the platfrm – Page 2

The Platfrm First Person: Romel Torres’ Path to FA, Street Skating, and PHX AM

March 31, 2025 No Comments

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.

Contest, Montage / Edit, Skate Park, Video

PHXAM 2025 Women’s Final Highlights | Platfrm

March 27, 2025 No Comments

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.

Contest, Montage / Edit, Skate Park, Video

PHXAM 2025 Men’s Final Highlights | Platfrm

March 24, 2025 No Comments

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.

Interview, Montage / Edit, Video

Then / Now: Cordano Russell Skateboarding Humble Beginnings to Pro – The Platfrm

March 20, 2025 No Comments

Tap in with Cordano Russell to learn how he got his start and how things have since changed in this episode of Then and Now. Between clips from his childhood and footage stacked recently, he breaks down the journey to becoming a pro. Cordano runs through his favorite skaters, the video parts that hype him up, his skate crews and the communities that have helped him become the beast on the board we all know today. From his humble start in St. Louis, Missouri to relocating in Southern California, Cordano’s roots in the streets and dedication to progression have proven to be more than enough for him to stake his claim in the skate industry—and he is still just 20 years young!

Contest, Montage / Edit, Skate Park, Video

Rockstar Energy Open 2025: World-Class Skateboarding Event Returns to Portland This August

March 19, 2025 No Comments

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.

Interview, Montage / Edit, Video

The Platfrm CORE: Cowtown – The Story Behind Arizona’s Iconic Skate Shop and Contest PHX AM

March 17, 2025 No Comments

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.

Interview, Montage / Edit, Video

The Platfrm – Now / Then: Shiloh Catori’s Journey from Newcomer to Loyal Toy Machine Pawn

March 6, 2025 No Comments

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.

Demo, Montage / Edit, Skate Park, Video

Dylan Jaeb, Franky Villani, Art Cardova at Dickies Demo for Sixes and Sevens Skate Shop

March 5, 2025 No Comments

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!

Montage / Edit, Video

The Platfrm Spot to Spot: Jake Braun Guides Local’s Tour of Iconic North County Spots

February 12, 2025 No Comments

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.

Contest, Interview, Montage / Edit, Skate Park, Video

The Platfrm First Person: Bucky Lasek Reflects on Vans Combi Bowl a Skateboarding Mecca

February 10, 2025 No Comments

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.

Contest, Montage / Edit, Skate Park, Video

The Platfrm First Person: Cory Juneau Takes on the Final Vans Pool Party at Combi

January 31, 2025 No Comments

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.

Montage / Edit, Video

The Platfrm Spot to Spot: John Worthington Scrapes Deep End Coping to Staircase

January 28, 2025 No Comments

Backyard pool skateboarding has been a staple of the scene since its early days, and it remains a territory truly mastered by a select few. John Worthington, better known as Jworth, is one of those elite skaters. He effortlessly carves through the deepest pool lights, grinds coping, and connects lines around the shallow-end staircases. With experience navigating various pool shapes, sizes, and conditions, Jworth is no stranger to making what he finds easily skateable. Join Jworth in Spot to Spot as he jumps in the van with filmer Josh Peacock and rippers Taylor Nye, Lilly Erickson, Phoenix Sinnerton, Pedro Quintas, Dillon Doinklon, Tristan Rennie, and Tommy Calvert as they keep the flame alive in an often-overlooked corner of skateboarding.