Get the full scoop from Mami Tezuka on some of her favorite tricks, skateboard crew, and music from the past and how it has shaped her into the skateboarder she is today. From growing up learning to skateboard with her family to now traveling the world for major contests, Mami has an influential skateboard history. Learn all about it in Mami’s latest Then / Now video above.
The Platfrm First Person: Romel Torres’ Path to FA, Street Skating, and PHX AM
Romel Torres would not refer to himself as a contest skater by any measure, he did not grow up skating events. He has however found himself in the mix at the Cowtown’s PHX AM presented by Converse for the past three years. Raised around Portland, Oregon, Romel spent almost all of his time in the streets, so when it comes to the contest scene he admits to being out of his element a bit. But according to Louie Lopez, “he can hold his weight just street skating.”
Cruise the famed Cowtown event with Romel through practice and qualifiers. Spoiler Alert: He didn’t make it to the finals, but he was just fine with that. Also hear a few words from Louie about Romel’s roots, path to FA and some street footy we should be on the lookout for.
PHXAM 2025 Women’s Final Highlights | Platfrm
Watch the women’s PHXAM 2025 highlights of the best moves that went down on Sunday’s final. The six finalists gave it their all over the weekend to earn a spot in Sunday’s main event, and their skating lived up to the hype. Watch Hina Maeda, Mei Ozeki, Shiloh Catori, Kylie Frank, Evie Pritchard, and Liz Akama in the highlight video above.
PHXAM 2025 Men’s Final Highlights | Platfrm
Watch the highlights of the best moves that went down on Sunday’s final for Cowtown Skateboards’ 2025 PHXAM. All twelve finalists put in work over the weekend to make it to Sunday’s main event, and the skating they put down did not disappoint. Watch Javon Goodman, Drew Nguyen, Isaac Relis, Maurice Jordan, Gabe Vigliotti, Greg Rodriguez, Steven Vasquez, Malachi Gray, Deyvid Tuesta Mota, Kristion Jordan, Julian Agliardi, and Keenan Lewis in the highlight video above.
Rockstar Energy Open 2025: World-Class Skateboarding Event Returns to Portland This August
Rockstar Energy is bringing back the Rockstar Energy Open on August 15–17, 2025, in Portland’s Waterfront Park. The event will feature top skateboarders, including Keegan Palmer, Chris Joslin, and Lazer Crawford, along with emerging talent.
Skaters worldwide can qualify through the Video Qualifying Series on ThePlatfrm.com starting June 2, with weekly cash prizes and the chance to compete in Portland.
The free, three-day event will also include live music, art, food trucks, and a fan village, creating a festival-like atmosphere. The competition will be livestreamed and broadcast globally.
The Platfrm CORE: Cowtown – The Story Behind Arizona’s Iconic Skate Shop and Contest PHX AM
At the crux of every thriving skateboard scene is a brick and mortar store that plays a vital role in the foundation of its community. Laura, Trent Martin, and Ed Cox JR of Arizona’s Cowtown Skateboards have proven this true. Born out of necessity, Trent and Ed felt the missed representation of a core skate shop that supported the local community. Before Cowtown’s inception, a coalition of key figures that included Laura, Damon Alire, and Daniel Shircliff were already pushing for the development of a skatepark for the community—their efforts included engaging with the city, raising money, and hosting contests. In 1997, two events occurred that would forever change the course of skateboarding in Phoenix: the opening of Cowtown and Desert West Skatepark. The paths between Trent, Ed, Laura, Damon, and Daniel crossed throughout their various endeavors, each with similar goals: providing, fostering, and building a future for skateboarders in their community.
The Platfrm – Now / Then: Shiloh Catori’s Journey from Newcomer to Loyal Toy Machine Pawn
What’s changed in the seven years Shiloh Catori has been skateboarding? How about joining the loyal pawns at Toy Machine, taking a win at the 2024 Phonenix AM, and moving to California for skateboarding, just to name a few milestones. Shiloh details more changes from her favorite tricks, skaters, videos, and more in her latest Now / Then video.
Dylan Jaeb, Franky Villani, Art Cardova at Dickies Demo for Sixes and Sevens Skate Shop
A big part of skateboarding’s attributes that we don’t see around as often are team signings and demos at your local skate shop. Well, the Dickies crew posse up to change that and head to San Diego’s Sixes and Sevens skate shop in Rancho Peñesquitos to do the damn thang. “I think skateboarding is the most impressive when you see it in person and these community activations, hanging out with kids, shops, and demos are all part of our culture, and we need to start bringing it back,” comments Dickies TM Joe Monteleone who helped make it all happen. Watch Dylan Jaeb, Franky Villani, Art Cardova, Vincent Alvarez, and Ronnie Sandoval ripping for the local scene and a special appearance from Guy Mariano singing away at posters!
The Platfrm – Then / Now: Dominick Walker Talks Early Skate Days to New Levels
What’s changed for Dominick Walker since his early days on a skateboard? Everything. New ride, new crew, new inspiration and new favorite tricks. Exactly how have these things changed? “[Skating] with Nyjah took it to a new level.” Domo breaks it down in detail and we have a few clips to back him up. Check in with Domo to hear how different things truly are in this episode of Then / Now: Dominick Walker.
The Platfrm Spot to Spot: Jake Braun Guides Local’s Tour of Iconic North County Spots
Jake Braun is the type of skateboarder who seeks out the biggest of rails and gets up on a Sunday before dawn to run up a mountain. Making the pilgrimage to Southern California from Minnesota, Jake is known around the North County region of San Diego as a local ripper. “I think it’s pretty well known that the local skate shop is the root of any good skate scene,” comments Jake as he tells us about his natural gravitation toward Rose Street after his friends started hanging out and filming for the shop. Follow Jake along as he goes Spot to Spot, giving us a tour of North County’s running trails, rough pre-fab parks, street spots, and ending his Sunday at his local shop.
The Platfrm First Person: Bucky Lasek Reflects on Vans Combi Bowl a Skateboarding Mecca
The lore of the Combi Bowl has been a proving ground for skateboarders to push their limits and flaunt their style, turning the Vans Pool Party event into a legendary stage that has become part of skateboarding’s history. 2025 marked the last go at the Combi inside the Vans store in Orange, California, making some of the best transition skaters reacquaint themselves with its twelve-foot walls. To truly understand the intensity Combi brings out, we tap in with three-time Vans Pool Party champ Bucky Lasek in First Person to view the preparation, mindset, and impact this bowl has made on skateboarding over the past two decades.
The Platfrm First Person: Cory Juneau Takes on the Final Vans Pool Party at Combi
The Combi Pool at the Vans Skatepark in Orange, California has paid homage as a replica of the original from Pipeline Skatepark for over 20 years. The legendary Vans Pool Party made it’s final hoorah at the Combi in 2025, bringing together generations of skateboarders that have been there since the beginning to first-time competitors.
Familiar with Combi bowl since he was a grom, Cory Juneau steps back to the hallowed coping for the first time in years alongside his peers and heroes alike. “Everyone is ripping a lot of old faces, old friends. Picking up where they left off. Nobody has skated it in five and it’s like nostalgic.” Cory takes us through his experience from the past two months in First Person as he rekindles old and new lines, pushes through unexpected physical pain, and feeds off the raw energy that only a place like Combi can bring on finals day.