SKATE NEWS

Thrasher really does do the best job of choosing the best representative as Skater of the Year. It's easy to throw out a list of guys who have the right look, do the longest rails or have flashy side projects that tap into our urge to be entertained. But, when someone like Silas Baxter-Neal comes along—a guy who's most flashy attribute is that he can skate anything and everything, from the tech guy curb to the bowl-trowled-out cement skatepark—it's refreshing to see that skateboarding still can do all of the talking if it needs to.

Little expense was spared at this year's SOTY party, with a ripping photo booth, an open bar for a portion of the night, skate celebs, a sick EA Skate 2 promo with all the heads in the game and a bumpin' Too Short show (or Too Tall as the bum called him outside). Thanks Thrasher. It was an amazing event. Silas definitely deserved it.

Three Up Three Down

SF's Most Lubricated Spot

Noseblunt…first try…powering through the bum sitting on the stairs
SF is known for having some of the most historic spots—what's left of Embarcadero, Third and Army, Pier 7, China Banks…it goes on and on. The City is filled with weird bumps and some of the most boots rails or gaps that go down hills into oblivion. The rail that Frank Gerwer front boarded in Cash Money Vagrant, for example, is quite possibly one of the scariest things I have ever seen in my life.

The three up three down spot at the Armory is much less frightening, but when you see it in person, you start to realize just how impressive some of the tricks done on it are. Recently purchased by the pornography company, Kink, the future of the spot was in question, but it still remains, with the door open now and a little more life coming in and out of the building. The spot was known for lurking bums and human turd land mines. Ironically, it took a porn company to clean the place up a little bit.

My friend Mahar and I checked it out while we were in SF and imagined our dream tricks on the historic spot. He landed the noseblunt first try for Poser of the Month.

After the noseblunt, Mahar put on his SF guy coat and glasses and I played that one Postal Service song that goes,"blip bloop blip bloop, blip boop blip blip, blip bloop blop blop."

The gate's open, but not much has changed. Still got the bum sitting on the stairs. I didn't see any myself, but I heard it wasn't too hard to run into human caca in the past, either. I think this place might need a fluffer or a Swiffer or whatever.

C1rca Footwear Goes Live With A New Site

So it looks as if C1rca Footwear has updated the sh*t out of their website with a handful of eye-pleasing components. Head over to C1rca.Com for the latest Men's & Women's Footwear and Apparel, Rider Profiles and blog madness. There's a nice little blog up in there and a few must-see videos of Peter Romandetta, Windsor James, David Reyes and a bunch of unknown others (accept Magnus Hanson) who I'm assuming are on the C1rca flow program.

Not sure if you all noticed, but in Ryan Gallant's recent Plan B TV BS 180 Switch Front Crook "Trick Tip," he's wearing a C1rca shirt and even possibly chasing photo incentive with a big-ass C1rca sticker on his board. Though the ex-DC member isn't officially listed on the roster, it might just be safe to assume that he'll soon be on there. Another rumor that has no physical evidence at all, is that Ryan's ex-DC teammate and current Plan B teammate, Brian Wenning is also on the C1rca squad. Only time will tell for sure.

Erik Ellington sent us this fantastic news over the weekend. Congrats to you and Luci!

Mya was born at 1:51pm at 9lbs and 5oz!!!
Luci NAILED it and is recovering fantastically and Mya is as healthy
as she can be, yeahhhhhhh!

This week’s Sk8mafia Saturday is going down at San Diego’s Memorial Skatepark in conjunction with the Doogood Conservatory. Skate for free if you bring canned food or make a holiday card for the homeless.