Category: Profile
-
Wendy Bedell
Wendy Bedell (Sprague) was a skateboarder from Hawaii, featured in the February 1978 issue of Skateboard World with a photo of her landing a kickflip at ‘A’ala Park in Honolulu by Don Bradburn. More recently, thanks to her co-worker who decided to Google search Wendy when she mentioned her skateboarding background, Wendy and I connected…
-
Deirdre Devine
Deirdre “Dee Dee” Devine was a freestyle skater in the 1980s who lived in Los Angeles as well as Arizona. According to her friend, legendary street skater Anita Tessensohn, Deirdre was sponsored by Airwalk and Powell, as they were on the same team together. In the photo below from the 1987 “Camp Bones” Powell Peralta…
-
Jaime Luster
The photo of Jaime Luster by Jeff Ruiz from the July 1979 issue of Skateboarder, where she’s dwarfed by a massive trophy after winning the USASA Overall champion award for her age group, is pretty rad! Jaime was a solid competitor in the girls’ 10 and under category, and based on her results, she especially…
-
Amy Paul
Back in the 1980s, when a female skater heard rumour of another girl who skated, they were destined to meet! This was the situation for KZ Zapata, author of the zine Push, Push, then Go! when she first met Amy Paul in San Francisco, at a famous spot called “The Dish” in Hunter’s Point which…
-
Pattie Hoffman
Pattie Hoffman received her induction into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2018 for her skills, contest results, and contributions to the scene which began back in the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. Pattie was born in Pennsylvania but moved west to California with her family, where she attended high school in the…
-
Naomi Harris
Naomi Harris (often misspelled “Noémie” in French media) was born in England, but based out of France and was active in the skateboarding scene in the late 1970s, competing in freestyle and slalom. She was acknowledged in several magazines, starting with Skatin’. In Issue No. 3 from 1978, Harris was pitched “face to face” next…
-
Gail Yarbrough
If you’re a surfer in the Pacific Northwest, “The Point” just south of Seaside, Oregon is a cherished spot, located where the Pacific Ocean meets Tillamook Head. Gail Yarbrough (Williams), who was originally from California, where she competed in skateboarding, was surfing The Point in the 1970s, and according to a Facebook page called Oregon…
-
Canada’s Champion
I first wrote about PJ McKenzie (Pam Judge) back in May 2022 after sourcing just a few photos of her online, and then stumbling upon a few more through newspaper databases. Once I realized that she was Canada’s first female skateboarding champion (back in 1977 / 1978), I knew that I had to meet her!…
-
Barb Odanaka
Barbara Ludovise Odanaka’s return to skateboarding as an adult was the ultimate power-move and it was such a privilege to interview her (June 22, 2023) and be the recipient of her story that is so inspiring even with its moments of heartbreak. Please note that Barb has given me permission to share details of her…
-
Alison Matasi
In the early 1990s, Alison Matasi started skateboarding by butt-boarding at age 4, and properly riding by age 10. She was often accompanied by her big brother, Lee ‘Avers’ Matasi (RIP) at skateparks and DIY spots around Vancouver, Canada. In an interview by Rose Archie, Alison stated, “There were always skateboards around my house from…
Womxn Skateboard History 