Chuck Theece transplants his eastern energy upon the Golden Gate Bridge
Twilight flight at the Fresno Ark, Neil Blender
Past...Don't anyone tell Lance that you're not sup-
posed to frontside lap grind walls like this, Stock-
holm, Sweden
归
1984
Groholski's backyard action and Grig
ley's St. Pete jam highlight the backyard
winter sessioning taking place.
Meanwhile, that scoundrel Tony Alva is
still right on the edge.
Del Mar hosts a holiday Pro/Am
Aerials are reaching consistent eye
levels and handplants getting ever so
contorted.
LA. street sessions are getting out of
hand with Blender, Mountain, G.S.D.
and upstart Natas Kaupas leading the
NSA Freestyle/streetstyle competition
rages in Golden Gate park, S.F., Venice
Beach and Embarcadero, San Diego.
Mile High ramp is Massacred with a pro
jam sesh.
Pipes in Arizona, pools in CA, another
Pro/Am at Del Mar. The summer of '84
is in full swing.
New skate zines are appearing daily.
Mike McGill's 540" McTwist is declared
trick of the decade.
Hawk flew at the NSA finals in Del Mar,
doing unbelievable vertical stunt-work.
The Melee returns to Nebraska to tear
it up.
Capitola goes streetstyle with a couple
thousand unbelieving spectators in at-
tendance.
JFA takes an Easy Riding skate tour
across the U.S.
Ramp construction is being redefined
with bigger and more elaborate struc-
tures popping up all the time. VA Beach
skaters, after losing their ramp priv
ileges, are treated to a massive city built
structure at Trashmore.
The NSA schedule has ramp and street
events outnumbering park action for the
first time
Boy's Club in S.F. hosts a member built
ramp and celebrates with a local con-
test.
Newton leads a successful pipe adven-
ture into the bowels of big Texas skate
country. Pools are plentiful in all locales,
you just gotta find 'em to grind 'em.
Speedcore metal is raging a full head
of steam with Metallica, Slayer and
Venom leading the pack.
Lance Mountain becomes a father.
Tony Hawk's skating is beyond with nay-
footed handplants and air-walks the
norm. His Japan mute air is declared a
sickness. Tony's quote, "1 just want to
skate."
1985
Sacramento "grease" style in a Tower
Records parking lot showcases the best
and the ugliest. Tommy Guerrero rips
first and a new street obstacle emerges
in a contest format, the car
Natas and Jesse are routinely travers
ing 90" transitions and living to tell about
Hawk pockets the NSA Easter opener
at Del Mar, barely edging Christian. Rod-
ney Mullen is back in unbelievable form.
Chris Miller takes the slam of the dec-
ade in the Upland Combi, Hawk takes
another check for first. Grosso, Jueden,
Pollard and Rankine head up the am
heap.
Christian Hosoi proves that skating progresses daily as well as the difficulty
radicalness and enthusiasm: rocket air at S.F's Grim ramp
New manufacturing concerns are ap-
pearing on the scene like flies on shit
Lance mountain literally burns up the
NSA Mile High event. Gregor Rankine
muscles the am trophy.
Eddie Reategul roof drops into the H.P
ramp. Death defying.
NSA 1985 is rapped at Del Mar, Chris-
tian fies and jars his way past Tony
Hawk to victory.
Gonzales has taken the olle to new
realms, popping up to bench and
bumper grinds at will. Sticker and prod-
Capitola features a car hazard. Tommy
G. prevails once again as No. 1 street
skate.
Skater created backyard events flourish
in the form of Paige Hearn's Skateboard
Plus ramp jam and Newtron's S.U.AS.
annual in Houston. Both feature high
stakes buckage.
Media interest is peaking with skating
showing up in print, on video and cel-
luloid. "Back To The Future" is mis-
takenly thought of as the reason for
skating's 'come-back. A feature length
film, Thrashin, begins filming in LA.
uct tosses are becoming riotous after with anybody who's everybody playing
every pro event
a role.
1985 concludes, our gang ventures to
New York City in a search for skate truth,
Hackett proves the model skater, Christ
flashes as usual, Lance and Cab crash
and burn, McGill street skates, Ever-
ready Eddie cuts one, questions remain
unanswered. 1986 presents its chal-
lenge: leave the nest, continue the
quest, hope for the best, suffer the test,
possess the rest.