Joey Brezinski talks about how much he loves skating Impact boards.
Filmed and edited by Roger Bagley.
Check out the Impact boards we have in stock here.
Joey Brezinski talks about how much he loves skating Impact boards.
Filmed and edited by Roger Bagley.
Check out the Impact boards we have in stock here.
The Revolution team skated the Valhalla Park skatepark in Cape Town recently. It was a super hot day, but we managed to get a fun session down. At the end we were proud to be able to help some of the local kids out with a few completes.
Featuring Simon Stipcich, Andrew Nero, Jean-Marc Johannes, Byron Rhoda and Ryan Naidoo.
Valhalla Park skatepark, designed by Woodies Ramps and built by Umzali Civils and Spyda Ramps, is 4300 square metres and is one of the biggest skateparks in Africa. It officially opened on the 9th of December 2013.
Filmed and edited: Matthew Lesch
GoPro footage: Greg Maxwell
Logo animation: Andrew van der Walt
Song: Tame Impala – Solitude is Bliss
You can also watch this video on Vimeo here: https://vimeo.com/87545078
This year’s Revolution Warehouse Sale will include a lot more hardgoods, including decks, wheels, bearings and trucks.
Revolution Warehouse Sale
7 – 8 March 2014
Revolution Woodstock, Woodstock Exchange, 66 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
Find out more details on the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/577423409008772/
There will also be some brand new samples from Globe and more!
021 447 6801
info@revolution.co.za
Tensor are proud to announce their new team rider Ben Fisher. This is his welcome clip. Good job, Ben!
Filipe Ortiz Rain Or Shine – Blind Damn Sundays
Filipe Ortiz is on it, regardless of rain or shine.
Revolution team rider Jean Marc’s submission for Battle At the Berrics 7 Joes vs. Pros. How tech can you get?
BATB 7 consists of games of flat ground S.K.A.T.E. This year they’re allowing entries from Ams (or Joes) to enter against the pro’s. There are currently only 6 or 7 spots left, and Jean Marc is trying to get in there.
Let’s get him there. Spread this around!
The Dew Tour Bootcamp hits CPUT (Bellville Campus) today!
Some of the biggest names in South African skateboarding and BMX are part of Mountain Dew’s award winning Dew Tour Bootcamp. The tour will visit major campuses across South Africa, offering students the chance to witness demo’s from the country’s finest. Some of the riders present include Adam Woolf, Colin Loudon and Martin Stoffberg. The Dew Tour Bootcamp boasts a freestyle skatepark where street culture, big production and action sports collide. An added highlight is the Bootcamp element, to which amateurs and enthusiasts are invited, for a training session with their favourite athletes. Once again, each event will include a gaming zone. For those who like to keep their participation a little more virtual, SKATE 3, from the award-winning SKATE franchise, is set to deliver all the rivalry of skateboarding. All this plus DJs, great give-aways, a chance to win a customised skateboard, and an endless supply of Mountain Dew, makes the Dew Tour Bootcamp a must-see event.
Upcoming Dew Tour events:
Transworld Skateboarding presents the trailer for Outliers, their 26th video. Filmed by Chris Thiessen. Featuring Riley Hawk, Lee Yankou, Neen Williams, Zered Bassett, Marius Syvanen and Brad Cromer. This one is going to be good.
Daniel Lutheran talks about his part in Toy Machine’s Brain Wash video, and how he got the opener part over Johnny Layton.
There are some super fun looking pools in this video, featuring skating from Ben Raybourn, Frank Shaw, Brad McClain, Mason Merlino, Julz Lynn, and more.
The Dew Tour Bootcamp hits UCT today!
Some of the biggest names in South African skateboarding and BMX are part of Mountain Dew’s award winning Dew Tour Bootcamp. The tour will visit major campuses across South Africa, offering students the chance to witness demo’s from the country’s finest. Some of the riders present include Adam Woolf, Colin Loudon and Martin Stoffberg. The Dew Tour Bootcamp boasts a freestyle skatepark where street culture, big production and action sports collide. An added highlight is the Bootcamp element, to which amateurs and enthusiasts are invited, for a training session with their favourite athletes. Once again, each event will include a gaming zone. For those who like to keep their participation a little more virtual, SKATE 3, from the award-winning SKATE franchise, is set to deliver all the rivalry of skateboarding. All this plus DJs, great give-aways, a chance to win a customised skateboard, and an endless supply of Mountain Dew, makes the Dew Tour Bootcamp a must-see event.
Upcoming Dew Tour events:
Dew Tour Bootcamp – CPUT (Bellville)
Is this photo an incredible piece of history or what? Rodney Mullen skating with Minor Threat sitting on the bench on the right watching him. The photo was taking c. 1982. Not bad, Glen E. Friedman, not bad.
Daewon Song and Cooper Wilt shred this rad little park and do some tricks that will blow your mind.
THE TAURUS: LOUIE BARLETTA from GLOBE on Vimeo.
The new Louie Barletta pro model shoe from Globe, The Taurus, hand whittled by the man himself.
WILDCARD WEDNESDAY!
That means a new 24 hour special, which we put up every Wednesday.
Today’s special:
Get a free set of Killer Speed Co. Trucks worth R400 when you buy any deck from Revolution Online!
Click here to get yours: http://revolutiononline.co.za/product-category/decks/
*Please note: This special is not available from any of our retail stores*
A thing of beauty, an art form, the utmost tech of the tech, the manual is much more than a trick—it’s a full-on discipline. Requiring a supernatural amount of patience, grace, and precision, manuals can literally break down even the best skateboarders on the planet. But when done right, few things in skateboarding are more impressive or gratifying than a solid, perfectly balanced manual.
And that’s exactly why we started 2UP, The Berrics’ first-ever manual contest. We built a handful of simple modular blocks and invited 10 of the world’s most balanced skaters to get creative and film their best tricks on two wheels. You decide the winner. Easy as that.
Click on the image above to see the video.
Luan Oliveira is so damn good at skateboarding. This video is really well filmed and edited. Those two things combined make for a beautiful skate video.
Blake Carpenter rides the swine in this latest video from Pig Wheels.
Dew Tour will be at CPUT (Bellville campus) today! Go hang out with them and get a free sample Mountain Dew.
Upcoming Dew Tour events:
Dew Tour Bootcamp – CPUT (Bellville)
The Dew Tour Bootcamp hits CPUT at 11am today!
Some of the biggest names in South African skateboarding and BMX are part of Mountain Dew’s award winning Dew Tour Bootcamp. The tour will visit major campuses across South Africa, offering students the chance to witness demo’s from the country’s finest.
Some of the riders present include Adam Woolf, Colin Loudon and Martin Stoffberg. The Dew Tour Bootcamp boasts a freestyle skatepark where street culture, big production and action sports collide. An added highlight is the Bootcamp element, to which amateurs and enthusiasts are invited, for a training session with their favourite athletes.
Once again, each event will include a gaming zone. For those who like to keep their participation a little more virtual, SKATE 3, from the award-winning SKATE franchise, is set to deliver all the rivalry of skateboarding. All this plus DJs, great give-aways, a chance to win a customised skateboard, and an endless supply of Mountain Dew, makes the Dew Tour Bootcamp a must-see event.
Click here to go to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/616173158455403/
SA’s Biggest Action Sports Athletes Take to the Ramp with Mountain Dew
The biggest names in South African action sports will take to the ramp in Mountain Dew’s award winning Dew Tour Bootcamp, kicking off in mid-February. This adrenaline-fuelled roadshow will visit major campuses across the country, offering students the chance to witness exciting performances by the country’s best in freestyle BMX and skateboarding.
Featuring top athletes including Adam Woolf, Colin Loudon and Martin Stoffberg, the Dew Tour Bootcamp boasts a freestyle skate park where street culture, big production and action sports collide, giving audiences the audacious show they deserve. An added highlight is the Bootcamp element, to which amateurs and enthusiasts are invited, for a training session with their favourite athletes.
Once again, each event will include a gaming zone. For those who like to keep their participation a little more virtual, SKATE 3, from the award-winning SKATE franchise, is set to deliver all the rivalry of skateboarding. All this plus DJs, great give-aways, a chance to win a customised skateboard, and an endless supply of Mountain Dew, makes the Dew Tour Bootcamp a must-see event.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/MountainDewSA or follow @Mountain_DewSA #DotheDewSA
Next Events:
Athlete Line-up:
Skate:
Adam Woolf
Martin Stoffberg
Alan Marola
Khule Ngubane
Anthony de Mendonca (Revolution team rider)
BMX:
Colin Loudon
Stuart Loudon
Malcolm Peters
David Rigby
Darren Oatley
Event Schedule
17/02/14 – Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Cape Town)
20/02/14 – University of Cape Town
24/02/14 – Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Bellville)
27/02/14 – University of Stellenbosch
07/03/14 – University of KwaZulu Natal
14/03/14 – University of Johannesburg (Kingsway)
Check out these photos from the 2013 edition of the Dew Tour Bootcamp:
Joburg’s newest skatepark, the YBF Plaza, is having a skate/BMX competition as their opening day to the public. This is going to be a good one!
YBF Skate Plaza
54 Hornbill Road
Bryanston
Johannesburg
Saturday 1 March
10am – 8pm
Food and drinks on sale
Click here to go to the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/624361380963678/
Divisions for the competitions:
1. Expert/Pro
2. Open
3. Ladies
4. Under 16
5. Under 12
6. Best Trick for the Expert/Pro entrance only.
Competition Format:
1. Heats of 3 competitors comprising of 3 minute runs.
2. A semi-final using the same format. The semi-finalists will be made up of the 12 top skaters from the heats. ( Points out of 10)
3. The final will comprise of the top six competing in 2 heats with the top 5 skaters been recognized.
Revolution is a proud sponsor of the event.
Brixton are proud to announce their Spring 2014 Collection.
Revolution is a proud stockist of Brixton MFG.
Beach Bums
Justus Kotze and Dylan Rooibokkie are at it again, this time cruising the streets of the dirty South in Cape Town. This includes bombing the hill down to Fish Hoek beach and skating the catwalk.
Good times!
This clip was filmed with team rider Justus Kotze’s Blackberry.
Alice Edy, the artist who did the recent KFD Cult Series deck graphics, was featured on Between 10 and 5. We are super stoked with her work and how the boards came out.
The KFD Cult Series decks are available now from Revolution and other fine skate stores.
Some of the Cliché team headed to the Active skatepark to film a park crashers clip. Featuring Lem Villemin, Lucas Puig, Joey Brezinski, Paul Hart, Daniel Espinoza and Andrew Brophy.
So much tech combined with style. TJ Rogers gets down to business at The Loft in the new Blind Damn Sundays.
Revolution and Verb team rider Byron Rhoda hit the Gen-X skatepark with some friends and got this rad edit filmed.
Filmed and edited by Matthew Lesch.
Tony Hawk skates the new limited edition Krooked deck, featuring artwork by Mark Gonzales. Take it back to the ’80s!
Some really rad footage collected from Ultimate X in Cape Town. Some insane skateboarding, BMX, FMX and Wakeboarding went down on the day. There is some serious talent in South Africa.
Shot entirely on the GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition.
Edited by Chris Rogers.
French Fred treats us to some footage from a bunch of sessions, featuring Pat Channita, Kerry Getz, Geoff Rowley, Arto Saari, Donny Barley, Mark Appleyard, Omar Hassan, Brian Anderson, Chad Fernandez, and more.
Andrew Nero recently travelled to Muscat in Oman (Middle East). Here’s some rad footage he got there.
VOLCOM X SHECKLER WELCOME BACK! from Volcom Stone on Vimeo.
Volcom welcomes Ryan Sheckler back to the team.
Volcom couldn’t be more ecstatic to embark on the many new and exciting projects to come, starting with Ryan’s involvement in the new surf, skate, snow film, ‘True To This’, which celebrates the connection and camaraderie of this culture that we all love. ‘True To This’ premieres on March 1st, 2014 at Volcom HQ in Costa Mesa, CA followed by a global premiere tour.
Good news for London’s skaters. Recently Mayor Boris Johnson said that he supports the London Undercroft Southbank Skatepark. He still supports the development there, but only if the skatepark remains untouched. The Southbank Centre board have decided to withhold their planning application; “The Board will now undertake a final search for an alternative funding model to keep the widely supported Festival Wing redevelopment scheme alive.”
When the original plans were announced, the skate community’s outcry was so loud that it couldn’t be ignored (see Long Live Southbank). They gave the Lambeth Council 20,000 signatures objecting.
This could be a massive win for the skateboarding community, not only in London, but worldwide.
IR o video TRAILER ESTREIA from A place for everybody on Vimeo.
Italo Romano lost his legs when he was a teenager, after a terrible train accident. He is now a professional skater. If this isn’t inspiring then we don’t know what is.
Sk8shades – Sunglasses from old skateboards. from Dave de Witt on Vimeo.
Dave is a rad guy. He talks about his company, Sk8shades, and how he now gets to make a living from his passion.
Available from Revolution Woodstock, and other fine stores.
Team rider Justus Kotze and his buddy Dylan Rooibokkie (they play in a band called Black Lung together) go on a road trip/skate mission. Good times.
Revolution Online is running a new special!
Get a free Killer Skate Tool with any full priced deck or complete ordered from Revolution Online.
Click here to order your deck or complete: http://www.revolutiononline.co.za/product-category/skate/
PLEASE NOTE: This special is not available from any of our other stores, only from Revolution Online.
WILDCARD WEDNESDAY
For 24 hours only, all Baker and Deathwish decks on Revolution Online are R450! WHAT?!
Get on it!
http://revolutiononline.co.za/product-tag/wildcard-wednesday/
PLEASE NOTE: This special is not available from any of our other stores, only from Revolution Online.
This is Pocket Cam 15 from Tum Yeto, featuring Dakota Servold, Aaron “Jaws” Homoki, Nick Merlino and Blake Carpenter. The team drive around America looking for fresh spots while they film for the new Dekline video.
If you haven’t of Matt Beach… Well, you should have. He’s a legend. Filmed at an indoor park in Oregon.
Kryptonics Wheels Chooses Jerome Bevilacqua as First Global Brand Activist
Long time skateboarder and Kryptonics Wheels supporter, Jerome Bevilacqua has been chosen as the first Global Brand Activist. Bevilacqua, 46, is a skateboarder, longboarder and creator of the popular skateboarding website Sakaroulé. When not skateboarding he is a financial auditor, or as the French like to say a “commissaire aux comptes”. Jerome resides in Guadeloupe, French West Indies, in the heart of the Caribbean.
Jerome started skateboarding in 1976, after watching a documentary on television showing the latest California trend, skateboarding. His first skateboard was a blue banana board. From the beginning he skated everything; slalom, high jump, barrel jump and quarter pipe. In 1995 Jerome began longboarding and soon become one of its greatest proponents.
Known by followers of his website and Facebook as a fetishist of urethane, Jerome describes the new Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels as only he can, “I love the consistent shape, and the comfort of the three colours : red is like velvet, blue is silk, green is like African wax. Each duro has its specific sensation. I love the 75mm: it is a great addition to the traditional sizes.”
In addition to representing Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels at skateboarding events, Jerome will also be promoting the brand through social media and via his website Sakaroulé.
In announcing Bevilacqua as the first Kryptonics Global Brand Activist, Kryptonics Wheels Brand Director Steve Douglas commented, “We could not have found a more ardent and loyal supporter of Kryptonics wheels to help us spread the word about the new Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels.”
The new line of Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels are now available from Revolution and other fine skate stores.
When did you begin skateboarding?
Back in 1976 I remember watching a documentary on TV showing a new trend in California: we could see people riding flat boards on wheels, picking up food at the grocery, then riding down the pavement. A few month later I saw my first skateboard – and got it for my 10th birthday.
Where were you living then?
I was born and raised in Lille, North of France, in the Flanders, close to the Belgium border and across the Channel, England.
Did you play other sports as kid?
Skateboard, Rollerskates, BMX (I rode a Raleigh Rampart in 1979). I started wind-surfing with my elder brothers in 1980.
What type of skateboarding did you do when you began? Slalom? Freestyle? Vert?
In the 70’s one had to try everything: hippie jump and barrel jumps over my friends! I loved slalom too – I lived in a flat land. We had a steep quarter pipe to learn “3 wheels out” and “aerials”. I had two set ups at that time: a solid Logan on Mid-Tracks then Gull Wings, and a G&S Fibreflex on ACS 651. And two sets of Kryptonics: blues and reds 65. I used to change and mix them all the time.
When did you first ride Kryptonics?
1977 – I had a stiff oak board (Logan) upgraded with Road Riders. I borrowed a board from a friend, a Sims Quicksilver set up with red Kryptonics. I felt like I was riding a magic flying carpet. I was hooked.
What color wheels/size did you ride?
I switched from reds and blues, then ended mixing front blues and reds back. In those days 65mm was comfortable, 70mm was considered huge. Later I turned to 70mm reds – they are still my favourite wheel nowadays. I have it stuck in my mind now: red wheels are faster!
How much better were they than the competition?
Above all challengers: they gave you the edge. Faster, firmer, smarter. They determined how you would skate: grippy carve for reds or slash and slide for greens (and everything in between for blues). Moreover they gave you style!
What was your favorite Kryptonics ad from back in the day?
So many! There was no internet then. Actually we’d wait for the next issue of the Skate Board Magazine to discover new adds, or sneak in USA imported mags shared as priceless relics! I think “We blue it” was among my favourites.
What is your favorite memory from skateboarding in the 70’s and early 80’s?
There was a wide lane, good tarmac, ending in a sharp L turn. When I was riding down that road I always felt like a “california dream”. Reading both fright and pleasure in your partner’s eyes while doing catamarans is always a good memory.
What is your favorite memory in skateboarding?
Meeting buddies and trying to share that strange inner feeling you get when carving the perfect line.
When and why did you become so passionate Kryptonics wheels?
I had had good times on Kryptonics and felt crossed when they were underrated or looked down upon for wrong reasons. They were not the hype they were not supported by any kind of advertising and a whole generation still had to discover them!
Have you always ridden them?
Yes. And I still do! Actually I ride many wheels and consider Kryptonics as my milestone. Some may be more grippy bigger brighter driftier or else they stand the comparison. Their ‘buttery slide’ is incomparable.
Were you in touch with the original Kryptonics company back in the 1970s and 1980s?
Not during that era. One central figure at the end of the 90’s was Tom Peterson. He was an outstanding rollerskater and a visionnaire. He turned Kryptonics towards the in line market, abandoned development for the skateboarding market but helped develop new compounds with AEND and Neil Piper. Perhaps today’s best chemist for urethanes.
Who are some of the people you have known over the years from Kryptonics?
So many. Each rider has his own memories and I often started the exploration simply by evoking the name Kryptonics.
How long has your website Sakaroule been around? What was the inspiration for starting it?
Around 2000 I started checking for wheels on the Internet and I was surprised to find few things about skateboarding. I met a famous French longboarder and blogger Pappy Boyington from Longboard in Paris and started writing to him, then blogging what I had not found elsewhere. Kryptonics raises so many fond memories and good times for several generations of skaters that I thought it was necessary to share some feedback to spread these goodies.
You recently had a Kryptonics conceptual ad contest on Sakaroule, how was the response?
Brilliant. French riders instantly found good messages appealing to several generations. Those who had seen the original ads by Jim Ford as well as those who were about to discover its special savour.
What were some of your favorite entries?
I was surprised every day when I discovered the entries. So talented, so nice, so new. I have a sweet spot for “Houston?” as it makes me smile, “We’re back” is so simple and strong, and “Back from the Dead” is in the mood of horror movies or zombies series. “Hot core” is fantastic, and I love red Kryptonics! If I had only one thing to say to any rider, it would be “get a set of Kryptonics and ride!”
What are you doing these days?
Sharing memories of the last sessions on Sakaroulé, planning the next ride, and getting fit to reach new goals!
What type of work do you do?
I am a financial auditor, a French “commissaire aux comptes”.
You’ve been riding the new Kryptos for a couple of months now; can you share your thoughts on the wheels?
Great! You know some people consider me as a fetishist of urethane. I love the consistent shape, and the comfort of the three colours: red is like velvet, blue is silk, green is like African wax. Each duro has its specific sensation. I love the 75mm: it is a great addition to the traditional sizes.
How does it feel to be the first Kryptonics Wheels Global Brand Activist?
Ask Dave! As for being an activist: I feel committed to share and suggest, and blame if need be.
Tell us a bit about where you live.
In 1990 I moved to Guadeloupe, in the heart of the Caribbean. Imagine a group of tiny tropical islands around a volcano, green forests, waterfalls, black and white sand, surrounded by the sea. It’s been more than 20 years now, and guess what? I love it.
What’s 2014 look like for you?
2013 was a transition year in many aspects. 2014 is already a great year, and we have almost 340 days left to celebrate it! I‘d like to make friends, and get involved in new ventures in Long Distance Pumping. I will share my “coups de Coeur“ on Sakaroulé!
Shane O’Neill, Luan Oliveira, Donovon Piscopo, Youness Amrani, Kilian Zehnder, Fernando Bramsmark, Marek Zaprazny and Oski shred the new Nike SB Shelter park in Berlin for its Grand Opening. It is now open to the public, so if you’re going to Germany or you live there, hit it up!
Almost Skateboards & Brian Lotti – Almost Famous Episode 4
In this episode Almost keeps it how it should be – fun! Youness skates in sweats straight from the airport, legend Brian Lotti delves into his Almost collab (shaped boards are back and Daewon is kind of a dumptruck with flames) and the team has fun waxing and abusing the curbs of South Bay.
For today’s Tattoo Tuesdays, we’re featuring some of the Revolution team rider ink. We asked them to tell us the story behind one, a few, or all of their tattoos. Enjoy…
– Anthony de Mendonca –
Kay / Anima Mundi Tattoo Studio
I just saw a pile of random pictures, and for some reason I was down for this one. I love bonsai trees and the owl, for me, is a depiction of knowledge and a sign of darkness; you know that whole story about an owl on your roof meaning that someone is going to die in the family. Basically I never plan what I’m getting. Everything I have is something from that current moment. Our body’s a temple, so why not have a few paintings? Kay is good. He has a steady hand, is super light and works really quick. Everyone at Anima Mundi has got talent and the store has the most amazing, tranquil vibe about it.
– Justus Kotze –
Hand poked by Irish James / Sins of Style
I have been extremely privileged to have had all these tattoos. All of them happened in the spur of the moment, but I put thought into it before. All of my tattoos are hand-poked, but Im not going to get into the details (Google it). My first tattoo was the harmonica on my right side of my ribs done by Seamus Casserly. We were in Kleinmont at Seamus’ family holiday house, and I politely asked him if he would be interested in poking me, hehe. It was that simple; on the couch in a super uncomfortable position, with my shirt off in the cold hours off the evening with a hangover. It was painful to say the least, so he only managed to do the outline. But after begging him for months, he managed to give it the final detail and shading.
Hand poked by Tyler B Murphy / Sins of Style
The second was the Johnny Cash portrait on my left inside of my forearm done by Tyler B Murphy. This Tattoo was very spur of the moment! I was going about my own business when Melissa said “Do you want to get a gangster tattoo done by Tyler for the Departure Zine article on Hand poked tattoos?” I was a little skeptical and scared because it was my second tattoo on my forearm and it was going to be big. But whatever, I couldn’t give that opportunity up, so I sat through 11 hours from 6pm to 5am and I still have no regrets. It is a work of pure skill and art and Johnny gets to follow me wherever I go.
Hand poked by Louis Taubert
The last, but not final tattoo, is the word HOWL on my right thigh just above my knee by my German homie Louis Taubert. This is a homies tattoo, the word howl was thought up by Dylan which heard a interesting meaning behind it by someone, which relates to us as old friends. If a wolf gets lost from the pack, the Howl is what helps them find each other and unites them. Dylan Rooibokkie got it first, then me the next day, then Wynand Herholdt the next. All just on a couch at Louis and Heidi’s house and in the Pit behind Clarke’s. Its that simple but intricate and galling at the same time.
– Jean-Marc Johannes –
Jean Marc Johannes and Brian Schaefer
Well, firstly I don’t have any other tats and I was not planning to get either. I always said that if one day I make it to Tampa Am, then it’ll be something to remember or just remind you of that journey. So it was just after my run in Tampa, Brian Schaefer, the owner of skate park of Tampa, was there there too and he was stoked because it was my first time to Tampa, first time to the States and my first tattoo.
– Ryan Naidoo –
Irish James / Sins of Style
Toilet paper. I just think it’s unique and different. Plus, I love taking shits; it’s always relaxing and peaceful, alone time for myself you know, haha!
Africa I got from my friend’s uncle who stays in Kensington. I call him Uncle Donnie. I got this tattoo because I’m a proud African. I’m not done with it, and still plan on adding something extra. I was born and bred in Cape Town, South Africa, so I’ll always be African.
– Marcel Maassen –
Rico / Wildfire Tattoos
Wu-Tang Tiger Style. I’ve been listening to Wu since I was in grade 4, so I’m still down with the Wu Gang and Gangsterism!
Rico / Wildfire Tattoos
The Hulk. I have two sides in life: I either want to fuck shit up and break everything when I get angry, or I have a smooth side where I help people out I guess. But everybody wants to be like Hulk sometimes and just run, jump and fuck shit up. Also, he’s my favourite Marvel character of course.
Rico / Wildfire Tattoos
CPT. I have fallen in love with this place. I told myself that if I can make it for a year I’d get a Cape Town tattoo. As much as I love it, I also hate it here, because it’s so easy to get drunk every night and you kind of have to say no sometimes and balance it out. Cape Town is just a damn rad vibe; all the homies, all the betties, the beach… It’s all good.
– Juan Smit –
Hand poked by Irish James / Sins of Style
My Dad was a mechanic in the airforce for 25 years, and we share birthdays on 8 April.
Hand poked by Irish James / Sins of Style
This is a World War II Shackolton Bomber. My brother and I used to play under one of them in a field on Ysterplaat Airforce Base.
Hand poked by Irish James / Sins of Style
OJ design wheel with wings. A good friend of mine, Louis Taubert, has one, so I also got one. I guess you could say that skateboarding gave me a lot of freedom in my childhood.
Hand poked by Irish James / Sins of Style
Streets Life! For the homies – Piet, Leon, Dewald, Jaakness and Craig.
– We miss you JP! –
Trevor Rogers / Dragonfire Tattoo
An amazing line by Darkstar rider Ryan Decenzo.
Thrasher Magazine’s King of the Road Highest, Longest, Most awards are so crazy. If you want to see some incredible skateboarding, watch this video.
Get a free set of Killer Chargers bearings when you purchase Killer trucks or wheels from Revolution Online!
Killer products on Revolution Online
Please not that this special is only available from Revolution Online, not any of our other retail stores.
The Nuge, Sammy Baca, Dee Ostrander and Nathan Jackson live heavy and travel light in Volume 4 – Maiden Voyage.
The Plant Sports team, including Chris Pfanner, Charles Collet and Niklas Speer von Cappeln, recently traveled to South Africa and got some tricks and good times in the bag.
The Shake Junt crew made a surprise visit to Belvedere Skatepark, where they hooked up the local kids with free product, and had a good time skating with them too. The video features Andrew Reynolds, Bryan Herman, Ishod Wair and more.
Morgan Smith skates a park in Toronto, Canada. So much style.
Sale on All Apparel and Footwear
Huge sales on now at our Revolution Cresta and Revolution Menlyn stores!
Guys: Buy 2, get 1 free (any 3 items – cheapest of the 3 is free)
Gals: Buy 1, get 1 free
While stocks last
Revolution Cresta
Shop L201B, Cresta Shopping Centre, CNR Beyers Naude and Weltevreden Road, EXT 4, Cresta, Randburg, Johannesburg
(011) 678 1685
cresta@revolution.co.za
Revolution Menlyn
Shop UF2, Parking level 6, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Atturburry Road, Menlyn Park, Pretoria
(012) 348 2959
menlyn@revolution.co.za
Chet Thomas Metal Series from DarkstarSkate on Vimeo.
The Darkstar Thomas Metal Series 8.1″ Deck is available now from Revolution stores and from Revolution Online.
Details
8.1 x 31.8 with a 14.25 wheelbase.
Hardrock maple.
Resin epoxy.
Single deck press.
Not New To This
The third webisode leasing up to the launch of True To This. Check out the Veeco Film Productions library with past and present Volcom team riders. Featuring Chet Thomas, Jamie Lynn, Caswell Berry, Terje Haakonsen, Dustin Dollin and Mitch Coleborn.
True to This is a feature film celebrating America’s First Boarding Company, Volcom.
The Enjoi team skates a pool with Salba, and do other to KOTR-type activities as they near the end.
20 Plus: Photography By Jody Morris from Jody Morris on Vimeo.
Skate photographer Jody Morris is bringing out a book called 20 Plus, featuring skate photos from the more than twenty years that Jody has been shooting, specifically images from the 1990s to 2013. Pat Duffy talks about his photo on page 136 and other crazy skate mission stories.
The book is available February 1 2014 from Half Acre Paper or Jody Morris’ website.
Lakai proudly introduces Jon Sciano and the Fura.
Filmed & Edited by Daniel Wheatley
Additional Filming: Cody Green and Pang Flannery
Music: Fugazi / Give Me The Cure
Long time skateboarder, Rob Ashby, has been named as the Kryptonics Brand Ambassador for the United Kingdom. Ashby, 51, is a skateboarder, slalom racer, race organizer and Secretary of the UK Slalom Skateboarding Association. When not skateboarding he is a Commercial Contracts Manager in the Civil Service. Rob started skateboarding in late 1975, when a friend gave him an old Roller Derby Mustang skateboard. Back in the day he skated a bit of everything; freestyle, long jump, high jump a bit of slalom, eventually gravitating towards skate parks and vert with a bit of freestyle and slalom thrown in for good measure. As Rob says, “Street skating back then just meant getting from A to B on your board.” After dabbling is slalom throughout his skating career, Rob began skating slalom seriously again in 2006 and in 2008 and entered a few European races and has never looked back.
Rob is involved in the Long Live Southbank movement and was one of the many that recently skated from Southbank to Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton to deliver over 26,000 individual planning objections.
Ashby has been riding 65mm Kryptonics Greens on his park board and has used them for bowl sessions and has have also ridden them on numerous visits to Southbank – throwing out Bert’s and 360 slides just like the old days. He also rode them on his slalom board at the European Indoor Slalom Championships in December 2013. He made use of his 70mm Reds riding them from Southbank to Lambeth Town Hall with the Long Live Southbank crew to deliver the planning objections.
In addition to representing Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels at skateboarding events, Rob will also be promoting the brand through social media.
In announcing Ashby’s joining the ambassador program, Kryptonics Wheels Brand Director Steve Douglas commented, “We are stoked to have Rob on board as our UK ambassador, his involvement in the UK skate scene throughout the years, along with his efforts in the Long Live Southbank make him a valuable addition to our program”.
The new line of Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels are coming soon to a Revolution store near you and to Revolution Online.
Interview with Rob
Tell us a bit about where you live.
I live in Cheam, Surrey, just 13 miles from the centre of London so I get the best of both worlds – far enough out to be reasonably quiet and close to the countryside yet near enough to get into London in half an hour when needed.
When did you start skateboarding?
I first stepped onto a board in 1976. It was a friends’ Roller Derby “Mustang 20” with clay wheels. I remember that on rougher road surfaces you couldn’t keep your feet on the board very long as the vibrations coming through the deck just shook you off! I then made my own from one of a pair of “Jacoskates” which I think I paid 25p for at a jumble sale? They were fitted with barrel shaped black rubber wheels with shielded loose bearings. I made the deck out of a piece of marine ply liberated from a rubbish skip and stuck some strips of emery cloth on it for grip. I learnt a lot on that first board in the subsequent months.
Did you play other sports as kid?
My father loved his football and had been a formidable centre forward in his youth and during his army days but I definitely hadn’t inherited his skills. I enjoyed fencing at school for a while but general “run of the mill sports” left me cold! I know my dad would have preferred me to play football rather than skate. “You and that bloody skateboard, why don’t you play football instead?” He would often say.
Did you skate street or vert to begin with?
When I first started skating in the 70’s you would skate a bit of everything, freestyle, long jump, high jump a bit of slalom, banks and parks. Street skating back then just meant getting from A to B on your board. I mainly skated parks and vert with a bit of freestyle and slalom thrown in for good measure – all on the one board in the beginning.
What attracted you to slalom?
A lot of that goes back to the days at Southbank which as well as bank riding, leant itself ideally to flatland slalom and freestyle. Slalom was always popular in the UK and appealed too many because, at first glance, it seemed easy and achievable on the street. You could practice slalom with empty tin cans, as there were no cones available at that time, and it was easy to pick up. Slalom also had a fair share of coverage in magazines too and racing is always easy to understand.
When did you start racing?
To be honest I didn’t race competitively at all in the 70’s and 80’s. I went to a few Brands Hatch events and may have had a run or three but I never competed as such. In the early years when equipment was fairly expensive I never had my own slalom set up. A new deck or set of park wheels was normally where my spare change went. If I was at Southbank I would often borrow a board to take a few runs on. The courses were quite tight in those days, a lot of this was attributed to the photos of slalom in magazines showing racers like Bobby Piercy and John Hutson. The logic being “That course must be tight for them to generate speed and get themselves in that position” – well there was no You Tube to watch or website to go to. Another factor then was the limited covered dry area to set a course on at Southbank when it rained; 20 cone, 4 foot straight wasn’t uncommon. Southbank was good breeding ground for many of the UK’s first class slalom racers back then and four of them have gone on to win World Championship Slalom titles and they all still race today! So it could be said I was more of an armchair racer – a park skater who dabbled in a bit of freestyle and slalom on the side. I only began skating slalom seriously again in 2006 and in 2008 I entered a few European races along with fellow Brits and European Race veterans Paul Price, Sam Gordon, Louis Selby, Mick Reiss and Ella Roggero and I loved every minute and never looked back.
What do enjoy about racing?
There is a tremendous sense of family atmosphere amongst the slalom community. I know that in some circles it is often seen as the more geeky skateboarding discipline. I think that this in part because of the plethora of equipment and ways people set their boards up – different truck angles, wheel formula’s/duro’s etc. I guess it is, as Chris Linford put it, the skate equivalent of Formula 1 – you’re trying to tune your board to get the best possible performance out of it. But essentially anyone can try it – just slacken your trucks off and have a wiggle! At some of our races in the UK we have started seeing a few crossovers from longboarding to slalom as well as a few newbies which is always a good thing. Another bonus is seeing so many legendary skaters from the 70’ and 80’s racing slalom – even better that you can get to race them!
Back in the day what colour wheels/size did you ride?
The first Kryptonics I bought were the 1st generation 70mm Red’s which I purchased from Alpine Sports in Knightsbridge, they came with a free “Kryptonics Krazy” sweatshirt – was so stoked! Riding them for the first time was amazing – like nothing I had ever experienced, such a smooth silent ride. Later I went on to ride 60mm Green’s which I had on a Peralta Warptail with Mid Tracks, then came the 65mm Lime Green versions. I also rode Blue CX double conicals, I remember seeing that amazing photo of Steve Alba riding them – the classic frontside edger shot at Pipeline in Skateboarder – a few days after I had got them, I was really stoked on that!
How better were they from the competition?
I guess that they were really out there on their own for a while as far as the choice of compounds and sizes went. There weren’t really any serious competitors around offering different durometer’s and sizes for a while. It’s not like now where you can pretty much go and get any duro and size wheels you wish. Back then Kryptonics were one of the few companies producing wheels that offered a resilient compound for different terrains and scenarios; and of course the adverts in the magazines were legendary.
What was your favorite Kryptonics ad from back in the day?
I think that would be “Tired of the Same Old Juice” closely followed by “The Name Game” – but to be honest they are all noteworthy in their own way.
What is your favorite memory in skateboarding from the 70’s and early 80’s?
Ooo that’s a tough one – So many come flooding back. I think it would have to be skating at Portland (Dorset, UK) Skate Escape in the summer ‘78/‘79in with locals James Davies, Steve Narraway, Piggy and Chris and the old Wareham crew Mark Farmer, Alan Bennett and Steve Grounds – some of the best times!
What is your favorite memory in skateboarding?
That would have to be the smell of a 70’s skate shop – failing that the awesome Wednesday night sessions at Southbank in the early 80’s with the best crew in the World – intense, wild, often rowdy but always the best fun ever and I am happy to say that we are all still in contact after all of these years and in most cases still skating!
What type of work do you do?
I work as a Commercial Contracts Manager in the Civil Service. I am also Secretary of the UK Slalom Skateboarding Association and race organizer.
You’ve been riding the new Kryptos for a couple of months now; can you share your thoughts on the wheels?
I have been riding 65mm Green’s on my park board and have used them for a couple of sessions in a little bowl nearby. I have also ridden them on numerous visits to Southbank recently – throwing out Bert’s and 360 slides just like the old days! I have even used them on my slalom board at the European Indoor Slalom Championships in December. I have been using 70mm Red’s for cruising around and today I rode them From Southbank to Lambeth Town Hall with the Long Live Southbank crew to deliver the planning objections and they just ate up the pavement. This years must have commuting wheel!
How does it feel to be a Kryptonics Wheels International Ambassador?
When I first saw the e-mail from Steve I had to read it over again. I am just so unbelievably honored and completely STOKED to be involved with one of the most iconic skate brands. SUPER STOKED!
We keep hearing about the efforts to save the Southbank skate spot. Can you tell us how it’s going?
The Southbank Centre have submitted an amended planning application for their ‘Festival Wing’ scheme, as well as a new, separate planning application for their proposed replacement “skateable space” under Hungerford Railway Bridge. Obviously this site is lacking any of the history, character or cultural value of the Undercroft. Not to mention that it has 20 trains an hour thundering overhead! If these applications are accepted, it will mean the Undercroft is lost forever, to be replaced by commercial floor space. It is vital that we do our upmost to save this unique iconic London landmark and cultural space! As I already mentioned yesterday I was one of the many that skated from Southbank to Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton to deliver over 26,000 individual planning objections. With this new UK-record-breaking number of planning objections, surely it is time for Lambeth Council to listen to the people, and to save the Undercroft?
How can people help?
Long Live Southbank now has over 100,000 members, with supporters from all over the world. If you wish to help and show your support please visit www.llsb.com where you can become a member, join the supporters, sign the petition and even buy a t-shirt (as worn by Dave Hackett!). There is a Long Live Southbank Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LongLiveSouthbank, Twitter feed: @Long_Live_SB and Instagram feed: @savesouthbank. By becoming a member, you give official support to the campaign. There is no joining fee but by putting your name officially behind the campaign it will help us to show the importance of the Southbank Undercroft to its users. So please join now folks, fill in the official Southbank Centre Survey too – let them know that you disagree with the direction they’re taking! Your support is very much appreciated.
What’s 2014 look like for you?
Well I think it might have just got a whole lot busier, Ha ha! Hopefully skating more parks and practicing my freestyle! I will shortly be working on the UK slalom racing calendar for 2014 and this year I am hoping to put on another major event at one of the countries favourite motor racing circuits – Oops I have said too much already! In addition to that I look forward to working with everyone at Kryptonics and along with the other Ambassadors helping to spread “A New Wave of Stoke” through 2014 and beyond!
The Pit Pong 2 from Your Mom on Vimeo.
The Pit Beer Pong Championships happen every Wednesday night from 6pm at The Pit, 133 Bree Street, Cape Town.
R1000 prize money up for grabs.
HERE is a link for tonight’s one!
Revolution Online is running a new Weekly Special!
Buy a Slave tee and get a free Slave sticker pack worth R80. Stock is limited, so get yours while you can.
http://www.revolutiononline.co.za/product-tag/weekly-special/
Special ends 28 Jan.
Revolution Online runs a new special each week, so check back this time next week. This special is not available from our other retail stores.
Today only, get a Slave deck for R490 from Revolution Online! That is a 30% saving (R210). Naturally, all decks purchased from Revolution Online come with free grip, so you don’t need to worry about that.
Click here to get yours now: http://www.revolutiononline.co.za/product-tag/wildcard-wednesday/
Revolution Online (not any of our other stores) runs a Wildcard Wednesdays special every Wednesday for one day only. Make sure to check back next week for the next one!
Almost Skateboards presents this incredible tribute video on the 1-year anniversary of Lewis’ death. Daewon, Rodney, Haslam, Cooper, and Willow all recollect an amazing skater and individual. This includes amazing footage and photos. Rest in Peace, Lewis.
Langebaan Summer Skate Championship 2013 from Technique Skateboards on Vimeo.
Langebaan Summer Skate Championship 2013
The Langebaan Summer Skate Championship took place on Sunday 15 December 2013 at the Play skatepark in Langebaan, Western Cape. Check out the highlight video above. We were stoked to have been involved.
Also, well done to Revolution team rider Byron Rhoda for grabbing 3rd place!
Some teams fade as KOTR progresses, but Enjoi turns up the energy and weirdness. This is their best clip by far.
Curved Parking Blocks with Andy Vasquez from Max Zahradnik on Vimeo.
Filmed and edited by Max Zahradnik.
Skating by Andy Vasquez, Gary Hillegas, Chris Berner, Bubba Smith, Brendan Spohn, Max Zahradnik, Tyler Zosky, and Ray Gurz.
Generator races, jousting, kegboards, and a near disaster of blazing proportions all contributed to the midway madness in Sacramento.
Nike SB have opened a new skatepark in the heart of Berlin. Clean and perfect don’t even do it justice. Apparently we can expect a lot more edits and spotlights from this indoor park in the future.
Losing a brother is never easy, but Lewis would want us to be happy when we think of him. As we get closer to the 1st anniversary of his passing on Jan 18th, ALMOST FAMOUS EP 3 celebrates a positive person, a son, a brother, a husband who also happened to be a pro skater. Don’t forget what it’s all about. Lewis Marnell Forever.
Cliché Skateboards and Diamond Supply Co. have teamed up to create a collaboration deck series. The collaboration features pro models from Andrew Brophy, Joey Brezinski, Lucas Puig, Daniel Espinoza, Flo Mirtain and JB Gillet. Coming soon to Revolution stores.
Willow on Almost Impact Construction from Almost Skateboards on Vimeo.
Willow talks about Almost Skateboards’ Impact Construction Decks.
Check out the Almost products we have on Revolution Online.
Jim Greco is the man. Check out this part filmed inside House of Hammers, the first thing filmed in the park.
The Enjoi team getting up to things that only happen on King of the Road…
Zero videographer Lannie Rhoades compiled some outtakes, extra angles, and stories from the Zero Cold War video.
New Baker Skateboard pro Riley Hawk does one of the most epic smith grinds ever and then splats on a wall.
The Chief sat down recently with King Shit Magazine and retold the story about the infamous Leap of Faith. Video by Ben Stoddard.
This is the inspiring story of Casey Helseth. He talks about how skateboarding saved his life.
Produced & Directed by: Josh Becker with Mike Oliphant
Shot, edited & written by: Josh Becker
Revolution and Friends at Durbanville Skatepark from Revolution Daily on Vimeo.
Some of the Revolution team and some friends met up for a session at the Durbanville skatepark in Cape Town. Featuring Justus Kotze, Marcel Maassen, Byron Rhoda, Juan Smit, Ryan Naidoo, Mitchell Rice and friends.
Filmed and edited by Andrew van der Walt and Matthew Lesch.
This video from Transworld Magazine walks you through the manufacturing process at DSM, where Dwindle products are produced. The video includes some clips from Brezinski, PLG, Haslam, Brophy and Zack Wallin.
Mike Giant at FFDG from Fecal Face on Vimeo.
Mike Giant’s solo show Confessions of an Old Dirty Skateboarder happened in 2012, but we thought it was worth putting up in case any of you hadn’t seen photos from it.
“I’m a product of my generation. I grew up through the 80s and was drawn to the punk rock and hip-hop cultures simultaneously”, Giant said in a recent interview. “I threw myself in headfirst. A lot of those things were about personal expression, and also an anti-establishment attitude like, “We don’t need you, we have our own thing.” That’s the backbone of who I am to this day”.
San Francisco based Mike Giant has achieved fame as a graffiti artist, illustrator and tattooist. Black ink is Giant’s specialty and whether his medium is concrete, paper or skin, his signature style – inspired by Mexican folk art and Japanese illustration – is unmistakable. Mike Giant has worked in media covering, graffiti, design, fine art, photography and tattooing, making him one of the most celebrated and versatile artists of his generation. He has shown in galleries around the world.
Photos courtesy of www.ffdg.net.
Photo: Pierre van der Spuy
Highly respected South African skateboarder/longboarder, Kent Lingeveldt, has been named Kryptonics First International Brand Ambassador. Lingeveldt, 33, is a skateboarder, photographer and the owner of Cape Town skateboard company, Alpha Longboards. Kent started as a street skater, at the age of 14. In 1999, he entered the world of downhill longboard racing, taking part in the first Red Bull Downhill Extreme in Cape Town down the infamous “Glen Road”. From 2004 to 2006, he competed at races in Europe and South America and in 2009. He returned to racing in 2011, after a two-year break and still races locally and abroad when the time allows.
Kent regularly does informal work with local kids in and around the poorer communities in Cape Town and together with an older generation of longboarders he works to nurture skateboarding as a life-skill for kids that opens up their minds to a world of an extended skate family worldwide.
Kent started Alpha Longboards in 2001 and in the past 12 years, has handmade over 500 boards. His boards are ridden across the world in 13 countries on five continents. He has collaborated with artists Atang Tshikare, Toni Stuart, Khaya Witbooi, Nardstar, Rico Swanepoel, Motel7 and Mr. Fuzzy Slippers to create Alpha art boards. His Local Legends series honours South African greats such as Nelson Mandela and in April 2012, he met Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and presented him with his own Tutu Alpha art board. He regularly exhibits the Alpha Longboards art boards in his home of South Africa as well as in Germany.
Kent with Desmond Tutu
Lingeveldt has been involved as a test rider for the new Kryptonics Star Trac wheels over the last few months, putting the wheels through their paces on the varied terrain of South Africa.
In addition to representing Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels at skateboarding events, Kent will also be promoting the brand through social media and self-produced skateboarding videos.
In announcing Lingeveldt’s joining the ambassador program, Kryptonics Wheels Brand Director Steve Douglas commented, “We are stoked to have a skater of Kent’s abilities, and just as importantly his involvement with South African youth, representing Kryptonics Wheels”.
Tell us a bit about where you live.
I live in Cape Town, South Africa, born and bred. It’s a port city at the southernmost tip of Africa. Because it’s a port city, Cape Town is quite diverse and cosmopolitan with many different nationalities and cultures making it a rad melting pot of people.
When did you start skateboarding?
I started skating in 1994, the same year South Africa became a democracy.
Did you play other sports as kid?
I come from a very sporty family and my Father played professional and national soccer in his prime, but I could never get the hang of playing the game, and ended up doing cross-country running at school.
Kent on the podium at Hot Heels
When you started skating, was it on a longboard? Or did you skate street or vert to begin with?
I started skating street. Where I grew up and spent most of my time in the city centre was very urban, and a perfect playground for street skating. I remember street skating being one of the most racially integrated pastimes at the time, especially for the times and changes our country was going through, from Apartheid to a democracy.
What attracted you to longboarding?
The need to go faster downhill. My first two years of downhill racing was on the widest street decks I could find at the time. So I knew the bigger the board the better for downhill skating. Also in 1994 when I started skating, we lived on a hill, and I got shown how to slide by a guy called Wayne Moses who lived on the same hill, and sliding was so much easier on a longboard when going fast.
When did you start racing?
I started racing in 1999 at the inaugural Red Bull Downhill Extreme down Klooofnek Road/The Glen in Cape Town. Between 1999 and I think 2002 we only had that race each year and we would have international riders from America, Europe, South America and Australia come to compete. In 2004 I made my first trip abroad to race in Europe and then in following years South America and Australia.
What do enjoy about racing?
The coming together of the community to hang out, go fast, and inspire each other to do better. With the boom in the downhill racing equipment industry, racing is also a way to keep abreast of what’s new and out there and what’s doing good and what’s not.
How did Alpha Longboards come about?
Alpha Longboards started out in 2000/2001 out of a realization that I need a longer deck than my street deck to go faster down hills. Coming from a family with not too much extra cash to import a European or American brand back then, I just got a piece of commercial ply from a hardware store and cut out my first longboard. Mates saw the boards I was cutting out and shaping and started buying them from me, and BOOM, I was a small board shaping company.
Photo: Zwelibanze Sitole
What was your inspiration for the Desmond Tutu and Ghandi decks?
They form part of a stencil-art series of boards called the LOCAL LEGENDS series. Images include that of Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi, Miriam Makeba, and Imam Haron. It’s intention is to inspire South Africans to pay homage and be inspired by our own local legends rather than heroes outside our borders. Especially the youth. Also to make them aware of these heroes of our country that maybe our school textbooks do not teach them about.
It must have been very cool to meet Desmond Tutu, can you share that experience with us?
I am also a documentary photographer and a friend of mine is making a documentary on a young anti-apartheid activist who was killed in the late 1980’s by the police for his work. Ashley Kriel’s funeral was the first political funeral Desmond Tutu officiated as the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Cape Town, so we interviewed him about the funeral for the documentary. And I thought here is my chance to give him a deck with his image on it and possibly have him sign one for me. He loved it and has his own deck hung up on his office wall.
We’ve heard that you do quite a bit of work with the underprivileged kids in your area. What kind of programs/activities are involved?
I studied Child and Youth Development in the early 2000’s and also worked in childrens’ homes while studying, but stopped because it took too much time away from skateboarding. So I have always had a want to work with kids, mainly because many of them come from similar home backgrounds as myself and therefore it was awesome for them to chat to someone who can relate. Currently I have a group of kids in the area where my Alpha Longboards workshop is in that get support from me with skate gear and I also work with them in showing them the life skill that is skateboarding. The ability to get up and try again when you down. It’s a very informal arrangement, which I prefer, because it also allows me to be myself and not force myself to be somewhere when I do not actually want to.
You’re also a photographer, how did you get into that, and how long have you been shooting?
I bought my first camera when I was 17, straight out of high school. It was an old Russian camera called a Zenith and it had the insignia from the 1980 Olympics. I had to buy it because I was born in 1980! As a skateboarder, we see the world differently from non-skaters, and it was the ‘other side” that I wanted to capture and show the world. Also documenting my close skate crew from back then got me to shooting lots back then.
How’s the South African longboard and racing scene?
It is growing really fast. The amount of groms at races and sliding events sometimes overwhelms me and definitely shows that there are no signs of slowing down. Everyone is fast too, so this makes for tight competition at races between all ages. I am hoping to see some more local product manufacturers come out of South Africa in the near future.
Photo: Zwelibanze Sitole
You recently placed third in the Master’s Class at this year’s Hot Heels event. What was your setup? How did the Kryptonics wheels perform?
Yeah, the old man’s class, lol. I was riding an Alpha Longboards topmount racing deck with Navigator precision trucks and the 75mm 78a red Star Tracs. Their acceleration was awesome and they maintained a good rolling speed. They were definitely up to challenge the other wheels out there right now, I should just become a better race, haha. Where they really impressed me was the grip. The sharpish edge really bit and gripped when I needed them to and this really gave me the confidence to go as fast as I could around corners.
You’ve been riding the new Kryptos for a couple of months now, can you share your thoughts on the wheels?
Each duro performs exactly as one would expect from a 78a, 82a and a 86a wheel. I am the kind of skater who looks for any excuse to put a wheel sideways and what’s really stood out for me was how long they last and keep their shape. I do lots of sliding and still on my first set of green 70mm from three or so months ago, and they probably only down to 60mm. Because I also like to hook into my slides at speeds, I enjoy a wheel that’s not uncontrollable and that whips back from a slide when I lift my weight off it, and this is where I enjoy skating the new Star Tracs. Their minimal sidewall movement means that they keep their shape nicely and acceleration out of corners are really top. I am really looking forward to a full year of racing and free riding on them next year to gauge their consistency throughout the year.
How does it feel to be Kryptonics Wheels first international Ambassador?
I am still just a kid stoked to be riding a wheel that can tell you the story of his journey on a longboard man! I have been skating Kryptonics since 2000 when racers like Eric Lee, George Orton and Waldo Autry came over to race the Red Bull Downhill Extreme and gave us locals some Kryptonics Classics, 70mm and 76mm to race with when they saw the sketchy wheels we were riding. It feels like a childhood dream to be part of something that has shaped skateboarding since its formative years. Guys could not believe that I was still racing with Kryptonics Classics three years ago. I was at Newton’s Playground in Australia for the World Championships in 2009 and some grom came up to me and asked what new wheel on the market I was skating, referring to the Kryptos I was skating.
Did you know much about the heritage of Kryptonics Wheels before becoming an Ambassador?
A little bit chatting to the riders from America who came to race in Cape Town in the early 2000’s. The information and images on the Star Tracs Facebook page has been amazing in really letting me know what I am actually part of. It really blows me away.
What’s 2014 look like for you?
I am lucky enough at this point of my skateboarding to be picking up fresh sponsors and this really makes committing more time to skating easier as I love fully representing brands I am connected to. So because of this, I would really want to see how much travelling I can do internationally for racing, which will in turn also mean loads more freeriding with downhill family members around the globe. Also this year was spent establishing relationships with the group of kids I mentor through skateboarding and really want to work with them in getting them race ready and competing. So all in all, skating, shaping boards, and taking pics along the way to get people glimpse into our world.
The new line of Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels will be available soon from a Revolution store near you.
Photo: Matthew Wareley
Photo: Pierre van der Spuy
AV Skateboarding takes us on a weekend in Cape Town with the 20sk8 crew. The video shows them skating some street, leading the Cape Carnival and holding events in the townships. Featuring KFD and Killer team riders Ryan Naidoo and Alan Adams, Justin Adonis, Wesley “Tooth” Schroeder, Toothless, Shuaib Philander and more.
Ride Channel’s latest Trippin’ video features a visit to us in South Africa with a bunch of pro skateboarders like Jaws, Marty Murawski, Ryan Lay, Chris Pfanner, Charles Collet and a few others. Rad to see local skateboarders Jansen, Jobuert, Justus and Moses make an appearance too! It’s really cool to see international skateboarders shredding at our local spots and enjoying what we sometimes take for granted.