photo: Claudio Kirac
FIRST LOOK
Louis Pilloni drifts inside on a smooth pass during a preliminary heat at the Whistler Skateboard Festival in Whistler, British Columbia.
photos: Nelly
CONTENTS
FALL 2011 • VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 1
20Ecuador es Buenazo
PG.
Kim Mayer, Jen Smith and Holly Beck head south to Ecuador and the Galapagos for sun, surf, and one memorable girls only trip.
cover
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PG.
the
Path Fast Traveled
ON THE ROAD TO CANADA
12 EDITOR'S LETTER
It feels like America, and we like that.
14 DEAR NINERS
I swear I didn't run over this board with my car.
16 ECO REPORT
Who is Kyle Thiermann?
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27 INNERVIEWS
Sector 9's roots run deep in skateboarding.
PG.
Field Trips
EG AND THE GANG HEAD TO LAGUNA FOR SOME FUN
34 SECTOR 9 PROFILE
Eric Geiselman shreds anything he can find.
40 PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT
52
PG.
Keeping Mexico Dangerous NOTHING SAYS A GOOD TIME LIKE A TRIP SOUTH OF THE BORDER
A look inside the head of Dave "Nelly" Nelson.
50 OPEN FORUM
Capt. Watson talks about the Southern Ocean.
58 GROM REPORT
Yeah, these kids rip harder than you.
60 INSIDERS
Tuning your trucks AND your record player.
62 THE SCENE
We like to surf and skate, but we LOVE to party.
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This magazine is a one time deal. We know it's rad, but please don't get too excited because we're not going to make one of these every month, or 3 months, or even 6 months. Sector 9 is a skateboard and apparel company. That's what we love to do, and that's what we plan to keep doing, thanks in no small part to all the love and support we receive from people like you, every single day. We sincerely hope you enjoy this.
photo: Budro
HAT THIEF
NUMBER CRUNCHERS Chief Niner STEVE LAKE steve@sector9.com Chief Operating Officer DEAN HUNTER dean@sector9.com Controller CAROL SCHNUGG carol@sector9.com Credit Manager KATHY HOVLAND kathyh@sector9.com
AR Supervisor STEFANIE SHAFFER stefanie@sector9.com AR Coordinator KRISTA SOCCOLICH krista@sector9.com Woodshop Manager DAVE KLIMKIEWICZ dave@sector9.com Warehouse Manager TRAVIS MOHRLOCK travis@sector9.com
MARKETING Marketing Director EG FRATANTARO eg@sector9.com Team Manager JEFF BUDRO jeff@sector9.com
Downhill Team Manager LOUIS PILLONI louis@sector9.com Web Marketing GARRETT MEISTER garrett@sector9.com
ART DEPARTMENT Creative Director DENNIS TELFER dennist@sector9.com Senior Everything Designer DEREK HALL derek@sector9.com
Soft Goods Designer TROY CARNIGLIA troy@sector9.com Production Manager EHREN DRAGT ehren@sector9.com
DOMESTIC SALES Sales Manager CRAIG BECK craigb@sector9.com Senior Sales Rep ROB MOLT rob@sector9.com In-House Sales DEVON BECK devon@sector9.com In-House Sales TOM QUINTANA tom@sector9.com Online Sales KEITH NYBERG keith@sector9.com Customer Service GARRETT MEISTER garrett@sector9.com Customer Service/ Warranty KEN HURD III ken@sector9.com San Diego Sales TAL O’FARREL tal@sector9.com
Orange County/ LA Sales MIKE WETZEL mike@sector9.com LA/ Ventura/ Central Coast Sales JEX MCCARTNEY jex@sector9.com N. Cal Sales SHYLO STEINTHAL shylo@sector9.com Mid Atlantic Sales ALAN BROWN alan@sector9.com N. Florida Sales JAY DODSON jay@sector9.com Central/ S. Florida Sales PAUL REINECKE paul@sector9.com Puerto Rico/ Dominican Sales RENE DICRISTINA rene@sector9.com Hawaii/ Guam Sales DEREK “NOS” OKAZAKI nos@sector9.com
INTERNATIONAL SALES Int. Sales Manager MARCUS VALDIVIA marcusv@sector9.com Int. Sales Rep MARC FERULLO marc@sector9.com
Int. Sales Rep NICK SACKS nick@sector9.com
INT. DISTRIBUTION Canada ULTIMATE SKATEBOARD DISTRIBUTION info@ultimateskateboard.com Argentina TARCO S.A. info@billbong.com.ar Brazil PLINIO CURI - PLIMAX pcuri@attglobal.com Chile RIDER’S COMPANY tamin@ridersco.com Chile TE VAVE SURF SHOP davidtellier@entelchile.net Columbia EDGE encontacto@edge.com.co Costa Rica TSUNAMI nisacr@racsa.co.cr Ecuador SUMBAWA DISTRIBUTION manolo@sumbawa.com.ec El Salvador BACK TO PLAY SPORTS backtoplaysports@gmail.com Guatemala MASTERMIND S.A.- JUNGLE SKATE SHOP jungleskateshop@yahoo.com Guatemala MAYA EXTREME SURF SHOP nicky.mayaextreme@gmail.com Mexico SECTOR 9 INTERNATIONAL SALES nick@sector9.com Panama OBAN TRADING, S.A. ventas@dabsan.com Peru BLACK SHEEP sdr@blacksheep.com.pe Venezuela DOUBLE CERO pabelkalandro@hotmail.com Venezuela RIDE SHOP rideshop1@gmail.com Japan KAHANAS/ US MILITARY BASE scottgorow@hotmail.com New Caldonia XM islanddistribution@lagoon.nc Siapan BORDERLINE INC. soledadtenorio@gmail.com Tahiti A-SPOT TAHITI a1spot.tahiti@yahoo.fr Tahiti FRENCH ISLAND DISTRIBUTION sandrine@sandiegoprestige.com Philippines FREESURF INC. sadik@freesurfinc.com.ph
RELATED PARTY DIST. Japan GSM JAPAN CO. LTD. info@sector9-jp.com Europe GSM EU info@sector9europe.com Australia GSM AU - NETWORK SURF info@sector9.com.au Singapore GSM SINGAPORE info@billabongasia.com South Africa GSM TRADING SA PTY. LTD. russell.adshade@billabong.co.za Hong Kong GSM HONG KONG rise.li@billabongcs.com.hk New Zealand GSM NZ harris.taylor@elementskateboards.co.nz Special thanks to contributing photographers Jorge Salas, Dave “Nelly” Nelson, Kai Benson, Jeff Budro, Pete Frieden, Brendan Klein, Jon Steele, Dan Bourqui, Ryan Craig, Max Dubler, Mitchyll Ferris, Brian Fick, Mario Miller, Joe Foster, Claudio Kirac, Casey Stearns and Jason Naude. Thanks to House of Marley, Sea Shepherd & Gullwing Truck Co. Thanks to the Wilson Family for a day on the Mini Ramp. Thanks to Chad White and Sauce Creative Group for contributing art, as well as Jamie Graebner for copy editing.
SECTOR 9 SKATEBOARDS
9350 Trade Place, Suite C San Diego, California 92126 p:858.408.0083 • f:858.408.0084 WWW.SECTOR9.COM
please recycle this magazine
EDITOR’S LETTER
This magazine, with all it's creations, it's thoughtfulness, it's progression, was shaped around a desire to explore the relevance from which we, Sector 9, have come to exist. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always enjoyed the mirrored places in life, where if you look just right, you can see reflections of reflections that seem to go on forever. Much like this photo of Danny, progression within our circular world continues to deliver a uniquely relevant future. As the pace of life quickens, memories of times past seem frozen in my mind. Having grown up in Southern California, I was blessed with experiencing some of the most amazing concrete parks of the 70’s and 80’s. I spent a lot of time at my Grandma's house when I was a kid, and not only did I love her, but I loved the little apartment she lived in. Why? Because she lived two blocks away from my first, and still favorite, skate park, Skatopia. R.I.P. It’s butter soft concrete, smooth, visible lines that seemed built for our lay-back, slashing, power slides, once again seem so relevant today. As history once again repeats itself, we will never lose sight of our past in the pursuit of our future. This collection represents our commitment to and passion for not only skateboarding, but also true craftsmanship. It really is an art form, and very few are good at it. I’m not, but I have a deep respect for those that are, and I'm honored to work in their presence everyday. There is something profound about the hum of machinery, smell of freshly cut wood and saw dust in places it shouldn’t be. It feels like America, and we like that around here. We hope you enjoy this collection as much as we do. - Steve Lake Chief Niner
Danny Tumia in a pipe photo: Brian Fick
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DEAR NINERS
BOMB HILLS NOT COUNTRIES
DONE IN DALLAS
I am in the navy, and the only thing that has gotten me through all the bs that we do is longboarding with friends. I just wanted to say thank you and keep making awesome boards. Before I forget, what is the song on the Sector 9 video when he is playing the ukulele? Hope to be back in the states soon to bomb some hills in Cali and hopefully visit the warehouse. JUSTIN BARBER Yokosuka, Japan
Just a few short months ago, I got my first Sector 9 and have been the phreak of Dallas, riding that thing around and loving every damn minute of it. I take it wherever I go, including work. I ride it around the warehouse after hours and blow off steam at lunch. So I roll out this morning to start up the ol' Honkusmobile, and I find my driver's window laying in the dirt and my ride fully cleaned out. They took everything. My CD player, my CD's, my most flav-o-rite Punch45 amp, the speakers in the trunk, my laptop for work, AND my Sector 9 were all gone. I can deal with the stereo getting hoarked, and I'm coming to terms with the severe damage done to the dashboard, but they left me rideless. So I called and told the sales rep Rob about the loss of a family member, and he suggested I send the story in to see if I could get hooked up. On an otherwise completely sh*tty day, there was a glimpse of hope. If nothing else, let the story be a lesson to us all; Stay far, far away from Dallas, Texas, else all your goods'll get ripped off. CHARLIE BEBBER Dallas, TX
I have to admit I’m a little disappointed. When I first read your letter I thought it was from Justin Beiber! So I guess I have Barber fever instead. The ukulele song in the video was the artist's original composition, just some dude hanging out in front of a skate shop. Thanks for your service in the navy, and glad we can make your time served a little easier. - S9
SECTOR 9 SAVED MY LIFE I just wanted to say thank you so much for making one of the most comfortable and protective helmets on the market! I took a nasty spill on Friday and I slid out . I was left with a broken arm and a cracked helmet. If I didn't buy/wear my S9 Mosh Pit helmet, who knows what could have happened. Just wanted to say thank you and keep doing what you do! ANDREW NGO San Diego, CA
Sorry to hear about the break in, but look on the bright side, you’ve just been hired as Sector 9’s newest senior contributing writer! Anyone who uses words like "Honkusmobile," "flav-or-rite," and "hoarked" can write for us anytime. - S9
First of all, stop breaking your arm. Second, great job wearing one of our helmets. Falling off your skateboard is part of the deal, but your skull is the one bone in your body you don’t want to break. Your safety is of the upmost importance to us. - S9
FIREPROOF All I can really say is thanks for making such awesome boards. I have had so many great memories on my board, even now in college, as l carve up my campus. I still ride the first Sector 9 board I purchased. It survived when my house burned down back in '06. There was no house left after the fire was put out. I found it 8 months later walking around the burnt up frame of that house. I saw the wheel sticking out of the ground. Amazingly, I pulled the whole board out, and it rides like the first day i got it. Just want to say thanks for such great memories. PIETRO INGLESE Spring Lake, NJ Thanks for the kind words! You're right, we do make awesome boards, although not usually fireproof. It’s good to hear so many great things have happened to you riding your Sector. Your house burning down is obviously not one of them. - S9
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SURFER’S PARADISE I bought a Sand Wedge last year from Dark Side in Surfer's Paradise. I saw it up on the wall and just had to have it. It's exactly what I have been dreaming of. I couldn't believe it when I first rode it. A lot of boards claim to feel just like surfing, but this is the real deal. It's smooth, low, and carves like a dream with no wobbles at 40 kms/h. The coolest thing though, is that it has improved my surfing incredibly. These are best boards ever. DEAN SCHMIDT Queensland, Australia Oy mate, nice choice on the Sidewinder Series board. Those trucks are unreal. If that Sector improved your surfing, you must be tearing! I always just assume Aussies surf better than me, so I imagine you shred. When I get to Surfer's Paradise I’m going to paddle straight out the back and claim: “ I know Dean!” - S9
SOME LETTERS ARE EDITED FOR LENGTH, CLARITY, AND/OR CONTENT.
Rob firing up the kids.
GIVING BACK
photo : Jason Naude
I just wanted to thank you for an awesome time on Go Skateboarding Day. I really appreciate how much you are returning to the community, especially the younger skaters, in stepping up to present this very real skate community event. UNCLE DAVE KEELER Santee, CA We appreciate you too! Skating with all our superfans at the Boardwalk Poker Run is one of our favorite days of the year. Oh, and I checked; You’re not really my Uncle. - S9
BALTIC SEA BLOWOUT I live in a small town called Visby, located on an island called Gotland in the Baltic Sea. In the town we have a soccer stadium, and one night there was a big game going on. As you might have heard, when Europeans watch sports, they also drink hard and fight a lot. They're typically known as "hooligans." So I was skating at this park right outside the stadium when all of a sudden three hooligans come running towards me in the opposite direction I was skating. I flew by them going pretty fast and as I approached my next turn, a police car comes out of nowhere. The only thing I could do to avoid the oncoming car was bail, and I did... right into a bush. As I bailed, I could see my board get crushed under the cop's front tire in slow motion. Coincidentally, it popped his tire. The cop ended up being quite nice and apologetic, seeing as how cars aren't supposed to drive in the park, and he didn't have his sirens on. Knowing it was his bad, he offered to replace my broken board. It's nice to see cops worried for once, instead of the other way around. Of course the Hooligans got away, but at least I got a new board. DAVID VON CORSWANT Visby, Gotland I have to say, Gotland sounds kind of awesome. Drunk Hooligans? Cool Cops? The Baltic Sea? Please tell me there are waves and girls there! I bet you run into that cop somewhere over a pint and talk about Visby's rampant Hooligan problem. - S9 Erica's all smiles.
ECO BRO I'm very eco-aware, only wear hemp/organic cotton, have installed suncells on my roof and so on. So, it's only natural that I ride a Sector 9. Thanks for bringing the alternative. LANDUYT FILIP Gent, Belgium Between our bamboo boards, organic tees, Biothane wheels, and skaters like you, we can make a real difference. That being said, I bet you skate barefoot, don’t you? - S9
WHERE’S ERICA? I just want to say that I love your old, vintage ads, especially your first one featuring Erica Hosseini. So I guess my only question is, where is she? Would be super stoked to see a new wall posting worthy ad with her in it. SUMM YUNGUY Undisclosed, CA photo : Mama Hosseini
For some reason I feel like you send in letters all the time... Must just be the fact that it's 10:17pm on a Tuesday night and I'm writing this. Unfortunately, we can't give you a new spread with the lovely lady, but we can give you a wallet carrying worthy pic. Enjoy. - S9
Fall 2011
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ECO REPORT
it seems more common to change your profile picture than affect change around you. In a time when adults play video games and kids play poker, worrying about keeping yourself entertained usually trumps worrying about the environment. As young pro surfers ascend the ranks, many enjoy emailed itineraries and guided tours, yet still complain about the lack of internet service. On the other hand, you have a younger population that’s tuned into what’s going on around them and sees what can be done to make their environment better. Kyle Thiermann is one of the latter. It would be easy for the young Santa
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Cruz surfer to be like so many have before him and do nothing but seek sponsorship and take advantage of an industry willing to give. However, Kyle would rather give himself, and that’s what he has done by founding Surfing for Change. Since then, he’s released four environmental films, speaks to groups all over the U.S. and is always on the move seeking out practical ways to right environmental wrongs. Besides that the kid rips! Whether it’s in the water or on the ramp, Kyle is always amping for a sesh. We sat down with the Brower Youth Award winner to see how we can help improve the environment just like he has.
First off, you grew up in Santa Cruz, but on which side? East or West?
What’s been the most rewarding experience to come of your ventures as an acivist so far?
People have been asking me that since I was 10 years old. My parents are divorced so I grew up on both sides of town. It was cool because half of the best waves are on the East, and the West has the other half. I had a chance to surf everywhere!
Claim Your Change was the movie I made in Chile. I documented a proposed coal power plant going into a surf town. I tracked the funding upstream and showed how Bank of America was using our money to fund the coal plant. I started a campaign encouraging surfers to move their money into local banks. Since the movie was released I’ve documented over 340 million dollars moved out of B of A and into local banks around the country!
Is it true you use the whole “young environmentalist” type thing just to look more sensitive when cruising for chicks? I hope it doesn’t come off that way (laughs). I’m not your typical ‘environmentalist hippy’ though. Nothing against hippy’s, hippy’s are rad, but I’m a surfer and a filmmaker. I go on surf trips and cover environmental and social issues. I tie the issues back to Santa Cruz and highlight simple daily decisions we can change at home that have a positive impact on the place that I traveled to.
What was DC like? Did you get to meet the President? Yeah, me and my boy Barrack. He has an indoor skatepark in the Whitehouse so we shredded together (laughs). No, I actually got flown out to DC to introduce the Youth Environmental Ocean Award to this awesome 17 year old kid who is doing a lot of good work around stopping plastic pollution.
Do you find that you’ve already inspired more young activists to take action for causes they believe in? I sure hope so. My buddy stopped by my house yesterday and asked if I had an extra water canteen cuz he was going skating and didn’t want to buy a plastic bottle of water because of seeing my last movie on solving plastic pollution. Things like that make my day!
Given the success you’ve enjoyed so early on have you thought of broadening your goals into larger movie projects or are you planning on sticking to short concise videos? I like short YouTube movies because they reach a wider photos courtesy of Ryan Craig
What really got you into surfing for change in the first place? Surfing For Change is my free online youtube series. My whole family is in the movie biz so I’ve had the privilege of being around movie making since I was a little kid. More than anything though, I just love a good story. All of my webisodes are packed with tons of content and are all under 5 minutes.
What made you think that you could effect positive change all by yourself? People are so much more powerful than they think they are. Your daily decisions have a huge affect on both people in your community as well as people all over the world. The whole idea of voting with your dollar and using your money to support companies and local businesses that you believe in is super exciting to me!
What’s been some of the unexpected hurdles you’ve experienced along the way? When I was in Chile and had finished filming my first movie Claim Your Change, I mailed all of the tapes home to myself in a padded envelope because I was scared they would get jacked. When I got home every single tape was crushed. Luckly, my Dad is a modern day Macgyver and he helped me crack open each Mini DV tape We unraveled the tapes with a screwgun and pencil eraser attached at the end, and roled them into new tapes. Three of the five tapes ended up working and that’s what I made my movie with!
audience. A lot of people who watch my movies aren’t the type to sit through a two hour documentary on plastic pollution, but they’ll watch my 4min movie. That being said I am starting to give more speeches at universities and workshops so that’s a new way I’m getting these messages out.
Who was the biggest influence in making you into the person you are today? My Mom is a big influence. She was the one who helped me believe that it is possible to live the life of your dreams. I feel like most people aren’t doing it because they don’t think it can be done. Believing that it’s possible is huge.
Was it a huge stoker to have Jack Johnson not only be a solid part of your video “Where is Away?” but also to just bust out a song? Jack Johnson is the man! I have so much respect for that guy. It’s cool how he uses his fame on behalf of causes that are bigger than him.
Can you give us an insight as to the next issue your going to take on? I’m going to South Africa next month to make my next episode on the proposed nuclear power plant near J Bay. Follow the adventure at facebook.com/surfingforchange.
Scan Me! Fall 2011
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Sector 9 Race Formula & Dual Durometer Wheels are available at ďŹ ne retailers across the world.
Ethan Lau rocking the new Driver.
photo: mitchyll ferris
Features perforated leather upper and new Sector 9 Ergo pucks.
If you want to describe anything from last night’s dance party, to this morning’s surf, to the garlic coated fish plate with fried plantains (patacones) at the hilltop restaurant with a view, only “buenazo” really expresses it. The problem is that Ecuadorians have a tendency to use buenazo just a little too often to describe just about everything. The mushy right point packed with dudes and rippled with a brisk onshore breeze – buenazo! The new annoyingly repetitive reggaeton song blasted at high volume – buenazo! How early we’re gonna get up the next morning to make the two hour drive to surf a hollow beach break sure to be buenazo – tempranazo (super early)! Yes, in case you were wondering, it works for words other than bueno too.
Granted Ecuadorians have plenty to get excited about. Straight off the plane we were greeted by warm smiling amigos that went well out of their way to show the three crazy Californian girls, with overly stuffed board bags, all the wonders of their country. The tour started at a skate park in Guayaquil. Kim Mayer dominated the half pipe then let a few ten-year-old fans feel the joys of a Sector 9 for the first time. They were immediately hooked and we had to keep an eye on them to make sure Kimi got her only skate back!
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I focused my excitement on the chance to snorkel with hammerheads and tickle baby seals.
The next morning
we hopped a flight to the Galapagos Islands where we rolled past big fat lazy seals that loudly reminded us that they own the sidewalk. Fleets of frigates darted and dove as we fried the skin from the bottoms of our bare feet, hot-stepping over sun-baked lava rocks past green-lipped marine iguanas almost as numerous as the seals. I didn’t expect the surf to be anything to claim in facebook status updates. Jen Smith had been there before and been skunked. After our first sea life-filled waist-high struggle session, I focused my excitement on the chance to snorkel with
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hammerheads and tickle baby seals. The sharks were deep in murky water and I got only a quick fleeting glimpse, but at least could honestly add hammerhead to my list of shark encounters. Kimi started a tug-of-war with a mischievous baby seal over her mask and snorkel while a couple of his buddies tag-teamed chewing my flippers. Then the semi-secret worldclass right reef break walking distance to our house rental that our guides assured us would not be breaking turned on. We scored near overhead peeling rights for two days, in the Galapagos!
Surfed out and satisfied,
we returned to the mainland to further delve into the buenazo situation. Jen, the 2 x World Champion longboarder, was frothing on the very toes-on-thenose-able rights of Montanita, but also proved she can rip on a shortboard when the punchy beaches insisted upon it. I’d
been to Montanita with the USA Surf Team about ten years ago and remembered it as a sleepy town with just a handful of surf-oriented hotels and a few local-style restaurants. What a difference a decade makes!
Fall 2011
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Now an easy, sandy stumble
from the point is a row of bars and drinking booths on a barefoot-friendly street lined with dread-locked dirty hippies selling hand-made trinkets, sweet smelling herbs, and just about anything else you might need for a good night in a tropical party town. A part of me bemoaned the changes, until we started heading a little north of town and came across a nice long, freshly-paved hill, perfect for Sector 9ing. The local amigas thought the three Californians were super loco for starting from so high up and around the corner, and we were nearly taken out by a huge truck at high speed, but only nearly, so it was totally buenazo.
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After a week of Jen's cross-stepping,
and Kimi’s air-boosting, we finally got up tempranazo and drove up to that hollow beach break. Our guides assured me that it wasn’t quite as good as it gets but I didn’t care. I was stoked, pulling into closeouts and a few that were makeable, self-hooting buenazos left and right. By the end of it we were totally caught up in it. Ecuador is that good.
Fall 2011
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INNERVIEWS
As some people may know, Sector 9 started in a backyard of the Birdrock area of La Jolla in the early 1990’s. We were having a grand ol' time making our various ways through and around college. We enjoyed surfing, skating and the sweet life that’s there for the taking in La Jolla still to this day. We lived in a fairly beat up old house with about 5 guys, had a nice mini-ramp in the backyard, a pool table, ping pong table and could be down at the water's edge with one good push out the front door. This was indeed a very fun place to live in the carefree college-age days, and we certainly were doing our best to make the most out of it. The shaping room
15 years, and this is where we pick up. By this time Sector 9 is moving along nicely, and Dave Klimkiewicz, one of the founders of Sector 9, is having a conversation with Jim Johnson and Charlie Watson of Watson Laminates. They were reminiscing about the good ol' days. Jim and Charlie have been making skateboards since the early 70’s and own one of the most respected skateboard manufacturers in the world. Between the two of them, they’ve seen it all come and go in the skate world. So they’re talkin' story about the past, and Dave mentioned the house on La Jolla Blvd. which was easy to identify because its' basic location- one house from the corner on La Jolla Blvd. According to Dave, Charlie got this weird look on his face and says: “Which house?” Dave describes the location of the house again, and Charlie just shakes his head and says: “Wow, I think that’s where I used to live! - the one with the three levels in the backyard and the garage out in back?” Charlie goes on to explain that not only did he indeed live there, but that’s where he started to make skateboards. They didn’t just live there either Charlie explained, they lived it up exactly like we did in that house, partying, surfing, skating and forging their future businesses in the backyard and the garage. It's still crazy to me thinking back about all those odd scraps of metal and fiberglass I’d found. It turns out that they weren’t junk after all, but little pieces of history . The weeds of that yard must have just been waiting for someone to come along and throw some water on that fertile ground so something new could spring up.
As caretaker of said mansion, I sometimes found myself as the one who’d finally break down and do some of the random home maintenance. This would include chopping down the waist high weeds in the front yard, while motorists passing by on La Jolla Blvd would drive by yelling things like, “Its about F%$^# time!” and just generally heckling me. The same went for the backyard. However, since it was private, I was free of the shame that came with the front yard duties. The back was more interesting though, because it was pretty large and had three tiers going back up to La Jolla Hermosa, where there was a detached garage. It was pulling weeds and random junk around this garage where the shaping room was that I would often find weird little chunks of metal, oddly shaped remnants of fiberglass and even broken chunks of old surfboards. Sometimes I’d find the odd weird thing and show the other guys in the house, but mostly it just seemed like junk. This was just about the time when people started to take interest in the few longboards we had started making in the shaping room and backyard, which became the birth place of Sector 9. Slide the cursor on this YouTube video to the right about Backyard mini ramp
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There is something about rolling down a hill that keeps me going, and it’s more than the constant change of potential energy to kinetic energy. After a day’s worth of trekking back up hills, there is a feeling of progression. Still, at the end of the day, I find myself in the same spot—somewhere on the hill.
Gabe maching
Spanish philosopher George Santayana said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Repeating history is often referred to negatively, even though we are all stuck in the same life cycle of birth to death. Nevertheless, each individual takes a unique path, creating his or her own story. Some of us have chosen to pursue a lifestyle of exploring exceptional skateboarding terrain. There are those who dream of climbing Mt. Everest, while others dream of skating down it. This past June, I found myself in the cycle again, but I wasn’t alone. Joined by 125 fellow skaters, I climbed back into the U-Haul for another loop around the track. It was the First Annual Whistler Skateboard Festival in Whistler, British Columbia, and the typical BC rain had backed off, giving us a few days of dry skateboarding. Although it was the first time we gathered in Whistler for a race, the skaters were already
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friends. The downhill skateboard community can give one a sense of belonging in this populated world. It’s easy to feel at home, even when you’re on the road. I spent the days before the event in the mountains of Southern California, wasting the sunlight pasting urethane to the road with Aussie Jackson Shapeira before leaving for his Norway skate journey. Go to bed in Los Angeles and wake up in Vancouver, Canada. New location, new people—still the same cycle. This time George Mackenzie and Scott Smith showed Gabe Gwynne and me their local spots. We trekked up the coast, hitting old and new spots along the way to the Whistler Skateboard Festival. At first glance, it might seem that all skaters are the same, performing similar maneuvers on similar terrain. However, aren’t we all stuck in a similar cycle? Whether we work nine to five in an office or climb the biggest mountains, we all perform
these tasks in hopes of progressing. In spite of everything, the cycle resets. We repeat, hoping to conquer higher peaks. Even if one is skating a hill for the second, third, or twentieth time, they are each a different experience. Sometimes we fall. In these instances, you need to stand up, brush yourself off, realize your mistakes and continue on with your newly gained knowledge. As we made our way to Whistler, mistakes were the one thing we were trying to avoid. Whistler is home to many adventurous communities and an ideal location for a sanctioned race. With eight hairpins and over 1,000 feet of vertical drop in less than a mile, this hill was perfect. With two days on the tracks, there were countless runs with friends and new skaters alike. Although we were riding the same course all day long, no two runs were the same. Each run presented new situations. Racing was intense as riders put all
Jacko's controlled slide, Aussie style
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Georgie drifting through a corner
of their energy into making it down the hill as fast as possible. At each turn, four to six riders raced through together. Sometimes lines would clash and riders would tangle. Other times, riders would weave in and out as if performing a synchronized dance. Race heats grew more and more intense as the finals drew near. There were 50 mph drifts just inches apart, as racers jocked for position. In the end, it was our close friends who made it to the podium. George won the consolation final, while I took second behind my friend, James Kelly. I told everyone I was traveling to Whistler for a race. The truth is that the race was only an excuse to justify the trip. I went up there to skate, and to skate new terrain in the hopes of progressing. Some might call it training, but skateboarding has never been about winning. Skateboarding is a way to spend my days stuck in this cycle of life.
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early It's no secret that surfers invented skateboarding. In the they like just skate was do to days, all the surfers were trying , training it called e v would' never they though Even surfed. and , function same that serving skateboarding still ended up it helped surfers develop the balance and skills they needed and to progress their surfing. The tables have turned now, al technic s it' in surfing ed surpass since long has arding skatebo gave once surfing what surfing to skill level. Skating now gives ship to it. To help us better understand this integral relation best the of one with up caught e between the two sports, we'v an. Geiselm Eric , around s athlete er crossov te surf/ska
Geisels, lets get down to the basics. Let's get a quick background check. I was born and raised in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. I'm 23, and when I'm not on the road, I live in San Clemente.
So what came first, surfing or skating? Skating came first for sure. I didn't start really surfing until I was 12. I used to be full skate hellian, with the baggy clothes and all. Whatever was in for skating at that time, well that would be my style.
sequence: Nelly
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Wait a second, you really didn’t start surfing till you will 12?
photo: Pete Frieden
Yup. It was all about skateboarding, and I really wanted to go pro.
Wow. What was skateboard then?
your
first
G&S with Indys. There is footage of me when I was 5, sessioning a vert ramp.
No wonder you rip at skating. We always had a mini ramp in the backyard. I can specifically remember 5 different ramps over the years. Also, my parents used to take me to Stone Edge .
What!?! I skated there a few times. Did you skate the 9 bowl? Yeah, we would attack every thing. Dad would skate too.
The 9 bowl ruled me on a backside roll in. Who was your skate idol growing up? I really liked Rune Glifberg, but I watched a lot of skaters. I would eat up skate vids. My first video was Stun.
Dude rips and he’s a good guy. So why the switch to start surfing more at age 12? We moved closer to the beach. I was 12 years old and walking distance
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photo: Pete Frieden
to the beach. I never stopped skating but I just started surfing way more. Then, I did a surf contest, and I won a trophy and I was like, alright this is cool. We still had the mini ramp, though.
You’ve been living the life brother. You have been a pro surfer for a bit now and you still skate like a motherf*$%#r. You think all that skating helps your surfing? Oh, for sure. It's more muscle movement and more board time. It's a bit different in the air though, because waves are moving and changing. It helps when you try it on a skate and then bring it to the surf, for sure. If you don't stick it skating, you are going to pay immediately, so you really have to nail it. Pain is your friend.
Well a lot of surfers don’t even skate, let alone back disaster the extension at the North Shore Park. Most surfcats are definitely not skating before a contest and you’re down here at Sector 9 having a 4 hour session with Tanner. Do you worry about getting hurt? Sorry, but they made me ask that one. Ha. I love the Bread Bowl down there. I am going to come down there super soon. I'm not really that worried about getting hurt because once you get to a level of feeling comfortable on your skateboard, then you can just roll along with it and not worry. Do the tricks you know, stuff like that.
Amen. Any new tricks skating? I hit a couple handrails recently.
That is nuts. What the hell did you do down it and how many stairs? It was 10 stairs, and I did a front boardslide, and then front bluntslide. You know how you ollie over and....
sequence: Nelly
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photo: Nelly
sequence: Pete Frieden
Yeah, dude, I know what a bluntslide is. Gnarly man. Where’ve you been skating? When I was home in NS, the 2 parks we have are sick. Now I'm back at my west coast home, HA, and I have been skating San Clemente Park, Etnies outdoor and secret indoor park, and also getting some sessions in at Ryan Sheckler's TF.
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Geisels, you’re a class act, and it’s always good to skate, surf, and hang with you. Any last words? Skate or die.
INNERVIEWS
YOUR LOOK BEHIND THE EYE BEHIND THE LENSE Name: Dave Nelson, but I go by Nelly. Years shooting: 15+ Influences: Tony Roberts, Brian Bielman, Van Lennep, Aichner, Don King and Sonny Miller About me: I grew up skating and surfing, but skating came first. So I’ve always liked shooting progressive surfing the most. Favorite subject to shoot: I love shooting all surfing, and guys like Adam Replogle, Josh Mulcoy, Taylor Knox, Joel Tudor all have there unique styles and are fun to shoot too! However, nothing gets me more pumped than watching someone like Ratboy, or Eric Geiselman pump down the line as fast as they can towards a humungous kicker. My favorite guys to shoot these days are John Florence, Eric Geiselman, Ratboy, Dane, Pat and Tanner G., Gavin Beschen, Nate Fletcher, Nic Lamb, Austin Smith Ford, Noi Kaulukakui, Andrew Doheny, Christian Fletcher... The list goes on forever.
Joel hanging out
Santa Cruz beach break
Thought for the day: I consider myself really lucky to have a passion for surfing, skating and photography. I try to mix it up between the three to keep my outlook fresh. Shout outs: I want to thank the guys at Transworld, Justin Cote, Chris Cote and Aaron Checkwood, EG and Dennis at Sector 9, Scott Sisamis, Doug Paladini, Nolan Hall and Jared at Vans, Matt Lochner at NHS, Birdo At Consolidated, Duke at Surftech, Sean at SPL Waterhousings for the best housings in the world. I would also like to thank my Mom and Dad, my beautiful wife Kristy, and most of all my daughter Kiala for being the raddest person in my life. Spying secret spot
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Shane Allen blasting
Tyler Smith skipping rocks
Words by EG Fratantaro Photos by Jorge Salas
A Day Trip to Laguna to Skate the Tennis Court Mini Ramp The Sector 9 surf and skate team got a personal invite to the Wilson Compound in Laguna Beach, California. This is no ordinary compound by the way. The Wilson property is on a cliff over looking the Pacific Ocean. It’s a huge piece of property and has a tennis court with a perfect mini ramp on it, which is why we were there. We brought a slew of different skate boards, some coolers, and a BBQ up the spiral staircase to the ocean view court. The Wilsons joined us for burgers, as the team cut loose on the ramp and played with all the toys. Toys like pogo sticks, go karts and mini bikes were all in full affect. I think the team spent as much time playing with the toys as they did skating.
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Ricky Whitlock's doctor approved, frontside ollie Fall 2011
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Tanner Rozunko hipster tail tap
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Eli not clearing Jeremy
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Jeremy Peckham leap of faith
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Mike Morrissey
Kulia Doherty cruising
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Erica loves the pogo
Eli Anderson nose grind
OPEN FORUM
by Capt. Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd
Will the Japanese whaling fleet return to the Southern Ocean?
Logic, the law and practicality suggest that they will not. However when it comes to whaling, the Japanese government does not act practically, legally or rationally, and thus the future of whaling in the Southern Ocean is unpredictable at this stage. “The Bob Barker, is currently in Australia, fully refitted, and ready to depart at a moment’s notice.” This week, there was a hint that Japan would once again throw reason to the wind. We received reports that the Japanese government was looking into sending a Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessel to the Southern Ocean to defend the Japanese whaling fleet from Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported the fisheries ministry has asked the coast guard to dispatch a boat to protect the whaling fleet during this upcoming season’s hunt. However, the Japanese Coast Guard is being more practical than the ministry of fisheries has reported; they are reluctant to partake citing they have no legal basis to do so. If the Japanese whaling fleet returns to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary they will be increasing their debt with further subsidies from the Japanese government. In addition to flagrantly violating international conservation laws, they will also be in violation of the new law issued by the International
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Maritime Organization (IMO) that prohibits heavy fuel from being used below the 60th parallel south. Sea Shepherd’s long-range pursuit vessel, the Bob Barker, is currently in Australia, fully refitted, and ready to depart at a moment’s notice to the Southern Ocean. The flagship Steve Irwin and the Brigitte Bardot are en route to the North Atlantic to defend pilot whales in the Faeroe Islands. Both ships however, will be able to return to the Southern Ocean in October well ahead of the start of the whaling season. Sea Shepherd is also investigating the use of an additional fourth, fast, ice strengthened vessel to be ready to tackle the Japanese whalers and any Japanese Coast Guard vessels, should they decide to escort the poaching fleet. The introduction of a Japanese Coast Guard vessel will create some interesting political dilemmas for Japan and Australia and for the signatories of the Antarctic Treaty as military vessels are prohibited in the Antarctic Treaty Zone. We’re hopeful that the Japanese whaling fleet will not return to the Southern Ocean in December but if they do, Sea Shepherd will be ready to obstruct them yet again. We are cautiously optimistic, but we are making preparations to return to Antarctica just in case. for more information visit www.seashepherd.org
• The new standard in street, vert and everything in between • Available in 8.0, 8.5 and 9.0 axle widths • Old school and new school mounting patterns • Premium 92a bushings • Made in the USA • Colors coming soon
photo:Mario Miller
Nothing says a good time
like a trip South of the Border
words by Ricky Whitlock photos by Nelly
So I get this call from EG about a surf trip to Cabo for Sector 9. In addition to surfing, it also held the possibility of skating this bowl in Todos Santos, not the island, but the little city on the west side of the tip. Really?! First of all, who goes to Cabo for a surf trip, and secondly, is there really any place to skate? I’ve heard of this infamous bowl that some gringos built and then abandoned, but I’m not sure it exists. I was gonna go surf this secret sand slab in Carlsbad with some homies this weekend and probably hit up Pacers after, but EG says he’s holding some pretty incriminating photos of me from this one trip to Florida. I can’t really recall that trip, so I decide to get on the plane. As it turns out, all around ripper Mike Morrissey was going as well as Justin Quirk, and the infamous Dave “Nelly” Nelson snappin’ pics. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. Upon arrival, we were greeted with the usual hounding for stickers and cab rides followed by the Pacifico handshake. Ahh yes, I do like Cabo. Off to our fabulous resort. Okay, maybe just some hotel rooms that were decent by Mexican standards, but
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not quite up to Motel 6 standards at home. We could care less though because the room is always the last place you wanna be when you're on a trip. While most don’t think of Cabo as a surf destination, it does have the unique advantage of being right in the window for South/South East swells in town and only a short drive to the Pacific side for West/Northwest swells. We hit up the Pacific side while we were there, and man, I felt like eating some crow. I guess it's just been awhile since I’ve been down that way, so I didn’t recall it clearly, but we surfed super fun, punchy, clean, puntable waves everyday. I was literally surfed out after the second day. Of course that would be the day we decided to go find the bowl. I didn’t really think there was a bowl so I surfed myself into the ground, but oh yes, we found it. It's a good thing that Mike Morrissey is such a good skater because when we got there I had jelly legs and just cruised around but Mike was killing it. I managed to do a couple tricks here and there but Mike was fully entertaining the kids spotted up
to watch. It was actually a pretty nice set up and I plan on coming back with my legs next time. In the end we all came away fully stoked. Not only did we score some good, uncrowded waves and skate a really fun eclectic bowl, but landed some nice spreads in Transworld Surf. Of course we’ll take that any day. In fact, the only thing that was missing from the trip was a night on the town. I think that was mostly due to Justin being afraid of getting his privates lopped off by the drug cartels, but that's probably a good thing because one of us would probably have ended up with a fat chick on lover's beach, not getting the shot.
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GROM REPORT
CORY JUNEAU AGE: 12 HOMETOWN: San Diego, CA FAVORITE SPOT: Sector 9 Bread Bowl
SPONSORS: Sector 9, Blackflys, Vox, 187 Pads, Deuce Brand,
ABOUT ME: If you like it when your jaw drops and your eyes bulge out of their sockets, then watching Cory skate is just the thing for you. This kid is only 12 years old, but he skates like a man. His style speaks for itself, and his skills on a board will steal the attention of any audience. Cory has been lucky enough to skate with some of the best pro skaters in the world on a daily basis, so his skating is influenced by many different styles. You can find him at a few of his favorite spots like the Clairemont YMCA and the Sector 9 Bread Bowl on any given day. Look for this kid atop the podium in the near future.
photo: Dan Bourqui
KULIA DOHERTY AGE: 14 HOMETOWN: San Clemente, CA FAVORITE SPOT: Lowers
SPONSORS: Sector 9, Body Glove, FCS, Oakley, Bubble Gum, and Dakine
ABOUT ME: When you hear Kulia, your first thought is Hawaiian, but then that last name kind of throws you off. Kulia is a haloe, but she was born and raised on Maui, and she is local as you can get. She grew up on a farm, with Honolua Bay as her playground. In order to get his future surf star girls more exposure, her pops recently up and moved both to the upstart hotbed of San Clemente. It's been a smart move so far, as Kulia has been on a contest tear. She's won over 30 heats in a row and is now a member of the USA Surf Team. If you're lucky, you can catch her at Lowers, fine tuning her surfing and emitting that true aloha smile and vibe.
photo: Jon Steele
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KAOLI KAHOKULOA AGE: 15 HOMETOWN: Molokai, HI FAVORITE SPOT: Walos
SPONSORS: Quiksilver, Tamba, Sector 9, T. Patterson Surfboards, Oakley, DaKine and Rockstar Energy Drink ABOUT ME: Do you remember puberty? I know I don't. Well, one kid who is living it right now is 15 year old shredder Kaoli. It seems as though Kaoli has grown about a foot this past year, and he doesn't seem to be stopping. Some people worry that a growth spurt can affect ones ability to perform, but in Kaoli's case its only made him better, stronger, and gnarlier. The 109% Hawaiian kid (he also speaks it) is on a tear right now, nabbing Surflines Punt of the Month recently and shredding the North Shore skatepark... barefoot. Respectful and mellow, Kaoli comes from a solid family and is a true ambassador of ALOHA.
photo: Joe Foster
NOHLAN CAMPBELL AGE: 15 HOMETOWN: Laguna Beach, CA FAVORITE SPOT: Hills of Laguna
SPONSORS: Sector 9 Skateboards, No Future, Gullwing Truck Co.
ABOUT ME: Most people know Laguna Beach for its' abundance of beautiful girls and beaches, but nowadays it seems like it's the hills of Laguna that are bursting out of the closet. Such is the breeding ground of 14 year old Nohlan Campbell, who just took first place at the 2011 IGSA Junior World Championships at Maryhill, Washington. This is no minor feat, and in a tough international field of competitors Nohlan fought his way through the pack to victory, but reportedly did not put the trophy in his closet. When not standing on the podium, Nohlan can be found shredding urethane down his local streets on the way to school.
photo: Casey Stearns
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THE INSIDERS
It’s every skater’s quest to have a board suited and tuned to his or her riding style. You ask and ask and still find yourself tweaking on your board. For many, the problem is they don’t know what they want out of a setup and wrench away mindlessly. The only way to learn is to ride your skateboard. The more you ride, the more you understand what you want out of a board. One of the common mistakes is over-tightening the
trucks. If you can’t turn, you’re missing out on a whole aspect of skating. And, if you’re worrying about wobbles, tightening them will just perpetuate the problems. Stability comes from the rider and being comfortable on the board. To tune your setup, ride the board first and figure out what you want to change before you start breaking out the wrench. photo: Max Dubler
Ocean Beach, California locals and good friends to Sector 9, Slightly Stoopid, continue to blaze their dub/punk trail by constantly touring and releasing music in their classic D.I.Y. style. The band has recently outfitted their own recording studio, complete with lounge and kitchen for the higher times of jamming and recording. Despite the band's laidback San Diego image, the boys represent the lifestyle by living on the road and maintaining a constant output of music. Look for a new release this fall on their own Stoopid Records. Free from the oppressive constraints of his former record label, Shelton Hank Williams III, a.k.a. Hank III, is exploding creatively with the release of 4 records this year! The first double album is his more familiar sounding, dark country, hellbilly swing record entitled, Ghost to a Ghost/Guttertown. You can expect Hank’s best country effort to date with guest appearances from Tom Waits and Les Claypool. If that wasn’t enough, III's other two records, 3 Bar Ranch: Cattle Callin' & Attention Deficit Domination, hit far heavier notes, with emphasis' on Shelton’s love of doom and speed metal. You can see it for yourself on tour this Fall.
Ghost to a Ghost/ Guttertown HANK III
HANK III RECORDS
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3 Bar Ranch: Cattle Callin' HANK III
HANK III RECORDS
The Seedless Summer Tour SLIGHTLY STOOPID
FEATURING REBELUTION/ SWAYZE & CISCO
Attention Deficit Disorder HANK III
HANK III RECORDS
salasphoto
salasphoto
THE SCENE 1.
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1. EG and Tom handling signups for 2011 Go Skate Day 2. Jacko celebrates another win 3.The Kyle Turley Band 4. Shane "Insano" Allen stoking a grom 5. Serious business at Surf Expo 6. Rob getting ready to start Go Skate Day 7. Bobbing for apples 8. Craig got "car sick" 9. The Nineball truck in the High Sierras 10. Marcus' smooth moves 11. EG following directions 12. Eric Geiselman does not like skating tickets 13. Gratuitous bikini shot 14. Victor representing 15. Stoked groms outside the S9 Tent 16. Sector 9 Japan supporting disaster relief 17. Ricky, Rob, Balaram, Jarrah and Virs Cali Rallying 18. Tyler and Finkel hanging out 19. Jeff, Scoot, Kelly, Louis & Langer celebrating 20. Jex finding a nice place to nap 21. The new Downhill Division Team 22. First place at the annual Hawaii bowling contest
Sector 9
photos: Pilloni
photo: Jon Steele