We've had a great update from John Griffiths this week:
"Its been non-stop this month! I don't like to waffle on so I'll keep it short and sweet!
Aaron Skippings pretty much covered our trip to europe... (see the video exploits here) it was rad, the hills where amazing and the party's where even better, coming home sucked I wish I was still there!
As for other events ride the dragon in Wales reclassified longboarding as a watersport, rivers on the track and standing water over two inches deep made the already technical track even more sketchy and racing was more a case of make it down alive than beat the competition. Luckily I managed to stay on my board enough to make it into the finals and third place!
What's more my bearings are still rolling fine even after being submerged underwater for two days in Wales...WIN! Cheers for your help :) "
Thanks for your news John. We're delighted to hear that your bearings stood up to a bit of a battering :0)& many congratulations on the podium place at 'Ride the Dragon' in Wales.
Thanks to Fabien (new President of Team for Ride!) for the following news:
"So, I've been on a part of the Eurotour this summer and finished by a nice muscle tear on the left calf (I get hitten by a guy at 70 kph on the Euro champ final). Following to that, a sick leave of four weeks and still doing a lot of physio (6 hours a week), but I'll be able to be back on a board in three weeks.
This injury put me away from the end of the french championship 2011 and away from the podium of this one. :-/
So, about the French championship results:
Thibaut finished 2nd in streetluge and 3rd in classic luge
Marie: female 1st and 19th on the open (male / female / juniors)
Me: 7th in streetluge and 8th in classic luge.
Philippe was still not able to ride but is talking about coming back next year. This year he had focused a lot on the development of a new competition system and help the different event organisation to implement it.
Quentin: not much news... it seems that he is stoping skateboard for a moment.
TFR future:
after a first meeting we all decided to disolve the team, 'cause, Quentin is not wanting to skate anymore, Thibaut is far away in Britanny, Philippe want to come back in the competition but is not really sure. In fact there is only Marie and me who are sure to continue the competition next year, and Marie more than ever! ut at the same time some decision were decided in other organisation we are in, some big projects of french elite camp, skate club, event organisation...
and finally people asked us to keep the name TFR and keep me as president. (Faby el presidente!)
Next year with TFR:
Organisation of a french elite camp to create a kind of "french team". it will take place in the french Alps
Organisation of "Telethon, Noon to midnight", a charity event to raise found for the genetical diseases consisting of a 12 hours ride on a 2km loop on inline and skate.
Organisation of the beginner race on the Parilly slalom race (should be Euro cup)
Organisation of regular session to make people discover the skate / luge and organise training for the people who want to develop the sport and improve the level. The goal is to create a real club with regular longboard lessons".
Wow - thanks so much for all the news Fabien! We'll look forward to helping Team for Ride move forward next year, in whatever ways we can.
We've been talking to Jean-Luc Fornier in France for a few years now, but we've only just discovered what he does with all the miniature bearings that we send to him & we are now truly awe-struck!!
Jean-Luc is pictured centre, with friends on a recent trip to Africa
Jean-Luc produces arial remote control drones (see a demo here & here), the equipment allowing for extremely high quality, professional arial photography at a fraction of the costs involved in using a helicopter to get the same pictures.
Jean-Luc says:
"Our devices, which measures less than one meter wingspan, are capable of operating at very low altitude in very confined space. It can therefore see the most inaccessible places with angles of shots unpublished. This is impossible with conventional means. Our drone is equipped with a GPS sensor allowing the best possible position. The return video allows the framing of the shot from the ground station. This ensures that the shooting meets the expectations of the customer before returning to the ground".
He is currently involved in filming for various French TV channels, see an example here ...
Jean-Luc sent us some amazing images of his recent trip to Africa, which truly demonstrate what an amazing machine he has produced:
You can find out more at Jean-Luc's website - as our French isn't quite up to it, we used Google Translate to get the lowdown!
Aaron tells us about his season:
"The season for me has been an awesome one , travelling countries and skating with friends is what its all about ,theres always that time in the year for us who cant skate because of the dreadful winter ,in that time saving money ,getting hyped up for the next year of skating just becomes natural as you know every bit of money you earn is another awesome day etc away shredding it up.
For me starting the first euro race in kozakov was brilliant as i had never had the chance to skate it before ,so many stories of how gnarly it was made me crave for it even more but there was always that butterfly waking up now and again in my stomach.
I can tell you now kozakov was one of the best tracks i have skated since almabtrieb,so fast and tech at the same time just completed it for me . shame about the weather but qualifying was in the rain which resulted in some fast people crashing out and not making the cut as there was only 1 qualifying run because of the time wasted in previous wet weather days. I managed to qualify and was prepped for racing .OMG! Racing was amazing, first heat was a proper tough one going up against some proper fast guys but i held them off and managed to get in there into 2nd place and get through to the second round.
2nd round was here ,all top professionals at the start line and then me ;), was a crazy race and have never been so fast in a heat but i didnt make the cut which wasnt a bad thing as i finished in the top 30! Proper stoke right there! ,apart from the weather ,great event ,great people,great skating ,i will be back in 2012!
favourite videos/pics - our bandito video ofcourse!
Thanks Aaron! So great to hear all of your news & so many congratulations on a fine season.
Doug Brown
We've recently welcomed pro-skater Doug Brown to our crew...
Doug does a great deal of motivational speaking & tours to promote the Skate Straight programme for youngsters, but still manages to fit some skating action inbetween! Doug updated us this morning, "Today I'm off on a skate adventure with a crew for fun and filming. I'm proud to announce my new sponsor is SMB Bearings out of England. This will be a great partnership as they are fully behind my efforts and they are good people. These bearings are great quality and the best I've ever had." Thanks Doug! We really appreciate your feedback on the bearings & are so pleased that you like them.
John Griffiths
No updates from John as yet, but he's heading off to Wales with Aaron to attend the Ride the Dragon event & has had a busy European IGSA season with some great results. Schaeffer Mclean
The youngest member of the SMB Skate Crew, 7 year old Schaeffer has just return from a European skate trip & his new video is a corker!
"This video is part of a European skate adventure which was filmed across 6 countries. Sadly the Camera and footage was lost just before leaving the 4th country at Krakow Bus Station. This is the footage from a secondary camera of mainly the last 2 countries we visited. See if you can figure out which countries they were! Thank you to everyone who showed us skate spots - we discovered some amazing places. It has to be said that the Security Guard at the beginning kindly let us skate in the end. This is the story of Schaeffer's Skate Travels...."
Shannon Francis
The only stunt scooter rider on the team, Shannon's been busy honing her skills, hanging out with friends & putting together some great video edits of their escapades!
Team For Ride - the gravity sports gang!
Another succesful season for the French gravity sports team, getting good results consitently throughtout the IGSA competitions. We look forward to a full season update from them soon.
Tony Leard
Lately i havent been doing as much skating due to an injury im dealing with from a recent fall. But i should be on board soon. I'm mainly busy with graphic design lately, and busy filming trick tip videos for one of my sponsors. But everything lately is picking up good, and i designed a shirt for a company as well.
If you're a fan of Scalextric, check out this site - it's the Northern Ireland Scalextric Club blog & they share loads of how-to guides, videos news & photos.
They have updates & videos each month, an example of which is shown below:
SMB Bearings are delighted to announce that we are the proud new sponsors of skate legend Doug Brown. Doug started skating in 1986, aged 12 years old, won his first competition one year later & since then has notched up a frankly dazzling array of accolades.
Here, Doug lists his most memorable skate moments:
Winning my first skateboarding competition in 1987
Skating the 2002 - 2004 Summer Gravity Games
Eastern Supply Open House Demo NC 2004
Progressive Skatepark Appearance Atlanta 2004
Doing MC at Fuel Channel's Get Hook-T Up Tour 04
Texas Fort Bliss Military Base Demos March 2005
Canada Newfoundland tour July 2006
Skate Straight Hometown visit Jan. 2008
TV appearance on Good Co. Today Show on NBC May 2010
Through his many sponsors Doug has a range of decks, wheels, books, videos & is also a motivational speaker. His Skate Straight programme tries to teach youngsters key life skills, dealing with a broad range of issues, from bullying, drugs, education & self belief.
Doug's bio:
Chances are you've seen Doug Brown on NBC's Good Co.Today show, at the Gravity Games, AST Dew Tour, or even on a stick of X-Air Deodorant, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Doug is a motivational speaker, published author of his autobiography Doug Brown: Beyond the Board, and founder of his highly acclaimed Skate Straight Program. From touring arenas with the band The Newsboys to visiting patients in hospitals with Athletes for Hope, Doug has proven to be more than just a skateboarder. Hidden behind his contagious smile and charisma is a wide range of talents and a strong sense of determination. Doug's love for the world of skateboarding began in 1986 after seeing Back to the Future for the first time. While the skateboarding trend has waxed and waned in popularity, Doug's commitment to the sport remained constant. Doug’s professional skating career began by chance at the 2002 Gravity Games, when he caught the eye of his first paying sponsors. He quickly realized his hobby became his living after a whirlwind of extensive traveling, industry events, demos, contests, and personal appearances. While he maintains a strong commitment to his skateboarding Brown has shifted his primary focus and energies towards his Skate Straight program entering schools, libraries, detention centers and being a keynote speaker for conferences. Doug Brown: Beyond the Board was published in 2010, and has added a new dimension to Doug's career. He writes of his life experiences and how it has been defined by a piece of wood and four spinning wheels. Brown wholeheartedly believes in positive change and the importance of hope and optimism. Notable causes and philanthropy include involvement with Athletes For Hope, American Red Cross, St.Baldrick's Foundation, SADD, and his own Skate Straight Program. Television appearances on NBC's Good Co.Today Show, Much Music Television, 54321, Fuel TV, ABC Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports, Planet X, Xcorps TV, and Sports Talk.
