etnies

Road Fools!

We got photos from the Road Fools Tour! These shots are from the Phoenix to San Diego leg, including some KC and Morgan action. Enjoy... and stay classy.

AZ landscape

Catfish on the mic

KC doing his thing

KC X up

Morgan... oh Morgan

Morgan - Wallride Tailwhip

Crazy lady

Nick and the rig

Road Fools Crew

Creager Ale!

Randy Taylor Mini Interview

etnies Flo Rida Randy Taylor has a quick little mini interview up on DefGrip.com.

Thanks for the quickie, Randy!

Sliding Liberia Premier

Last night was the showing of Britt Caillouette’s First film entitled “Sliding Liberia”. The film played at the Newport Beach Film Festival. In attendance were the stars of the film and etnies team riders Dan Malloy and Chris del Moro. Sliding Liberia had a sold out show and found many surf fans without a ticket. Good surfing, over zealous Dan Malloy fans, beards, and paparazi pretty much sums up the night! Check out Sliding Liberia; it’s worth a look!

Tickets in hand... yesssss!

Sliding Liberia is big time

Chris del Moro and director

A paparazzi moment

Marketing super hero Joey Daroza and an overzealous Dan Malloy fan

Post-screening Q&A sesh with the stars

Chris del Moro, Dan Malloy and etnies TM Dave Boehne

JOB With The Big Win!

Jamie O'Brien Wins Von Zipper/Air Tahiti Nui Trials.

Teahupoo, Tahiti (Monday 28th April 2008): HAWAIIAN hot-shot Jamie O'Brien, 24, has added another prestigious title to his list of achievements by winning the Air Tahiti Nui – Von Zipper Trials in heaving 6-8ft slabs at Teahupoo in Tahiti.

The 2006 Pipeline Masters Champion defeated talented Brazilian Bruno Santos in an epic final that saw the natural footer steal victory in the last 40-seconds with a perfect ten point ride.

After locking in some of the most amazing tube rides of the day on his way to the final, O'Brien started strong in the 30 minute decider with an 8.50 followed shortly after by a 7.17 score.

Santos fired back quickly and took what looked like an unassailable lead courtesy of a 7.93 and a near perfect 9.50 for a super deep and committed Teahupoo tube ride. But O'Brien wasn't done, scratching on to a huge set with only moments on the clock to lock in the perfect score and claim the win.

"I've never came from behind the eight ball like that in the last minute," said O'Brien. "I figured it's the kind of stuff Kelly (Slater) does, so I thought I would give it a try."

O'Brien was the standout performer of the event, scoring two 10-point rides on the way to the final and a near perfect 19.93 out of 20.00 in the Quarters.

"I knew the swell was going to be bombing when I came down here and the wind looked insane, so the whole event was super special," he said. "One of the things I have always wanted to win was a Teahupoo Trials and I put that on my list a few years ago.

"I have nailed that and now I have a chance to be in the main event and have fun."

With a Men's World Tour event title already credited to his name after winning the Pipeline Masters as a wildcard, O'Brien looks set to shake things up when the big guns arrive at the fishing village of Teahupoo to contest the Billabong Pro Tahiti presented by Air Tahiti Nui on May 8th.

The brash Hawaiian faces a tough task in round one, pitted against countryman Pancho Sullivan and reigning world champion Mick Fanning.

"I'm not worried about it (Main Event), barrel riding is what I do, I travel the world so I can go and surf barrels."

Here's one more video on Transworld Surf.

The Sal 23 is Back!

etnies is re-releasing an updated version of their classic Sal 23 shoe this fall, and here's a little teaser of the man himself, Sal Barbier, giving you a little preview and insight on what's to come...

And why not watch some classic Sal, just for kicks...

Last Chance: Spencer O Giveaway

If you haven't already heard this, then you don't subscribe to the etnies Newsletter. However, I'm nice and want to keep you updated anyway.

Dragon just threw in a pair of goggles! So far, prizes include all three of Spencer's favorite etnies shoes—Fakie, Benzy, Easy E —plus a full year subscription to Snowboard Canada Magazine and, a newly added pair of Dragon DX goggles!

Contest ends after today so ENTER TO WIN NOW!

Aaron Takes 3rd!

Last weekend Aaron Ross won X Games Bronze in Brazil! He took third in the BMX Street competition after throwing down more than a few choice tricks.

Brian Kachinsky also came out to represent etnies.

X Games Brazil. April 24th-26th. Results:

1. Garrett Reynolds. NIKE
2. Sean Sexton. VANS
3. Aaron Ross. ETNIES
4. Dakota Roche. LOTEK
5. Van Homan. ORCHID

Lake Cunningham Skatepark Grand Opening!

etnies was part of the Lake Cunningham skatepark grand opening this weekend in San Jose, California. The skatepark is over 56,000 square feet, but it’s the quality that makes it great. With a great street section, some smaller bowls that progress up into huge bowls, flow courses, cradles and full pipes, the park is big enough to have something for everyone without sacrificing quality. Next time you’re in GnarCal, check it out.

A Rolling Perspective...

a Rolling Perspective.
SATURDAY MAY 3RD

Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 8:00pm
Sunday, May 4, 2008 at 2:00am
Antisocial, Livestock, Sweatshop
2425 Main, 239 Abbott, 1945 E Hastings
Vancouver, BC

etnies and Color Magazine asked skaters to shoot a photo of themselves from their own rolling perspective. Over 200 portraits have been collected from skaters across Canada, the United States and as far as Japan, including etnies' own Mikey Taylor. With the help of Fourstar Clothing, a selection of these self-portraits of pro skateboarders, artists, and other talented individuals have been composed into an exhibition in celebration of skateboarding.

The show has been broken into a three-part art crawl (or roll) traveling across the country during the next six months from Vancouver (BC) to Montreal (QC) with stops in Winnipeg (MB), Calgary (AB) and Toronto (ON). Opening receptions in each of these cities take place in separate spaces at different times. Attendees are encouraged to take their cruiser boards out from under their beds or wherever they’ve been stored all winter and celebrate the freedom of skateboarding and embrace the roll from spot to spot.

Opening reception
Vancouver, May 3rd, 2008
Complimentary refreshments provided while supplies last.
8pm@ ANTISOCIAL (2425 main street) 10:30pm@ LIVESTOCK (239 abbott street) 12am@ THE SWEATSHOP (1945 e. hastings street)

after party @ The Sweatshop (1945 e. hastings street)
Deejays: Benjamin / Cam Dales / Erik Devereux / Andr3w / Ian Wyatt / Manitoba Touch
$5 / 10pm till late. Free Entry for art show attendees (until list ahs reached capacity): get your stamps at the art shows.
Crazy visuals with Marek, Installation by Julianne Claire.

Chris Dziema!

Big ups to etnies NJ flow dude, Chris Dziema from NJ Skateshop for killing this contest held at Shields Skatepark to raise money for paralysis. Good skating, good state, good shop... all for a great cause. I'm backing that!

Jacked from Chris' MySpace page!

Lawrence Takes Lites West Title!

Jason Lawrence took home 2nd place this weekend in the Seattle Supercross Lites class. With two 2nd place finishes, Jason was able clinch the Lites West title Congrats, Jason!

Gold in Brazil!

Congrats to Todd Potter for kicking some ass in Brazil and bringing home his second international X Games Gold Medal! Get out your Portuguese to English dictionary and check out this clip and interview with Potter from ESPN Brazil.

Countdown To Dallas!

The Journeys Backyard BBQ is back and May 10th is our day in Dallas! We're counting down 'til then, and we're not the only ones...

Come join in the fun!

etnies Recognition Tour (South US)

The etnies Recognition US Tour kicked off last weekend in Tempe Arizona with a Cowtown demo and signing... stay tuned for video and photos. In the meantime, here are the dates for the upcoming Southern US leg of the tour, featuring Mikey Taylor, Kyle Leeper, Sean Malto, Tyler Bledsoe and Eric Fletcher.

Atlanta, GA - May 24th
Progressive Skatepark

Nashville – May 27th
6th Ave Skate Shop

Bowling Green – May 29th
Blue Wallace Skate Shop

Louisville – May 30th
Home Skate Shop

Cincinnati – May 31st
Anonymous Skate Shop

Grounded Remix Contest!

Wanna edit footage and win stuff? Now's your chance, courtesy of the etnies Grounded DVD Remix Contest. You know all that unedited bonus footage included in the DVD extras? That's your content and the world is your oyster. Put it to music, or not. Add a voiceover, or not. Make it funny, or not. The big winner will enjoy a year's supply of etnies shoes (a new pair every month!) plus loads of apparel! Get the details and enter here!

Notorious B.E.V.

Our little bad ass Bev is a woman of many talents... as evidenced by this here YouTube clip.

Thanks to salomonsneakpeek for posting!

Twitch's Video Premiere!

Twitch threw the premiere for his upcoming new video "Twitch: Hood Rich" last week after the Moto X Championships. A ton of friends and celebs showed up to throw down some drinks, check the video and support Twitch including etnies' Brian Deegan and Ryan Sheckler.

"Twitch: Hood Rich" will be available online and in store by mid May, so make sure to pick up a copy and make Twitch a little more Hood Rich!

On My Own Two Feet Teaser

Watch the teaser and keep an eye out for Markku Koski!

Steezy Rider Tour

And they're off...

On April 21st at 8 a.m. the Steezy Riders crew, including JP Walker, Seth Huot, Mitch Nelson, and Jeremy Jones, headed out with 20 of their riding homies from Harley-Davidson, Salt Lake. Thus began a nine day tour of snowboarding, skating and mayhem. First stop: Vegas for an autograph signing, then off to Bear Mountain, after that Mammoth for a BBQ and to skate the Volcom Brothers park (if the bowls are snow free), then off to Northstar for some wall sessions. The trip will end with a journey back to Salt Lake with a stop in Austin NV, a crazy little mining town.

The whole tour will be covered by Tracey Anderson from Future Snowboarding Magazine and The Horse Backstreet Chopper Magazine will be covering the trip along with the Documentary that will be featured for TV.

You can keep updated on the journey with JP and the rest of the crew on their Steezy Rider Blog, or you can get up there and join them for some shredding along the way!

The Archies On VBS

Here's a nice little Hi Shredability father-son feature of Matt and Ford Archbold. Thanks VBS!

Sliding Liberia

The Newport Beach Film Fest is in full effect and one film we're looking forward to is Sliding Liberia, featuring our boys Dan Malloy and Chris Del Moro.

Four young surfers travel through the war-torn West African nation of Liberia in search of the perfect wave. With the recent war shadowing the landscape, the group must face the everyday realities of life in a war-torn world. The search for waves becomes a quest for understanding, as the surfers record the stories of Liberians they meet along the way. Juxtaposing war-torn urban landscapes with images of tropical paradise, the film explores the tension that exists inside every traveler—a desire to connect with new people and places and an instinct to insulate oneself from the harsh realities of their surroundings.

Pre-order tickets online

For more info visit slidingliberia.com

This Month in the Mags!

Well, I see Kyle Leeper and our beloved "filmer guy," Mike Manzoori in the June issue of Skateboarder. I see Sheckler has a rather large kickflip cover and interview in the June issue of The Skateboard Mag, done by our friend Chris Nieratko.

And it seems our pal Clyde Singleton has some stuff to say about Ryan in the May TWS as well.

I see even more coverage of Rune's Bowl-A-Rama conquest in May's Thrasher and TransWorld. Not to mention a pretty dope photo in a pool article in the June Slap.

I see Malto footy on TWS' site and a silly photo from the Crailtap homepage as well.

Wow, wasn't that fun? These dudes are killing it huh?

More From Aamion

A few more pics from Aamion...

etnies Backyard Jam Footy

Fun footage from the archives. etnies Backyard Jam circa 2006. Some shit just doesn't get old. Watch it.

Barcelona Day 6

Some kid liked Oliver's camera gear. Mullets are back in Europe. Mikey kinda of learned nollie inward heels and Leeper ripped. See that bigspin flip? Yeah... go practice.

Sergio Layos In Paris

Woozy BMX has a couple good pics of Sergio Layos taken somewhere in Paris. I'd show you, but Woozy specifically said not to. So... go have a look on Woozy and enjoy this totally unrelated pic that I found in my files.

Ford Archbold Interview

etnies surf Am Ford Archbold likes his name. Find out what else he likes—Pac vs Biggie, Hawaii vs Cali and... bikini vs thong. It's all on Loop'd for your reading pleasure.

New Fall 08 SEED Collection

The Fall '08 SEED line includes men's and women's apparel, accessories and shoes made from organic or sustainable, pesticide-free and chemical-free textiles. With rainforest-inspired graphics and materials ranging from hemp to bamboo the collection calls attention to the Amazon. etnies will donate a portion of proceeds to Sambazon's Sustainable Acai Project, which promotes preservation of the Amazon Rainforest through sustainable agro-forestry. Learn more at Sambazon.com and the SEED Project Blog.

Kachinsky's UGP Footage

(Ahem) Someone was "just sayin'" something about less posing for pics, more action shots. How 'bout we do you one better with three minutes of Kachinsky footage?

Check out this little video gem of Brian Kachinsky running the streets in Chicago, Wisconsin, Minnesota... and Florida to top it off. UGP road trip to Florida's capital for some added rails. Good lines, raw ass rails and Go Brian Go attitude make this an entertaining three minutes of BMX. If you see Brian, go buy him a sandwich or coffee... edit by Chad DeGroot.

Happy now... bro?

etnies With An Industry First

We, at etnies & Sole Tech, are celebrating Earth Day with the announcement of a project already years in the making; etnies is committed, and well on its way, to becoming the action sports industry's first carbon neutral company!

Whether or not you get what that means, you're probably familiar with the concept of carbon dioxide emissions and their devastating effect on global warming. The idea of carbon neutrality is to offset ALL emissions in various ways, so that the total is a big, fat, neutral zero. Makes sense, right? Being the realists that we are, we know it's much easier said than done... so what have we done so far? One major step we've taken is the completion of our first corporate eco-audit to measure the company’s overall carbon footprint.

“Corporate responsibility and environmental conservation have been at the forefront of our philosophy for many years and our commitment to making an impact on the consumer, the industry, and the planet is stronger than ever,” said Pierre Andre Senizergues, CEO and founder of Sole Technology. “As we release the results of our first eco-audit, we look to our team, our customers, and our partners in the action sports world to help us become a carbon neutral company that will pave the way for a greener future.”

Led by the company’s environmental affairs manager, Roian Atwood, the eco-audit examined the organization’s activities over the course of more than seven years, focusing predominantly on its carbon emissions, waste and consumption, and water usage. In addition to this detailed study, etnies has executed the installation of 616 solar panels, the conversion to water-based cement manufacturing, corporate wide-recycling efforts, and the creation of a seasonal sustainable footwear and apparel collection, the etnies SEED Project.

“We are confident that the future looks bright for eco-conscious corporations, and we strive to be a leader in the field every day,” said Atwood. “By sharing our findings and making a conscious effort to use the results to alter our business practices and impact on the environment, we hope to play a key role in changing today’s corporate culture for a stronger tomorrow.”

The Sole Technology eco-audit found that in 2007, the company generated 40,000 tons of CO2, equivalent to volume of 2.5 billion shoe boxes 58 percent of which came from footwear manufacturing and the emissions released in the development process through the use of coal-burning sources and electricity. Another 18 percent of its carbon emissions are attributed to the making of the brand’s cardboard boxes, and 8 percent is related to logistics and shipping.

In terms of waste and consumption, Sole Technology found that of the 72,000 pounds of internal trash it consumed, the company recycled 57 percent, exceeding the country’s national average of 30 percent, and California’s average of 50 percent. By 2010, Sole Technology’s goal is to recycle 70 percent of their waste with assistance from the Blue Bin Brigade, an internal committee of department executives whose goal it is to increase awareness and find environmentally-friendly means of conducting business.

“Given the harsh abuse on a skateboarder’s shoes, our industry is constantly challenged with the issue of consumption, which is why we strive to make the most durable, quality products in the market,” said Senizergues. “Building long lasting products that are sturdy and have a longer life with consumers is an important element to consider in the eco discussions related to manufacturing and consumption.”

The eco-audit determined that 95 percent of Sole Technology’s water usage is attributed to the company’s apparel development, an industry-wide concern among clothing manufacturers that is a leading cause of damage to the environment. By taking immediate actions on business offices such as installing waterless urinals that save 325,000 gallons of water annually and dual flush toilets, the company is already affecting its internal water usage as it continues to research innovative technologies that will also benefit the manufacturing process.

Senizergues’ personal commitment to the environment and ecologically conscious lifestyle has made him a trailblazer in the industry, having implemented green practices many years ago. In addition to his professional goals, Senizergues practices green living at home as well, and has been honored by Global Green USA with a Corporate Environmental Leadership Award for his environmental practices and corporate responsibility. He was also an executive producer with Leonardo DiCaprio on the documentary The 11th Hour about the effects of global warming and how society can prevent further damage.

Stay tuned for more news this week, including further details on our eco-audit results...

Mary Osborne, Ambassador!

A little note from Mary...

"Thirty five years ago this year, Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs at the Houston Astrodome in the notorious Battle of the Sexes. Families, teammates and friends gathered around televisions in record numbers to watch history in the making. With an audience of 50 million, the tennis match is still the most-watched in history. The widespread media coverage had a profound cultural impact, as it allowed people across the world to see what was literally thought impossible a woman defeating a man.

On the anniversary of the Battle of the Sexes, there is perhaps no greater example of how media coverage shapes our perceptions. The Billie Awards, held on Tuesday night in Beverly Hills, Calif., recognizes the positive power the media possess. Actress Sharon Osbourne, Desperate Housewives star Doug Savant and Rapper Master P were just a few of the celebrities who joined Nancy Lieberman, Tracy Austin, Michelle Kwan and 40 of the world's most phenomenal female athletes in the ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel." www.womenssportsfoundation.com

Words cannot even begin to describe the feelings of emotion running throughout my body on this warm Tuesday evening. Never knowing what to expect on a "Hollywood" based evening like this, I had chills running throughout my body, tears of proud emotions filling my eyes and a smile of joy that could be seen all the way back to my hometown in little old Ventura. It is a huge honor for me to be attending the Billies as a Ambassador for the sport of surfing among some of sports' most respected female athletes from different generations and sporting backgrounds. I hope that one year you all can share this memorable night with me by my side! Enjoy the pictures... MARY

Founder Billie Jean King greets long-time friend Sir Elton John on the red carpet of The Billies. Elton John topped the evening off with a fantastic performance.

Rapper Master P and Sharon Osbourn showing their support

From left to right: Surf-Mary Osborne, Motocross-Tania Satchwell, Skateboarding-Lynz Adams, Lacross-Kirsten Kjellman, Figureskating-Michelle Kwan, BMX Freestyle- Cory Coffey, Skiing-Gret Eliason, Skiing- Sarah Burke

Skater Lynz Adams, Tennis ilana Kloss, Mary O

Mary O

Figure Skater Michelle Kwan and mary o

Softball former UCLA womens coach Susan Enquist and Swimmer Dona Deverona: 2x olympic gold medalist International Womens Sports Hall of Fame member

Former Baseball player Shirley Burkovich and Mary O

Aamion: No surf, no prob!

When there is no surf in Hawaii the next best thing to do is dive...
No better training for surfing big waves than diving, make da lung's mo big.
Here are a few snapshots from my last dive at home...

Enjoy,
Aamion

Sandy Carson Interview

Sandy Carson talks photography, bmx, his lady and... kitties?

Read up at bmxUnion.com.

Welcome Joe Sexton!

It's official!

Lake Forest, CA – etnies and ThirtyTwo proudly welcome Joe Sexton to the fam. The 20-year-old grew up riding his home mountain of Highland Hills, Minnesota, but has recently been seen (and filmed!) slaying the slopes everywhere from SoCal to Japan.

“Riding with Joe is always a lot of fun! He has a unique style on and off his snowboard, and I think he is one of the most creative kids coming up right now. I'm really stoked to have him be a part of the 32 and etnies teams,” said JP Walker.

Check out Joe's team page for his blogs, interview and stats!

Mike Vincent Benefit Party

Hello,

This past Thursday was the three-month mark since Mike Vincent's accident. It was also the one-month mark since he was moved from Cedar Sinai to Rancho Los Amigos.

Much of what has happened since the move can be best described as organized chaos. From day one, it was clearly evident that Rancho did not have the adequate personnel and equipment to care for Mike's condition. After much lobbying from Mike's parents, it appears that they are finally taking the necessary steps to accommodate Mike.

Now that the dust has settled from the initial turmoil, we are happy to report some wonderful news. Soon after Mike arrived at Rancho, his family was notified that Mike was blind in both eyes and that it was most likely going to be permanent. Thankfully Debbie, Mike's mom, did not accept the diagnosis and pushed for further testing. The tests concluded that Mike had severe hemorrhaging behind his eyes from the initial impact, but his eyes, nerves, and retinas were not badly damaged. He underwent surgery to drain his right eye earlier this week and once it's healed he will have his left eye operated on. After being in complete darkness for four weeks, Mike is rapidly adapting to light and color.

The doctors are also reevaluating Mike's medications, which at this point are only counteracting each other's side effects. In the short time that the dosages have decreased, Mike has shown great improvement. His agitation has significantly reduced while his attention span has grown to allow for short conversations.

Mike's strength through this arduous journey is inspiring. He has met and surpassed every prediction and projection of his recovery.

We would like to thank everyone who has contributed his or her heart, time and money to this cause so far. Yet the road to recovery is a long one and Mike Vincent and his family need your continued support.

Here are the current ways you can contribute:

Direct contribution to PAYPAL

Mail a check payable to:
Michael J. Vincent Fund
903 Hyperion Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90029

"Back off the Wagon" Benefit Party
When: Monday, April 21
Time: 9 PM - Close
Where: The Bungalow Club
7174 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046

There is a $10 donation cover charge. Happy Hour specials will reign the bar all night long while DJ Derrick Wize and friends will keep the music pumping. We will also have Mike V. merchandise for sale along with a raffle at the end of the night. Some of the raffle items include a Haro BMX bike signed by Ryan Nyquist, Pro Tec helmet signed by Bucky Lasek, Logitech iPod Speaker System, and much more.
*See above flyer for details

Please feel free to repost, forward, and spread the word about this cause.

If you would like to be added to the e-mail list for updates, please send an email to MikeVincentUpdates@gmail.com with ADD in the subject heading.

A special thank you to those who have made this event possible: Haro Bikes, Verde BMX, Hoffman Bikes, Odyssey, Dakine, Duo, Coda Skateboards, Habitat Skateboards, Alien Workshop Skateboards, Herbivore Clothing, Alpinestars, Indie Printing, ASA Entertainment, Playboy, Hellen's Cycle, Gagosian Gallery, LAfixed.com, ESPN, X Games, The Bungalow Club, Yanco Pads, Sweet Pea Bakery, JaredSouney.com, Mat Hoffman, Jim Bauer, Ryan Nyquist, Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Jake Brown, Pierre-Luc Gagnon, Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg, Jeremy Lusk, Todd Potter, and everyone who has contributed their heart, time and money to this cause.

etnies Proudly Welcomes...

etnies proudly welcomes Tyler Bledsoe to the team...

Stay tuned for lots more of Tyler in the coming weeks, including footage and photos from our Barcelona and Arizona tours as well as an exclusive interview. Don't forget he's also neck deep in filming for Alien Workshop's upcoming video, Mindfield.

Bev Vuilleumier Makes It Rain!

Yesterday, at Whistler's TELUS Ski & Snowboard Fest, etnies/32 flow rider Bev Vuilleumier won “If Ullr Was a Girl” and took home $25,000!!! Bev had to score highest overall in the four events—Big Mountain, Half-Pipe, Slopestyle and Talent—beating out both snowboarders AND skiers for the big win.

How does it feel to be $25k richer? Well, 20-year-old Bev felt “... super lucky and stoked! It was a cool contest with all the different events because you can pull through and win overall, even if you don’t win every event."

“Bev has been riding hard all season to make her mark in women’s snowboarding. This contest really showed what an amazing overall rider Bev is and she couldn’t have deserved it more. Expect to see a lot more of this girl on the podium in the future!” - Laura Lynn Murphey, etnies TM.

RESULTS

1st Place Bev Vuilleumier, Snowboarder, Big Mountain 3rd, Superpipe 3rd, Slopestyle 1st, Talent 5th (ETNIES/32 FLOW RIDER)

2nd Place, Dom Vallee, Snowboarder, Big Mountain 4th, Superpipe 1st, Slopestyle 5th, Talent 1st

3rd Place, Robyn Van Gyn, Snowboarder, Big Mountain 1st, Superpipe 5th, Slopestyle 3rd, Talent 4th

4th Place Spencer O’Brien, Snowboarder, Big Mountain 2nd, Superpipe 4th, Slopestyle 2nd, Talent 7th (ETNIES CANADA)

5th Place, Jess Cumming, Skier, Big Mountain 5th, Superpipe 2nd, Slopestyle 2nd, Talent 8th

6th Place, Ariana Stufano, Skier, Big Mountain 1st, Superpipe 5th, Slopesteyle 4th, Talent 6th

7th Place, Shidasha Holmstead, Skier, Big Mountain 2nd, Superpipe 3rd, Slopestyle 5th, Talent 9th

8th Place, Jenny Strong, Skier, Big Mountain 4th, Superpipe no place, Slopestyle 3rd, Talent 2nd

9th Place, Jordie Karlinski, Snowboarder, Big Mountain 5th, Superpipe 2nd, Slopestyle 4th, Talent no place

10th Place, Kristie Giles, Skier, Big Mountain no place, Superpipe 4th, Slopestyle 1st, Talent no place

Asher Pacey Interview

Watch Asher Pacey's interview, up now on Surfspot.com!

Spencer O Giveaway Update...

Featured Rider Spencer O'Brien (here, flanked by Bev V and MFR) is currently kicking ass at the TELUS Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler. And we, here in SoCal, are enjoying the sun and bringing you more good stuff for this month's Spencer O Giveaway. We've added a FULL YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to Snowboard Canada Magazine, guaranteed to satisfy your snow lust long after the season ends. More prizes are being added so ENTER NOW and keep checking in to see what else you might win.

A Day With Simon Chamberlain

Check out Simon Chamberlain and Stian Solberg shredding with two lucky winners at Camp of Champions in Whistler BC.

Will you be next???

On Tour With The Vandals, Part 4

Joe's final remarks
All photos - Austin Brown

Just got back from quite possibly the best Australian tour we've ever done. These are long flights but Qantas made it so much easier; best in-flight entertainment, anywhere, for sure.

The last couple days we spent in Perth and they were the most memorable. No, Fletcher still hasn't found a way to pay me or wiggle out of it. But, after all the Perth jokes like "Perth Girls Are Easy" or "Perth Crisis" we finally arrived in one of the only English speaking parts of the world in which we have never performed.

It was very heartwarming because you could tell they had been waiting patiently for decades. They were probably the most wildly responsive of all the crowds. It's amazing to sit and ponder how cool these people are to live on the other side of the earth and still find your music; can't wait to go back there.

Warren did double duty tonight as he did a pole dance on a square column in the middle of the dance floor after parting the Red Sea of Perthlings and got himself some new bruise shapes. Then he played "Pain For Pleasure" with the super fun and talented little Fraggle-Rock stars, Sum 41. I shall miss them the most, along with everyone else, that I miss the most.

As far as tourism, we visited Scarborough Beach with Dan from Sum 41's crew and the day of the show I took a train to Fremantle and visited the cemetery where Bon Scott from AC/DC was laid to rest and had a tasty roo filet at the Sail and Anchor pub. I paid my respects to Bon and to Heath Ledger by not asking the groundskeepers where their actual graves were. The truth is I rented a scooter and was running out of places to take it.

The night before the Perth show was the real fireworks because the Vandals, Austin, Lisi, Aysha, Rhino, Randy, Byron and his hot wife Lori, Darren and Nick from the tour all went to a Teppan steak house for a night off celebration.

Everything was going fine until the end when Warren exploded because they never gave him and Randy their steaks.

Dave said "it's because you didn't order steak."

Turns out they didn't but he says because they were being hurried by Dave. Randy came along for the ride in what was a screaming match to put his and Fletcher's battles to shame. If they let me, I will post a youtubian documentary of the whole thing. OK, as I write it, it sounds lame but I tell you, it was something to behold. Warren puts his heart into things like no one else I know. The worst was when they asked him how he wanted his steak, which he did not order, cooked.

After the show in Perth, everyone scattered.

Sum 41 went to Japan. Bowling For Soup went to Beijing. Pennywise went to Long Beach for the Grand Prix of Scroungathons. The Vandals went back to our lonely lives of desparation as alcohol distributors, drive time radio hosts, musical writers, and pro-drummers. See you in San Diego on May 3, and at the House Of Blues Anaheim on May 18. Then Warped.

Thanks to the crew: Austin Brown, Aysha Martinez, Mike Griffen, Rhino, and Aaron Lisi. Thanks to Bowling For Soup, Sum 41, Pennywise, A.J. and everyone at KMW productions, super manager Kris Martinez, super agent Stormy Shepherd, super drummer Brooks Wackerman, Indie 103.1 for letting me go, the people of Australia, and etnies for posting this blog.

You're welcome, Joe! And thank YOU.
Visit The Vandals on MySpace and listen to Joe on indie 103.1's Barely Legal Radio!

Banjo McLachlan Exhibit

Banjo is a photographer residing in Sydney, Australia and is a young chap more than capable of mixing talents, whether it be sliding waves on his 8ft McTavish single-fin longboard or late drops on an early 80’s thruster, to schralping a mountain via jibbing, sliding and launching over anything in his path...

After completing a diploma in photography at the KVB college in Sydney, Banjo has been working freelance as well as building up a strong personal body of work.

Much of what Banjo captures involves the experiences and adventures of his everyday life and etnies is a proud sponsor of his upcoming exhibit in Manly, Australia. Info above. And below.

Banjo's Official Site

Sheckler on the Mega!

Remember us telling you about Sheckler skating the Mega Ramp? Ya, well here's the footy.

Barcelona Day 5!

Famous spots. Malto destroying anything and everything and Leeper Zip ZingerZaggering and Oliver Barton's manic camera guy charades. You may be wondering why you haven't seen a lot of bangers from Bledsoe or Mikey Taylor... well that's because they are both filming for Mindfield and I'm not allowed to show you what's been going on. Be patient though, and you will be rewarded.

On Tour With The Vandals, Part 3

More Vandalism from Joe
All photos - Austin Brown

"Adelaide, South Australia," or "How I won $500 from Fletcher"

Things are starting to become eventful. We flew to Adeleaide for our 4th show in a row. This is a sleepier town with a distinct multicolored brick based architecture on all the traditional structures of which I can't get enough. I've never seen it duplicated in the States.

Every band had a good show tonight.

Bowling For Soup know exactly how to entertain a room full of punkers.

Sum 41 are a perfect young punk band and it is clear why they will be here long after the other major label pop punkers that exploded on the scene during the early part of this decade are long forgotten. Simply put, they have a large quantity of excellent songs that are catchy as hell and rock way beyond what you would expect from such youngsters. They deserve all their success and more. They also get the award for most amazing Punisher of the trip standing on the side of the stage with the green shirt. I hope there is video of him somewhere.

Pennywise had a solid show uninterrupted by any punishers, militant organizers (which actually happened in Sydney), or local radio personalities. However, Fletcher and Randy's fighting did spill over into their set at one point. Of course it was funny because we all know they love each other.

The Vandals show finally delivered what the "take it off" crowd wanted thanks to Warren's Aussie Flag Speedo and mystical leg bruise the exact shape of South Australia.

I uploaded the last song onto youtube right after from the dressing room for your low-res and low-fi enjoyment. Watch it here.

Jim from P.W. Convinced me to stay late at the venue to have a drink and philosophize for a bit while multiple gambling dens errupted in the other dressing rooms. Then a spontaneous lobby bar party got underway at our Sebel Playford Hotel.

This is where it became interesting. I arrived in the bar with a drink Pennywise T.M. Aaron Lisi made me at the venue. That is key information. As soon as I encountered Fletcher he was holding the false tooth and retainer he somehow got out of Chris the big guy from Bowling For Soup's mouth, where he wears it.

Fletcher then declared that I needed to "take my medicine." Meaning he wanted me to let him place it in my cocktail (pineapple, cranberry, lime, Stoli).

With Fletcher's challenges you have to make a split second decision if you are going to accept because if you make a big deal about it, it just gets worse for you. Within a few seconds I had downed the drink and dumped the tooth and a few ice cubes on the table. I think Randy almost vomited from seeing this up close.

No big deal, but the next morning in the bus to the Adelaide airport Fletcher was holding court and explaining that I drank a glass of beer with Chris's tooth in it.

That some how made it sound a little less cool to me than it actually was so I corrected him that it was really a mixed drink.

For some reason, the type of drink it was became a huge controversy with Fletcher indignant that I would suggest there was a need for a correction to any of the details of his story. He suggested a bet. We both agreed immediately on a "net worth" wager.

He then began soliciting witnesses to bolster his version of things and sieze all my assets and make me his slave. It wasn't going all that great so he suggested we reduce the wager to a flat $500 USD. I agreed.

He continued to quiz witnesses when a bomb dropped on him. Someone on the bus produced a video recording of the entire incident. It was indeed a cocktail and not a beer. I would never drink a beer with someone's tooth in it.

From then on, this drink Lisi made me (pineapple and vodka with a splash of cran and lime) has been known as the Aussie 500. Thanks Lisi.

Joe...

Visit The Vandals on MySpace and listen to Joe on indie 103.1's Barely Legal Radio!

On Tour With The Vandals, Part 2

More from Mr. Joe Escalante, Esq.
All photos - Austin Brown

3 shows in a row? Where's the outrage? I thought we came here to paddleboard and watch Fletcher fight with Randy Bradbury.

Two shows in Sydney were great, topped off by Warren murdering a 5/8 scale Spiderman doll until the beans he was made of exploded all over Brooks' drums.

Tour Concierge Austin Brown arranged some boards from Channel Islands for us to use at Manley Beach -pretty crowded on a Saturday but the water is so much cleaner here than at home it's just nice to be in it.

Melbourne Festival hall on Sunday had a lot of Vandals fans but they were a little too polite until we pointed out our amazingness.

Not too polite was the drunk girl that came back stage to complain that Warren performs with his clothes on. We never complain about that. After Warren appeared on the cover of the Manley daily after a certain Warped Tour show years ago (headline "Concert Outrage"), he's chosen to behave.

Regarding Pennywise's Fletcher and Randy fights they really have evolved into an art form. It never stops from the golf course to the stage to the airport. Fletcher challenges the thickness of everyone's skin, but no one gets it like Randy.

In return, Randy does things like call him Armpit Face and once he had everyone sign a sympathy card when Fletcher had a mole removed.

Joe...

Visit The Vandals on MySpace and listen to Joe on indie 103.1's Barely Legal Radio!

Ryan Smith Bike Check!

etnies Flow rida Ryan Smith is rollin' a new ride.

Check the deets on Mutiny Bikes.

Geiselman Owns It

Day 2 of the Vendee Pro and Eric Geiselman is the undisputed man of the moment. The 4 Star WQS event continues in Brétignolles sur Mer France through April 20th and our boy is the current favorite in Round 3!

Read more at Surfers Village and check back for updates here!

Sean Malto & The Escapist Premiere!

Malto and a ladyfriend

Remember this? Well the new Escapist video, featuring Sean Malto and our new flow boy Tyshaun Johnson, premiered not too long ago and here's the obligatory recap!

This girl is hot

Malto and the gang

Malto & Dan!

Barcelona Day 5... Mikey the Filmer

I raided Mikey's digicam and saw he filmed a line with Malto. So I stole it for you.

On Tour With The Vandals

The Vandals are touring down under and we've got the inside scoop from Joe Escalante himself! Here's the haps so far... all photos by Austin Brown...

The Vandals on tour in Australia with Pennywise, Sum 41, and Bowling For
Soup. Doesn't get much better than this and the sun is actually out,
despite the fact that it's supposed to be Fall.

Qantas got us here in style (thanks for the pajamas), and after one show
in Brisbane, the theory that your band will never break up if you have
even the slightest career down under holds true. This place is a
blast.

Highlights include exotic animals roaming the streets like they were
ferrel cats, or cats from Ferrel's, a great ice cream bar called "Golden
Gaytime," and Randy Bradbury. Lowlights include the pitiful channel
selection on the hotels.

Tomorrow we visit the Eiffel Tower.

Joe...

Visit The Vandals on MySpace and listen to Joe on indie 103.1's Barely Legal Radio!

Picaresque Video Trailer

etnies Australia's Harry Roach is all over the new Picaresque Films video trailer! Watch as the style bandit gets all nasaly on his log and gets tubed on those crazy Alaia wood boards... Harry is the blonde haired regular footer. Watch the teaser...

Simon Skipp In Sidewalk

etnies UK's Simon Skipp landed a 10 PAGE INTERVIEW in Sidewalk. He has been skateboarding for 15 years now and riding for etnies since 2001. He's is well known for his style and mad skillz.

The interview took six months due to bad weather and a few hiccups... like getting robbed at one of the spots... but with 10 pages of Q&A plus plenty of shots like these, it was six months well worth it. Besides etnies, Simon rides for Heathen Skateboards and Howies Clothing.

Check Mpora for footage of Simon.

New GGOB Dates & Pics!!

2008's Girls Get On Board program is off to a great start after last month's Split Peaks Surf Adventures session in Costa Rica! I'm told the pics don't do it justice... but it looks pretty damn good from here.

We're still firming up our venues... but our dates and towns are set so check out the schedule to see when GGOB's coming to your hood! Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, check out the Costa Rica crew doing their thing.

Eric Geiselman Ranked #14

Surfline's 20Under20 list rates the Top 20 Surfers in the world under the age of 20, taking into account contest results, photo and video sessions and media exposure. Based on that, it's no surprise that etnies surfer Eric Geiselman made the cut.

The Party Of Parties

the lowdown
You've waited all year for this one--Anthem's coming back to the desert for our 2008 Coachella party, La Fiesta de Fiestas. Our "senior rager" is guaranteed to go down in the history books, so leave your sobriety at home and help us freak out during the two-day poolside extravaganza. Muy caliente, muy bien!

featuring
- DJ sets by Claude VonStroke, Ed Banger Records Whiplash Squad, M.A.N.D.Y., Noizy Boy, & Tommie Sunshine and some very special guests!
- Largest private pool in the desert with swim-up bar
- Levis 501 happy hour giveaways
- Complimentary bar and fiesta BBQ!
- Inflatable pool toy insanity
- Mani and pedi station
- Photo booth memories
- Lots of other games and random weirdness

details
When:
Sat., April 26 & Sun., April 27
12 - 6 PM

Where:
Cree Estate
67698 Carey RD.
Cathedral City, CA
92234

LIMITED RSVP:
anthemmagazine.com/rsvp

Ferry & Morais Take 2nd in Detroit!

Congrats to Tim Ferry for taking second in the Supercross Class and Ryan Morais for taking second in the Lites Class at the Supercross event in Detroit on Saturday!

Save South Bank!

Our friends in England have made a documentary about the famous South Bank skate spot in London. It's the home of British skating, like London's version of what Love Park did for Philly or EMB did for San Fransisco.

As you would expect, the government is trying to squeeze the skaters out. There's a government petition attached to the trailer. If they get 5,000 signatures it's really hard for the government to ignore because the amount of signatures has legal implications after you hit 5,000.

Sign the petition. Watch the trailer. Help some fellow skaters out and be a part of preserving skateboarding history worldwide before it's too late!

Jairo Perez Cover

etnies Costa Rica surfer Jairo Perez scored the cover of Surfos Magazine... ¡ay, que guapo!

Barcelona Day 4!