5 of the greatest skate moments...

[sk8norcal]

Originally Posted by msk

Even on flat ground, Gelfand is still probably the first.

maybe someone should ask him?
If he did, wouldn't he mentioned it in his past interview?

I say its Mullen.

[msk]

Originally Posted by sk8norcal

maybe someone should ask him?
If he did, wouldn't he mentioned it in his past interview?

I say its Mullen.

Here's the article, from the January '79 issue of SkateBoarder:



And the specific tip I was referring to:



Based on his own article, it appears that Gelfand was doing them on flat ground in the late 70s. And if he wasn't, and just wrote that part for some unexplained reason, then at least I, and probably plenty of others who read the article, was doing them back then, 3 or 4 years before Mullen...

At any rate, I personally consider Gelfand's invention of the ollie on vert a more important moment than Mullen's flat ground version. At the time, that move was almost incomprehensible (plenty of people were convinced he had to be using velcro, because "it simply wasn't possible"). And without it, would Mullen have come up with his version?

[sk8norcal]

Like I said, someone should ask him.
I remembered some more recent interview in CW.
anyone got his email?? MB?

Gelfand's ollie was no doubt a breakthough.

But flatland ollies 1" of the ground ain't gonna count.

and if you appreciate modern street skating,
credit would go to Mullen for the street ollie.

[msk]

As I said, "But Gelfand's method doesn't work for getting any higher, or for going straight. Mullen's real innovation was a slightly different technique that allowed you to go straight, and get high enough to go up or over obstacles..." Gelfand's method on flat was a cool trick to do, but on its own never would've lead to street skating. But it still showed that it was possible to get your board off the ground without using your hands.

At any rate, my ollies using Mullen's technique still aren't any higher than the ones I was doing in '79...

[Chris Leach]

5 more great skate moments:

1) Whoever was the first to take the handles off wood crate scooters and starting riding a "skateboard". This probably happened in the 40's and whoever that person was most likely influenced his friend to do the same and set in motion what we all love to do today.

2) The creation/implementation of high performance plastic coated knee pads. This allowed skaters to really push the advancement of skating without getting hurt and thus more than likely influenced people to stick with skating due to not being injured after every session.

3) Closed bearings: Talk to anybody who skated before high performance bearings and they will tell you horror stories about open bearing falling out of wheels. (At the worst possible times)

4) Grip tape: Without it we would all still be skating barefoot and in a lot of pain.

5) Skyhooks. (Just kidding!)

[rawls]

Originally Posted by msk

...But Gelfand's method doesn't work for getting any higher, or for going straight. Mullen's real innovation was a slightly different technique that allowed you to go straight, and get high enough to go up or over obstacles...

Same story for me too. 180 degrees is easy and banks and such. Gelfand's ollie was more of a rear foot move. The modern street ollie is a front foot move.

I think my tops (in all seriousness) would be:

'65 Anaheim competition on televised on WWS

Nasworthy- urethane wheel making its way from the rinks onto the skateboards and the associated marketing that came shortly after.

Carlsbad Skatepark for the first terrain specific design for skateboarding

The Ollie Pop by Gelfand

Powell first skate video (what a can of worms that opened up)

540 mctwist

bearing covers (not that I liked them!)

great wall of china (a spectacular event and global coordination)

IASC blank board intiative (showing what has become of the industry, in a bad way)

[Eddy Martinez]

Joe I winning the B-Class at the Sizzler.
Me winning the C-Class at the Sizzler.
Your Amigo Eddy Texas Outlaws/Pavel Flow

[rawls]

Originally Posted by sk8norcal

....But flatland ollies 1" of the ground ain't gonna count...

well if thats the case, then kickturns to count toward 360's. first fs airs dont count towards airs. etc etc

We learned ollies on flat ground. It was learned as a fs move. when comfortable on the flat, then you took it up on the banks.