community and modest population, offers a unique glimpse into the authentic Portuguese lifestyle. Nestled within the picturesque Lisbon District, the town boasts a tranquil atmosphere and a blend of historical and contemporary elements. While Bombarral may not be known for its skateboarding scene or extraordinary landmarks, its simplicity and unassuming charm provided a refreshing change of pace. We approached Bombarral Skatepark with the mindset of elevating it beyond its limitations and showcasing the transformative power of skateboarding. Bombarral Skatepark Bombarral Skatepark, while certainly in need of repair and lacking in standout features, became our canvas for creativity. Instead of bemoaning its condition, we took the opportunity to reimagine the space. We did our best to make even the simplest elements look remarkable. This skate session served as a testament to the power of a passionate crew, showcasing that with the right mindset and determination, any skatepark can become a platform for self-expression and inspiration.   While Bombarral Skatepark may not have left a lasting impression as one of Portugal's top skateparks, the experience in Bombarral itself was a reminder of the beauty in finding joy in unexpected places. Our visit to Bombarral Skatepark became a reminder that sometimes it's not about the quality of the park, but rather the spirit and enthusiasm we bring to it. Every skatepark holds the potential for transformation and self-expression, regardless of its initial condition. In conclusion, Bombarral Skatepark in the heart of Bombarral may not have ranked among the best skateparks, but it provided a unique opportunity for us to showcase the transformative power of skateboarding. Bombarral, with its humble charm and simplicity, served as a reminder that skateboarding is about more than just the location—it's about the passion, creativity, and camaraderie that can turn any skatepark into a canvas for self-expression and fun. Crew: Tiago Miguel, Rodrigo Russo, Rodrigo Simão, and Haroun Cherif Visit Bombarral skatepark on our marp

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Alenquer skatepark tour in Portugal

Continuing our epic to skate and film every skatepark in Portugal, we arrived at Alenquer, a town with a rich historical background located in the Lisbon District. Our next stop was Alenquer Skatepark, a modest park boasting a simple setup featuring a miniramp, quarter pipe, bank, ledge, and two rails. While not the most thrilling skatepark, Alenquer Skatepark still offered us a chance to enjoy some skateboarding if we happened to be in the area. Beyond the skatepark, Alenquer holds a special charm with its population, historical landmarks, and inviting atmosphere. Alenquer Alenquer is a municipality with a population of approximately 44442 residents, situated in the Lisbon District of Portugal. This town, steeped in history, boasts a rich heritage and is known for its medieval castle. The Alenquer Castle, a magnificent structure, stands as a reminder of the region's past and offers visitors a glimpse into the town's historical significance. With its cobblestone streets, traditional Portuguese architecture, and warm community, Alenquer captures the essence of a charming, small town. Beyond the skatepark, Alenquer offers a variety of attractions and activities to explore. Aside from the impressive Alenquer Castle, visitors can wander through the town's streets and discover historic landmarks, traditional shops, and cozy cafes. The town's inviting atmosphere makes it an ideal place to immerse oneself in the local culture and soak up the authentic Portuguese ambiance. Alenquer's rich history, combined with its warm community, creates a unique experience for visitors seeking to connect with the town's heritage. Alenquer skatepark Alenquer Skatepark may not offer the most exciting skateboarding experience, but it serves as a decent spot if you find yourself in the area. The park's basic features, including the miniramp, quarter pipe, bank, ledge, and rails, provide skaters with the opportunity to practice their skills and enjoy a session in a calm environment. While the park may not attract skaters from afar, it caters to the local skateboarding community and offers a convenient place for residents and nearby skaters to enjoy some skateboarding fun. In conclusion, while Alenquer Skatepark may not be the most thrilling or destination-worthy skatepark in Portugal, it still holds value for those in the area looking for a place to skate. Alenquer itself, with its historical significance, population, and welcoming atmosphere, adds to the overall experience. Whether you're exploring the medieval Alenquer Castle or enjoying a session at the skatepark, the town offers a glimpse into Portugal's past and a chance to appreciate the beauty of its small-town charm. Crew: Margarida Cepeda, Rodrigo Simão Visit Alenquer skatepark

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Peniche skatepark tour in Portugal

Continuing our ambitious mission to skate and film every skatepark in Portugal, we arrived at Peniche, a renowned surfer's paradise located in the western coastal region of the country. Our next stop was Peniche Skatepark, unfortunately known as one of the worst skateparks in Portugal. Despite its lackluster reputation, we were joined by a dedicated crew consisting of Tiago Miguel, Buga, Margarida Cepeda, and Rodrigo Simão behind the camera. While the skatepark may not be worth visiting, Peniche's vibrant surf culture and picturesque setting compensate for its underwhelming skatepark. Peniche skatepark Peniche Skatepark, unfortunately, falls short of expectations when it comes to skateboarding facilities. Considered one of the worst skateparks in Portugal, its limitations and lack of quality hinder the potential for a remarkable skate session. However, our crew embraced the challenge, using their skills and creativity to make the most of the limited features. Tiago Miguel, Buga, and Margarida Cepeda pushed their limits, finding lines and tricks within the constraints of the skatepark, while Rodrigo Simão captured the action behind the camera. While the skatepark may not be noteworthy, the dedication and passion of our crew shone through, making the best of an underwhelming situation.   Peniche Peniche, with its population of approximately 26,429 residents, holds a special place in the hearts of surfers worldwide. Situated on a peninsula, Peniche is blessed with stunning beaches and world-class waves that attract surf enthusiasts from all corners of the globe. The town exudes a laid-back, coastal vibe and offers a vibrant surf culture that permeates its streets and waters. Beyond the skatepark, Peniche provides an array of experiences for those seeking sun, sand, and unforgettable surf sessions. Beyond the skatepark, Peniche offers a treasure trove of experiences. The town's historic center showcases its rich maritime heritage and offers charming streets to wander, lined with cafes, restaurants, and shops. Peniche's location on the coast provides an opportunity for breathtaking coastal walks, invigorating swims, or simply basking in the beauty of the surrounding nature. Surfers will find themselves in paradise, with numerous surf breaks catering to different skill levels. Peniche's vibrant surf culture, coupled with its natural beauty, makes it a destination worth exploring, even if the skatepark doesn't live up to expectations. In conclusion, while Peniche Skatepark may not be a standout destination for skateboarders, Peniche itself compensates with its vibrant surf culture, breathtaking beaches, and picturesque coastal setting. Surfers flock to Peniche for its world-class waves, and although the skatepark falls short, our crew made the best of the situation, showcasing their dedication and creativity. From the town's historic center to the exhilarating surf breaks, Peniche offers a diverse range of experiences for visitors seeking a coastal adventure in Portugal. Crew: Tiago Miguel, Buga, Margarida Cepeda and Rodrigo Simão Visit Peniche skatepark

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Caldas da Rainha skatepark tour in Portugal

Our journey to conquer every skate park in Portugal has led us to the vibrant town of Caldas da Rainha, where history and modernity seamlessly blend. Nestled in the heart of the Estremadura region, this charming town has much to offer, from its exciting skatepark to the serene Mata Dona Leonor Park, where we enjoyed a well-deserved break after shredding the ramps. Caldas da Rainha Skatepark boasts a variety of ramps, rails, and transition area that cater to skaters of all skill levels. While Caldas da Rainha Skatepark embraces the contemporary skate culture, the town itself has a fascinating history that's worth exploring. Caldas da Rainha was founded in the 15th century by Queen Leonor, hence its name, which translates to "Queen's Hot Springs." The town's thermal waters were highly regarded for their healing properties, drawing visitors seeking relief from various ailments. Today, you can still find the Queen's Hospital, a magnificent historical building that stands as a testament to the town's royal past.   After a fun skate session, we decided to recharge at Mata Dona Leonor Park, a hidden gem just a stone's throw away from the skatepark. This tranquil oasis offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and recreational amenities. We laid out our picnic blankets and indulged in a delicious lunch, surrounded by lush greenery and the harmonious sounds of nature. The park is a favorite among locals, providing a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For those planning a visit to Caldas da Rainha, there are several other must-see attractions worth exploring. The charming Praça da Fruta (Fruit Square) hosts a bustling market every day, where you can sample fresh local produce and immerse yourself in the town's vibrant culture. Additionally, the Cultural and Congress Center designed by the renowned architect Alvaro Siza Vieira is a modern architectural masterpiece that should not be missed. As we bid farewell to Caldas da Rainha and set our sights on the next skatepark adventure, we carry with us fond memories of a town that gracefully balances its rich history with the thrill of skateboarding. Until the next ride, keep pushing your boundaries and embracing the beauty of exploration, one trick at a time! Stay tuned for our next destination as we continue our quest to uncover Portugal's skateboarding gems. Happy skating! Visit Caldas da Rainha skatepark

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Torres Vedras skatepark tour in Portugal

Welcome to the next exciting stop on our mission to skate and film every skatepark in Portugal! Today, we find ourselves in Torres Vedras, a city steeped in history and a vibrant skateboarding community. As we explore this charming place, we can't help but notice the rich heritage that blends seamlessly with the modern skateboarding culture. While the skatepark itself may be in need of some love and attention, the abundance of high-quality street spots makes Torres Vedras one of the best places we've visited on our skateboarding journey. Historical Charm Torres Vedras boasts a captivating history that dates back centuries. The city was strategically fortified during the Peninsular War, earning it the title of "Lines of Torres Vedras" – a defensive system that successfully halted the French invasion in the early 19th century. Today, visitors can still explore remnants of these fortifications and gain a glimpse into Portugal's past. The blend of old architecture and modern influences creates a unique backdrop for our skateboarding escapades, giving us a sense of connection with the past as we ride through the streets.   Places to Visit Beyond skateboarding, Torres Vedras offers a plethora of attractions for everyone to enjoy. The historic city center, with its narrow cobblestone streets and picturesque squares, is perfect for leisurely strolls. As we explore, we stumble upon quaint cafes serving delicious pastries and local delicacies. For a touch of culture, we immerse ourselves in the city's museums and art galleries, where the work of talented Portuguese artists is proudly displayed. Population and Community With a warm and welcoming population, Torres Vedras embraces its skateboarding community with open arms. We find like-minded individuals eager to join us in our mission to revive the skatepark and celebrate the sport we love. The locals' passion for skateboarding is evident. As we bond over shared tricks and tips, we discover that skateboarding has become a powerful unifying force in this charming city. Conclusion In conclusion, Torres Vedras captivates our hearts with its rich history, charming streets, and welcoming community. While the skatepark may be in need of renovation, the abundance of high-quality street spots compensates for it and makes Torres Vedras a must-visit destination for skateboarders of all levels. As we continue our journey across Portugal, we're grateful for the experiences and connections we've made in this extraordinary city. So, join us as we ride the streets, embrace the past, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Skate on! 🛹✨ Stay tuned for more skateboarding adventures and follow our journey. Visit Torres Vedras skatepark

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Santarém skatepark tour in Portugal

Nestled in the heart of Portugal, the vibrant town of Santarém boasts an extraordinary gem for skateboarders and enthusiasts alike—the Santarém Skatepark. This urban oasis is more than just a place to ride; it's a masterpiece inspired by renowned skateboarding spots around the world. The ingenious design marries elements from iconic locales like the Hubba Hideout in San Francisco, the Brooklyn Banks in New York, and the Las Olas de Besós in Barcelona, resulting in a skatepark that's a true homage to the global skateboarding culture. The homage to these legendary spots isn't just a mere replication—it's a celebration of the spirit of skateboarding that transcends borders. The Hubba Hideout's legendary stair set, the Brooklyn Banks' urban feel under your board, and the flowing lines of Las Olas de Besós' waves have all found a harmonious home in Santarém. This park isn't just a spot; it's a testament to the universal language of skateboarding. Beyond the skatepark, Santarém has much to offer curious explorers. As you take a break after a session, immerse yourself in the town's rich history and culture. Wander through its charming streets to discover medieval churches, gardens, museums and charming restaurants. The imposing Santarém Cathedral, a stunning example of Gothic architecture, is a must-visit, offering panoramic views of the town. Santarém isn't just a skateboarding haven; it's a multifaceted experience waiting to be explored.   Santarém Skatepark stands as a testament to the boundless creativity that define skateboarding. As you navigate its inspired features, take a moment to appreciate the artistry that went into blending these legendary spots into a single, awe-inspiring playground. In Santarém, skateboarding and exploration unite, promising an unforgettable day in Portugal. Crew of the day: Rodrigo Russo (local skater), Tiago Miguel and Rodrigo Simão behind the camera. Visit Santarem skatepark

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Almeirim skatepark tour in Portugal

Nestled within the town of Almeirim in Portugal, an inconic spot awaits skateboarders seeking an authentic and gritty experience. Almeirim Skatepark, known for its raw charm and challenging terrain, isn't a park in mint conditions. It's golden days are over. But we gathered the right crew together, who like it rough, met up with some locals and made some memories to last a life time. Almeirim Skatepark may wear its rough edges with pride, but it's precisely this unrefined character and the locals that made this session one to be remembered. Beyond its skateboarding allure, Almeirim offers a charming escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. With a population of approximately 12,000 residents, this quaint town is rich in history and culture. Known as the "Capital of the Soup" due to its famous gastronomic festivals, Almeirim invites visitors to indulge in traditional Portuguese cuisine. Exploring the historic center reveals architectural marvels such as the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Almeirim Castle ruins. For those seeking leisurely pursuits, the tranquil banks of the Tagus River provide an ideal setting for relaxation. Extra tip: don't bring a broom, but bring shitloads of them. You are going to have some cleaning to do. Crew of the day: Tiago Miguel, Rodrigo Russo, Rodrigo Simão, and Haroun Cherif Visit Almeirim skatepark on our skate map

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São Pedro do Sul skatepark tour in Portugal

Park nr 36 on our mission to skate every skatepark in Portugal is São Pedro do Sul Skatepark near Viseu.First of all I would like to say thanks to Wasteland skateparks and Gochill for supporting our latest roadtrip on our mission to film/skate every skatepark in Portugal. This time we decided to head up north and visit six skateparks build by the Portuguese builders Wasteland skateparks. Our first stop? São Pedro do Sul, a charming municipality nestled in the Central Portuguese district of Viseu, boasting a population of 5,728 inhabitants. Stretching across 14 picturesque parishes within an expansive 350 km² area, São Pedro do Sul is a part of the enchanting territory known as Montanhas Mágicas. While the region is renowned for its therapeutic thermal baths, it holds another treasure—a skatepark waiting to be explored. The skatepark in São Pedro do Sul is also definitely worth a visit. It's a fun park to cruise around and learn some new tricks. The mellow snake run provides different heights, so basically it's the perfect training ground to unlock new transition tricks that you've got on your bucket list of tricks. Looking for a place to stay check out the Pousadas de Juventude de Portugal in São Pedro do Sul. We really enjoyed our stay here and definitely recommend this pousada. The hotel is located in the middle of the historic center and everything is walking distance. Too bad we only stayed one night, because we could definitely chill here for a couple of days.

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Almada skatepark tour in Portugal 2024

Almada skatepark - Episode 43 of our mission to skate every skatepark in Portugal The mission continues. Last weekend we took the crew to the 7th anniversary of Santo André skatepark and along the way decided to visit Almada skatepark built by our friends Wasteland skateparks. Skatepark approved: we had a blast.Crew of the tour Patrick Costa, Buga, Tiago Miguel, Guilherme Felisberto, Pablitoo, Hugo Cruz taking care of the photography and Rodrigo Correia behind the camera and edit.Vist Almada skatepark on skate map.

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Santo André skate plaza 7th anniversary party

7 years of Santo André skate plaza. A party we couldn't miss. Our next stop on our mission to skate and film every single park in Portugal is Santo André skateplaza, a special place in Portugal. Santo André skate plaza is one of a handful of parks in Portugal that has a strong community, is well maintained and organises events for the community on a regular basis. So when we heard about the 7th anniversary of the park I got a bunch of our crew together and decided to go and have some fun and film the event.Discover more about Santo André skatepark

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Parque Urbano Do Outeiro da Vela pumptrack - Portugal roadtrip

Parque Urbano do Outeiro da Vela pumptrack Spot nr 49 on our mission to skate every park in Portugal is Parque Urbano do Outeiro da Vela pumptrack in Cascais, aka Cascais pumptrack. This little asphalt track was built by Prorideportugal in 2023 and is located next to a large dirt track. This 28,000m2 Urban Park is located in Fontainhas and has an area of ​​9,500m2 entirely reserved for BTT. In this Urban Park there is a children's park, an outdoor gym, an asphalt pumptrack and a 900m network of paths that allow you to travel around the entire area and enjoy a viewpoint overlooking Cascais Bay, a mini-amphitheater, seating and picnic areas.Visit Parque Urbano do Outeira da Vela pumptrack on our skate map.

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São Domingos de Rana skatepark Tour EP50

São Domingos de Rana skatepark in Portugal. Is it worth a visit?Park number 50 on our mission to skate every park in Portugal is an unusual one, located in São Domingos de Rana, near Cascais. While it might not be a bucket list destination for skaters in this region, I personally view every park as a gift and try to remain positive about parks, because there are still so many countries in the world without even a single skatepark. Take Tunisia, for example—they've just opened their very first concrete park. I’m certain that skaters there would be thrilled with a park like this one. But positiveness aside, personally I think it's a shitty park, but it's better than nothing.Crew Tiago Miguel, Buga, Patrick Costa, Margarida Cepeda, Guilherme Felisberto Visit São Domingos de Rana skatepark on our skate map

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10 best skateparks in Belgium

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The new Gondomar skatepark in Portugal - A Premier Destination for Skaters in Portugal

The new Gondomar skatepark built by Wasteland SkateparksIn the heart of Gondomar, Portugal, the city has unveiled an impressive new skatepark, transforming a once-unused area beneath the A43 viaduct into a state-of-the-art recreational complex. Officially inaugurated on August 3, 2024, the park is a testament to the city’s commitment to providing high-quality, multifunctional spaces that cater to a wide variety of sports and leisure activities. From skateboarding to basketball, padel, and football, the park spans 16,500 square meters and has quickly become a top attraction in the Porto metropolitan area. Designed by architect Marcelo Lambiasi and built by the Portuguese legends Wasteland skateparks, the skatepark stands out with its innovative design that makes full use of Gondomar’s natural landscape. With a 1,300-square-meter skate area, this facility includes both a “street” section equipped with rails, ledges and banks and a medium-sized bowl, perfect for fluid, dynamic skating. The street elements mimic urban architecture, providing endless possibilities for technical tricks, while the bowl’s smooth curves offer skaters the freedom to flow and build momentum. The park is crafted from durable materials like granite, steel, and concrete, ensuring its longevity while also reflecting a clean, modern aesthetic​. With an investment of €1.5 million, the Parque Urbano de Ramalde marks a key addition to Gondomar’s network of urban parks. By creating spaces that appeal to a variety of interests, the city aims to improve local quality of life, promote physical activity, and make Gondomar a top destination for residents and visitors alike. As one of the largest skateparks in Portugal, Gondomar's latest attraction is setting a new standard for recreational spaces in the region.Visit Gondomar skatepark on map

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Vagos skatepark in Portugal - perfect park to unblock and learn some new tricks

Want to unblock and learn some tricks? Vagos skatepark is the place to beThe Vagos Skatepark, located in Vagos, Aveiro, Portugal, is a compact flow park spanning approximately 250 square meters. Designed and constructed by Wasteland Skateparks, it caters to beginners and enthusiasts of surf-skate and Carver skateboards. The park's layout, inspired by Evergreen Skateparks' Hillsboro project, offers a seamless and enjoyable riding experience. Situated within a residential area, the Vagos Skatepark serves as a community hub, providing a safe and engaging environment for skaters to develop their skills. Its design emphasizes smooth transitions and flowing lines, making it particularly suitable for those new to the sport. So planning a skate road trip in Portugal? Drop by Vagos skatepark and enjoy the park.Visit Vagos Skatepark on our map

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Vila Nova De Gaia deserves a better skatepark than this

Does this really count as a skatepark?Vila Nova de Gaia, commonly known as Gaia, is a prominent city in northern Portugal, situated directly across the Douro River from Porto. As part of the Porto metropolitan area, Gaia is renowned for its rich history, cultural attractions, and significant role in the production of Port wine, and its skatepark. Just kidding. It's known for everything before the skatepark part. We were traveling during the Kirk storm and the crazy rains and wind made us change our plans a bit. It didn't make sense to film Ramalde or Maia so we decided to look for a skate-able place when it's raining non-stop. All excited we arrived at the skatepark in Vila Nova De Gaia that serves 304,149 residents: a "miniramp" under a bridge. Unfortunately it was also wet, but even if it would have been dry, it still sucks. Our evaluation of this park? It falls under the better than nothing category. It's shit, yeah, I hate saying a park is shit, but this one really is. The community in Vila Nova De Gaia deserves more. Visit Vila Nova De Gaia skatepark on our map and rate the park!

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"CEPEDA" - Video part Margarida Cepeda 2023

Margarida Cepeda joins forces with Betesga SkateZine for her latest video partMargarida Cepeda, member of our Trucks and Fins crew, invited Betesga SkateZine to join her during several sessions around Lisbon. "CEPEDA" is the result of those amazing days spent together with Betesga SkateZine. Margarida, an 18 year old skater from Loures, is one of the most talented girls you can currently see shredding around the streets and parks in Portugal and always with a smile on her face. Good times and skate guaranteed. From her: "A special thanks to all who made this possible and to all who supported me along my journey. Also a thanks to my sponsors @banask8 @ementasb and @etnies Filmed by Joana Melo, Margarida Santos, Thais Espezin, Iara Sofia and André Filipe Instagram Margarida Cepeda

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"Cafezito" - Video part Tiago Sarreira 2024

Tell us a bit about your latest video part?"So this project, Cafezito, was the most recent and important project I did up to date, because it was my first solo street skateboarding video. I made it together with Cybercafe Skate Shop, and we've been working hard on this project for the last year and a half! It turned out exactly as I wanted!"Tiago Sarreira

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