Latvian Photos in TWS

Who would have thought that the history of OG Latvian skaters in US skate media didn’t stop at Gints Gailitis’ letter. In fact, the 1993 April issue of Transworld Skateboarding magazine featured two photos of Latvian skateboarders. Gatis Vidzenieks’ ollie over a stack of boards, and Janis Birznieks’ one-foot disaster on a quarter pipe saw the light in a Russia/ Poland trip article.

Photo caption: Even when the Baltic nations were republics within the Soviet Union, skaters from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia were always slightly more aware of Western trends than their Russian comrades. At the White Nights ’92 competition in St. Petersburgs, the Baltic skaters dominated the street event, and placed well in all other categories. Latvian Martins Vidzenieks clears an obstacle of his own creation to take fourth in the street event. [note: It is actually Gatis Vidzenieks. The mag editors made a typo there.]

Photo Caption: Opposite page, top: Skaters from the Baltic nations came to St. Petersburg, kicked it up with their Russian and Ukrainian friends, and left with three of the four top spots in the street event. Janis Birznieks prepares for the audio of portion of a one-footed on a steel quarterpipe.

Jānis, Mārtiņš and Gatis were all from Grobiņa and all got in top 4.

The results of the contest: 
White Nights 92 Street
1. Jānis Birznieks LV
2. Andrei Belyayev RU
3. Mārtiņš Vidzenieks LV
4. Gatis Vidzenieks LV

Full article:

Seems like such a magical time in skateboarding.

Special thanks to Mikus Ojers and Mārtiņš Vidzenieks.

 

Pants and Booze

This week we have a serious discussion with a serious guest, our dear friend, Roberts Krums. Rob’s a pants enthusiast, and we believe that every skater is into pants to some extend. In this episode we share our views and preferences regarding pants. Rob talks about making his own pants too. Also, we look into the topic of alcohol in skateboarding. Sometimes booze can make you do something interesting and put you in an untypical situation. In other times it can slow you down and make miserable. Rob shares some of his experience from both sides. 

Enjoy this episode. 

Intense Days 3 – Rob in his pants

RAWJON

In spring of 2018 someone had a brilliant idea to go to Tukums for a day trip. Everyone was skeptical about this idea and rightfully so, as we had no good spots in mind when choosing Tukums as our destination. Although we got some clips (mostly on that rail before Tukums) and had good times, we unanimously agreed that this trip was the worst. 

Shout out to all skaters from Tukums

RAW TAPES EPISODE 1

Skating Around Riga

Enjoy this short but sweet clip of Niklavs, Nesaule and Rudik skating the streets and parking lots during the first wave of Covid. Note how fresh Riga looks in this one, and, dare I say it, European. Also, dope to see how skating is brought to more central locations of Riga, like the Stockmann rail. It is somewhat our version of skating at New York’s time square. 

Shout out to Roberts Krums for filming and putting it together. 

#RAJONTOP10 – FEBRUARY 2021

Almost forgot we had to make a top 10 this month. All because February didn’t see much action around here. Officially everything is still closed, and unless you know someone who can let you in to a “secret” session, you’re on your own outside in the cold. Presumably Lithuanian situation is similar to Latvian, as it seemed pretty quiet over there. Meanwhile in Estonia things are looking bright. Tons of indoor parks to choose from: Tartu’s Sisepark, Tallinn’s Loigu and that new indoor. Also, there’s the luxurious Spot of Tallinn with its swag price of 13 euro per session, which it seems like some don’t mind paying. This grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side narrative only becomes more evident when you see a crew of Eesti boys downing cold ones in a public sauna after a session in yet another indoor park. Covi… what? 🙂

Anyway, hope everyone’s safe and congratulations on another winter finale. See you all outside very soon, either in person or via a screen.

Peace.

Original Clips:

Intro: Meelis Erm – Insta clip
10. Denis – Insta Clip 
9. Armands Izinkēvičs – Insa clip
8. Kaspars & Ansis – Insta clip
7. Jaan Suits- Insta clip
6. Mamia Kurshubadze – Insta Clip
5. Niklāvs Vētra – Insta Clip
4. Meelis Erm – OI EI Loigu Skate  
3. Allan Raudsepp – Insta clip
2. Domantas Antanavičius – Insta clip
1. Mārtiņš Reitups – Insta clip

“Era of Chill”

This week we talked about Heitor Da Silva and Tanner Van Vark pro debuts, as well as Palace skateboards Stella Artois collab. Of course Baltic stuff got in the mix too. We talked about new clips from Estonian friends Raul and Allan, Fully Ghetto, and old trick tips.  Enjoy episode 2.

Stuff we talked about:
Edgars Berziņš fs melon trick tip
Raul Urberg Kaifuun Network Remix
Allan Raudsepp
Fully Ghetto Update
Synonyms of the word Beast
Vent CITY podcast with Mason Silva
Jerry Hsu Bag of Suck part (fakie flip up three stairs)
Heitor Da Silva – Man of das World
Tanner Van Vark – Real skateboards part
Palace 1 Million Dollars pledge to BLM
Palace Artois

Latvian Online Skate School

Trick tip videos, despite their questionable educational value, can be quite fun to watch. Remember Jamal Smith’s Tornado spin video or Stefan Janoski’s 360 flip trick tip or Bam’s SS BS TS. Watching those it seems that trick tip videos were not meant to teach us anything at all. And that was the best part.

Trick tips used to be entertaining. The main point was to dork around with friends and show off a trick you are good at. Nowadays when every trick has been taught in multiple YouTube videos, who cares about trick tip videos anymore? Well, we do. But only about old local ones featuring our friends because remembering old stuff is kinda our thing here. 

With that in mind, we gathered a collection of our favorite Latvian trick tip videos. For learning convenience, videos are placed in order from basic to pro. Yes, we have pro tricks here. So sit back and inject some skate knowledge in your heads from the best online instructors Latvian Skateboarding has ever seen.

[No Comply 180] Level: Basic

Roberts Krums got to be one of the best Latvian online skate instructors. He has produced good educational material and has a charming personality too.
Key takeaway: If this fool can make it, so can you.

[Fs Shove-it] Level: Basic

When gangsta rap makes you do it, you do it for life.
Key takeaway: If you are tired of doing this trick regular, try fakie.

[360 shove-it] Level: Chill

Once upon a time 360 shove-its were considered cool. They were in the arsenal of the chill skaters which Kārlis Ezermalis was a perfect example of.
Key takeaway: Element footwear

[360 flip] Level: Normal

Rob’s not Stefan Janoski, but still has some good scoop advice. Little Fricis is taking notes.
Key takeaway: Tre flip is not so hard. All you need is courage.

[Fs Tailslide] Level: Normal 18+

Last episode of Rob’s trick tip trilogy. He even does all 3 tricks in a line.
Key takeaway: Don’t drink and don’t smoke.

[Nollie Bs Smith] Level: Progressive

Levs teaches nollie bs smith because he can do them, and that bench looks cool.
Key takeaway: PLA Hood for life?

[Fakie hardflip] Level: Advanced

As mentioned before, Edgar Berziņš liked trick-tipping. Here’s one at Kalpaks.
Key takeaway: F**k you b**ch!

[BS 360 Kickflip] Level: Pro

Well, this one is a game changer. A meta trick tip. It kinda works actually.
Key takeaway: www.youtube.com

 

Nauris Dollins: Full circle

In the first episode of RajonTV podcast we talk about Karlis Bogustovs’ interview in DIENA, Gints Gailitis letter to TWS, and Nauris Dollins’ debut in Thrasher Magazine. This time Nauris joined in and we got all the insights. Nauris also talked about his life story: how he started skating, how he dealt with the financial crisis, how got injured and picked up photography.  

We talked about this part too

Stuff we talked about:
Kārlis Bogustovs interview in DIENA 
Kārlis Bogustovs: Glass and Skateboarding mini doc
Gints Gailitis Letter to TWS
Nauris video part 2006 
RajonTV VEF 5 video
Rižijs at Barax video
SKATETV #10
Madars Thrasher photo
Jaako Photo – Nauris favorite shot

Enjoy the episode. Hit us up in the comments or DMs. Let us know what you think about the podcast.

RAJON RAW TAPES

To be honest I am not very good at logging my tapes. I used to have a notebook where I’d write what’s on each tape, which was quite smart until I lost that notebook. Now I just write on tapes, and thank god most of my tapes are signed. I’d say 70% of my tapes have some information on them. However, I can’t say the information is always useful. Sometimes the sticker on the tape just says: Mark & co. May 2017. Try figure out what were we up to in May 2017.

Now during lockdown/winter life I decided to organize my tape archive and share my findings in these Raw Tapes vids. I remember a lot of things from 2017, but still when logging the tape again some forgotten moments popped out. Also, often times I don’t capture the whole tape except the tricks I want to use, so my tapes must have a lot of stuff I haven’t seen myself. 

The first episode is shot in May 2017 and follows Mark Voronenko and his crew, The Trank Boys. The crew skates Maskačka and Sarkandaugava where Mark focuses mainly on the non-spots of these rajons. That day at Maskačka is summarized a bit in this insta clip here. This episode ends in the center of Riga, where Mark, again, finds some no-run-up stair set that none wants to skate except him.  

Enjoy.

P.S. We kinda made raw tapes before too.
Fricis Being Fricis 1. 
Fricis Being Fricis 2. 
Fricis Being Fricis 3. 

 

CHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST

Welcome to the first episode of RajonTV podcast where Ed Gaba (me) and Clockwise skateshop rider, Niklavs Vetra, talk about skateboarding. On this show we will talk about current events in the local and global skate scenes. On some episodes we will invite guests, and on others, like this one, there will be just the two of us talking about stuff we care about.  

In the zero/pilot episode of the RajonTV podcast we discuss Intense days “skateboarding show” and why Niklavs is so cringe, future of Gtiim indoor skatpark, mental health in skateboarding, and our 2019 POTY, Nauris, debut in Thrasher Magazine.

As we are total noobs in this podcast game, feel free to give us feedback and tell us your valuable opinion.  Sound improvement is on our agenda. 

Gaba and Niklavs. Photo: Nauris Dollins

Jingle by NeimoM