More Info:
Crossroads Skate Shop
Crossroads Academy

Chris Perez is a really talented skater from Nipomo, CA that Mallard is really interested in sponsoring. Check out what this kid is capable of:

Sick! Keep it up, Chris!

Do you have some footage that you want us to check out? Let us know about it!

credit: jojophoto666

Mallard just got back from (okay, it was a few days) sponsoring prizes at the Crossroads Skate Shop in Ogden. Awesome competition, awesome skaters, awesome indoor skate park, awesome guys running the place, and the whole idea behind Crossroads is phenomenal. (Yeah, that’s right, I just used 4 “awesome’s” in the same sentence.)

Crossroads prides itself on being a completely drug-free  skate zone, and a refuge for skaters all over the state of Utah. I was even reading on the “Park Rules” bulletin that any references to drugs, verbally, or otherwise will result in being tossed out. Pretty sick!

Mallard gave away some awesome skate gear, including decks, shirts, and stickers, oh wait, we forgot those. Dangit! Anyway, everyone was stoked about our shirts and decks, and we plan on sponsoring another Crossroads skate competition in the future.

Check out the video and pictures below. They’re not the best quality, but I did the best with what I had (my camera phone). Okay, okay! I did have my nice, big camera. I just felt too much like a Sports Mom, so I put it in my back pocket and didn’t take the good pictures that I should have.

(The last trick on this video is pretty nuts. Mallard is considering offering the kid a sponsorship.)

I was reading this article online from the LA Times and thought it was really interesting.  Tony Hawk stopped by a Zulu village in South Africa to share some of his talent.

You can go to read the whole article here.

The Kenneth

We’ve all seen it. You’re watching a skate video and some punk skater who thinks he’s stretching the limits and doing something ridiculously new and hardcore rides up to a NO SKATEBOARDING ALLOWED sign, plasters it with a sticker, and grinds the curb. Well, “got dang”, you might say to yourself. Goodness sakes alive. Who does this fool think he is, and how can I meet him? I’d sure like to add his autograph to my collection. At least that’s what I used to say to myself.

Now it’s old. Cliché. Dare I say, “Poserish”? You get the point. It’s no longer a super-cool thing to have NO SKATEBOARDING ALLOWED signs in every other frame of your skate video.

The reason I bring this up is because we’ve been reviewing all sorts of skate videos lately and it’s gotten to the point where we don’t care where it’s being done. We just care what is being done, and how it’s done. While it may be cool to show your skater friends a video of you skating at your local NO SKATEBOARDING ALLOWED gathering place, sponsors don’t care much about your inner-rebel when displayed that way.

Just something to think about.

Learn more about getting sponsored by Mallard.

Hey skaters, I was reading on the Nanaimo News Bulletin and it has lots of good ideas on how to stay safe while you are skating.  Here are safety tips on how to stay safe while you Pound It Like A Mallard:

“Wear a good-fitting helmet, elbow pads and kneepads when skateboarding.

Make sure that your weight is appropriate for your skateboard.

Check your skateboard for loose, broken, or cracked parts, as well as sharp edges on metal boards.

Know your surroundings and avoid slippery or wet areas.

Closely supervise children under the age of 10 when they are riding skateboards.

Children under five should not use skateboards.

When losing your balance, crouch down on the skateboard so your fall is short.

Try to land on the fleshy parts of your body.

Try to roll as you fall, which prevents your arms from absorbing all the force.

Try to relax, rather than remaining stiff when falling.”

For the full article, go  to http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/nanaimonewsbulletin/sports/52384732.html

credit: Björn Söderqvist

I was reading this article in the Wall Street Journal about the popularity of skateboarding in Portland. Here is the opening paragraph and I thought it was very interesting:

“In Portland, skateboarding has been woven into parks and streets in the same manner as cycling or soccer. Skateboarding is illegal in downtowns across the country. Portland’s downtown is marked with “skate routes” featuring signs with a skateboarding stick figure. In most cities, skaters consider it a big victory when a skatepark is built. Portland is building a network of 19 skateparks scattered throughout the city. Skaters even have one of their own in City Hall: Tom Miller, chief of staff to Portland Mayor Sam Adams, rode into politics through skateboard advocacy and has continued pushing for skateparks from the inside.” – The Wall Street Journal

That’s amazing that there are “skate routes” marked with the skateboarding stick figures! I can’t believe that 19 skateparks will be built in one city! Portland must be a skater’s paradise!

Here is the link of you want to read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204119704574238073660408040.html