We didn’t know much about Abel Bourbouze‘s skating until his Vague part that dropped last winter, and featured some of the most cobblestone-forward Parisian skating in an already cobblestone-friendly era for the city’s skate scene. The opening seconds of his latest, “CTRL+Z,” arrived with audible gasps around the main monitor at the QS submission desk, and didn’t let up until the final marble descent.
New Jersey is #1 in many things: K-12 education, population density, bar pies, skaters who go on to be more synonymous with Philly or New York. But one thing people have historically not looked towards New Jersey for, is manuals. It makes sense that a style of skating born on cement islands amid SoCal parking lots would not necessarily incubate as well in a place whose state emblem features Fred Gall.
📝 + 📹 Words & Video by Jeremy Knott
📷 Photos by Bonesaw
When Josh Narvaez came up with this trip to go to Cuba, there were a few things we weren’t aware of.
It is no secret that we were huge fans of Ben Kadow’s ender in last year’s Hockey IV video. Here was a spot that he had boardslid nine years ago, Suciu got a cover on, and had disappeared — except for the other side. And with the remaining rail, you had to figure there wasn’t a whole lot going down outside of the ollie-up boardslides and ollie-up 5050s that had already been etched into the scroll on the adjacent end of the stairs.
Oh, and there was the whole matter of the planter.
About that planter…
At the beginning of last year, Ish Cepeda had the first #1 in the the first Top 10 of 2025, with a 10/10 front heel over a hubba going the hard way.
To start this year off, we have a full part from Ish, and it also happens to begin with a 10/10 front heel, just to keep things consistent. “INERTIA” coincides with a run of boards for his Gas Giants imprint, which are only available from skate shops for the time being. (Online eventually.)
Watch out for the bros’ beverages when you’re rattling off flip tricks at the end of your line 🫡
