LIVE: Women & Men VQS Street Qualifier + Men’s Park Qualifier | Rockstar Energy Open 2025

Friday, August 15th kicks off the first competition day of the Rockstar Energy Open 2025 at Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon! Tune in for the Rockstar Energy Video Qualifier Series Street Qualifier, where the top four men and top two women will continue into the semi-final round. Closing out the first day of competition will be the Men’s Park Qualifier.

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The Nine Club Classic: West Los Angeles Courthouse | Skateboarding Highlights & Event Recap

On August 2nd, 2025 the fine podcasters at The Nine Club— Chris Roberts, Kelly Hart, Jeron Wilson, and Roger Bagley, make their first ever event come to life. The Nine Club Classic took place at the iconic West Los Angeles Courthouse, featuring a full day of cash for tricks, giveaways, and good music. Check out the full recap above and hear from Chris, Kelly and Jeron on what having their own event is all about.

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Lilly Erickson: From Hawaii to Global Podiums | Then/Now – The Platfrm

Hawaiian ripper Lilly Erickson got her start on a Target skateboard covered in hearts, but she’s since leveled up to riding for Birdhouse Skateboards and traveling the globe for international competitions. These days, she’s best known for her moves in the transitions—whether it’s bowls, vert ramps or parks—but Lilly has always embraced all types of skating. Early on, she could be found hitting the streets, too.

In this episode of Then/Now with Lilly Erickson, she shares the video parts, skate crews, and music that lit the spark early on—and what keeps her pushing the limits today.

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Jaime Owens: Founder of Closer Skateboard Magazine in Short Documentary | CORE

Founder of Closer Skateboarding Magazine, Jaime Owens has witnessed a significant slice of skateboarding history firsthand. Today, his mission is to capture and preserve it through his publication. Originally from a small town in South Carolina, Jaime was first introduced to skateboarding when he saw a kid down the street riding a board. But it wasn’t until his sister handed him a copy of TransWorld SKATEboarding—the December 1986 issue featuring Rodney Mullen on the cover—that he became hooked. Shortly after, his mom wrote him a check for $40 to buy his neighbor’s skateboard.

Fast forward a few years, and Jaime picked up his first camera to capture the action while skating with friends. After college, he took a leap of faith and moved to California to chase the dream of becoming a skateboard photographer. From interning at Skateboarder Magazine to becoming its photo editor, then serving as editor-in-chief at TransWorld, and eventually founding Closer, Jaime has devoted his life to skateboarding, photography and publishing—and for that, we thank him.

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Braden Hoban on Early YMCA Sessions, Van Tours, and Pro Shoe | Then/Now – Platfrm

Growing up in Encinitas, California—surrounded by skateparks and local rippers—Braden Hoban was perfectly positioned to become the powerhouse skater he is today. In this Now/Then interview, he takes us from his first shop board at McGill’s to the two-year process behind his pro model shoe with Emerica. As a grom, Braden’s go-to spot was the Encinitas YMCA, where he honed his skills on rails and hubbas that laid the groundwork for his street style. Now, the same skaters he once watched in videos—like Leo Romero and Jeremy Leabres—are his crew for van tours. Braden has made a smooth progression from hometown sessions to riding with his heroes.

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Raw Pool Skating with Jesse Lindloff and Salba | Spot to Spot – The Platfrm

Raw and without filter, Jesse Lindloff invites us along for a day of backyard pools and everything that comes with it. “What you see is what you get,” he says. Kicking things off in San Bernardino, Jesse hits a new pool with the help of Steve Alba showing him the pin and proper carve grind. The crew gets clips over the triple horse fish and the cake stack before taking off to hit two more pools by the day’s end—but not without a few busts along the way.

After draining out putrid waters, grinding through overgrown grass on the coping and a few pics to add to his future coffee table book of pool photos; they hit the final spot with a rub brick and a dose of lacquer so Jesse can stack a clip he’s tried for in the past.

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Georgia Martin Goes from Ramps to Streets and Lands on Toy Machine | Then / Now

From a Spiderman Target board to a Mini Logo, Georgia Martin has now graduated to riding a Toy Machine board with her name on it! The Charlotte, North Carolina native now lives in Long Beach, California but she hasn’t forgotten her roots. Did you know she used to exclusively rip skateparks and quarterpipes? They may have been her first calling on the board but over the years she has transitioned away from ramps and into the streets. Tap in to learn a little more about her past and present from favorite videos, crews she skates with, and her go-to tricks in this episode of Then/Now with Georgia Martin.

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