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The 2nd annual Vans Downtown Showdown is this Sunday, September 3rd and the tech jockeys over there plan to webcast it live beginning at 4pm PST for the world to watch. All of the information you need is right here.
Be sure to cast your vote for which team you think will rack up the most points to win the Vans Downtown Showdown and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a pair of Anthony Van Engelen’s Signtaure Model – The AV Era. Get to it!

As you can imagine, we regularly receive a wide range of information and links from many of our friends and visitors to this here little skateboarding news site. Most of these submissions are great and we encourage your involvement. Then again, sometimes there’s information passed along that leaves us thinking, “What the fuck?”
We wonder if Koston got a free bedliner with his new truck contract.

Entitled, ‘Skateboarding Grows from Casual Hobby to International Sport’ this very ignorant overview on skating has been posted to the U.S. Department of State website and was reportedly written by a ‘Washington File Special Correspondent’. It seems that skateboarding is now a topic of national importance.
If it is they certainly need to work on getting their facts straight. Here are a few highlights:
- “If (tricks are) executed well, fellow skaters will offer their most superlative compliment: “Dude, that stinks!”
- “…the impact cushioned by the kneepads and helmets virtually all skateboarders wear.”
- “Tight jeans are in “because they let you see your feet,”
The article also mentions, “Tee Cherry, an American Muslim, taking a few minutes to skateboard with his young son before heading off to afternoon prayers.” Is it a tad strange to call out a skate Dad as an American Muslim in an article created by the Bureau of International Information Programs or is it just us?
UPDATE 9/1: It seems like the State Department must have received a great deal of emails from angry and confused skaters asking what the deal was. In any case, the article mentioned above was taken down and a strange disclaimer was added. It will be interesting to see what they post next, if anything.

We never actually got the official press release on this one, but apparently Rag Doll has been enlisted over at Birdhouse for a signature board endorsement. However, he doesn’t appear on their site. Hmmm…

While skating and filiming in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina two teenagers were jumped and severely beaten. The teen’s parents are offering a $1000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the attackers. The act was also captured on film so hopefully police will be able to track down the cowards responsible.
Get well soon Jonathan and Jason, stay strong and keep skating.

The Sessions team is getting ready to hit the road once again. This time out, Corey Duffel, Chet Childress, The Nuge, Dyson Ramones, and John Ponts will be hitting up regions in the South East as they trip through Florida on their way to the Surf Expo. From there, the crew gears up and skates along for some southern hospitality making their way up to Virginia.

The New York Times first published this extensive article on the clothing brand Ruca. The piece discusses the rise of the brand and surf/skate wear hitting the mainstream. It seems that skate shops are now being visited by actors to grab the latest ‘trends’.
“Part of the brand’s high/low, hard- core/mainstream appeal is that Ruca’s vendors include both hard-core surf and skate shops and places like Bloomingdale’s SoHo in New York and Fred Segal in Los Angeles – presumably where actors Josh Hartnett, Sandra Bullock and Ewan McGregor buy their Ruca stuff.”

Looking to add some skating to your video iPod? Head over to the Deluxe site and check out their newly posted downloads. Welcome to the future of skate video.