Women's Skateboarding in 2015 - How Far We've Come.
2015 has been a heck of a ride! If you think girls skateboarding hasn't been growing at a rapid pace, just take a quick look at some of the highlights we posted about in 2015 - so many positive things that are changing the tide in our sport and raising awareness, more prize money, and awesome opportunities for female skaters.
The photos and notes below are only a fraction of what went on this past year - we were able to post about girls in skateboarding approximately five times per week throughout the entire year - that's a lot of content.
Happy New Year!
JANUARY
The Vans Girls Combi contest was an insane way to start the year off and it was Bella Kenworth's first big contest. Pro results were - 1st Alana Smith, 2nd Lizzie Armanto, 3rd Allysha Bergado
Skidmark Magazine highlights Ladies Day at the Berrics in its issue.
Julz Lynn gets a 2 page spread in Concrete Wave Magazine
Christiana Smith puts out a video about "Skating in a Dress" to discuss equality in skateboarding
Little ripper Sierra Kerr was featured in San Diego Magazine
Alana Smith was featured in Nashville singer Annie Bosko's video "Angel With a Crooked Halo"
Longboard Girls Crew gives us a surprise peek at their new movie that was shot in Israel
Through out the year we saw the true matriarch of skateboarding, Gale Webb at almost every women's skate event throughout the year, shooting photos and giving positive reinforcement to the girls of skateboarding. Gale is an icon and has been part of our skate history since day one.
FEBRUARY
Arbor Skateboards team rider Alicia Fillback comes out with a sweet downhill video
Julz Lynn does an insane photo shoot with Photographer/skater Arto Saari in a pool surrounded by flames
Abec Wheels puts out a rad video with downhill skater Pam Diaz
Jean Rusen has her pro model launch party with her team Original Betty
MARCH
Sierra Prescott does a video for fashion label Madewell
Dusters California x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word launches it's first skate video with pro skaters Beverly Flood and Cassie Oseguera and it smashes all records of the male dominated videos they have released in the past.
Vert Attack 9 happened and we were able to watch a live feed of the girls killing it in Malmo, Sweden. 1st Place Alana Smith, 2nd Place Lizzie Armanto, 3rd Place Allysha Bergado
The GN4LW team appears in an article in Sports International Magazine
Bones launches the Leticia Bufoni pro wheel
Aussie skater Nikki-Rose Quinlan appears in a global ad and commercial for Playtex
Longboard Girls Crew releases a short from their much anticipated upcoming video that they filmed in Israel
APRIL
Emily Earring appears in an ad for Wounded Knee Skateboards
Coping Block Magazine does a full editorial on girls in skateboarding & puts Julz Lynn on the cover
Photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson has an amazing photo exhibit in London that features the girls from Skateistan
Concrete Wave Magazine features downhill skater Elena Corrigall on their cover
Julz Lynn launches her new website
We interviewed Brighton Zeuner and Minna Stess about what it's really like to skate the Mega Ramp.
MAY
Lacey Baker has a great video skating Hollenbeck by filmer Colin Clark
Hoopla announces pro model boards for their team riders, Alana Smith, Samarria Brevard and Allysha Bergado
Three female skateboarders are inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame - Carabeth Burnside, Robin Logan and Elissa Steamer.
It's been 50 years since The Original Betty, Patti McGee graced the cover of Life Magazine and her OG Betty boards launches a new board in her honor.
Nine year old AM skater Minna Stess is featured in a beautiful pictorial & video skating the mega ramp via New York Times Magazine
Pro skater Alana Smith stars in a commercial for Clean & Clear.
The Vans Pool party goes off and we see demos during the guys comp from Poppy Starr Olsen and Brighton Zeuner. All eyes were on these young rippers.
The new app Periscope allows skater girls to share their sessions live with the world.
Orly Beauty features new ads and a video with Los Angeles skater Sierra Prescott
JUNE 2015
The X-Games women's street contest is webcast live & has Alexis Sablone taking the gold.
Lizzie Armanto is featured in the new California Sunday Magazine.
Go Skate Day is mentioned in Marie Claire Fashion Magazine
Poppy Starr Olsen becomes an ambassador for Lace Up, a non profit that helps homeless youth.
UK's Top Shop features real skater girls in its editorial spread and UK skater Stefani Nurding leads the way.
The annual Wheels of Fortune event put on by Skate Like a Girl is a huge hit and female skaters from So Cal happily make the trek up north each year for this rad event.
Go Skateboarding Day was going off at Venice Skatepark with a ladies bowl jam - so many girls showed up to skate - it was amazing!
Pro skater and founder of Exposure, Amelia Brodka rips it up in a spot for Crystal Geyser water.
A video called The Boys Club surfaces and gives us a great look at "boys vs girls".
Refinery29 a fashion site, does fashion x skate the right way featuring real female skaters.
JULY 2015
Julz Lynn appears in a new full page ad for her sponsor Black Fly.
ESPN's The Body Issue is released and pro skater Leticia Bufoni is featured - the conversations and controversy is like nothing we have ever seen about any guy who has posed for this well known issue.
Nike Women Russia featured pro skater Kate Shengeliya on the side of a huge building in Moscow. Larger than life for all to see.
Badass pro skater Julz Lynn was featured in Orange County Culture Magazine.
We were stoked to see top ranked Am skater Spencer Breaux in Self Magazine on line.
The Screaming Hand Art Show - a tribute to Jim Phillips, featured just one female skater/artist, Judi Oyama and her version of the screaming hand was pure perfection. The show traveled around the country to rave reviews.
Skater/Filmer Courtney Akita brought us some great footage from Woodward's Girls Week
The Pink Helmet Posse (Bella , Relz & Ryan) turns up in some beautiful ads and a rad commercial for GAP Kids x Ellen Degeneres
The Tim Brauch comp had some great surprises - like Kayla Caballero returning to competition, Autumn Tust decided to turn pro, and all the girls ripped!
The Paul Mitchell Super Girl Pro was a super fun contest for the girls with a big crowd watching - Allysha Bergado in 1st, Poppy Starr Olsen in 2nd and Brighton Zeuner in 3rd.
The Van Doren Women's Bowl Contest in Huntington Beach drew a huge amount of spectators and it featured a new live webcast for those who couldn't make it in person. Allysha Bergado took first, Julz Lynn in second and Lizzie Armanto took third in the pro division. It was an exciting contest to watch!
GN4LW took over BeautyCon's Snapchat at the Van Doren Bowl contest and it was a huge hit - with 24,000 views in total. Girls from all over the world were tuning in to see the girls fashion style and to watch them shred.
"Girls Who Ride" Magazine featured Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team riders & mini shredders, Sky Brown, Zoe Benedetto and Minna Stess.
AUGUST 2015
Vogue Espana featured Florida skater Ava McGowan in its Vogue Ninos edition.
Skateboarder Stef Nurding is featured in Sweaty Betty's workout wear catalog
Lizzie Armanto is featured in Tony Hawks Pro Skater 5 video game.
Seven year old Japanese skater Sky Brown is featured on BeautyCon's site and it is the most popular post they have had.
Pro skater Allysha Bergado joins the male dominated Creature Skate Team - who send out a very cool announcement for her
Flood Kontrol releases OG Pro Skater Robin Logan's signature deck
Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word is invited to attend the famous Maryhill Sheride and we learn that we love these badass downhill girls!
Justin Beiber release his new video "What Do You Mean" and female pro skater Chelsea Castro is featured.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Skater and artist Carly Bizama debuts a fun piece of art that twists the age old cartoon of "I wish my boyfriend could skate"
"Finding a Line" opens in Washington DC at The Kennedy Center, and numerous skater girls skate in this public demo set to music.
Leticia Bufoni speaks out in Rolling Stone Magazine about posing for ESPN's Body Issue.
The Sowle sisters are on Dazed and their artistic video takes off into mainstream America
Valeria Kechichian of Longboard Girls Crew has her Tedx Talk "Ride The Shift" released
and its a great moment for women's skateboarding.
The Pink Helmet Posse sits down on the Ellen Degeneres show to talk skateboarding and their new Gap Commercial
Leticia Bufoni scores the cover of The Skateboard Mag.
Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word and Badass Skatemom team up to sponsor 34 year old mom and pro skater Kat Folsom.
Leticia Bufoni's PUSH episode premieres to rave reviews.
OG Pro & founder of the brand Badass Skatemom, Judi Oyama age 54 took her home her second World Championship title in Slalom
OCTOBER 2015
The possible inclusion of skateboarding in the Olympics has everyone talking and we start seeing some positive changes happening for women's skateboarding almost immediately.
Little Rayssa Neal from Brazil won everyone's heart (including Tony Hawks) when she did a heel flip off the stairs while wearing fairy wings.
Nike SB Street League Super Crown adds a women's division and Leticia Bufoni takes home the $30,000 check
Skaters Alana Smith, Nicole Hause, Brighton Zeuner and Annika Vrklan have "The Best Day Ever" in Walt Disney World's new video.
Pro street skater Alexis Sablone wins the Kimberly Diamond Cup in South Africa.
Girls Gone Fast release another video clip from their SheTour2K15 - and it's RAD.
The rad girls of Duchess Ride decide to skate the coast from Santa Barbara to Tijuana, Mexico and create media along the way. Their motto is "Worry less about fitting into the glass slipper and more about shattering the glass ceiling".
Pro skater Nora Vasconcellos and seven year old Am skater Sky Brown are featured on Thrasher Magazines site after skating at Greyson Fetchers pro model launch party at RVCA.
UK Pro skater Lucy Adams is profiled in Glamour Magazine in the UK as part of their "Say No to Sexism" campaign.
Visit California launches a new national commercial and the Pink Helmet Posse girls are front and center shredding it up along with pro skater Nora Vasconcellos
Pro skater Lizzie Armanto gets a new main stream sponsor - Casio Baby- G watches and a commercial launches with her skating
Nanner Junkies - a vegan site run by Pro skateboarder Hunter Long, launches a line of jewelry that gives back to girls in skateboarding by donating $10 from each necklace to a female skater of your choice.
NOVEMBER 2015
7 year old Sky Brown from Japan announces that she is now riding for Dwindle Distribution - the only girl on any brand in the Dwindle umbrella. She chooses to ride an ALMOST Daewon Song board and her first video skating on it goes viral.
Australian skater & talented artist, Poppy Starr Olsen, designs a limited edition sock with Pride Socks to help benefit Exposure Skate.
Skater/Surfer Jordyn Barratt scores the cover of San Diego North County Kids Magazine.
Lizzie Armanto gets her own Protech Pro-file video, and it's awesome.
Pro skateboarder. mom, and ballet teacher, Kat Folsom age 34, is profiled on espnW and receives over 6,900 shares directly from the espnW home page, setting an unprecedented record for their "Weekend Warrior" series.
Exposure Skate's Contest in Encinitas was bigger than ever (over 101 girls competed) and it included street, bowl & vert.
Arbor Girls puts on a Girls Ride Day in Venice and gets girls from all over attending.
Valeria Kechichian & Longboard Girls Crew star in a commercial for Bouygues Telecom and show the world that girls downhill is seriously badass.
Poseiden Foundation has it's 7th annual Ladies Day at the Berrics and adds prize money to the contest and pro street skater Lacey Baker takes the win in each event.
Jenny Selby releases the girls skate film "Days Like These" at the House of Vans in London and the first showing sells out in hours.
OG Pro vert skater Cindy Whitehead is named the first female International Brand Ambassador for Kryptonics wheels.
DECEMBER 2015
OG Pro skater Judi Oyama received the N-Men "Icon Award" - which marks the very first time a woman has received this prestigious award.
Exposure Skate released it's 2016 calendar featuring a different female skater shredding every month.
Lizzie Armanto appeared in the fashion magazine Vein.
Poppy Olsen announced she will turn Pro in 2016, after spending most of 2015 dominating the 15 and older girls category and being crowned World Champion. She also did the same in 2014 where she was the World Champion for under 14 girls.
Lacey Baker spoke out about how she feels women are treated by the predominately male dominated skateboard industry on the online site BROADLEY.
Transworld Skateboarding added a female skater category to it's Readers Choice Awards
And the year ended with a huge bang when Julz Lynn announced that she was leaving Silly Girl to start her own skateboard Company, Julz Skateboards.
Yep, 2015 had a lot of firsts for female skaters, and we can't wait to see what 2016 brings!
Happy New Year!
The photos and notes below are only a fraction of what went on this past year - we were able to post about girls in skateboarding approximately five times per week throughout the entire year - that's a lot of content.
Happy New Year!
JANUARY
The Vans Girls Combi contest was an insane way to start the year off and it was Bella Kenworth's first big contest. Pro results were - 1st Alana Smith, 2nd Lizzie Armanto, 3rd Allysha Bergado
Skidmark Magazine highlights Ladies Day at the Berrics in its issue.
Julz Lynn gets a 2 page spread in Concrete Wave Magazine
Christiana Smith puts out a video about "Skating in a Dress" to discuss equality in skateboarding
Little ripper Sierra Kerr was featured in San Diego Magazine
Alana Smith was featured in Nashville singer Annie Bosko's video "Angel With a Crooked Halo"
Longboard Girls Crew gives us a surprise peek at their new movie that was shot in Israel
Through out the year we saw the true matriarch of skateboarding, Gale Webb at almost every women's skate event throughout the year, shooting photos and giving positive reinforcement to the girls of skateboarding. Gale is an icon and has been part of our skate history since day one.
FEBRUARY
Arbor Skateboards team rider Alicia Fillback comes out with a sweet downhill video
Julz Lynn does an insane photo shoot with Photographer/skater Arto Saari in a pool surrounded by flames
Abec Wheels puts out a rad video with downhill skater Pam Diaz
Jean Rusen has her pro model launch party with her team Original Betty
MARCH
Sierra Prescott does a video for fashion label Madewell
Dusters California x Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word launches it's first skate video with pro skaters Beverly Flood and Cassie Oseguera and it smashes all records of the male dominated videos they have released in the past.
Vert Attack 9 happened and we were able to watch a live feed of the girls killing it in Malmo, Sweden. 1st Place Alana Smith, 2nd Place Lizzie Armanto, 3rd Place Allysha Bergado
The GN4LW team appears in an article in Sports International Magazine
Bones launches the Leticia Bufoni pro wheel
Aussie skater Nikki-Rose Quinlan appears in a global ad and commercial for Playtex
Longboard Girls Crew releases a short from their much anticipated upcoming video that they filmed in Israel
APRIL
Emily Earring appears in an ad for Wounded Knee Skateboards
Coping Block Magazine does a full editorial on girls in skateboarding & puts Julz Lynn on the cover
Photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson has an amazing photo exhibit in London that features the girls from Skateistan
Concrete Wave Magazine features downhill skater Elena Corrigall on their cover
Julz Lynn launches her new website
We interviewed Brighton Zeuner and Minna Stess about what it's really like to skate the Mega Ramp.
MAY
Lacey Baker has a great video skating Hollenbeck by filmer Colin Clark
Hoopla announces pro model boards for their team riders, Alana Smith, Samarria Brevard and Allysha Bergado
Three female skateboarders are inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame - Carabeth Burnside, Robin Logan and Elissa Steamer.
It's been 50 years since The Original Betty, Patti McGee graced the cover of Life Magazine and her OG Betty boards launches a new board in her honor.
Nine year old AM skater Minna Stess is featured in a beautiful pictorial & video skating the mega ramp via New York Times Magazine
Pro skater Alana Smith stars in a commercial for Clean & Clear.
The Vans Pool party goes off and we see demos during the guys comp from Poppy Starr Olsen and Brighton Zeuner. All eyes were on these young rippers.
The new app Periscope allows skater girls to share their sessions live with the world.
Orly Beauty features new ads and a video with Los Angeles skater Sierra Prescott
JUNE 2015
The X-Games women's street contest is webcast live & has Alexis Sablone taking the gold.
Lizzie Armanto is featured in the new California Sunday Magazine.
Go Skate Day is mentioned in Marie Claire Fashion Magazine
Poppy Starr Olsen becomes an ambassador for Lace Up, a non profit that helps homeless youth.
UK's Top Shop features real skater girls in its editorial spread and UK skater Stefani Nurding leads the way.
The annual Wheels of Fortune event put on by Skate Like a Girl is a huge hit and female skaters from So Cal happily make the trek up north each year for this rad event.
Go Skateboarding Day was going off at Venice Skatepark with a ladies bowl jam - so many girls showed up to skate - it was amazing!
Pro skater and founder of Exposure, Amelia Brodka rips it up in a spot for Crystal Geyser water.
A video called The Boys Club surfaces and gives us a great look at "boys vs girls".
Refinery29 a fashion site, does fashion x skate the right way featuring real female skaters.
JULY 2015
Julz Lynn appears in a new full page ad for her sponsor Black Fly.
ESPN's The Body Issue is released and pro skater Leticia Bufoni is featured - the conversations and controversy is like nothing we have ever seen about any guy who has posed for this well known issue.
Nike Women Russia featured pro skater Kate Shengeliya on the side of a huge building in Moscow. Larger than life for all to see.
Badass pro skater Julz Lynn was featured in Orange County Culture Magazine.
We were stoked to see top ranked Am skater Spencer Breaux in Self Magazine on line.
The Screaming Hand Art Show - a tribute to Jim Phillips, featured just one female skater/artist, Judi Oyama and her version of the screaming hand was pure perfection. The show traveled around the country to rave reviews.
Skater/Filmer Courtney Akita brought us some great footage from Woodward's Girls Week
The Pink Helmet Posse (Bella , Relz & Ryan) turns up in some beautiful ads and a rad commercial for GAP Kids x Ellen Degeneres
The Tim Brauch comp had some great surprises - like Kayla Caballero returning to competition, Autumn Tust decided to turn pro, and all the girls ripped!
The Paul Mitchell Super Girl Pro was a super fun contest for the girls with a big crowd watching - Allysha Bergado in 1st, Poppy Starr Olsen in 2nd and Brighton Zeuner in 3rd.
The Van Doren Women's Bowl Contest in Huntington Beach drew a huge amount of spectators and it featured a new live webcast for those who couldn't make it in person. Allysha Bergado took first, Julz Lynn in second and Lizzie Armanto took third in the pro division. It was an exciting contest to watch!
GN4LW took over BeautyCon's Snapchat at the Van Doren Bowl contest and it was a huge hit - with 24,000 views in total. Girls from all over the world were tuning in to see the girls fashion style and to watch them shred.
"Girls Who Ride" Magazine featured Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word team riders & mini shredders, Sky Brown, Zoe Benedetto and Minna Stess.
AUGUST 2015
Vogue Espana featured Florida skater Ava McGowan in its Vogue Ninos edition.
Skateboarder Stef Nurding is featured in Sweaty Betty's workout wear catalog
Lizzie Armanto is featured in Tony Hawks Pro Skater 5 video game.
Seven year old Japanese skater Sky Brown is featured on BeautyCon's site and it is the most popular post they have had.
Pro skater Allysha Bergado joins the male dominated Creature Skate Team - who send out a very cool announcement for her
Flood Kontrol releases OG Pro Skater Robin Logan's signature deck
Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word is invited to attend the famous Maryhill Sheride and we learn that we love these badass downhill girls!
Justin Beiber release his new video "What Do You Mean" and female pro skater Chelsea Castro is featured.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Skater and artist Carly Bizama debuts a fun piece of art that twists the age old cartoon of "I wish my boyfriend could skate"
"Finding a Line" opens in Washington DC at The Kennedy Center, and numerous skater girls skate in this public demo set to music.
Leticia Bufoni speaks out in Rolling Stone Magazine about posing for ESPN's Body Issue.
The Sowle sisters are on Dazed and their artistic video takes off into mainstream America
Valeria Kechichian of Longboard Girls Crew has her Tedx Talk "Ride The Shift" released
and its a great moment for women's skateboarding.
The Pink Helmet Posse sits down on the Ellen Degeneres show to talk skateboarding and their new Gap Commercial
Leticia Bufoni scores the cover of The Skateboard Mag.
Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word and Badass Skatemom team up to sponsor 34 year old mom and pro skater Kat Folsom.
Leticia Bufoni's PUSH episode premieres to rave reviews.
OG Pro & founder of the brand Badass Skatemom, Judi Oyama age 54 took her home her second World Championship title in Slalom
OCTOBER 2015
The possible inclusion of skateboarding in the Olympics has everyone talking and we start seeing some positive changes happening for women's skateboarding almost immediately.
Little Rayssa Neal from Brazil won everyone's heart (including Tony Hawks) when she did a heel flip off the stairs while wearing fairy wings.
Nike SB Street League Super Crown adds a women's division and Leticia Bufoni takes home the $30,000 check
Skaters Alana Smith, Nicole Hause, Brighton Zeuner and Annika Vrklan have "The Best Day Ever" in Walt Disney World's new video.
Pro street skater Alexis Sablone wins the Kimberly Diamond Cup in South Africa.
Girls Gone Fast release another video clip from their SheTour2K15 - and it's RAD.
The rad girls of Duchess Ride decide to skate the coast from Santa Barbara to Tijuana, Mexico and create media along the way. Their motto is "Worry less about fitting into the glass slipper and more about shattering the glass ceiling".
Pro skater Nora Vasconcellos and seven year old Am skater Sky Brown are featured on Thrasher Magazines site after skating at Greyson Fetchers pro model launch party at RVCA.
UK Pro skater Lucy Adams is profiled in Glamour Magazine in the UK as part of their "Say No to Sexism" campaign.
Visit California launches a new national commercial and the Pink Helmet Posse girls are front and center shredding it up along with pro skater Nora Vasconcellos
Pro skater Lizzie Armanto gets a new main stream sponsor - Casio Baby- G watches and a commercial launches with her skating
Nanner Junkies - a vegan site run by Pro skateboarder Hunter Long, launches a line of jewelry that gives back to girls in skateboarding by donating $10 from each necklace to a female skater of your choice.
NOVEMBER 2015
7 year old Sky Brown from Japan announces that she is now riding for Dwindle Distribution - the only girl on any brand in the Dwindle umbrella. She chooses to ride an ALMOST Daewon Song board and her first video skating on it goes viral.
Australian skater & talented artist, Poppy Starr Olsen, designs a limited edition sock with Pride Socks to help benefit Exposure Skate.
Skater/Surfer Jordyn Barratt scores the cover of San Diego North County Kids Magazine.
Lizzie Armanto gets her own Protech Pro-file video, and it's awesome.
Pro skateboarder. mom, and ballet teacher, Kat Folsom age 34, is profiled on espnW and receives over 6,900 shares directly from the espnW home page, setting an unprecedented record for their "Weekend Warrior" series.
Exposure Skate's Contest in Encinitas was bigger than ever (over 101 girls competed) and it included street, bowl & vert.
Arbor Girls puts on a Girls Ride Day in Venice and gets girls from all over attending.
Valeria Kechichian & Longboard Girls Crew star in a commercial for Bouygues Telecom and show the world that girls downhill is seriously badass.
Poseiden Foundation has it's 7th annual Ladies Day at the Berrics and adds prize money to the contest and pro street skater Lacey Baker takes the win in each event.
Jenny Selby releases the girls skate film "Days Like These" at the House of Vans in London and the first showing sells out in hours.
OG Pro vert skater Cindy Whitehead is named the first female International Brand Ambassador for Kryptonics wheels.
DECEMBER 2015
OG Pro skater Judi Oyama received the N-Men "Icon Award" - which marks the very first time a woman has received this prestigious award.
Exposure Skate released it's 2016 calendar featuring a different female skater shredding every month.
Lizzie Armanto appeared in the fashion magazine Vein.
Poppy Olsen announced she will turn Pro in 2016, after spending most of 2015 dominating the 15 and older girls category and being crowned World Champion. She also did the same in 2014 where she was the World Champion for under 14 girls.
Lacey Baker spoke out about how she feels women are treated by the predominately male dominated skateboard industry on the online site BROADLEY.
Transworld Skateboarding added a female skater category to it's Readers Choice Awards
And the year ended with a huge bang when Julz Lynn announced that she was leaving Silly Girl to start her own skateboard Company, Julz Skateboards.
Yep, 2015 had a lot of firsts for female skaters, and we can't wait to see what 2016 brings!
Happy New Year!