Sandro's Blog

Nike gathered all the most radical skate shops and press together for the unveiling of Omar Salazar's signature shoe launch. It kicked off yesturday, Sunday March 7th at 2pm with a demo at B Street Skatepark in Sacremento - home to Brandon Biebel, Stefan Janoski, and just a stones throw away from BA and P-Rod so they came too. Tonight is the big bash celebration in San Francisco with Earthless and Shrinebuilder, and as you can imagine it will be something OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!

(above) Omar explains his original concept drawings.

Stay tuned for a brief/exclusive interview with the man himself. For now, just an audio preview:

The most recent edition of Skate Book has a big retrospective on this issue's cover bs noseblunter Ryan Smith. It's doozey.

This is just one of 5 reasons to buck up and go to San Francisco this weekend.

As mentioned in my last post - i went deep sea fishing in Maui. So the captain (left) asks me what I do, to which i reply "i make a skateboard magazine". Usually when I say that to an older person the conversation ends, but the captain continues. "Skateboarding, huh?" He says. "I competed in the first ever international skateboard competition in Hermosa Beach, CA in 1963. He told me about skating metal wheels before plastic or urethane was around. How his coaches were cops in uniform (to which he still doesn't know why). He was 13 years old then, on a team called something like Vitacorp. He only found out a few year's back what that logo he wore all those years ago stood for when by some freak coincidence an other guy he charted on his boat brought up the topic of skateboarding. Captain Denny shared his background with the man who seem intrigued. "Who did you ride for? Hobie?". "No" Denny said. "You probably've never heard of it". Not only did the man know of Vitacorp. But he owned the company in 1963 and still owns it today. The guy also went on to tell Denny he was responsible for patenting the technology and design that allow you to turn with your trucks!

Someone get a turd on your bathroom copy and the newsstands are sold out? Well it sure ain't print, but it's turd-free! Check out the tour issue now digitally remastered.

I recently returned from a two week holiday in Maui where I got to see my girlfriend's sister get married, go deep sea fishing, swam with turtles, got knocked around by waves, a massage on the beach by a man named Dimitri and so much more...

Tony Manfre has a video project he's been working on in Super 8.

From now until the Olympic flame is lit, when you spend over $30 in our store, you'll receive a free  "SKATEBOARDING IS NOT A SPORT" Color 2010 premium tee shirt with your order. Make sure to specify your size!

Crossroads Retail Show in San Diego was a breathe of fresh air. This was the first year under ownership of ASR and things were better than ever. It seems people are finally understanding and accepting that skateboarding is its own unique beast and can’t conform to any other way. Although no longer at Black Box Distribution’s headquarters where they house one heck of a training facility, the best trick contest went off without a hitch with a giant meandering shark wall and 11 stair rail in the form of a giant sword. Nyjah Houston surprised spectators not only with the length of his locks, but with his bag of tricks too. But it wouldn’t be a Zero x Thrasher event if Chris Cole didn’t go home with some money.  At the same time, in the upstairs branch of the convention centre called Class, brands and consumers alike have grown to understand the culture a bit more and able to contribute to better looking, more functional products.

watch the play by play from best trick, here.