For the Love of Skateboarding
Did you know you could exit a back lip this way?
Will you ever look at a ping pong table the same?
Can Finnish disco funk sound tailor-fit for skateboarding?
Finland’s finest dynamic duet, Element pro Jaakko Ojanen and up-and-comer Eetu Toropainen, busted out the VX to answer these existential questions.
So, ladies and gentlemen, if you have not already had the pleasure then allow us to introduce you to George Zuko – a candidate for raddest human in the world today. As with Sandy Alibo in Ghana, George has been a talismanic figure in the development of skateboard culture here in Kenya.
How about this: George is a skater who helps run skate camps at an educational orphanage where the country’s first skatepark resides. Think about that for a moment. Children sleeping on the streets are by no means uncommon in Nairobi, and George introduced us to two young rippers who once slept right by the local skate spot – and started skating as a result. With George’s introduction of skating into their lives, The Keedz (‘the pair’) are off the streets, enrolled in school, and ripping.
Samuel Mwangi and Ezra Nyongesa – everyone calls him Balo, though – proved constant companions for Jaakko Ojanen, Chenai Gwandure, Yann Horowitz and Jackson Pilz as our joy bus spent a week rolling around with the skate scene of Nairobi. Sam even shot Balo’s front board photo from this feature on his first try with a camera. Fast learner!
The Shangilia association which runs the educational orphanage space where the radiant skatepark resides work with hundreds of such children every day. Watch Patrik Wallner’s superb documentary on Jaakko and friends’ skate mission with the local rippers of Nairobi above.
Skate scenes in their infancy often have a guiding light, a champion and pioneer who evangelises and develops and agitates at the absolute grassroots level, to try and make things happen for the new people skating hooks every day once they have access to it.
This is happening all over the world right now, and it is the purest version of skateboarding’s promise. As a counterpoint to all the upriver skate activity going on in the world today, wonderful though that doubtless is, shining a light not just on these nascent scenes but the builders of those scenes is a dollop of wholesome radness nobody can have too much of.
So, when South African skate evangelis Yann Horowitz, Chenai Gwandure and Jackson Pilz suggested continuing Red Bull’s drop- ins with the diverse skate scenes throughout the continent by heading to Ghana to meet Sandy Alibo and the Accra skaters, Jaakko Ojanen leapt at the once-in-a-lifetime chance to bring his magic feet to the party. What was created proved to be a pivotal skate happening for the Accra scene; one which will never be forgotten by anyone involved. Absorb Patrik Wallner’s awesome film from the tour up top there, and roll back around in a week’s time as the squad roll into Nairobi, Kenya!
We discuss Jaakko Ojanen part in DC’s “Domino”, Mason Silva Nike SB “Mason” part, Jason Rogers has a new beverage company called “Yatta”, The Ghetto Bird Show with Kareem Campbell, Must have condiments in your fridge and much more!
DC Domino is coming! A 5-part skateboarding video starring Thaynan Costa, Madars Apse, Josef Skott, Jaakko Ojanen, and a large portion of the Global DC team, all filmed on various trips throughout Europe.
Element presents KNÜCKS, a short skate video edited by French Fred Mortagne starring the Element international skate team. Featuring Eetu Toropainen, Victor Cascarigny, Jordan Sharkey, Gabriel Fortunat, Jaakko Ojanen, Maité Steenhoudt, Madars Apse, Dominik Walker, Brandon Westgate, Chris Colbourn, Nick Garcia, Ross McGouran, Weskinen, Phil Zwijsen, Ethan Loy, Antoine Ravel and César Dubroca.
We’re back to Saku Arena in Estonia for the 20th anniversary of Simple Session – A skate contest by skaters, for skaters, and on some seriously big transition. Nate Wessel is the mastermind behind this year’s course build and it fairly summarises the mantra of ‘go big or go home’. Smash the play button and catch the full replay from the contest. Featuring Liam Pace, Danny Leon, Ke’Chaud Johnson, Jaime Mateu, David Gravette, Antoine Laurent, Tyler Edtmayer, Ivan Federico, Adrien Bulard, Jaakko Ojanen, Simen Haegelan and Egor Golubev.
Tampa Am recap with Florida based Austin Heilman. Jaakko and Eetu ripping and the last Element trip in Albuquerque. Check out the best Insta clips of this month. Featuring Austin Heilman, Dominick Walker, Bruno Senra, Francisco Noah, David Gaziew, Greyson Beal, Eetu Toropainen, Gabriel Fortunat, Jaakko Ojanen and Chris Colbourn.
Featuring Eetu Toropainen, Gabriel Fortunat, Julian Davidson, Jaakko Ojanen, Maité Steenhoudt, Jarne Verbruggen and Chris Colbourn.
The INFINITE S fuses cupsole stability with vulcanized durability. This is versatility like you’ve never seen.
Element drops this montage of instagram clips from Jaakko Ojanen, Nick Garcia, Gabriel Fortunat, Nassim Guammaz, Nyjah Huston, Sascha Daley, Matheus Souza, and Jordan Sharkey.
The Element team spent some time ripping Barcelona Streets recently! They’ve been posting quite a lot on Insta and here is the best of it! Featuring Jaakko Ojanen, Nick Garcia, Gabriel Fortunat, Nassim Guammaz, Madars Apse, Maite Steenhoud, Alex Amor, Ethan Loy and Phil Zwijsen.