2009 Pro-tec Pool Party

What – It’s time for the most anticipated bowl contest of the year! Join us for the 5th Annual Pro-tec Pool Party and see 40 top pros, masters and ladies vie for their piece of a $90,000 purse in one of the most unforgiving bowls ever built. Held in a near exact replica of the infamous Upland Combi at the Vans Skatepark in Orange, the 2009 Pool Party is going to turn out some of the best bowl action of the year.

When – Saturday, May 16 from 1 pm to 9 pm (PST)

Where - Vans Skatepark at The Block in Orange, CA

Watch it on the Web! Catch a live HD webcast of the entire event powered by FUEL TV at vans.com/poolparty

Check out Thrasher to see some pics and video from some warm up sessions that went down earlier this week.

Expected Riders Include:
Pros – Rune Glifberg (’05, ’07, ’08 Winner), Omar Hassan (’06 Winner), Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist, Benji Galloway, Bruno Passos, Josh Borden, Nolan Munroe, Sergie Ventura, Adam Taylor, Tim Johnson, Morgan Burgess and more.

Masters – Chris Miller (’05-’08 Winner), Steve Caballero, Nicky Guerrero, Eric Nash, Lester Kasai, Ben Schroeder, Buck Smith, Micke Alba, Tony Magnusson, Pat Ngoho, Steve Steadham, Josh Nelson and more.

Girls – Mimi Knoop (’08 Winner), Cara-Beth Burnside (’05-’07 Winner), Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, Allysha Bergado, Julie Kindstrand, Holly Lyons, Heidi Fitzgerald, Cressey Rice, Amelia Brodka, Elise Dabby, Lea Taylor and more.

Judges – Include Steve Olson and Bryce Kanights

Television – Debuts August 10 during Meet & Brotatoes at 8 pm (EST/PST) on FUEL TV, the 24/7 action sports lifestyle network

The Pro-tec Pool Party is made possible by the support of Vans, FUEL TV, Rockstar Energy Drink and Epiphone

For more information on the Pro-tec Pool Party including past contest photos and videos and pre-event coverage, please visit: VANS

More skateboarding videos on SkateboarderMag.com

Here is video of Fourstar’s boys out on the road. It takes a little to get started but once this video loads sit back and enjoy 18 minutes of skateboard fun. Looks like a sick trip to be on. Skating gullies, parks, sketchy bowls, and street. This video has a little bit of everything in it. Even our good friend Budweiser.

Via Skateboardermag.com

Here is a quick video of David Gravette & Taylor Bingaman playing in the park. Again, David Gravette shows why he is one of the quickest up and coming skaters. He rips.

Via Strangenotes.com

Grenade Games 5 - Mini Ramp Comp from monster dano on Vimeo.

Check out the footy of pro snowboarders getting tricky at the Grenade Games mini ramp comp. Congrats on the win Danny! Side note, Judas Priest rocks.

More skateboarding videos on SkateboarderMag.com

Yes, DC Shoes is proud to welcome Nick Dompierre to the team. Congrats Nick! Check out the short video here.

Via Skateboardermag.com

Check out this short video from Thrasher Magazine of Emmanuel Guzman, Peter Hewitt, Chuggs, Darren Navarrette, Texas Dan, and Matt Mumford distroying this bowl. Hewitt kills it again and again.

It’s a hard-knock life for most action sports athletes.
They routinely bash their bodies, but find it nearly impossible to get health insurance that will cover their most serious needs.

Major league professional athletes don’t have that problem as their medical insurance is part of their unions’ collective bargaining agreements.

The Maloof family has seen both sides of the situation.

As owners of the National Basketball Association’s Sacramento Kings and The Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, they are required to make sure that their basketball players get the medical help they need when injury strikes.

As organizers of the richest skateboard event in the world — their Maloof Money Cup pays $100,000 to the winner — they also recognize that many competitive skaters lack even basic health insurance coverage.

“When I saw Jake Brown fall 60 feet at the 2007 X Games and then walk off, my first thought was, ‘I wonder if he has health insurance?,’ ” says Joe Maloof, president of the Maloof Companies. “I decided we needed to start a foundation that would look after skaters and protect any skateboarder who got hurt in competition.”

Joe Maloof, 53, and brother Gavin, 52, started the Maloof Money Cup in 2008 with advice from Brown and other top skaters, such as Ryan Sheckler. He also leaned on them for advice on how to best serve the needs of injured skaters.

“Skateboarding is progressing quickly right now, and with this progression comes increased risk of injury,” says Sheckler. “I know quite a few amateur and pro skateboarders that don’t have health insurance or much savings, and those are the guys that really need the Sheckler Foundation and Maloof Skateboarding Assistance Foundation. If a serious injury ended their career these foundations could provide them the assistance they need.”

Joe Maloof says many mainstream sports fans don’t understand the dangers faced by skateboarders.

“There’s tremendous risk in these contests,” he says. “They’re performing tricks that only the world’s top athletes have the ability to complete. We had a duty to take the lead in taking care of our own.

“These aren’t just kids. There are a few 15- or 16-year-olds, but most are ages 19 to 35, the same age range as NBA players.”

The Maloofs’ act has also inspired others in the sport.

On Good Friday (April 10), Pierre Andre Senizergues, owner and CEO of the etnies skate-sport footwear company is giving away 2,000 pairs of shoes to homeless people in Los Angeles.

“It is really important that those in a position to help give back to skateboarding and their communities,” Senizergues says.

Via Sal Ruibal, USA TODAY

Ahh yes, Hump Day… often the longest day of the week. For me though, it was spent outdoors skating with friends. I decided taking a day off from my regular job and it was just what the doctor ordered. I headed down to the Newberg skate park with 2 of my buddies for a mid-morning session. If you haven’t been to this park I highly recommend that you go and check it out. There is virtually something there for everyone, unless you are into skating plaza.

Awesomely enough, Spencer forgot his helmet (which is required at this park). No worries, a quick stop into Fred Meyer and we had swooped up a sweet Bell bicycle helmet for $15.99. Spence spent the first part of the morning skating with his new helmet backwards. Hilarious!

Here are some of the pics, enjoy.

Finally, we got both Spencer and Greg up online like I promised.

Photos courtesy of Visvillage.com

More skateboarding videos on SkateboarderMag.com

This is the NW tour video from Girl and Antihero skateboards who spent part of last summer camping and skating all over the glorious NW. Check a small clip here or go straight to iTunes and get it for yourself for $1.99. I purchased the Beast Edit (it was longer) for 21 minutes of skating and debauchery. Features Tony Trujillo, Eric Koston, Peter Hewitt, Mike Carroll and more….enjoy.

Via : Skateboarder Magazine

Yes, you heard it here first-ish.  As of today, Eric Koston no longer rides for Lakai.  Go out and swoop up those pro-models while you can.  After 3 years both parties are calling it quits….

Good Luck Koston, I am sure you will land on your feet.