The night before Dime’s Live At Stadium event, a skateboarder who you probably follow on Instagram made a facetious observation: “There’s not even any money this time, just glory. What’s the point?”
He was right on one count. Yes, there were no cash prizes being given out, but glory — at least that branded form of Glory™ that is only awarded at the Dime Glory Challenge — was not on the table either. One of Dime’s founders was explicit in his proclamation that this is not the Glory Challenge. The fleeting sense of glory that proceeds all skateboard feats was obviously anyone’s for the taking. Eternal Glory™ requires Joe Valdez to be present, and he was in California.
In all honesty, we’ve been hoarding the idea of an all-Alexis Dime Comp for years — ultimately to accompany an interview with the OHHHHH YYYYYEAAAAAHHHH spokesman that we never ended up getting around to. (Pro tip to all aspiring content creators: The Dime Glory Challenge is not the most optimal event to try and accomplish #skate #journalism at.) Then, Skate Jawn beat us to it.
Now is as good a time as any to remind you that speed is an illusion.
John Gardner, first ballot entry for the “Skateboarders Who Make The World Smile” Hall of Fame. He filmed a new, five-minute cruiser part for O.J. Wheels from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Thanks John ♥
Can’t tell if it’s an oversight, but if Ride Channel is truly R.I.P., allow us to take a look back at some of the greatest headliners ever written for the skateboard internet.
The Bunt has a [text] interview with our friend Keith Henry, the photographer who is forever on the quest for the right-fitting pair of pants.
The QS Film Desk isn’t the most enthusiastic group of Harmony Korine fans (haven’t watched the Epicly Later’d yet…), but gotta #respect anyone who made the leap from growing up on skate videos to making feature films. He talked about some of his favorite videos over on Vice.
Dime’s affluence over the past year has given rise to several developments. 1) They’re opening a store in Montreal on Saturday (depicted above.) They’ll carry their line, in addition to hardgoods, Quartersnacks merch and chill stuff from other chill companies. Proud of you boys. 2) They command a wider-reaching influence that has catapulted Jamal Smith into internet infamy yet again, made bowling edge out tennis as skaters’ peripheral sporting obsession, and the #dimechallenge to be undertaken in regions far outside French Canadia. 3) When you catch checks, you catch flights, and those flights have resulted in side-eyes from Swedish filmmakers.
Phil only carries the VX around for exercise, so here’s everything from the past year or so that was just for Instagram ;)
Two years ago, we lost a zen-like intersection of flatground that intertwined with all vibrant walks of life — the greatest non-spot in this history of skateboarding. It was, however, replaced with actual skateable obstacles this year: decent-enough beveled benches, a gap that replicated BAM’s ledge-to-street gap, and a Flushing-width flatground gap that Jason Byoun switch Muska flipped. The spot’s original meditative qualities dissolved into cement fairy dust, but at least it’s something to skate for now, even if the overall aesthetic of the new Astor Place is “we ran out of money.”
