CULTURE
Make the world your skatepark


This is a guest post by Sarah Czarnecki. Check her blog out here.
Skateboarding is an urban sport.
Right?
I mean, just look at any city’s downtown scene. Even if there’s nothing built specifically for skateboarders, you’ll see them flocking to stairs, handrails, curbs, and concrete art installations. Anything bolted down or built up, really. The DIY concrete skatepark movement is so ingrained in skate culture, that visiting historic parks has become a rite of passage.
But what if skateboarding didn’t have to have such hard lines?
What if you could take your board into the wilderness for a realer experience?


If you thought cracked concrete was crusty, you’re going to have to get real creative, real fast when you try to boardslide a fallen log. Skating in nature demands innovation.
It’s imperfect, will definitely mess up your bearings, and requires a level of knowing one’s limits that not every city skater can achieve. Creativity unleashed.
And yeah, not everyone is up for the challenge, just as not everyone has access to choice skateparks and skater-friendly downtown areas.
So some skaters who don’t live in big cities, don’t have access to skate-mecca plazas like Kulturforum, or have done Burnside so many times it’s lost its appeal (heresy, I know!) — they’re forced to head out to the sticks. Literally.
Others just want to feel that connection between their board and the forest it came from.
Inspiration
The idea of skating in the great outdoors isn’t a new concept. Element’s “Nature Calls” is only the latest installment in the years-long trend of raw nature skating. It’s just that this one’s gained a lot of traction.
In just one month, this video’s had over a quarter million views on YouTube alone. Even more impressively, almost nobody in the comment section can think of anything negative to say about it.
In “Nature Calls,” Jaako Ojanen, Madars Apse, Phil Zwijsen, and other Element Europe skaters brought their boards to the Pyrenees to dig up a whole year’s worth of unconventionally — but undeniably — skateable spots.
They found bike trails. Aqueducts. Mountains. Desolate roads. Fallen logs. I-beam bridges. Breakwaters. Even a cactus patch looked like a good enough spot for these guys.
The creativity in this film is next-level. Not every trick was one for the record books, but how are you going to skate down a mountain or across a frozen lake and not be considered a badass?
Even if you’re not a skater, “Nature Calls” (and the subsequent extended version) is highly jealousy-inducing. Between shreds, the crew took breaks to go canoeing, swimming, throw rocks, and bother a cow. Like any outdoors adventurer, they couldn’t help but stop in awe and take photos that would never do the real thing justice.
One viewer said they felt like they were watching Planet Earth, but with skateboarding.


Brand purpose
Like practically all skate brands, most of Element’s vids are city-centric. This time, they’ve released one that embraces their.. ahem.. true nature. And if the rumbles from the skate community mean anything, “Nature Calls” has put them firmly on the cool list.
Element is not a new company, and it’s had its share of critics. Some snobs who insist on a minimum level of gnar (and a minimum pricetag) will turn up their noses at this affordable, tree-huggingly wholesome brand.
But for those of us who are interested in breathing fresh air while we enjoy outdoor sports, Element is a go-to. They know what’s up.


This brand is doing its best to be ethical, environmentally aware, and nature-promoting. Their sustainability commitments, recycled collections, and partnership with National Geographic have earned them some crunchy brownie points.
As much as Element’s trying to pioneer ethical skateboarding, Cariuma beat them to the B Corp punch.
It’s the very first certified B Corp skate company, and for good reason. Cariuma has made sustainability and negative carbon impact their priority, been transparent about their impact, and are actually participating in reforestation.
This is a big shift in messaging from the major skate brands.
Most brands have no comment about sustainability. There’s very little supply chain transparency and they have nothing to say about environmental impact.
And yes, skateboarding does have a significant environmental impact.
Deforestation is a serious global problem, and this particular industry is a contributor in a way we can’t ignore. Maple logging for skate decks, specifically, needs to be confronted. That, and fast fashion. Nike SB, the hottest skate shoe brand du jour, is working on lessening their environmental impact, so that’s good. But considering the immense demand for constant wardrobe updates, high rate of consumerism, and the broader community’s “edgy” low opinion of eco-conscious brands, this is more than an uphill battle. It’s a vert ramp.
Find your natural skatepark
Skating in nature isn’t exactly an anomaly, but it’s not easy to find groups willing to get off the streets.
The most common idea of a skatepark is decidedly free of vegetation.
Most of the info you can find about off-road, mountain, wilderness, outdoor, nature, or forest skating is almost exclusively geared toward longboarders. Sometimes electric skateboarders. Probably scooterers, too, but by then we’re way off track.


If you want to skate outside, just find a spot and do it.
Urban exploration is wonderful, but there’s something extra special about rural skating. If rural means farmland to you, skate it. If it means deep forests, beaches, deserts, or snow ramps, by all means. Skate it.
Bottom line? You don’t have to be a concrete surfer.
But there is a catch.
If you do decide to skate off road, be kind. Ride safely on bike and hike trails, and be respectful of the plants, animals, and geology around you. Don’t trespass, don’t damage fragile ecosystems, and if you’re in a park, don’t stray from the trails. And don’t crash into any pedestrians, either.
And nature skating has the same rules as hiking. Go with a buddy, tell someone where you’ll be and when you expect to be back, keep track of your location, and bring a first aid kit. You’ll also want a first aid kit for your board because your bearings are going to be toast.
But there’s a lot to be said for nature skating.
The silence, for one.
The challenge of making the most of the unknown.
The immeasurable, incomparable beauty of an untouched landscape.
Also, no cops.
For more nature skating inspiration, check out these classic films.
CULTURE
Andrew Arthur: From Sponsored Skateboarder to Fashion Photographer
The Transworld Skateboarding crew catches up with Andrew Arthur in this episode of “Brain Floss.”
Andrew Arthur was raised in Oceanside, California, surrounded by some of the best skaters who eventually became pros. Although he once pursued skateboarding and even reached the amateur level, his career took a different path when he found his niche in fashion photography.
Fast forward ten years and Andrew now resides in New York City, where he continues to skate and stay connected with the local scene. His latest photo project, which will be compiled into a book, is a unique take on the sun bounce setup popularized by Peter Lindbergh.
CONTESTS
IOC Announces Winners of First Let’s Move Street Challenge
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revealed the first-ever winners of the Let’s Move Street Challenge – the unique online competition supported by Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung, inviting BMX, Breaking and Skateboarding enthusiasts to showcase their best moves and creative skills.
Twenty-one winners from 13 countries have been selected by the judges from thousands of entries, unlocking an all-access trip to watch some of the best athletes competing for their ticket to Paris 2024 at the first Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai.
LET’S MOVE STREET CHALLENGE WINNERS
BMX Freestyle Park
Melville Smith (United States of America)
Ozawa “Miharu” Miharu (Japan)
BMX Real Street
Andres “Mickey” Michael (New Zealand)
Eleonora (Greece)
BMX Dirt
Tommy Crail (United States of America)
Michelle Neuner (Switzerland)
Skateboarding Park
Eddie Acres (Australia)
Malgorzata Burkacka (Poland)
Skateboarding Real Street
Carlos Burgos (Cuba)
Guadalupe Aime (Argentina)
Skateboarding Street Park
James Huntley (New Zealand)
Keily Frank
Breaking Best Round
Penny “Penny” Deng (People’s Republic of China)
“Vinilla” Yelyzaveta Ovcharova (Ukraine)
Breaking Power Move
Pisani “Arthur” Alves de Silva Arthur (Brazil)
Bgirl Small (People’s Republic of China)
Breaking Footwork
Keith Jennings “Ghost”
Adejoke “Cruxy” Victoria Akinbogym (Nigeria)
Street culture
Jonatan Mineiro “Ze pequeno BMX” (Brazil)
Best produced
Maxime Castillon (France)
Most surprising video
Higor Cruz “Higorcruzb” Balthazar (Brazil)
These 21 award winners selected by the judges will now have the opportunity to experience first-hand the athletes’ Road to Paris 2024, with an-all access trip to an Olympic qualifying event in Shanghai in May 2024.
The new Olympic Qualifier Series is a four-part event series that will bring together the best athletes in one urban park for a festival-style event and will serve as the ultimate qualification stage for BMX Freestyle, Breaking, Skateboarding and Sport Climbing.
At least half of the qualification spots for Paris 2024 will be allocated through the Olympic Qualifier Series, with 464 athletes set to compete.
The winners were revealed during a one-off, 60-minute show streamed on Olympics.com, bringing together participants, fans and athletes from across the three sports to celebrate the competition and the sports and communities surrounding them.
It was hosted by BMX rider Darryl Nau, and featured judges Christie Hughes (BMX), Suzanne Reekers (Skateboard), BBOY Spin (Breaking) and Little Shao (Creative).
Fans were also able to join a live chat to share their reactions to the winners and interact with each other and had the chance to win exclusive Let’s Move Street Challenge merchandise.
The Let’s Move Street Challenge, supported by Worldwide Olympic Partner Samsung, is a new Olympic initiative from the IOC. It is a unique digital competition that invited people from around the world to showcase their sporting and creative talent in BMX, Breaking and Skateboarding.
With the vision of being open, accessible and inclusive and providing inspiration to practise sport, competitors were invited to enter the challenge by submitting a 30-second video of themselves performing their best move.
All the Olympic Street Challenge entries are available to watch now on Olympics.com.
CULTURE
Tony Hawk and More at When We Were Young Fest
Punk rock and skateboarding collide at When We Were Young Fest held last month! Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Jason Ellis, Jimmy Wilkins and more showed up to skate and mosh.
The two-day event featured performances by top artists of the 2000s, including Avril Lavigne, the singer of Sk8er Boi.
Tony Hawk also had a surprise performance on the stage with the Gold Finger.
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