This week Erin Lopes talks with the founder of Girl is Not a 4 Letter Word, Cindy Whitehead, about her professional skateboarding career, her work giving back to women in sports, and the importance of creating equitable skate spaces for all skatepark users.
You can listen to it on SPOTIFY or APPLE PODCASTS
To learn more about the Delco Skatepark Coalition and to support its mission, go to: www.skatedelco.org
Sky Brown 1st, Sakura Yosozumi 2nd, Minna Stess 3rd ~ photo Julio Detefon via STU
Watching the Women’s Park finals live from STU in Rio had us on the edge of our seat! There were some seriously great runs, some unexpected falls, and skaters rallying after those falls and killing it on their next run. Sakura and Sky were battling it out for first place while the lone American, Minna Stess, was holding her own and ended up on podium with an amazing third place finish! After seeing the Japanese and GB taking all the podium spots for so long, it was refreshing to see Minna throw down an amazing last run to rightfully earn her place on the podium.
We say, keep an eye on Minna, because while you were sleeping, she was quietly skating hard and waiting for a moment like this to unleash and show the world what’s she capable of under pressure. We loved seeing it!
Congrats to everyone who skated this comp!
The Women’s SLS final in Las Vegas yesterday was insane. The teens and tweens were killing it. When the podium is this young, the future looks bright. Nice to see American Poe Pinson land on podium! And well deserved!
Alex White killing it with the commentary, as usual. Another reason to tune into SLS these days!
Enjoy the replay and get inspired. Great skating by all!
Rayssa Leal (BRA) – 20.1
Chloe Covell (AUS) – 18.8.
Poe Pinson (USA) – 17.5.
Pamela Rosa (BRA) – 17.6.
Oda Yumeka (JPN) – 12.13.
Nishiya Momiji (JPN) – 11.2.
Gabriela Mazetto (BRA) – 9.6.
Nakayama Funa (JPN) – 6.3.
Australian Chloe Covell - 12 years old and in the finals - photo via SLS
Street League Las Vegas Women’s Finals are today, and here is who you will be watching…
Rayssa Leal - the young Brazilian standout and Olympic Silver Medalist and is currently holding the top spot in SLS rankings
Poe Pinson - a newcomer who is showing just how good she really is!
Chloe Covell - Another newbie to SLS who is pushing hard at only 12 years old and making podium at X-Games and Dew Tour
Pamela Rosa - The battles between her and Rayssa on tour are fierce - she wants to be number one again.
Momiji Nishiya - Olympic Gold Medalist and always making podium.
Yumeka Oda - she’s 15 years old and landed on the SLS podium in Jacksonville recently.
Gabriela Mazetto - the 24-year-old Brazilain mom who overcame major injury to follow her dream
Funa Nakayama - She’s the Olympic Bronze Medalist from Japan and knows how to bring it.
Live stream today (Saturday) on ESPN+ at 1:00 PM PT and 4:00 PM ET
It’s back and better than ever!
The Venice Ladies and LGBTQIA+ Jam is taking place on November 19th at Venice Skatepark. Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event once again. There will be a Pup Cup for absolute beginners, a comp in the small bowl and snake run, and the street course. You choose what you want to do!
NO entry fee! Lots of prizes from our wonderful sponsors, music, medals, and so much more! This event is so much FUN! Bring your friends, everyone is welcome!!
See you at Venice Skatepark on November 19th!
We were super excited to hear that Nora Vasconcello’s new Pro Model Adidas shoe is dropping today. It’s being billed as Nora’s first pro model shoe. But what about those gorgeous lavender canvas Nora’s with her artwork on them that we wrote about (and bought) a few years back - were those not her first pro model shoe as well? A bit confusing, but we’re all about this drop nonetheless!
The adidas Nora is set to be Nora Vasconcellos’ first signature Pro footwear with adidas Skateboarding. Previewed below, the adidas Norafuses design cues from the brand’s Steffi Graf, Nastase and other classic silhouettes into a sleek and timeless model. A model that truly made with the skate in mind, details include a dual-layer toe cap design for added durability and tooling that meshes the vulc aesthetic and grip with the support of a cupsole for extended boardfeel.
The launch of the adidas Nora will be accompanied by an apparel pack carrying the same vintage court style theme motif with advanced updates on fit and material. The collection’s NORA TRACK TOP & NORA TRACK SLACKS are created from technical recycled polyester twill for enhanced stretch and durability. While the accompanying NORA POLO is laced with the pluralist skater’s original artwork jacquard knitted into it in a tonal execution, which becomes more visible as the eye moves closer into the details. All apparel pieces feature a UNITEFIT design that’s universal sizing to ensure the collection is accessible to everyone.
“I’m so proud and excited to share my new silhouette with the world. It has been an unreal experience working with adidas to make my dream come true,” says Nora Vasconcellos. “I originally looked into adidas’ tennis classics to find an aesthetic that I would have found in my mom’s closet back in the ‘90s, which was my biggest inspiration for the pack. Designing the pieces has been an incredible and in-depth process filled with excitement and gratitude. I hope this collection inspires everyone to pursue the things they may think are unattainable. Having my own shoe was so beyond my wildest dreams.”
The adidas Nora will debut in three different colorways and will be available for purchase starting TODAY October 1 at Adidas.com and in select skate specialty retailers for $80.
The apparel will be available starting on October 18 through the same platform and locations retailing $75-$90.
We remember being blown away by the commitment and height on the airs that Nicole Hause used to bring to comps like the Vans Park Series and Exposure. Now that she’s turned Pro for REAL Skateboards, this insane video has dropped, and it’s Nicole better than ever.
A few observations after watching this video:
1) Nicole is helping pave the way (like Nora has done) for female skaters to be able to become pro, make a living, and not have to compete (if they prefer not to)
2) After watching Nicole compete in park for so many years it’s rad to see her destroy terrain outside of a traditional skatepark - the makes are awesome and the slams she takes are legit.
3) Oh yeah, and Nicole is making it cool to wear a helmet when riding park - Thrasher never used to show clips like that and now we are seeing it off and on throughout this video.
4) Watch past the credits for more footage of Nicole - you don’t want to miss this!
Happy Friday!!
Photo of Mayzie by Chris Dangaard
We’re happy to announce that 8-year-old shredder, Mayzie Feher, is now part of the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word Team and Movement!
You can check out her new Team Rider Bio Page HERE
Welcome to the team Mayzie!
When finding the right size, shape, and board spec, skaters strictly stick to what works best for them. This is the case for northern California park skateboarder Minna Stess who is not looking to switch up her ride anytime soon after stepping foot on Fabiana Delfino's Santa Cruz pro model. Watch as Minna takes a deep dive through every aspect of her skateboard gear in her Setups video above, and scroll down below for a detailed itemized list of all her skateboard components.
Minna Stess' Skateboard Setup Skateboard:
8.25 Fabiana Delfino Santa Cruz Pro Model
Grip tape: Mob Grip Henry Gartland (RIP) Memorial spray paint stencil T
rucks: 149 Independent hollow trucks Bushings:
Bones bushings mixed matched
Hardware: Independent Philips
Bearings: Bronson Speed Co Raws
Wheels: 56mm Ryan Reyes Bones pro wheel STF V6-wide cut 99A
Bryce Wettstein hitting the rail at teh Bigfoot Magazine party - Photo Ian Logan
When you put out the word that Bigfoot Magazine, a non-traditional skateboard magazine is having a party to raise funds for issue three, and it’s announced that USA Olympic Women’s Park skateboarder Bryce Wettstein will be skating and singing, you get an incredible crowd of diverse people showing up!
Quinne checking out Issue 2 of Bigfoot Magazine - Photo Ian Logan
Instead of just the typical skateboard peeps, there were musicians, artists, some of the Moxi Rollerskating crew, neighbors wanting to support, and quite a few mini shredders from the skateboard scene. Parents let their kids roam free, skating the sidewalk (complete with a rail) out front of Bigfoot Magazine’s offices, and Bryce showed them a few tricks, which was the start of a really fun evening.
Justice, Klara, Mayzie, Bryce & Quinne - Photo Ian Logan
Later, Bryce and pro skateboarder Amy Caron took to the stage to sing and play, and the songs ranged from some of Bryce’s original material to old favorites like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” People danced, sang along at times, and just took it all in. Their voices were beautiful, and the acoustics inside were perfect.
Bryce Wettstein playing and singing for the crowd - Photo Ian Logan
Last but not least, the evening ended with a raffle, and all sorts of great prizes were given out. The kids went home tired and stoked, their parents enjoyed themselves, and the rest of us had a fantastic Saturday night meeting new people and knowing that Bigfoot Magazine Issue 3 - will be going to press soon.
Keeping media and brands that are run by and focused on non-traditional skateboarding is so important - thanks to everyone that came out to support!!
Image via Tactics Boardshop
We are HUGE fans of BIGFOOT Magazine and founder Migzy, so when Tactics announced that they were releasing a BIGFOOT board in support - we were so stoked, and you should be too!
This via Tactics… (check out their Instagram for the super fun video!)
It’s the early 2000’s in sunny Southern Oregon; Meghan “Migzy” McGuire heard a tale of a girl down in Modesto that was absolutely ripping. As members of their own budding non-traditional local skate scene, Migz and her friend Amy were SO hyped on this unknown shredder. 👾 It was as if she had spotted the rare Crested Caracara… or had seen BIGFOOT.”
This skater ended up being Vanessa Torres, and almost 20 years later, both the non-traditional skate scene and Migz and Vanessa’s friendship have blossomed into something special.
Seeing non-trad skaters isn't like seeing BIGFOOT anymore. @bigfootmagazine is here to keep skating fun, simple, spicy, and to encourage the fringe to have fun with friends & skateboards.
Image via Tactics
The Bigfoot Magazine deck comes in 8.0 8.25 and 8.5 and is $44.95 + it comes with free grip!
🆕 Tactics x @bigfootmagazine Decks are now available in-store and online
Get yours HERE
When it was announced a few weeks ago at Wheels of Fortune that Nicole Hause was now Pro, the cheers were loud and real and seemingly went on forever. The internet was flooded with videos from that night, and no one looked happier than Nicole. Going Pro for REAL Skateboards, Nicole now has a board in stores and one that every skater should buy.
Nicole has been known for her huge airs, awesome style, and her ability to take hard slams and get up and keep going. Going Pro is the next step in her skateboard journey and is so well deserved.
Check out this video from Thrasher to see some of that and hear what her friends and teammates say.
We’re still reliving every minute of the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word x Bridge to Skate “Girls and LGBTQIA+ Skate Night” at Volcom HQ!
So many people showed up to skate and have fun in an amazing private skate park that most people never get the opportunity to skate. We had kids as young as a year old learning to ride a skateboard with their parent’s help to adult skaters who were stoked to have a night out skating with friends of all ages.
Adult skaters Hana Zanzi, Jessie Frietze, Kimi Kallman, Elise Crigar, and Ricci Tres were immediately part of the crew, taking over the mic, filming everyone, starting an impromptu contest for the younger kids, and giving out swag. It was a full-blown collab effort, and we love it when everyone is so hyped that they get involved.
USA Women’s Park Team rider, Minna Stess, rolled in and impressed everyone with her ollie over the Volcom Stone. At one point, we had three people filming that trick from various angles, and the photos and video are sick!
Huge thanks to everyone who came out and skated and had a blast - you make this all worthwhile!
Filming and Editing by Josue “Sway” Sanchez
CHERRIES WHEELS
LIQUID DEATH
ALOHA BAGS
S1 HELMETS
SUN BUM
BADASS SKATE MOM
DWINDLE DISTRIBUTION
BIGFOOT MAGAZINE
ESSIE NAIL POLISH
MARLORU BEACH BAGS
BAKER
TEARIOT
BONES WHEELS
NIKE
MINI LOGO SKATEBOARDS
SLOW TIDE
JACKS SURF SHOP
SKATELITE
AND VOLCOM FOR THE USE OF THEIR SKATEPARK!
Sky Brown - image via Tag Heuer
Although this young British-Japanese boarding legend may not need much of an introduction, Tag Heuer has announced their official partnership with the extraordinary athlete – and now, TAG Heuer Ambassador – Sky Brown!
Representing Great Britain in the 2020 Summer Olympics at the age of 13, Sky picked up Bronze in the park event, making her the country’s youngest ever medalist.
But her talents don’t stop there; she is also an exceptionally skilled surfer and is considering competing in the GB Olympic Team. She also won the American TV program Dancing with the Stars: Juniors.
Sky Brown wearing the TAG Heuer Formula 1 chronograph (CAZ101AP.FT8056)
The past two years have also seen her talents and dedication recognized at a global level when she won the 2021 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award – quickly followed by 2022’s Comeback of the Year Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards.
Sky Brown wearing the TAG Heuer Formula 1 chronograph
And now, Sky is also a TAG Heuer Ambassador.
Lizzie - image via Vans
Vans Skateboarding Presents ‘Onward’: An All-New Skate Film from Lizzie Armanto
Lizzie’s first full-length edit in nearly five years highlights her one-of-a-kind style and solidifies her position among skateboarding’s best!
Those who know Vans pro skateboarder Lizzie Armanto, know that her barrier-breaking approach to skateboarding has shifted the landscape. Her accolades, like appearing on the world stage to represent the sport, speak for themselves and make her a role model for skateboarders everywhere. Expanding on her list of accomplishments, Vans, the global leader in skateboarding for more than 50 years, is proud to unveil a fresh angle on Lizzie’s world-class skateboarding in a new film, Onward, directed by celebrated filmmaker Greg Hunt and filmed by master lensmen Chris Gregson and TJ Gaskill.
Lizzie and Chris - Image via Vans
The first full-length edit from Lizzie in nearly five years, Onward showcases what Lizzie has become known for—her humble, hard-working approach, one-of-a-kind style, and tenacity to make any trick a reality.
“It’s been incredible to see Lizzie overcome her injuries and get to where she’s at now,” Hunt said. “And it’s so much fun to work with Chris Gregson’s and TJ Gaskill’s footage. I’m really excited to see this come together.”
Lizzie and Axel - Image via Vans
The goal was to create a film as visually exciting as Lizzie’s skating, adds Gregson, noting that they drew inspiration from her love for traveling, which is represented in the various locations Onward was filmed, as well as spending time with a close-knit group of her friends and fellow skateboarders. Featuring appearances from Mami Tezuka and Axel Cruysberghs, the film drives home Lizzie’s gratitude to the skate community and her ultimate support system of friends and family.
Lizzie - Image via Vans
In anticipation of the film’s premiere, Lizzie shared the following about what the project has meant to her: “In the past, filming felt like I was trying to prove I was ‘good enough’. I feel like this part has been about proving that to myself, and that I am stronger than my injuries. Everyone involved in the project has been a huge motivator. We kept the crew small. My favorite thing is that everyone’s passionate about what they’re doing, and it’s been contagious.”
Earlier this season, Vans and Lizzie dropped a new, head-to-toe collection that leads with her first signature skateboarding silhouette, The Lizzie. The offering opens the aperture on what inclusive, all-gender footwear and apparel looks like, and reinforces that skateboarding should be open to everyone.
Tune in at 5 PM today at vans.com/lizzie for the global premiere of Vans Skateboarding’s Onward, featuring Lizzie Armanto.
Our Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word x Bridge to Skate night at Volcom HQ was so much fun. If you didn’t catch it live on Twitch, now is your chance to relive the night via this rad edit from Volcom Studio!
And if you were there skating on Sunday night - make sure you watch to check out you and your friends shredding!
Thanks so much to Volcom HQ for having us out!
Minna Stess ollies the Stone ~ Photo Migzy
Bridge to Skate and Girl Is NOT a 4 Letter Word hosted a skate night at the Volcom HQ park last night, where the kids were invited to come down and skate, eat snacks and get a whole bunch of cool free stuff. That’s it. Just come skate this killer private park, and in return, we will shower you with gifts. Oh, also, we’re going to invite Olympic high flyer Minna Stess to come hang, and GOAT Ricci Tres will be there too, ripping the park and killing it on the mic. Say whaaatt??
And with over 237K watching the live feed on TWITCH - the event was a huge success!
Our favorite skate mag, BIGFOOT, is having a BENEFIT SHOW SATURDAY SEPT. 24th from 5-8 pm AT THEIR LONG BEACH STUDIO
Come on down and sing your heart out along with shredder/musicians BRYCE WETTSTEIN and AMY CARON‼️
⚡️Raffle and rail jam going down too 🎟🛹🥰
⚡️Funds go directly to printing Issue #3‼️(BIGFOOT is an independent, 20-year dream that has been manifested mostly by hard work- gardening and pouring beers, ask Migzy more.)
⚡️Suggested donation, but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds (can relate 😂) Want to volunteer instead? Hit BIGFOOT up on INSTAGRAM
SEE YOU THERE!!
Leilani Kiyabu - Photo Jim Goodrich
Jana Payne - Photo jim Cassimus
The 2022 Skateboarding Hall of Fame Inductees were announced last week, and we are so happy to see that two of our 70s skate sisters are being honored! Congrats to Leilani Kiyabu and Jana Payne!
And congrats to all the other inductees as well!
We’ve been eagerly waiting for this NHS “Roll of Their Own” video to launch - it’s full of serious shredders, including our team rider Minna Stess!
The premiere of the video was shown last night at Wheels of Fortune in Seattle and launched on thrasher this morning - trust us, you don’t want to miss seeing this one!
Minna, along with Marbie Miller, Nora Vasconcellos, Breanna Geering, Nicole Hause, Alex White, Poe Pinson, Samarria Brevard, Suzy Heath, and Fabiana Delfino, skate their asses off in various spots throughout the ROTO tour (and even play a little baseball). Great skating, and an inspiration for every person out there who skates for the love of it!
