Winchester Skatepark 30 Year Anniversary Tonight

Steve Olson pink keyhole photo by John Krisik.



San Jose Mercury News article.

Winchester Skatepark website

Cool skate video Shaun White no safety gear?

I wish companies would promote helmets on skateboarders and BMX riders. Head injuries suck and it bums me out that it's gotten to be uncool to wear a helmet. I've posted this before and feel people should read it.

Shaun White Skateboarding Trailer Directors Cut from Daryl Pinsdorf on Vimeo.

This is a truly moving story about Dorian Hargrove skateboarding without a helmet and having a bad head injury. It bothers me to know end that skaters think it is uncool to wear a helmet. I hope this article inspires a few to think twice before jamming down that hill, jumping that flight of stairs or dropping into that pool without a helmet. I've seen so many injuries in my day. I can't believe that the magazines, large companies that promote contests do not push for safety gear. If it gets in the way of a photo op so what.



Published Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I worked at Giro Sport Design for years and saw many photos and thank you notes from people that were saved by their helmets. Please wear one. And for all those parents that ride with their kids and don't wear one. Who's going to take care of your children if you get hurt?

Lake Cunningham double photo shoot Nikki Brooks

While waiting for the concrete to dry and between shooting with Lucia Griggi, Gary, Patti and I were skating around having fun trying some freestyle moves with Gary Holl. Nikki Brooks came over from Santa Cruz with Ben Marcus for the shoot. Nikki takes great photos as well so we got a twofer that day. This morning I was pleasantly surprised to have her send these photos and thought I would share. Patty in the bowls playing as the park was not open. I warmed up in the pool as it was super cold and there was snow on the mountain tops this day. Rick Blackhart in the full pipe was ripping until he crashed. I push the helmet thing on him and I got the finger. This run or the next he hit the ground pretty fing hard. Not saying but saying told you so.

Nikki's Jetty Girl write up.

Big thank you to the guys at the Lake Cunningham Skate Park you guys rock!

Patty created this great Women's skateboarding Audio piece that is really good, part of it was made at Lake Cunningham Skate park with Steve Caballero and his daughter Kayla who is quite the ripper.

Photo Shoot at the Santa Cruz Skatepark today

Zach sneaking a run in before the rest are over the fence with the gear.


Lucia shooting Zach Wormhoudt at the skate park named after his father. Rain cleared up and the park had dry spots.


Zach grabs my camera and shot me getting photographed. The wave was a big project and a big part of 2006-07. What was really weird is while we were waiting for the crew to show up Larry Crocker drove by and waved. He is the one that sand blasted the wave with Diamond D Concrete.



After spending 2 1/2 hours stuck at my house in Aptos due to a Sheriff road block at the only road into our neighborhood waiting for the SWAT team to come extract a neighbor who had baracaded himself in. Which caused my kids to missed their dentist appointment with Garrett Kubota at 2:00. (Had a really good excuse.) Ben Marcus emailed about meeting to shoot with Zach Wormhoudt at the Santa Cruz Skate park. Ben was just leaving from shooting Novak and Doug Haut and NHS crew. (Jeff Kendall, David Freil, Bob Denike, Tim Piumarta OG.) with photographer Lucia Griggi. How could I get to the park in 45 minutes. Well I called around and got my mom to come meet me across the field on Haas Drive. As I'm walking to meet her I notice no police road block and get back in my car and head for the park. Called her thanked her a million times over and got to the shoot in time. Ben showed up a few minutes later. Kids were skating in the wet park. One police car did a drive by a few minutes later another comes through the parking lot. Sees us and keeps driving. He then stops at the curb with his lights on and talks to the boys in the park. Zach shows up then Lucia and Jason. After the others clear we jump the fence and do the shoot. The photos might appear in the new skateboard history book with the Tony Hawk, Cab, Blackhart, Olson, The Z-boys, Logans, and many other historic skaters. I know that the Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation will for give us for barging it will be worth it down the road.

Board Rescue Twitter Page

Just set up a twitter for Board Rescue. Hope to get more donations.
http://twitter.com/boardrescue

Thanks to my dad for supporting my skating

For all the dads that take their daughters skateboarding. You'll never regret it. A short video of my skating, art and graphic design over the decades. Thanks to my dad for driving me to parks up and down the California coast. He would go golf and I would go skate. Perfect mix. He was a professional photographer, I'm glad he documented the fun. I started skating when I was 13 the same age my dad was in internment camp as a youth. I think he wanted my teenage years to be more fun. Born in Monterey he never complained or had any negative feels toward it.

Made BK's top 10 nicest list!

It was nice to read BK's interview and find myself listed with some great skaters.

Who’s the biggest asshole you’ve ever had to deal with in the skateboard industry?
Well, I’d rather not name names, but the kook that I used to report to at adidas tops the list hands down. He once told me that editorial and advertising within the brand was not to collaborate whatsoever. I’ll leave it at that.

Who’s the nicest person you’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with in the skateboard industry?
There’s just so many exceptional people in skateboarding that it would be hard to name just one of them. How about a top ten? Ray Barbee, Steve Caballero, Steve Van Doren, Karl Watson, Corey Duffel, Don Brown, Ben Krahn, Judi Oyama, Wally Inouye and Paul Schmitt.

At least I didn't make the asshole list!

Yesterday's Board Rescue article

Thanks BK at the Skatedaily for posting this article.

Saw this at my mom's and was surprised how large the article was thanks for the coverage Leo Maxam. Hope it will stir up some more goods for the kids.

Board Rescue Giving What it's all about

Stoked to see this mornings Sentinel with an article about Board Rescue. We are a non-profit trying to do good. Thank you NHS for all your support. Rich you rule. Thanks to my buds at Bell Helmets. Bob at Khiro Skate Products for sponsoring and supporting a mom skater and ripping Freestyler Gary Holl. It's nice to know that doing good is a good thing for all.

Found Skate Memories

Today I was going through some old boxes of skate stuff and found this old photo taken by John Krisik when I skated for Santa Cruz Skateboards. I remember we were at a the Sierra Wave in Sacramento and it was cold and windy out. Stayed with the Merricks and remember skating a contest there with Jamie Hart, Dave Criddle, Tom Merrick and Cliff Coleman. Fun days.

I also found the schedule for the ARA Another Roadside Attraction Slalom Series in Colorado, my worn number from sliding down the double yellow during the Capitola Classic, the Skateboardmania 6 month tour schedule that never happened, other numbers, the Hester Series fliers and scribbled race times from days gone by. A proof sheet with shots of Blackhart, Randy, Bryan Buck and myself at Winchester.

Newark, Winchester, Del Mar, Campbell. We too had so many skateparks that we were getting picky. Skated Campbell to warm up, Winchester to session and Milpitas to push one step further if you hadn't had any hard falls during the evening. The owner DOM would always try and give me a kiss. (That was one of the things I hated most about skating that park.) Loved the capsule and the snake runs and the water slide we could go cool off in right next door.

And then in a heart beat they were all gone.

35 years and still shredding

Might have to change my plans and go Friday instead of Thursday to ASR. Henry Hester, Hut, Smiley Goldman to name a few may be added to the list of skaters. Fun times. Skated with most of these guys when I started and still skate with more than a few. We stand around at the skatepark and say, "I never thought I'd still be skating like this". Hut coaching me into drop offs and then on the way home him telling me I didn't think you'd make them. I'm like oh thanks for telling me after.

Skater Girl Website

Great website Skater Girl from the UK all girls skateboarding site posted a article on the World Slalom Championships. Go LYNN!
At least I get beat by the worlds best.

Skateboard Passion "Thank You!"

A big Thank you to the companies that support my skateboard passion.

NHS
Roe Slalom Skateboards
Khiro Skateboard Products
Skate Designs Inc.
Abec 11 Wheels
Independent Truck Company
Pleasure Tool Bearings
Sockguy
Oakley Eyewear
Element Shoes
DC Shoes
Giro Helmets
Powerbar
skateboards.com
SkullCandy


I was sponsored by Van's, Offshore Clothing, Rector, Independent Trucks, Santa Cruz Skateboards, NHS back in the day. I just realized that I have not paid for any skate shoes since the late 1970's along many other skate items.

Word to the wise. Never burn a bridge because one day you may have to return over that same bridge.

Gorge Games Slalom Race Highlight

One of the best highlights of the weekend was having a blast from the past stop me as I walked up the hill from my final run of the weekend. Lisa on the left in this photo which is from our first slalom race in Capitola in 1975 when we were 14 and 15 years old. We had not seen each other in over 30 years. We had lots to talk about and had a great visit. Never even heard what the final run was. After Lynn shot that cone in front of me at the finish and having the camera guy on my right I didn't go for the last few cones since it didn't really matter at that point and I had kids and a job to return to. I can't believe I'm still out running cones and getting second place to the 5x World Champ who is almost 10 years younger and has no kids. I enjoy representing the mom's and want to see more girls and women on the hill. Not on the sidelines.

Gorge Games Final Results Today Ditto both races

Hood River / Gorge Games 2008 
Tight and Hybrid Slalom - July 19 - 20, 2008
 Columbia and Oak Streets - Hood River, Oregon, USA Women's Division


1 Lynn Kramer (Overall Women's Champion) $500.00
2 Judi Oyama
 $? Going in my kids savings whatever it turns out to be. They are paying the women the same as the men thanks Gareth!
3 Cat Young

4 Joyce Wheldrake


I'm at the airport in Portland getting reading to catch a flight home. Sunburn and tired what a great day of racing again. Yesterday was qualifying in front of Burnewiin, Fullsail Ale and Dakine in Hood River. We ran qualifying for both races and to the eight round for the pro and open classes. I was positioned third in the hybrid by .05 seconds and second in the tight. The racing as fast and fun on a fresh paved street downtown Hood River on Oak Street with full Fox TV camera crew and boom over head. They announced I was the creative director for Maximum Impact Design and the racing for all the mom's which got a nice response.

John and Adesa thanks for being great traveling partners. Always a pleasure.

Jordan Tabayoyon thanks for asking me to be part of your photo team I hope we win and for taking shots of the Roe Racing team racers. Brad Jackman, Stryker, Cory and Mark thanks for setting the great courses. Pat heal fast. Jack you did great even with the injury.

Kevin Delaney my soon to be new training partner did great! Only his second slalom race and he made the podium in all three events.

Can't wait to get home and see the family.

Slalomcross Oregon Games

Bard hope you are doing ok. You were shredding all weekend. HEAL FAST!

Khiro Skateboard Products CW Ad

Full page ad in this months Concrete Wave magazine. Sweet! It is rare to see a full page ad dedicated to women skaters. Thank you Khiro Bob! Isabelle and Lynn are the women behind the Downhill Diva skate clinics in Southern Cal.

Team Khiro!

100 Cone Challenge clean run

Had too much fun last weekend. Thanks Mark Harris for taking this video. Gareth your boards rule! John you are the "SLFG" that most don't even see coming.

Yet another posting

Thanks Kilwag for giving slalom a bit of love on Skate and Annoy.

World Cup Skateboarding

World Cup Skateboarding schedule is a busy one, now I know why Don is always emailing me from all parts of the world. Very cool.

Coming up the biggest money purse skate event ever the Maloof Money Cup July 11-13, 2008 at the Orange County Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa, and the always amazing X Games 14 July 29 - Aug 3, 2008 in Los Angeles.