SOVIET
Story by Hank Scotch
SKATE
Photos by Rami Aburamia
SUMMIT
When Emma Tzukrova, chairman of
Moscow's Olymp Skateboard Club sent
an invitation for twenty American skaters
to come visit, eighteen names of lucky
Bay Area board riders were thrown
together on Tom Terell's notebook. A
chance to rip in Russia-a real
glasnost product toss! Our hopes
were high, but our funds were low.
The Soviets would take care of our
food and housing, but getting
there was out of our (or someone
else's) pockets. On the next page
of Tom's book in bold print was the
word SPONSORS. We hit the big
brass first. Companies like Pepsi
and Apple Computers, who we
thought would shower us with
funds, only ignored our naked
hands. I learned the name of the
corporate game: runaround.
There were a few people who appeared
interested, but time was running out.
The the group met often to discuss the
impending doom of non-sponsorship.
Parental paranoia caused the list of
skaters to dwindle, bureaucracy dusted
glamour, and many of the still active
group were saying, "I'll be excited only
when the plane leaves and I'm on it."
Then the spotlight snapped on. The
media cats saw a story and for a week
the phones rang so much it hurt. Witty
phrases such as "Soviet skateniks" ap-
peared in local papers, and we learned
what Chris Weeks could do to a handrail.
A Gilman Street Project fund raising
gig featuring Whipping Boy. 98 Da and a
load of alternative jammers was coordin
ated by Dan Melnick (he was later kept
from the trip by his parents). The show
earned $250 which was used to buy rails,
bolts and bearings to furnish eighteen
Kendall shapes donated to Chris by a
crazy businessman. Santa Cruz
Skateboards followed suit and donated
equipment to all Converse fitted us with
the latest in basketball shoe technology.
A meeting at Oden Conally's house of
eventual participants in the CCCP skate
tour (Chris Weeks, Rami Aburomia, Adam
Krohn, Monika Busham, Oden Conally
ped his sa at the Russian consulate
that day Unfortunately Tom balled from
the trip because of linandid problems.
June 28th About four hundred pounds
of Thrasher bags were cheerfully ac-
cepted at the gate. With a couple hun-
PRP red more pounds in our-
hindincluding skates
made our way toward the fight
Our Pan Am house/plane butn
fuel and followed the sun on a
fifteen hour flight to Moscow,
We touched down in the out-
Cskirts of Moscow at 206 bm
Russian time 3:35 am the
previous day California lime
We didn't know who would.
Carelet us or how, so when two
MER
barely English-speaking Rus-
sians in athletic get-ups
approached us chapling
"Festoeva, Youth Festival Wa grinned
"Sure." After four minutes of confusion
and blank stares we realized they were
waiting for kids going to Korea to par-
ticipate in a youth festival Relieved
laughter filled the air as we headed
toward our baggage.
I was the first to walk through the red
gates of the customs agents to confront
the faces smeared against the glass.
saw a rumpled paper that screamed.
and myself) signified the two-week countPeace Skate Project" and as I ap
down. Tom was nowhere to be found. His
mom informed us that he had safely nip-
preached it was greeted by Soviet
skaters They mobbod us together on a
Clockwise from top tatt softle
samples someone's skate.al the
Gorky Park Youth Festival. The basic
Soviet stick, Backside bricktum on a
Baltic seawall by Adam Krohn.