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Hailing from the Basque region of Spain, the Jart Factory produces numerous OEM decks for skateboard companies across Europe while selling its own brand under the name of Jart Skateboards with a team of ams and pros including Bastien Salabanzi and Danny Gonzalez.
The company has decided the time is right to open offices in Los Angeles where it will headquarter a call and shipping center. Jart has also enlisted the expert help of Imagine Marketing Agency (IMA) to facilitate all sales and marketing procedures for the company through their International Brand Management Program.
Tim Martinez, Director of Business Development at IMA stated, “In the skateboard industry it is fairly common for US brands to expand into the European market. With Jart it’s the opposite, but the rules have changed. What works for an American company selling in Europe doesn’t translate vice versa. We are creating a full-scale program for Jart that will position themselves to be as much, if not more, of a powerhouse in the States as they are in Europe. Jart’s launch into the US is a historic move in the history of skateboarding and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
HLC SB Distribution, the umbrella for Jart Skateboards, Iron Trucks (Jart branded trucks manufactured in Europe) and Tricks Skateboards (Price point completes) will make its official launch into the U.S. at this year’s ASR tradeshow. Jart will also be hosting a launch party at the Jade Theatre in Downtown San Diego on September 4th and a full-blown mini-ramp jam at Jim Bell’s warehouse on September 5th.

All terrain young gun Curren Caples now goes big guns with Vans laced onto his feet as his new sponsor. After many years of service and dedication Brian Sumner has parted ways with Birdhouse and has joined up with Reliance. After appearing in just one team advertisement both Guy Mariano and Eric Koston are no longer endsorsing Neff goods. Many suggest the parting was a conflict of interest with their current clothing sponsor or perhaps the duo’s lack of ink on their necks and faces. Mike York has gone missing from the team roster at Dekline.

Adio footwear has relaunched its website with new footwear and apparel images, video footage and a team blog.

Attention Gulf Coast skaters! A Johnny Kicks Cancer fundraiser will take place to benefit Johnny Romano on Saturday, September 27th with a skate contest at Galveston Municipal Skatepark (27th & Seawall Blvd.) from 2-6pm followed by a BBQ benefit at Float (2828 Seawall Blvd.) from 6-11pm. Get involved and give your support for Johnny and his family!

As summer comes to a close Sun Diego and etnies deliver a BBQ Skate Jam at the Mission Valley Skate Park this Thursday, August 28th from 5-7pm. Come meet and skate with etnies team riders Mike Taylor, Sean Malto, Tyler Bledsoe and Kyle Leeper.

Our creepy friends over at Creature skateboards are on a roll and have recently brainstormed from their collective cave to produce a fun little skateboard gem named and marketed as The Rip Rider. This bright green injection molded plastic deck (fully loaded with trucks and wheels) weighs in at close to 7 pounds and with its mighty weight factor, we’re sure that it can properly deliver a crushing shark bite to one’s unsuspecting ankle. Don’t say we didn’t warn you! The deck measures in at 24.5″ in length. 7.5″ width (4″ at the tail) and rolls with a 12.75″ wheelbase. Sure, call it a novelty with its coffin shaped board box, but this functional set up with bullet trucks and soft 60mm OJ III wheels that have a transparent smoke colored appearance is ready to rip through some of the heaviest of skate sessions.
In fact, with some of the time tested research and development put into this baby, good old Mr. Navarrette has stretched many handplants and crucial moves on the Rip Rider. Hitz, Graham, Parts, Cranston, Baby Lamb and their minions have all had their share of input as well. Any doubts? Go ahead and check one out for yourself at your local Creature dealer. MSRP $120
Warning – With this rig you just might become the life and death of the skate party, but don’t ever sleep on the Hesh crew!
- bk

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ASR is just around the corner and the events are stacking up. One that shouldn’t be missed is the FRAMED photo show and silent auction. Photos will be offered up by J. Grant Brittain, Atiba, Dave Swift, Matt Price and others. It goes down at the Grind For Life lounge for September 4 until the 6th. Bid early and often. Check out the Larson designed poster here for more details.

Yes, this is an article highlighting BMX…but it’s interesting to read The Wall Street Journal compare the new Olympic sport to skating. Plus, they speak to Dave Carnie, “a former editor of a skateboarding magazine”. An Olympic article mentioning Big Brother? Unlikely.

According to a press release issued on Friday, August 22nd Billabong has continued to broaden its portfolio by acquiring Dakine. Sources close to us claim that the industry’s leading provider of specialized backpacks and technical accessories will continue operations from their offices in Hood River, Oregon.