Tag: freestyle
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Stefanie Åkesson
Stefanie Åkesson (she/her) is from Falun, Sweden and has a long legacy of competitive skateboarding and an inspiring story. Her full list of contest wins can be found on her website such as being the Swedish freestyle champion over fifteen times! Stefanie explained via Facebook that “I got my first skateboard August 28, 1978. But…
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Lynnette Fraas
Lynnette Fraas was a competitive freestyle skateboarder in the 1970s, sponsored by Banzai skateboards, whose name started to appear in contest results in 1976. She is from San Diego and attended Mission Bay Senior High (1978-1980). At the 2nd Annual Amateur Freestyle contest in Oceanside on July 11, 1976 there were 2000 spectators according to…
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Ellen Berryman
Ellen Berryman is among an elite group of competitive 1970s pro skateboarders recognized today for being pioneers. But while some individuals are still very much entrenched in this scene and identity, Ellen or El, as she prefers to be called has cultivated her own path, one that led her to become an environmental consultant thanks…
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Lulu Hart
Lulu Hart (Bentley) from Coconut Grove, Florida was age 17 when the iconic photos of her skating freestyle on the South Beach Pier, Miami in 1977 were taken by Jonathan Utz. The photos then appeared in the book, A Secret History of the Ollie by Craig B. Snyder, and Lulu was interviewed for BackSide Skateboard…
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Monica Polistchuk
Monica Polistchuk is a legendary Brazilian skater from São Bernardo do Campo, who began skating in the early 1980s. Her website Oopskate.com is a treasure trove of skateboard history, featuring the likes of Renata Paschini, Karen Jonz, Christie Aleixo, Melissa Brogni, Déborah Badel, Yndiara Asp, and Tati Marques. Monica was motivated to create the site…
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Dutch Female Skaters
The Netherlands has a long history of skateboarding dating back to the 1960s when Mr. Beenhakker, the owner of the Eerste Sprangse Metaalwaren Industrie (ESMI) roller-skate factory in Deurne, expanded into skateboards. The owner is interviewed in a fantastic vintage film on the NCRV Teen Magazine from November 5, 1965. The film includes a group…
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Yuka
This is Yuka [ ゆか ] skating freestyle in Japan in 1990, and I’m determined to learn more about her! Using Google translate and google.jp I stumbled upon this photo from a Japanese skater’s blog from 2006-2011. The caption under Yuka’s photo translates to: “Yuka is a genius female freestyler… She also won top prizes…
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Kerry Cooper
Kerry Cooper (Germain) was a 1970s skater who is mostly under the radar, but her name occasionally appeared in contest results, starting back in 1976. At the Ventura 2nd Annual Skateboard Championships, Kerry placed 2nd in freestyle behind Laura Thornhill for Girls 11-14, ahead of Tracy Alaway, Bonnie Kaplan, and Gloria Blanchard. Contests were still…
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Leslie Anne Miller
Leslie Anne Miller was a competitive skateboarder in the early 1980s, and like her peer, Diane Veerman (Desiderio) she had a classic 80s look! Freestyle was her preference, and Leslie was consistently placing strongly, even against the guys. Note: sometimes her name is misspelled “Leslee Ann Miller.” Photo: this nose wheelie image by Per Holknekt…
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Michelle Kolar-Scott
Michelle Kolar-Scott was a freestyle / street skater with the best of them back in the 1970s and was interviewed in 2016 by Lorrie Palmos in a fantastic feature for Girls Who Ride which included photos of Michelle ripping up the curbs and throwing down kickflips! Michelle shared that she was raised in Hermosa Beach,…
Womxn Skateboard History 