Tag: Skateboard History
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Skate Crates NYC
Skateboarding appeals to many because it is fun, it’s social, it can be an escape from whatever drama is happening at home, and typically it’s performed away from the prying eyes of adults. The idea of children playing in the streets hasn’t exactly been condoned by most adults, but there were times when there was…
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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…
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Rookie Skateboards
Beyond the skatepark, skateboarders tend to look for visual cues when determining if someone is aligned. For example, scuffed-up shoes that indicate the wear and tear of ollying and flicking your board against the rough surface of grip-tape. If you were a female skateboarder in the mid-1990s and you saw someone rocking Rookie gear, that…
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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…
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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…
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Patti – Kanoa Surf
A girl named “Patti” was documented by the photographer Albert Moote on June 20th, 1976 skateboarding “The Channell” in the Hollywood Hills area. She’s cruising around the banks, including one spray-painted with graffiti calling it “The Jammer’s Wall.” Before I noticed Patti’s name, I thought these were photos of Cara-Beth Burnside since she has a…
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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…
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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…
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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!…
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National Skateboard Review Mysteries
The skateboarding publication, The National Skateboard Review (1976-1979) by Di Dootson has provided a wealth of information for sourcing names of female skaters, their contest results, and photos. The challenge with following-up on a lead from the 1970s online and via social media is that it’s highly likely that names and pronouns have changed over…
Womxn Skateboard History 