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Old
School Skate Jam By Miki
Vuckovich
Skatelab honors skateboarding’s legends.
Dennis “Polar Bear” Agnew, Jay Alabamy, Micki Alba, Steve Alba,
Tony
Alva, Dave Andrecht, Waldo Autry, Larry Balma, Ricky Barnes, Jonny Ray
Bartel, Bob Biniak, Brad Bowman, Brian Brannon, Beau Brown, Steve
Caballero, Chris Cook, James Cassimus, Steve Cathey, Chris Chaput, Paul
Constantineau ... Skateboarding’s stars of today and yesteryear gathered for the first
time ever for an event of this kind. But rather than a Hollywood theater
with a fancy stage, this reunion of skateboarding’s past heroes took
place to the north at Simi Valley’s Skatelab skatepark. And instead of a
big stage, there was the bowl. It was the center of attention, and those
who ascended its transitions were at once dynamic and graceful.
... Bill Danforth, Darrel Delgado, Adrian Demain, Freddie DeSoto, Art
Dickey, Bill Dohr, Eric Dressen, Dave Duncan, Scott Dunlap, Ed Economy,
Eddie Elguera, Ron Emory, Skip Engblom, Don Fisher, Ray Flores, Mike
Folmer, Glen E. Friedman, Alan “Ollie” Gelfand, Art Godoy, Steve
Godoy, Jim Gray, Marty Grimes, Eric Grisham, Tom Groholski, Jeff Grosso
...
With the noise and applause generated by the crowd surrounding the
bowl, it actually was a little like being at the Oscars. Those who dared
to drop in during the heated session were met with no less than three
others, also swerving and zooming around the small transitioned space--the
last one standing earning himself a solo ride. Veterans like Tony Alva,
Duane Peters, and Tom “Wally” Inouye drew from lifetimes of
achievement to carve and slash every line in the bowl.
Many others came just to be there. Henry Hester, Skip Engblom, Alan
Gelfand, and dozens more brought their families and mingled with long-lost
friends, caught up, and enjoyed the private event organized by Eric
“Arab” Groff, Todd Huber, and Scott Radinsky. It was their way of
saying thanks to the skaters and entrepreneurs who established
skateboarding’s roots, and who allowed the modern sport to become what
it has.
... Dave Hackett, Omar Hassan, Tony Hawk, Henry Hester, Lonnie
Hiramoto, Mike Hirsch, Steve Hirsch, Jeff Ho, Howard Hood, Wes Humpston,
Tom “Wally” Inouye, Jason Jessee, Marty Jiminez, Hunter Joslin, Bryce
Kanights, Alan Losi, John Lucero, Tony Magnusson, Dennis Martinez, Mike
McGill, Rob Mertz, Lance Mountain, MoFo, James “Red Dog” Muir, Aaron
“Fingers” Murray, Monty Nolder, Layne Oakes, Peggy Oki, Steve
“Bulky” Olson, George Orton ...
The Skatelab itself is a testament to their contributions, a literal
museum of vintage skateboards, but also a laboratory where old and new
congregate and coalesce--across the street course and up the flat bank
lies the focal point of this evening’s activities, the Skatelab bowl.
There the crowd pushed right up to the coping, and the skaters returned to
their primal youth when snaking every other run and carving with speed and
style were the hallmarks of the day. Brian Patch, Omar Hassan, Jaya
Bonderov, and Tony Hawk displayed the modern take on classic bowlriding,
employing the airspace much more than the others, but the session could
have easily been mistaken for an early 80s backyard pool session--same
faces, the same feeling, and the same ferocity. Twenty years down the
road, and these guys haven’t let up a bit.
... Brian Patch, Tim Payne, Duane Peters, Pineapple, George Powell,
Eddie Reatigui, Dave Ruel, Everett Rosecrans, Billy Ruff, Paul Schmitt,
Ben Schroeder, Bob Skoldberg, Buck Smith, Dale Smith, Jay Smith, Mike
Smith, Kevin Staab, Craig Stecyk III, Chris Strople, Tod Swank, Ted
Terrebonne, Jerry Valdez, Mike Vallely, Chris Yandall, and too many more
to count.
If you were there and you made your own significant contribution to the
world of skateboarding, thank you. If you weren’t there and made your
own significant contribution to the world of skateboarding, where the hell
were you, bro?
Next year, be there.
For more information, check out skatelab.com.
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