TALKING ED
Caught in a typical contest
situation, Christian pays the
price for being a world
famous skater
Contest, contest, anybody wanna buy a contest?
While it's only natural that any individual wants to test their ability against fellow
skaters, the inherent rules, regulations, organizations, security guards, judges,
backstage passes, schedules and all the yelling and screaming, bad vibes and
stress that surround (most pro skateboard contests, the fún part-the
skateboarding-gets squeezed and, dare I say, boring. And lately, if spectator turn-
out is any indication, it seems most skaters would rather search out new terrain,
skate their own ramp or rip through the streets than stow in an arena or bake on
hot asphalt for eight hours, no matter who's skating in front of them.
Some professional skateboarders make their living off of skateboarding. Thrasher's
coverage of skateboarding might not suffer without contests, but the careers of
the top grossing pros would For the last two years these guys have suffered at
the hands of bad promotion, unorganized organizations, unimaginative contest for
mats, dull ramps andivirtually no schedule to plán around. It's time to explore some
new ideas and possibilities for the skate contest scene. Perhaps we can find a middle
ground between promotion and pure enjoyment for skaters and spectators. Polling
the skaters forlideás is a good place to start. Holding events outdoors where they
belong makes sense. Radical format changes like having skaters run against a
stopwatch (downhill streetstyle?) instead of a panel of judges might add a rough-
and-tumble element
Whichever way it goes, whatever organization is in charge, let's see who's out
there. Maybe there is a vast well of spectators, skaters or not who want to pay money
to watch, buy the t-shirts and sit on their hands! But, let's not do to skateboarding
what they did to surting and beach volleyball-take all the fun out of it. At least
we know that sand and skating don't mix.
Kevin J. Thatcher
THRASHER
MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER: Edward H. Riggins
EDITOR: Kevin J. Thatcher
ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER: Maria Martinez,
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Richard Noll
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Bryce Kanights
ART DIRECTOR: Ken McGuire
PHOTO EDITOR: M.Fo
COPY EDITOR: Kurt Carlson
ART ASSOCIATE: John Dettman
STAFF WRITER: Miles Orkin
LARGE ARTIST: Kevin Ancell
DARKROOM TECHS: Mark Madeo, Fred Conrad
MUSIC EDITOR: Brian Schroeder
PROOFREADER: Sarah Bowen Sheal
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Rick Blackhart,
Brian Brannon, Chef Boy-Am-1-Hungry, Don Fisher.
Lowboy, Jake Phelps, Pushead, Den Redondo,
Billy Runaway, C.R. Stecyk III
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Bill Donahue.
Mike Gitter. Andy Howell, Rick Rotsaert.
Ken Salerno
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kristin Callahan.
Joel Cherry, Dan Cavhielero, Bryce Kanights.
Chuck Katz, Chris Ortiz, Ken Salerno.
Keith Stephenson, Bill Thomas
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Lisa Weidman
PRODUCT SALES MANAGER: Rick Rotsaert
CIRCULATION MANAGER: Clifford D. Cairns
ACCOUNTING: Kirsten Voris
RECEPTIONIST: Tiffany Schlobohm
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Brinette Battaglia.
Yvonne Smith
SHIPPING MANAGER: Jake Phelps
SHIPPING: Ana Quezada, Noah Peacock
ENGINEER: Mario Damas
News Distribution-USA Katie News Ca, Is, Canade D
Figs Worldwide Media Servior, fr
THRASHER 1530889-001 Aug 1990.
CA 404 Scope USA,
Published m
US
$30.00 per year eable in 115 f
cles pose paid at Sa Forcia, CA and additional mailing of
POSTMASTER: Sachenge THRASHER, FO 64570
Fach CA HI-457
Cergy High Speed Prosess. In 1415) 822-303
FAX: 822-81% Prid is USA USA Code
Inationally Achers
Petider da
preted ris Leen pleks
THRASHER died inded for publiaison w
and back pun Lawn her pery of THA
Noding my beds whole spetspen Ary
opiving in dead is partly coincidon
THRASHER Magazine is 100% cyclable
THE NEW DOG
IN TOWN
JUSTIN GIRARD
10.25" x 31"
DUE
TOWN
PO BOX 880787
SAN FRANCISCO CA 94118
PH: (415) 822-3160
FAX: (415) 822-3163