July 16, 2005
Versus: Kid Am vs. Man Am
By Rob Brink
TransWorld Skateboarding August 2005
Simple evolution—progression: Skateboarders are getting better and better at younger and younger ages. The proof is all around us: Nyjah Houston winning Tampa Am 2005 at ten years old, Ryan Sheckler being one of the youngest pros ever, and grom companies and scaled down board designs are now a staple in shops.
The result of this evolution has left us with a bundle of “kid ams.” While their on-board time may be limited, just like a three year-old on a computer, they pick the basics up quick. And before you know it, they're doing extraordinary things. For the sponsoring companies the kid ams are a sure bet—the public perception is still one of: “How can be so good being so little and at such a young age?!”
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July 14, 2005
Tampa Pro 2005
By Rob Brink and Blair Alley
TransWorld Skateboarding July 2005
Only flawless run in the finals: Dennis Busenitz.
Least likely to 540 on the street course, but did anyway: Billy Rohan.
Screw practicing and Motley Crüe/Puke during your run: Tony Trujillo.
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July 14, 2005
Tampa Am 2005
By Rob Brink
TransWorld May 2005
History maker: Nyjah Huston.
Best kickflip backside 180 nosegrind revert: Aquil Brathwaite.
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July 14, 2005
Tampa Pro 2004
By Rob Brink
TransWorld Skateboarding August 2004
You can always count on SkatePark of Tampa's contests to be packed with sick skating and fun times. What made this year even better was the invitation for past winners to get a free ride to the semifinals without having to qualify—all past Tampa Pro royalty were present: Gershon Mosley, Mike Vallely, Eric Koston, Kyle Berard, Kerry Getz, and Tony Trujillo.
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July 13, 2005
Gareth Stehr
By Rob Brink
TransWorld Skateboarding July 2004
Nearly two years ago, Gareth Stehr was invited by his sponsors (Tum Yeto) to leave Auckland, New Zealand and embark on a brief skateboarding holiday in the United States. Upon arriving on Tum Yeto's doorstep, he was greeted with “Oh damn, we forgot you were coming here, but you can stay at Josh Beagle's house.” A few weeks later, Gareth found himself with a new heap of friends, some major sponsors, and enough support to get him plenty of skate coverage and a work visa to reside in the US. Now that he's settled in San Diego, Gareth is enjoying himself and focusing on the important things in life: Thrift stores, skateboarding, and root beer.
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July 13, 2005
Versus
By Rob Brink
TransWorld Skateboarding December 2004
Embarcadero (formally named Justin Herman Plaza) in San Francisco and LOVE Park (formally named JFK Plaza) in Philadelphia are the two most legendary street skateboarding spots in the world. The amount of tricks, progression, coverage, and the now legends that each spot has produced is phenomenal. Skateboarders from all over the globe have traveled to these spots to skate and get a taste of what so many of their favorite pros got to skate on a daily basis.
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July 13, 2005
Tampa Pro 2002
By Rob Brink
TransWorld Skateboarding August 2002
By now you know the results of the Tampa Pro from the internet, and you'll see an abundance of footage in 411 soon, so why would I bother talking about the contest when I can tell you about Andrew Reynolds' mom tossing out stickers? Obviously, we all love skating unconditionally, but there's no need to rehash when I could reveal tons of more interesting tidbits about Tampa Pro.
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July 12, 2005
Tim O'Connor Top Five
By Rob Brink
TransWorld Skateboarding August 2004
This entire interview didn't make it into TransWorld due to space and a little bit of trash talking. But I have included the full, unedited transcript here.
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July 12, 2005
Unsing Heroes: Michelle Pezel
By Rob Brink
SG Magazine January 2005
Just outside the downtown area of East Vancouver is a simple and modest little skateboard shop and art gallery called AntiSocial. Owned by Michelle Pezel and professional skate-boarder Rick McCrank, AntiSocial isn't even three years old, yet it has already generated quite a buzz in Vancouver and the skateboarding world.
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July 12, 2005
Rodil DeAraujo Jr.
By Rob Brink
ESPN Magazine August 2004
This is the Rodil feature as it appeared in ESPN Magazine followed by the full, unedited interview which eventually got Rodil the boot from his one and only sponsor, Dragon Optical, for not admitting he rode for them. You can also see the EXPN.com version of the article here.
Skate 4 Cash
Skateparks paved with gold. That's what Rodil de Araujo Jr. envisioned in 1995, when the skater first rolled into the U.S. He was one of the hottest street riders in skate-crazed Brazil, and North America promised magazine covers, video roles and a chance to skate for a living.
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