Chris Cole's Rail Jam Invitational

Veteran Pro Skateboarder Chris Cole Co-Founds Action Sports Music Festival

San Pedro, CA (March 20, 2019) — Renowned professional skateboarder Chris Cole has partnered with long-time entertainment producer John Reese of SGE and Nitro Circus to deliver a one-of-a-kind festival experience of skateboarding, BMX, motocross and music. On June 22, Gnarlytown will energize the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, CA, with the perfect blend of action sports, punk rock, rap, and craft-beer tasting. And best of all, this family-friendly event is welcoming for the whole community. Headlining bands currently being announced for the include Rancid, Pennywise, Off!, Madball, and Action Bronson, with tickets available from March 22.

From kick off until the bands take the stage in the evening, Gnarlytown festivalgoers will be entertained by some of the biggest names in action sports alternating between BMX/FMX and skateboarding, all telecast onto the jumbotron to ensure the more committed don’t lose their preferred place at the beer tents or in the sun. Leading the two-wheeled action is Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Circus, famed for their daredevil FMX videos that grew into hit television shows and live touring phenomenon of extreme-sports performances and competitions. The four-wheeled entertainment will be the creative result of a long-time vision of Chris Cole — one of skateboarding’s most recognized and respected veterans — in which a personally invited squad of the sport’s elite will throw down for a day of cash-for-trick excitement.

Cole’s passion for music has always fueled his career in skateboarding, which now both combine to fuel his passion for Gnarlytown. “Creating a festival of this nature is something I’ve been thinking about since my early days skating at similar events; it’s a great experience for the skaters to be around the music, and a great opportunity for the festivalgoers to enjoy something extra,” informs Cole. “And it’s exciting and a real honor to be creating Gnarlytown with partnering co-founders John Reese and Nitro Circus.”

Chris Cole’s Rail Jam Invitational will present a selection of today’s gnarliest skate talent from the list of Cole’s personal favorites, which strongly suggests crowd favorite, heavy hitters such as Tom Asta, Chris Joslin, Sean Malto and Ryan Sheckler. Or, as Cole puts it, “Savages I want to see on the course.” With the skate action continuing in the background throughout the festival as the invitees and assorted guests refine their approach, each official jam event will run unstructured for the skaters to session freely as friends and locals do at a skate spot. Cash prizes are awarded for the most impressive tricks, with the dollar amount increasing for difficulty and personal style to incentivize more gnar for the viewing fans. 

“The idea for the hubba rail has been in my brain for a long time,” he says of the custom-build skate course for the Chris Cole’s Rail Jam Invitational (a “hubba” being a ledge down a set of stairs). Overall the course presents an elongated skate park to facilitate user flow and viewer watchability, with a central level-change centerpiece comprised of stairs, a rail, and the long-envisioned hubba designed as an oversized guitar. Each end of the course will have transitioned quarter pipes to gather and wash speed, with additional bump-to-bar and A-frame obstacles along either side of the centerpiece for additional trick options.

For all media inquiries, please contact VOCAL or visit www.Gnarlytown.com.

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About: Chris Cole

Since entering professional skateboarding at age 16, Chris Cole has sustainably pursued a methodically productive career that spans the entire spectrum of the sport. He has had his name on hundreds of boards, released signature shoes with multiple brands, been on the podium for almost every major skateboarding event around the world, on the cover of the industry’s core magazines more than most, and received the title “Skater of the Year” twice — a double honor bestowed upon just one other skateboarder. He’s a role model as a skateboarder within the scene, as a professional within the industry, and as a father within the community. Although now refocusing from professional competitive skateboarding, Cole remains highly involved in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at which the sport will make its highly anticipated debut. www.chriscobracole.com

Chris has the ability to make the most difficult tricks look easy. His consistency, creativity and hard work have already cemented his place in skateboarding history.

— Tony Hawk

He’s the first true elite-level professional skateboarder who will be at an elite level until his 40’s.

— Rob Dyrdek

About: Chris Cole’s Rail Jam Invitational

Chris Cole's Rail Jam Invitational will alternate with Nitro Circus programing throughout the Gnarlytown festival taking place on Saturday, June 22 at the scenic LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, CA. Invitations are extended exclusively to Cole’s personal favorite skaters of today, irrespective of pro status, content results and sponsorship. The “jam” format allows the athletes to skate at will, with each best trick being rewarded with a cash prize — the better the trick, the higher the cash amount.

About: Gnarlytown

Gnarlytown kicks off this summer in Southern California with the perfect blend of action sports, punk rock, and craft beer tasting at the scenic LA Waterfront at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, CA on Saturday, June 22. This new one-of-a-kind, family-friendly event brings together thrilling, extreme action-sports shows with motorsports champion Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Circus and pro skateboarder Chris Cole’s Rail Jam Invitational, along with performances from punk rock legends and other top music acts including Rancid, Pennywise, Action Bronson, Off!, and Madball. The event will also feature craft beer tastings (until 4:00pm) from some of the finest breweries in Southern California and beyond, including Rancid’s own collaboration with Ska Brewing, Brewstomper for those aged 21 and up.

• www.Gnarlytown.com

• Facebook.com/GnarlytownFest

• Instagram.com/Gnarlytownfest

• Twitter.com/GnarlytownFest

Tickets for Gnarlytown go on sale Friday, March 22 at 10:00 AM PT at www.Gnarlytown.com, with General Admission tickets starting at $39.99 (plus fees), while supplies last.

VIP Lounge tickets start at $109.99 (plus fees) and include: One VIP admission ticket to Gnarlytown; a dedicated VIP entrance lane into the venue; a Gnarlytown parking pass (one per order); a RFID VIP wristband; and access to the Gnarlytown VIP Lounge which includes: Exclusive VIP viewing of the music stage from the lounge, comfortable shaded areas to sit and relax with lounge furniture and games, a VIP bar, private restrooms, changing stations, and convenient food options available for purchase.

VIP Lounge + Athlete Signing Merch Bundle tickets start at $199.99 (plus fees) and include all of the perks of the VIP Lounge ticket, plus access to an autograph signing with various athletes performing at Gnarlytown (at designated time), and a collector’s edition merch pack including a Gnarlytown collector’s edition skate deck and a Gnarlytown festival t-shirt.

During VIP early entry craft beer tastings (12:00–4:00mp) and general admission tastings (1:00–4:00pm) craft beer lovers who are 21+ can sample from a selection of over 50 different craft beers from the finest breweries in the nation. Tastings will feature tons of local favorites, with an initial list of well-known breweries including:  Tasting Pass $20.00.

About: Synergy Global Entertainment, Inc

Orange County, California based Synergy Global Entertainment, Inc. (SGE) is one of the world's premier music festival production companies. SGE events include music and lifestyle festivals across a variety of genres and interests, with over 100 major festival dates planned for 2019. SGE produces or co-produces Back To The Beach; Big Adventure; Driftwood; ID10T Music Festival + Comic Conival; Knotfest; Lost Lands (Your EDM Best Festival of 2017 and Noiseporn 2017 Festival Of The Year); Moonrise Festival; MUSINK; Ohana Dana Point; Sabroso Taco, Craft Beer & Music Festival; Surf City Blitz; 92.3 WCOL Country Jam + Campout; Scallywag!, and more. In addition, SGE co-produced the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival and the worldwide Rockstar Taste of Chaos, and created and produced the Identity Festival, Oddball Comedy and Curiosity Festival, and Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival. This year's SGE-affiliated events are projected to sell over 1.2 million tickets. In addition to festival production and promotion, SGE's in-house sponsorship agency procures and executes a multitude of partnerships in varying forms for global brands, top-tier artists, international booking agencies and more. www.sgeworldwide.com 

About: Nitro Circus

Nitro Circus, a global sports entertainment leader, creates electrifying live events and unbelievable original content that at once exhilarates, captivates and inspires thrill-seeking fans worldwide.  Co-founded in 2003 by iconic superstar Travis Pastrana, Nitro Circus has since grown into a multiplatform phenomenon producing hit television programming, critically acclaimed documentaries and innovative digital offerings. That success gave rise to the Nitro Circus Live tour. Created in 2010, Nitro Circus has since travelled across the planet, playing to sold-out stadiums on five continents. The company introduced an innovative breakthrough in 2016 with the debut of Nitro World Games, completely rebooting action sports competition in the process and then raised the bar once again in 2018 with Nitro Rallycross, a rejuvenation of four-wheel motorsports. With over three million tickets sold to date, television programming that has aired in over 60 countries, more than 20 million engaged fans across its social media platforms and a burgeoning consumer products business, Nitro Circus is at the forefront of sports and entertainment. www.nitrocircus.com 

About: Gnarlytown Location

LA Waterfront Berth 46 is a large, outdoor space with 360-degree views of Cabrillo Beach and San Pedro Bay at the Port of Los Angeles Outdoor Harbor. LA Waterfront Berth 46 has hosted a number of concerts, festivals and sporting events, including Cirque du Soleil TOTEM, Red Bull Global Rallycross, Port Nationals Kustoms & Bobbers Show, Growlers6 Music Festival, and more. The venue is about 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, and just a short drive from most of Los Angeles and Orange County. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Long Beach Airport (LGB) and John Wayne Airport (SNA) are also easily accessible for those traveling from other parts of the U.S. and the world.

LA Waterfront Berth 46, 3011 Miner St, San Pedro, CA 90731

The VOCAL Times – Gnarmads

“My name’s Bogdan, I’m 22 years old and was born in the Ukraine and raised in Brooklyn.”

“My name’s Matt Kruz. I’m 23 years old, born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and have been skateboarding with my friend Bogdan for about 13 years.”

Gnarmads really started off as a joke — we entered a scav- enger bike race and needed to come up with a name, and people always referred to us as gypsies and nomads, so call- ing ourselves Gnarmads made sense. If you’re free and you do whatever you want, you’re a Gnarmad. It’s about doing things, pushing yourself and having fun.

Last year we endured a cross-country bicycle trip, skating in every place we stopped. It was a leisurely pace and took us about nine months. We met so many great people in different skate communities that were willing to put us up, feed us or just let us take a shower. We learned a lot about ourselves, other people, the universe and this country. Upon returning to NYC we completed two more bicycle trips to Vermont and to Virginia, building DIY skate spots in cities along the way.

We continue to organize events here in NYC such as skate contests, art shows, pool tournaments and community events. 

> https://gnarmads.co/ 

The Gnarmads

Virginia, October 2013

Photo of Nick airing over Thomas at Fearcliff Skatepark. We were leaving DC after Thanksgiving and looked up skateshops on our route. We called them early telling them we were on a bike trip and to stay open and wait for us to get there. We arrived and met Thomas and Kelly, the couple 20-year- olds who run this indoor skatepark; they kept it open all night for us to skate and camp in. of Nick airing over Thomas at Fearcliff Skatepark. 

Louisiana, December 2013

After riding all day we stopped at a gas station to pick up some beer before finding a campsite. Bog- dan handed his ID to the clerk, to which he immediately said it was fake. He showed him two matching bank cards, and the clerk exclaimed “Your name is fake!” We exchanged some cursing and shouting and he called the police. We waited right outside and explained everything. They looked at us like we were crazy and just told us to get out of town. 

Santa Cruz, April 2014

DIY skatepark hidden in the cliff-side hills north of Santa Cruz on the Pacific Coast Highway. The was also a fixed rope on the cliff to rappel down to the beach / surf spot. 

California, April 2014

We crossed over into the southernmost region of California for the first time through Yuma, AZ. We cycled through seemingly endless sand dunes for days, and kept wondering if it was possible to skate down them. One late afternoon we saw a perfect dune mountain, took off our skateboard wheels and jumped into the slope, sliding down some of the hill before sinking in sand, waist deep. 

California, May 2014

It was a slow riding day because one of our rear derailleurs broke off. We had set our sights on at least making it to this small town that ap- peared to be just over the canyon, called Los Alamos. The Google Maps route took us on a windy road for a few miles, before the road suddenly turned to sand and we couldnt continue onward. 

Arizona, April 2014

After riding all day through the barren desert, it was get- ting dark and we werent seeing any safe place to camp. Just before nightfall we spotted an area on a hill above the highway and set up camp just in time for sunset. In the morning while packing up, we noticed there was a handmade heart, made out of wires, attached to the barbed wire fence near the site. Someone else in the past must have found similar refuge at this beautiful and middle-of-nowhere spot. 

The Motivation 2: The Chris Cole Story

THE ONE SKATEBOARD FILM YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS YEAR

World Premiere June 20 at the LA Live in Los Angeles Followed by Worldwide Release on iTunes June 23 through The Orchard

This summer, director Adam Bhala Lough will again deliver a unique view into the world of skateboarding with his sequel documentary Motivation 2: The Chris Cole Story, in which we learn of the trials and triumphs of an underdog that made it all the way to the top. Featuring interviews with some of the most respected figures in skateboarding, including Tony Hawk, Rob Dyrdek, Stevie Williams, Rodney Mullen, Bam Margera and Jamie Thomas, this is already one of the most anticipated sport documentaries of the year.

Street skateboarding has evolved from a subculture into a legitimate sport, and with that has emerged very real physical and psychological struggles for the athletes. It was to gain an understanding and appreciation for the behind-the-scenes world that the Tribeca Film Festival favorite The Motivation was produced, following eight of the world’s top street skateboarders in the lead-up to the Street League world championship. In Motivation 2, Lough brings the lens closer to focus on a single champion: Chris Cole.

“One of my favorite things is to watch a kid be so obviously obsessed and in love with skating. I like to be a part of their experience in that way,” says professional skateboarder Chris Cole. “I know that there are kids out there that are just waiting for something to inspire them. If my story can be that inspiration for a kid, that’s really exciting.”

Shot over the course of a year in San Diego, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and China, Motivation 2 is the story of a man that earned his place as an innovator, motivator and legend in skateboarding that now creates inspiration and opportunity for a new generation. Cole’s progression from humble neighborhood beginnings to the world of elite street skateboarding is revealed through recently discovered archival footage, presenting a skater that went on to achieve the highest amount of skate contest wins, a list of defining video parts, being twice selected as Thrasher magazine’s Skater of the Year, back-to-back X-Games gold medals, and becoming the 2013 Street League Super Crown World Champion.

American film director, screenwriter, and documentary filmmaker Adam Bhala Lough has made a mark in exposing alluring subcultures, and is already highly acclaimed: nominated for a Spirit Award for Best First Feature, included in Filmmaker Magazine’s Top 25 Independent Filmmakers to Watch list, and is the only filmmaker to have a documentary, a fictional film and a screenplay at Sundance Film Festival. Scored by Julian Wass, Motivation 2 features original tracks from a host of up-and-coming talent including former Das Racist member KOOL A.D., Bay Area punk band Younger Lovers, NPR Tiny Desk winner Fantastic Negrito, acclaimed San Jose rapper Antwon, Jim Jarmusch's band SQURL, KOOL A.D.’s punk outfit Party Animal, and Philadelphia hardcore legends Turmoil.

“This is the most inspiring film I've made to date, and not just because of Chris's incredible back-story. What's truly inspiring is the work he's doing today,” says director Adam Bhala Lough. “Skateboarding is a global phenomenon and an untapped well of stories; we want to tell their stories. We are focused on making The Motivation series the No.1 documentary film series in skateboarding, eventually reaching beyond to other sports.”

Motivation 2: The Chris Cole Story will premiere June 20, at LA Live in Los Angeles, followed by an exclusive after-party at The Berrics. The worldwide release will be on iTunes through The Orchard June 23.

For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

While you weren't watching, skateboarding went and grew up

THE MAN BEHIND THE MAN BEHIND STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING

It can stop you in your tracks, whether through a random board zipping alongthe sidewalk or stunned by the supreme athletic genius these kids have mastered.Skateboarding: from little wooden toys to a professional sport founded on a big-moneyleague. The mastermind behind this transformation is professional skateboarder RobDyrdek, founder of the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) professional competitionseries built from exclusive roster of skateboarding’s elite. With his finger on the pulseand his eye on the future, one man is ensuring that the vision of SLS is executed andadvanced; Brian Atlas, President of SLS and architect of tomorrow’s professionalskateboarding.

Street League Skateboarding Foundation

STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING CREATES A NON-PROFIT FOUNDATION TO EMPOWER THE SKATERS OF THE WORLD

 Street League Skateboarding Foundation To Unveil Their First Skate Plaza In South Los Angeles

In the spirit of giving back, the Street League Skateboarding Foundation (SLSF) has been established to increase skateboarding participation through the development of community skate plazas. On Thursday July 24 at 5pm, Street League will host a ribbon cutting ceremony, alongside the mayor of Los Angeles to celebrate the first SLSF skate plaza opening in South Los Angeles, California.

This year, in partnership with The California Endowment (TCE), the Foundation is enriching the skateboarding community with four unique skate plazas throughout skateboarding’s birthplace of California. Grants from TCE will fund the entire design of each plaza by the illustrious California Skateparks, as well as contributing to half of the construction costs. This week the SLSF will host the grand opening of their first skate plaza in South Los Angeles, bringing a professional-level skatepark to a neighborhood otherwise void of legal skateboarding opportunity; thus relieving local skaters of the all-too-familiar dilemma of not having a city-sanctioned facility that meets their needs.

Founded by the premier skateboarding competition platform Street League Skateboarding (SLS), the SLSF was established as a means to further contribute to the global skateboarding community through the development of quality skateboarding facilities. SLS emerged in 2010 as the first professional league for skateboarding and offering the largest prize purse in the history of the sport. The Foundation utilizes a portion of the funds generated by the competition’s success to bring SLS-quality skate plazas to communities in need. Since it’s inception in 2013, the foundation has raised over $6.1 million to fund a planned fifteen skate plazas around the United States.

Each plaza will be inspired by previous SLS course designs, scaled down to accommodate the range of skill levels within the skate community. Much like training facilities in any other sport, SLS skate plazas will provide aspiring skaters with an avenue to train and compete on courses similar to those that their favorite pros compete in, making the transition from novice to amateur, and onto professional as seamless as possible. Each plaza will become the hub of regional competitions that follow the same rules and use the same unique Street League Skateboarding ISX scoring format to ensure continuity through the progress into the professional arena.

“Skateboarding is not a crime”, the sport’s unofficial slogan since the 1980’s, began as a sticker and t-shirt campaign to highlight the public backlash against the initial growth of street skateboarding. Still today, young skaters worldwide are forced out of their favorite local skate spots, facing fines and even incarceration while the system does little to address the fact that the number of sanctioned skateparks in America is incommensurate with today’s massive skateboarding population. With more Americans skating than playing hockey, tennis, or even baseball, why doesn’t every town have a quality skatepark? Street League Skateboarding Foundation is working to solve this critical issue for today’s youth.

For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com/foundation.

Join The Street League

Street League Foundation Brings Top-Tier Facilities to Masses

From the immense success of the Street League Skateboarding professional competition series comes the Street League Foundation, building skateparks and futures for the skateboard community. On Thursday, July 24, the first of their community skate facilities is opening in South Los Angeles, California.

“Skateboarding is not a crime”, the sport’s unofficial slogan since the 1980’s, began as a sticker and t-shirt campaign to highlight the public backlash against the initial growth of street skateboarding. Still today, young skaters worldwide are forced out of their favorite local skate spots, facing fines and even incarceration while the system does little to address the fact that the number of sanctioned skateparks in America is incommensurate with today’s massive skateboarding population. With more Americans skating than playing hockey, tennis, or even baseball, why doesn’t every town have a quality skatepark? Street League Foundation was created to address and solve this critical issue.

Founded by the premier skateboarding competition series Street League Skateboarding (SLS), the Street League Foundation was established as a means to further contribute to the global skateboarding community through the development of quality skateparks. SLS emerged in 2010 as the first professional league for skateboarding, offering the largest prize purse in the history of the sport. Street League Foundation utilizes a portion of the funds generated by the competition’s success to bring SLS-quality skate plazas to communities in need. Since it’s inception in 2013, the foundation has raised over $6.1 million to fund fifteen skate plazas around the United States.

This year, the foundation aims to enrich the skateboarding community in California, its birthplace, developing four skate plazas in over the next year in partnership with The California Endowment (TCE). Grants from TCE will fund the entire design of each plaza by the illustrious California Skateparks, as well as contributing to half of the construction costs.

Each plaza will be inspired by previous SLS course designs, but scaled down to account for the range of skill levels within the skate community. Much like training facilities in any other sport, Street League skate plazas will provide aspiring skaters with an avenue to train and compete in plazas similar to those that their favorite pros compete in, making the transition from novice to amateur, and onto professional, as seamless as possible. Each plaza will become the location for regional competitions that follow the same rules and use the same unique Street League Skateboarding ISX scoring format to ensure continuity through the progress into the professional arena.

Next week the SLF will host the grand opening of a Street League plaza in South Los Angeles. As one of the four areas initially targeted for this year’s mission, this first Street League plaza brings a professional-level skatepark to a neighborhood otherwise void of legal skateboarding opportunity; thus relieving local skaters of the all-too-familiar dilemma of not having a city-sanctioned facility that meets all of their needs. With ample funding and design plans from the most experienced skatepark contractors in the world, the South Los Angeles Community Skatepark is certain to please skaters of all skills and styles. 

For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

Nyjah Huston Wins 2014 Street League Skateboarding: Chicago

• Nyjah Huston edges out a charging Luan Oliveira for his second consecutive Street League win—Nyjah is unbeaten in 2014

• Custom concrete skatepark inside UIC Pavilion hosts largest skateboard contest in Chicago history

• Huston takes home $100,000 prize and a Golden Ticket to the $200,000 SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship in August

History was made on Sunday as the 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour visited Chicago for the very first time. Street League Skateboarding delivered on the fans requests as 25 of the world’s best pro skaters descended on the Midwest’s street skateboarding capitol to put on a jaw-dropping show. It all went down inside the UIC Pavilion, which was transformed, into a one-of-a-kind, custom skate plaza complete with huge sculpture-like concrete transitions and high-risk big gaps to ledges that forced even the most seasoned SLS pros out of their comfort zone.

The 2014 Street League Skateboarding series kicked off in May with the SLS Monster Energy Pro Open, a new qualification event at Nike SB’s private, state-of-the-art Sixth & Mill Skatepark in Downtown Los Angeles. Through that event, Matt Berger, Davis Torgerson, and Trevor Colden moved up to the elite ranks of the 2014 SLS Nike SB World Tour, with Felipe Gustavo and Alec Majerus being added to the SLS pro alternate list.  With SLS pros Sean Malto and Dylan Rieder not competing in Chicago, Gustavo and Majerus both made their debuts along side the veteran SLS Pros at the first arena stop of the 2014 season.

The contest began with the qualification Prelims, cutting the field to just eight skaters for the Final. Among 25 of the world’s best, highlights included:

·      The rookies making their presence felt. Matt Berger made his first official Final with creative moves like a Frontside Hurricane on the gap to hubba, as well as an Ollie to Wallride 180 out. For his part, Felipe Gustavo set-off the high-scoring 9 Club tricks early, with a flawless 360 Flip to Crooked Grind on the ledge.

·      Pressure was at an all-time high for Chicago native Chaz Ortiz, an internationally known skater who still maintains his roots in the Midwestern metropolis where he has a private skatepark and training facility. Despite his smooth lines and a monster Fakie Flip down the big two steps, his scores weren’t enough to carry him to the Final. Defending 2013 Street League Super Crown World Champion Chris Cole also suffered an off day, and was eliminated in the Prelims.

·      Brazilian Luan Oliveira shocked the crowd when he decided that instead of skating the flat ledge, he would up the ante by going right over the entire obstacle. He Kickflipped and Backside Kickflipped the ledge at high speed; the latter earned him a score of 9.5.

As the Final went live on FOX Sports 1, the eight skaters remaining included Luan Oliveira, Paul Rodriguez, Tommy Sandoval, Nyjah Huston, Torey Pudwill, Shane O'Neill, Matt Berger, and French fan favorite Bastien Salabanzi. Highlights of the Final included:

·      In the first of the three sections, the Flow Section, Nyjah Huston showed why he’s Street League’s top dog, putting on a consistency clinic and delivering fluid lines punctuated by tech moves like a Backside 180 Nosegrind to Revert on the ledge along the stairs. Luan Oliveira also showed he was ready for his first SLS win, speeding around the course with powerful pop. Paul Rodriguez went to his strong suit, showing off an array of technical tricks, including a huge Switch 360 Flip to finish his run.

·      As the skaters began going big in the Impact Section, Shane O’Neill set the crowd on fire with an unbelievable Switch 360 Double Flip down the big two steps, scoring a near-perfect 9.8 and surging to the top of the leaderboard. Nyjah coolly responded with a Caballerial Kickflip in the same place to keep himself in the race. Meanwhile, Bastien Salabanzi launched a wicked Half-Cab Double-Flip off the big two that earned him a 9.3, and eliminated SLS rookie Matt Berger from the contest.

·      In the final and decisive Control Section, the win was on the line and the skaters began turning up the heat. First to attack, Shane O’Neill dropped a dizzying Nollie Bigger Spin down the big two for a 9.1 and control of the leaderboard. Then, the crowd exploded as Luan Oliveira upped the ante on the skateboarding world with a high-speed Switch Backside Flip over the ledge he’d kickflipped earlier, for a well-deserved 9.5 once again. But in the end neither Luan nor Shane could put it all together as consistently as Nyjah. The skateboarding prodigy put up big scores all day, sealing his win with tricks like his massive Nollie Backside Heelflip across the wedge gap in the Control Section.

Congratulations to SLS Nike SB World Tour: Chicago champion Nyjah Huston. In addition to the trophy and $100,000 first place check, Nyjah holds a ‘golden ticket’ to the $200,000 Super Crown World Championships in August. With one more event before the SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship, is 2014 the year that Nyjah sweeps the season?

Highlights and complete coverage of the SLS Nike SB World Tour: Chicago can be viewed on www.streetleague.com, www.foxsports.com, and the FOX Sports GO.

2014 SLS UPCOMING EVENT DATES AND VENUES:

·      July 27: SLS Nike SB World Tour: Stop 2 | Galen Center at USC | Los Angeles

·      August 24: SLS Nike SB Super Crown World Championship | Prudential Center | Newark

The SLS Nike SB World Tour airs on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports GO, in addition to the official live webcast on www.streetleague.com. 

2014 FOX SPORTS 1 TELECASTS:        

·      SLS Los Angeles: LIVE: Sunday, July 27 (8:00 PM ET – 9:30 PM ET)

·      SLS Super Crown World Championship: LIVE: Sunday, Aug. 24 (9:00 PM ET – 10:30 PM ET)

For more visit information visit www.streetleague.com. For all media inquiries contact VOCAL.  

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About Street League Skateboarding

Street League Skateboarding (SLS) is the first-ever professional league for street skateboarding. The SLS season features 25 of the world’s most exciting skateboarders competing in an easy-to-follow, ISX™ instant scoring format on one-of-a-kind concrete skate plazas, all for the largest prize purse in skateboarding history. Each arena stop of the 2014 SLS season will air live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sport Go with a live international webcast on Streetleague.com.

For more information, visit www.streetleague.com and follow @streetleague

About Nike SB

Nike SB is dedicated to serving skateboarders, delivering product innovation and creating new consumer experiences. Since 2001, Nike SB has supported a diverse team of inspirational pros and upcoming amateurs who continue to meet the demands of a constantly evolving sport. With influence in all corners of the world, Nike SB is uniquely suited to bring skateboarding to new audiences and grows the sport globally. Based at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike SB is obsessed with finding new ways to support the skateboarder by championing innovation and individuality.

For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @NikeSB. 

About FOX Sports

FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing 21st Century FOX’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FOX Sports includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; FOX Sports 1; FOX Sports 2; FOX’s 22 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FOX Sports also encompasses FOX Sports Digital, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, FOX Sports GO, Whatifsports.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network.

"I Am Thalente" Proves that the Human Spirit can Skateboard

From the Streets of South Africa to California and into the Heart of skateboarding.

I Am Thalente is a verité documentary about once homeless skateboarder Thalente Biyela’s journey from the streets of South Africa to Los Angeles, California and into the heart of skateboarding. With the support of skate companies LRG and Bombshell, and skateboarding legends Kenny Anderson, Guy Mariano, and Marc Johnson, the producers have turned to specialist film crowd funding platform Seed & Spark to finance the completion of the documentary film offering unprecedented incentives and access to some of skateboarding’s greatest.

Nineteen year old Thalente Biyela has been homeless since age nine... At age 10, he was given his first skateboard. Skateboarding gave him an escape from the harsh realities of street life, a way to express himself, and led him to a community of friends who would become his family. His effortless style at a public skatepark in Durban quickly attracted international attention, and last year Thalente was given the opportunity to travel to the states and skate with some of the industry’s most accomplished pros: A dream unimaginable for a homeless kid whose inevitable journey begins and ends on the streets.

Whilst this story hinges on Thalente’s love of skateboarding, it gives insight into the challenges that homeless youths face without family, literacy, role models, or hope. Skateboarding becomes a source of strength and competence for Thalente to rise out of circumstance and make a place for himself in the world. His journey offers a unique perspective on skateboarding, the power of uncompromised acceptance, community and individuality.

Says director Natalie Johns, “I Am Thalente is this young man’s resume, his character reference and his best chance to continue down the path of building a better life. More than this, it is a chance to experience and support one boy’s struggle for survival and unwavering dream to spread the love of skateboarding.”

Johns met Thalente through friends and family in her hometown of Durban and was instantly captivated by his incredibly story. She has documented his journey to the US, his warm acceptance into the skateboarding community in LA, and the guidance by pro skater Kenny Anderson. In the opening of I am Thalente’s Seed&Spark pitch video, Kenny Anderson is at a loss for words to describe Thalente’s affinity for skateboarding: “I don’t know, it’s just like that unexplainable type thing. When you see it, you know it.” Which is perhaps why Johns’ film will be so important to bring Thalente’s story to the screen: audiences will see what words cannot capture.