THRASHER
MAGAZ
NE
Steve and Stacy pause for a portrait at Lakewood, 1982
vannex
PETERS
PEY
Mike Folmer, low pivot attack at a awall anch in
Texas during one of his many cross-country treks
in the Joan years of the early 80's
THRASHER
Canade promoted its anare of skate action over the
years Keith Butterfield barrel jumps at the 1982
Canadian Open in Calgary
5 YEAR TIMELINE
1980
Miter disaster Duane Peters, in a study in concentration on this frontside edger during the Gold Cup Finals in Upland, 1000
Gold Cup Series 1980 winds down at
Upland Pipeline with Eddie Elguera tak-
ing the much deserved overall. Cabal-
lero's pro win sets the stage for a rivalry
with Duane Puters that highlights 1981
vert contest schedule. Neil Blender re-
veals the shape of things to come, win-
ning the am division, while hot shoe Billy
Ruff takes the series overall amhonora
Pool skating, a temporarily lost but cer-
tainly not forgotten art, continues to
thrive with backyard hardcores.
Street skating ears its name and is
considered a legitimate pastime by
most of the skate populace.
In the 40 m.p.h. skate bracket, also
known as downhill, John Hutson's buck
carries him through convincing victories
on Capitola and Laguna Seca road
courses.
THRASHER Magazine unvolls its Jari.
1981 issue to mixed reviews from a
shell-shocked industry but is embraced
by skaters worldwide. Winchester Park
banned the mag due to pictures of skat
ers wearing little or no safety gear.
Quote: "Call it Thrasher"-Fausto Vitello,
November 1980.
Endless Summer (Mich.), Cherry Hil
(NU), Sensation Basin (FL), Apple
(Ohio), Surf 'N Turf (Wis), Get-A-Way
(Ala.), along with the California skate
meccas of Skate City (Whiter), Cotton,
Lakewood, Marina Del Ray, Del Mar, Up-
land and Winchester are open for busi-
ness but counting numbered days.
LA. park sessions continue to scorch
with a new crop of pro's skating in the
wings.
Community (free) skate park sessions
at facilities such as Hitop (S.F), Irvine
(Orange Co.) and Derby (Santa Cruz)
remind skaters of the long lost art of
skating for fun with a few of the crew.
Cliff Coleman and a streetcore gang of
downhill sliders out of Barkeley, CA
were laying down new tracks with a
heretofore unseen brand of street-siding
downhill tactics,
Sticking with it, Jett Newton sonds word
of a radical Texas scene centered in Dal
las and concentrating on street and pool
tactics.
The A.S.P.O. park circuit crop of ame
includes names Ika Ruff, Blender,
Hawk, Rogowsid and Miller.
Moto sums up the attitude of the day
with his "Wild Riders of Boardz" series
in THRASHER
Sano-land, a massive ditch system in
North San Diego county becomes the
mainstay for southern shredding.
The hardest working man in skating, G
Losi, hosts the Spring Nationals at Cot-
ton's Skate Ranch, the first pro event of
the year. A young stylish and talented
Mike Smith edges out Duane Peters for
the win
Meanwhile, Folmer and Scott McRanels
are searching and destroying legal con
crete barrels in Florida.
Well travelled pros Mike McGill, Mike
Folmer and Brad Browman criss-cross
the country from Florida to Cal and
back, reporting hotbeds of skate activity
in and out of park environs.
Magic Mu Rodney Mullen continues
to redefine freestyle with impossible
tricks.
Although ramps have always been a
part, the Texans show how to use them
to fullest potential. Ramp raging has
taken hold with everything from loan-a-
sheets to full bore flat-bottomed vossos.
Cab takes a thousand clams at the An-
nual Varifiex-Kona Summer Nationals
while on the wast coast one of the finest
parks ever built, Mipitas, succumbs 10
the iron blade starting a chain reaction
of park destruction
Hickey beats the "Hut" at Laguna Seca
with both skaters utilizing nylon speed
suits and not much also.
Legendary Baldy pipeline is rekindled
once again with T.A., Strople, Olson and
Salba gettin' high fly-outs.
Airs are consistently viewed from eye
level by dropped-jawed spectators
Lakewood bites the dust, new, perfect
clamshell and all
Punk rock and skateboarding shake
I hands and the rest is history.