It is tough to imagine that the Dime crew went even a day through the grimmest days of lockdown without plotting the next Glory Challenge. (Montreal, by comparison to anywhere in the U.S., had way gnarlier COVID lockdowns.) The early days of the pandemic were fraught with unknowns, which gave way to hyperbole. Large-scale gatherings seemed like a fleeting figment of a recent, unreturnable past. There was that stupid meme mocking us for ever having gone bowling. One friend claimed that casual sex would forever cease to exist — a concept that had already survived the AIDS epidemic.
A billboard above Popeye’s Ledge. A dream come true 🙂🙃🙂🙃🙂
Kind of knew this day was only a matter of time given how bad the cracks are getting. Community Board 3 held a meeting that laid out a plan for repaving Tompkins next summer. Though it is not a hard date just yet, it looks like the court we all skate will be closed for up to three months while the asphalt cures. Doesn’t seem like they are pulling any silly shit like they did with the turf in 2019. (But they are ending softball permits!) Shout out to the lady who pulled up to the meeting like, “How have you gone talking this long without mentioning the skaters?”
“But after you’ve finished a project the best sign is if people come and actually use the space, often in ways you hadn’t envisioned in the design process. Skaters are particularly good at this.” If this were a tired and wired meme, the former would be Malmo, and the latter Tartu, Estonia ;) Jk, but you should read this interview with the woman reshaping the northeast European country’s approach to multi-faceted public space.
Solo has an awesome interview with ledge GOAT Javier Sarmiento about the early history of skating in Barcelona, his Powell days, growing up in a situation where terror attacks are normal, Catalonia’s political situation, and a bunch of other stuff.
Hotel Blue has a new montage with a mini Juan Virues part at the end. Even after a decade of unrepentant “Summer Trip to New York” coverage at every possible spot in the Financial District, that “lump to pole” by Rector Street has to have one of the slimmest trick lists in all of Lower Manhattan. Front big spin was sick.
QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Maybe the second time a college basketball highlight has made Play of the Week, but yeah, what else. And for a Duke player, of all things! (Idk shit about college ball, just know that we’re supposed to not like Duke because everyone I know from North Carolina is a UNC fan.)
Quote of the Week: “I’m O.D. good at nunchucks.” — Andre Page
Seems like the skateboard world has still collectively been regrouping since Glory Challenge Weekend? Or everyone just went out to Paris for fashion week? Because it’s been slow as shit out there for any #interesting #skate #content.
If we were exiled from New York, we’d probably have the easiest time relocating to Paris (similar distractions/fashionability/volume of “Summer Trip To” clips), so just to practice: 1) Thierry Gormit has a sick new part over on Free with a Lucas @ Republique cameo. Who is gonna be the first one to do a trick into the East River though? 2) Swedish slappy poets, Poetic Collective, make the obligatory “Summer Trip to Paris” edit. 3) Skate Jawn has a Remy Tav interview. Big year for footage at the Louvre. 4) Le Dome is a go again. Shout to Rick Owens for the tip.
“Skaters in Cars Looking At Spots” is just called “Skaters in Cars” now. The new one is with Louie Lopez. We should steal this concept but have it focus exclusively on claimers. “Didn’t you say you were going to nollie back heel those steps but can’t do those on flat?”
A 19-year-old who just happens to be the best native skateboarder from New York City opened his own Caribbean-American restaurant in The Bronx. Congrats, T.J!
Need more Glory Challenge content? Probably not, but Village Psychic interviewed everyone waiting outside two weeks ago about who they thought would win the World Championship Game of S.K.A.T.E.
Quote of the Week Gentleman Who Was Almost Maced By Montreal Police: “There was just a riot outside the bar.” Charles Rivard: “Yeah, the city just does that to promote drinking.”
The Dime Glory Challenge has been compared to Wrestlemania, it has been called an antidote to Street League, and a joke in the face of skateboarding’s road to becoming an Olympic sport. I have heard colleagues echo my sentiments about Dime being the only company whose ideas are worthy of jealousy. “You know that one Dime video where ___” is a frequent refrain among many of our peers.
How do you write about something that everyone is unanimously in love with for the third yearin a row without veering into trite redundancy? Why is it impossible to see anyone who doesn’t like Dime as anything but a shameless contrarian?
Last Saturday, we woke up so excited that we showed up to the Challenge at noon, only to learn that it would not begin until 3 P.M. Our moderately day-drunk sights set on our fellow attendees: only a week removed from #NYFW, a buzzed “wouldn’t it be funny” soon turned into asking strangers for pictures of their outfits to pass the time and break some ice.
