I don't know if it's coincidence, timing or frustration on the back of two bad summers, but pretty much every British rider is killing it at the moment. Check out this video of Sam Carne and Nick Davies riding with Darin Shapiro at his camp, Ride The Spot as featured on TheWakePlace.com. Their standard just keeps getting higher, and yes that was a toeside backside 540 and a slim chance. Wakestock is going to be good!
Making Waves by sim 26/6/09
The System 2.0 cable has now gone beyond the Wake industry, as Snowboard resorts start to introduce the genius piece of engineering to their mountains as a way of making the most of the summer months and lack of snow. Transworld Business, (an action sports industry journal) have reported on the boom of 2.0's around the US which can only mean there's more to come. If you haven't seen the Sesitec System 2.0 in action, then make sure you get to Wakestock this year where the Alliance 2.0 rig will be pulling the Rococo Rail Jam on the festival site. The pool gap rails are pretty explosive this year and with the 2.0 pulling it it should be an epic 3-days of riding.
New Kids On The Block by sim 22/6/09
It looks like the inspiration from seeing a load of other wakeskaters ride at ThinkTank is paying off for one Mr. Si Powell. I just got a call from Lee Warren at Haverigg to say that Powell stuck a perfect flats line made up of a frontside bigspin, switch bigspin and kickflip; all clean and stomped. The new generation are coming up fast...
Go Skateboarding Day - by sim 29/6/09
This Sunday June 21st, is 'Go Skateboarding Day', a global reason for everyone to go and push around and have fun with skateboarding. There are events going on all over the country to mark the occasion, so check out the website for your nearest gathering. Whatever you do, make sure you find the time to go ollie up some curbs at the very least, and enjoy skating!
To Do List: by sim 17/6/09
Sort through photo contest entries Organize Rococo Rail Jam Prep for Wakestock Wrap up after ThinkTank Design artwork for 68ft wide banners Shoot team photos for Liquid Force Make rider jerseys Edit web videos Make 100-page magazine by Friday Sleep only allowed if completely necessary.
It's a crazy week here at Alliance so sorry there's no updates on the website, but my head is seriously about to implode. Back to normal next week, until then watch this
Photo Clinic 1 by sim 10/6/09
This weekend is the first open photography clinic as part of our search to find a new Staff Photographer for Alliance. It all kicks off at 10am this Friday at Box End Park in Bedford, with the Liquid Force and O'Brien UK teams riding for you to shoot. There's cable sessions all day and boat riding from 3-4:30pm on the Friday, and on Saturday from 2-3:30pm. Pro photographers Frazer Waller, Ben Hannam and AMP will be on hand to give you tips and it's open to everyone, so come down with your cameras and take advantage.
Great Britons by sim 8/6/09
British Airways is running a contest to find a 'Great Briton', someone who represents their country at a world level who will win a year's worth of air travel to help boost their careers. Our very own Tor Young is one of the finalists and hugely deserving of this accolade, so do your bit to promote the sport and take minute to VOTE for Tor. Voting closes tonight so do it now, Good Luck Tor
Idiot by sim 4/6/09
Whoever thought it would be cool to steal from ThinkTank, you are an idiot. Please return the Nike 6.0 Deck Chair to us at the Alliance Office straight away. It was a really great weekend and Nike’s support was outstanding, so this is no way to repay their commitment to wakskating. I honestly didn’t think any of you would have it in you to do such a thing and I am really bummed that some loser had to lower the tone. I don’t care who it was, just send it back now.
Interweb/Missions by sim 3/6/09
Sorry about the not-so-daily web updates for ThinkTank. The connection on site was temperamental and it just didn't work out. I'm now home after 12 straight days of building/organizing/photographing/disassembling/ MC'n and struggling to keep my eye's open, so the thought of trawling through photos and writing making an article is not a pleasant one. The wrap up article will be online tomorrow where you will find out who won Best Trick and what they did - it was sick.
Prep Work by Sim 26/05/09
Life at Ten-80 has been great. We've got a caravan with real electricity (not from a generator), a compound to build in and a perfectly sized area for the pool that make's up our centerpiece. On day four of the ThinkTank build things are looking pretty damn good. The stairs and hubba ledges are done, just waiting for the handrail to be mounted and a couple of hundred sandbag's need filling to make up the shell of the pool. The euro gap is a behemoth of a wakeskate rail and with some extra floats going in at 6am on tomorrow (wednesday) morning it will be sitting pretty and ready to test out. If anyone wants to come and join the build party then come down to Ten-80, otherwise we'll see you on Thursday for the qualifying where six new riders will join ThinkTank.
