Verb launched their artist-series skateboards and clothing at the City Slickers exhibition in Cape Town in April. The exhibition opening was packed out and everyone had a crazy good time mashing up skateboarding, art, wine and cupcakes. You can now get hold of Verb gear at Revolution stores nationwide. Verb have also started getting involved with the Woodies Edgemead monthly skate jams, giving away a board to the best trick of the day. Get over there and help Woodies develop the community park. Verb will also be launching their Verb RE-SKATE Program in June, encouraging skateboarders to donate old boards, shoes, clothing and hardware in Revolution stores and distributing them to the communities that need it most.

PLANKIE PLANKIE Jansen and Joubert van Staden who both have their interview's in this issue of Session are also the brothers behind the Plankie Plankie videos and now Plankie Plankie Skateboards. The team consists so far of Jansen, Joubert and now newly added Charl 'Skippy' Steyn who was riding for Iron Fist.

It has been long enough that JHB was without a decent vert ramp but not anymore. Jacques Allison along with the guys at vert got tired of waiting for some odd company to build a vert ramp only for financial gain and took the matter into their own hands and privatly funded this new 12 ft beast in JHB. The ramp is located at Base3 in Midrand which is a cable wakeboarding venue and has all the necessary facilities like toilets, shops, good security and permanent staff to help with running the ramp. Jacques has a agreement with the owners who do a revenue share on what comes in from skaters and hopefully some branding on the ramp, sponsors take note! Skaters will be charged to skate at a day fee which will help the lads get back some of the cash they put up as well as for the ramps up-keep as time goes by. The first ramp builders Session went down on the 1 May and an official ramp opening will be held on Saturday, July 17. For more information be sure to get in contact with Jacques Session will also be running an article in one of the upcoming issues on the new vert ramp so be sure to check it out or get down their, get your pads on and get some air.

Slip skateboards has fi nalised their team, and are stoked that Werner Lamprecht, Dennis Collins, and Hein Kotze have joined them. 'They’re all talented lads who fit right in with the company vibe, so we’re looking forward to great things coming from these guys' said Alwyn van Niekerk Slip owner. Check out Dennis Collins in the contents pages. They will also be establishing a flow team in the very near future to support new up and coming riders out there that deserve some free product. The company website has been undergoing a lot of changes aimed at keeping everybody in the loop with what’s happening and showcase their team riders and products.

Funisu Skateboards is a new board company from Johannesburg. The team consists of Wandile Msomi, Maanda Mulaudzi, Prevash Manga and Sam Khumalo who is on the cover of this issue of Session.

Zoo York South Africa recently held a team search contest at the Wavehouse skatepark in DBN with the aim being to sign up 4 new riders to their Local team. Making the cut are Matt Chaplin a young underground DBN ripper, Keanu Robson a lad originally from Manchester, England who is now living in Durban who is said to have a super smooth style and Zoo York are expecting big thngs from him. Also making it is well known Durbanite Kelvin Kotze who used to ride for KFD and long time transition slayer Ryan Arends so be sure to look out for the new Zoo York team at your local parks and spots.

10 TH ANNUAL FUCK THE BUCK It’s nearly that time of year again for the annual Fuck the Buck Tour. For those of you who have never attended I suggest you get there this year as these contests are all about vibe, good skateboarding, lots of beers, braais and cherries. So make a mission to George’s Skatelab on the 10th of July and partake in the chaos.

The Mini Ramp Meltdown Series is kicking off on 15 May 2010 at the Sport Unlimited mini ramp in Belville, Cape Town. There will be 4 mini ramp comps throughout 2010 and the fi rst one is the Almost, DVS and Tensor comp. All the comps run from 1pm - 5pm and feature a best trick jam for beginners as well as pros. There will be loads of prizes for each comp as well as prize money so make sure you get down there, have some fun and scoop some prizes. This series is part of the nationwide Team Search for sponsored riders for the Almost, Blind, Cliché, Darkstar and Enjoi teams so make sure you get down there if you’re serious about wanting an international fl ow sponsorship. Dates of Miniramp Meltdowns 15 May - Almost, DVS, Tensor comp 17 July - Cliche, Lakai, Tensor comp 18 September - Enjoi, Lakai, Tensor comp 11 December - KFD, Fallen, Killer comp

The Red Bull Manny Mania contest is taking place at the wavehouse in Durban on the 18th of July. It is a world amateur skate comp with the winner being sent to New York in August 2010.

DC teamrider Yann Horowitz is currently skate-touring around Europe demolishing spots as he goes. Yann has a travel blog where he documents his travels so that his peeps can follow what he is up to on his blog. Another DC teamrider Lloyd Hodoul was recently involved in a car accident which rendered his beemer a write-off, Lloyd is a lil rattled but still in one piece, no injuries thanks to airbags. The story is that some Queensburgh robbies jumped a T-junction stop and took the corner wide, crossing over into Lloyd’s lane. Lloyd’s evasive action had him ramp the pavement, deflect off a tree and roll down an embankment!!!

Figure rebel Philly Alves is busy filming for AV7, he is also filming for the figure video that their busy with. Jean Smit has a happy day in this issue and is also busy filming his part. Jaques Erasmus is healing super quick from his ankle injury and should be rideing in no time. Anton Brundyn is heading for Durban to film his surfing section and visit the valley of a 1000 hills to film there aswell.

Clinton Theron brand and team manager over at element SA got married last month to his long time sweetheart Casey in Jeffreys Bay, we wish them both a long and joyous futute together. In other element news Element will also be presenting TRIO a new video which launched on May 14th via the element website, full parts from Levi Brown, Chad Tim Tim and Darrell Stanton so be sure to check it out.

We left on the Tuesday from Jozi around 10am, shortly after we landed up J-walking across the highway to say goodbye to some Slovenian punk-ska band RedFivePointStar and headed to Richmond where we stayed overnight.
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This would be the very first time all the guys would be together for a trip. I have primarily gone on Familia trips where we are all friends, so entering a new and different dynamic left a lot of questions. I had visions of the one guy being a drinker and a fighter, another guy getting arrested.
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Jean-Marc is pure skateboarding dynamite in a small package. Although there has been no increase in his height in the time I have known him, his skating seems to get better by the day. This kid needs as much coverage as possible because he just plain kills it.
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PHONE RINGS: Joubert: Hallo, all right en jy, ek is besig met die interview by Bod’s place. Jy is seker nog by Menlin... juslike! Ek sal jou by die huis sien. Dude ek het nuwe series shit gekry dis cool ek sal you wys by die huis cool cheers dude.
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Element Toms Tour
One For One Under The African Sun (Copy Dave Allan) (Photos Clinton Theron)

Ive been accused of being a cynic on more than one occasion. It is the automatic response that all is not as it seems, or something along those lines. Im working on it? Moving swiftly along, during the beginning of October we were set to welcome a team of travelers from TOMS shoes, and our colleagues from Element USA. It was the beginning of the ElementTOMS board and shoe drop. Its been a year or more in the planning from our side and apparently 2 years and some change from the good people across the Atlantic. Here is the concept. For every pair of TOMS shoes you buy, the benevolent people at TOMS will give, gratis, a pair of shoes to a childperson in need. You read that correctly the first time. Buy one, give one away. Its called a One for One model, and TOMS seem to be pioneering a new way of doing things.

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Zoo York SA Tour
"I Survived a Joburg Blackout" (Words Luke Jackson)

The Zoo York international tour to South Africa took place in the second week of April and included visits to Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg. Zoo riders Zered Bassett, Forrest Kirby and Brandon Westgate made the long trip across the pond and put together what Im calling the most productive international tour ever to go down in the country and, well, the continent of Africa for that matter. They did five demos in six days, hit countless street spots in all three cities, went out every night and managed a trip to the Lion park If thats not a productive week then I dont know what is.

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Ugandas skateboarders fly high
Kampalas skateboard park gives youths direction and discipline.

KAMPALA, Uganda — Kampala doesnt lend itself to skateboarding. The roads are either potholed, traffic-clogged or dirt, the sidewalks are cracked and pitted with open manholes, the curbs broken.

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South African Skateboarding
in the 80s

Braxton Haine Interview

Christi Wiehahn Interview

JP Du Preez Interview

Ride The Best - Ride The Northwest

South Africa is Making History