Did a kick flip.

Words: Mike Jennings
Photos: Nick Rieve

If Larry Clark, taught us anything it’s that despite their actions and horrible lifestyles, kids with skateboards are cool. They’ll be dirty and sweaty but still have an air of hippness that comes easier than their youth.Those were the kids that flooded Melbourne’s Riverside skatepark on Friday to see the likes of Eric Koston, Guy Mariano, Sean Malto and a bunch of other famous skaters from the Girl Skate team. Baggy shirts, backpacks and skateboard sitting by the feet was the uniform. Their hands gripped permanent markers or cameras or longnecks depending on their age.

The pros pulled technical trick after technical trick, “You Rippa!” The guy on the P.A would yell, “540 backside nollie over the hip!” Everyone cheered. “Give it up for the Girl skate team!” The guy with the mic would continue only to be met by a few lazy claps. Skaters after all aren’t the most enthusiastic people. Finding a decent view led to inventiveness though. The more confident would just step onto
the skatepark and sit by the boxes and ramps the pros would fly over. Some climbed a barb wire fence to get on top of an unused building.

The sun was strong. Skateparks only seem to intensify heat. The skaters didn’t seem perturbed save a few trips to the Girl tent for water. “It’s fucking awesome man. We have such a good crew,” tells Sean Malto while sipping some water. The twenty year old star has taken advantage of Australia’s legal drinking age during the tour.”Where I’m from there’s a lot of house parties and shit but we’ve been going to bars and living the whole being able to drink thing. Almost every night when we’re out here.” A good looking kid with loads of talent and an air of fame, ladies must be at his beck and call. “Not me man,” he laughs, “I haven’t gotten any girls while I’ve been here. I dunno, been on a little dry spell I guess.”

The demo ended with a big Japan air by Eric Koston. The cheers were large to which Koston jokingly responded, “I am fucking awesome!” The kids swarmed the park for autographs and give-aways, the skaters got on the bus and the skatepark filled with local skaters like it was any other day.

The rest of the Girl skate tour schedule:

27th – Arrive Devonport 6:00am, drive to Hobart, skate Hobart
28th – Skate Hobart, Demo Elizabeth College 4:00pm
Mar 1st – Skate Hobart
2nd – Depart for US