Table of contents for 211 in Slam Skateboarding

DC X FAST TIMES GIVEAWAY Feeling the frosty effects of winter? Shiver no more. DC and Fast Times Skateboarding have come together to create a limited edition winter collection. Born from “revisiting and ultimately celebrating a classic era in skateboarding”, the collection features the Lynx S Prestige shoe with a colourway inspired by the streets of Melbourne – including charcoal greys from the Swanston Street sidewalk, champagne gold from the Flinders Street rails, and rich burgundy from Melbourne’s iconic Town Hall. Quite classy! The pack also consists of tees, pants and a jacket. For your chance to take home this collection of goods, simply tell us what you love the most about Melbourne skateboarding. Whether it’s the spots, the history, the locals, something completely left field, or a combination of…

Growing up in Perth, Western Australia, in the ’80s, there were literally no public skateparks, but occasionally you would hear tales of some kind of gnarly snake track or skate run down in Albany. It was elusive – a bit like the Tasmanian tiger. During that time it was impossible to imagine some kind of concrete behemoth that was dedicated to sideways rolling. Sure enough, though, over a decade before we had even discovered skating, there were a group of kids, a dedicated dad, and a lateral-thinking school principal who were making history in a shrinking whaling town in the south. This mythical beast, that they fundraised and rallied for, recently turned 40 and copped a heritage listing as its birthday cake. In the early-to-mid-’70s, the feverish peak that skating…

This picture was taken the very next day after the bulldozers muscled their way in to destroy Melbourne skateboarding’s most popular plaza of the past decade, Lincoln Square. It took a mere day to tear up the beloved stomping ground. When I arrived, all that was left were the walls around the plaza and some stairs with zero run up. It was a strange feeling rummaging through the rubble while thinking of better times at what was once a happy sanctuary for all skateboarders. Vibes were at an all-time low for those who called this place home. I heard countless comments from random pedestrians, mumbling things along the lines of, “Oh, that is so sad,” “Why would they ruin the ground like this?” and, “What fun-wreckers.” It has been a…

Melbourne is the best city in Australia for skateboarding – there, I said it. On top of the bluestone footpaths, convenient public transport system and not-too-big, not-too-small size, there’s something in the Melbourne air that makes skating here special. What is it, exactly? It could be the legacy of the skaters and spots that came before. Here’s a list of some of the best Melbourne skate spots that no longer exist, as remembered by a few of the people who skated them best. We left out a bunch of spots that could easily warrant their own article, including the recently departed Lincoln Square. CITY SQUARE Andrew Mapstone: Well before the City Square was what it is today, it was a skate spot. It hosted pro demos from Natas, Gonz, Jason…

Melbourne is consistently named the world’s most liveable city; but by whom? The Economist, Wikipedia, The New York Times? None of that shit matters if you are a skateboarder. We see the city from a whole different perspective. Despite the loss of some very iconic street spots, Melbourne remains the place to be for anyone who wants to go further with skateboarding, or to simply enjoy it more. Over the past year, Melburnians have had many longstanding spots taken away – Tiles, Block City, suburban DIYs, and most recently, Lincoln Square. After suffering the loss of so many of these quality spots in such a short timeframe, will we see a decline in the city’s skateboarding scene? Not possible. Skateboarders will still be found on every street corner, and the…

-- THE SYMPTOMS -- After my 21st I went on a holiday and I wasn’t skating that much. When I was skating it was killing me. It was so painful all the time. I thought I was just unmotivated to skate. I was just a typical 21-year-old partying. I also noticed that whenever I was hungover I’d just be wrecked, so I decided I wouldn’t drink for a while. I took on a chef’s apprenticeship and thought I’d get better, but I gradually started getting worse and worse. I hadn’t skated in, like, three months, and when I did go for a skate I couldn’t breathe. From that moment I thought that there was something going on. I started getting really bad anxiety at work all the time because it…

“Charles is a motivated little bugger. First guy at the spot, first to get a trick, and first to call shotgun when we leave. Few kids have their head screwed on like Charles. He lives by the motto ‘skate and annoy’, and to his credit, he’s become pretty good at both. I think he’ll have a bright future in skateboarding.” – Riely Walker. “It’s people like Charles Robertson that make me believe China’s internet censorship laws are a good thing.” – Jae Overton.…

If you ever spent any amount of time at Lincoln Square, you would have noticed the small and tall ledges, some stairs, the water fountain, and one local in particular. That local was Lincoln Child. With his long blond hair and sweat-stained cap, he was a permanent part of the architecture. So what is your real name and who gave you the nickname, Lincoln Child? My full name is Ben River Lawrie. I’m not really sure who gave me the nickname. I want to say it was Matt Beck or maybe Chris Eacott. I can remember Ducky [Casey Foley] asking if I care that people call me that. Do you care? Or is it an honour to have such a name? No, I don’t care. I wouldn’t say it’s an…

KICKS DECKS…

FILM NIGHT AT THE GRIFTER BREWERY Photos: Thomas Robinson From left to right: 1) Joel Silbersher from iconic band GOD put on a show at The Grifter to accompany some classic Super 8 and 16mm skate footage played on the big screen. Austyn Gillette held Choi’s hand the entire flight home from LA to Sydney to be there. Welcome back. 2) Ricky Bro deep throat. 3) “Don’t fuck around at the Brewery” – Glenn Wignall. 4) Sammy Thornton and Josh Pall. 5) Nadia, Trent Evans, Ange, Willy Brown and Rachel. 6) Sparkes’ Fan Club: Greg Reiman from 335 Skate Supply, Andrea, Sparkes, good looking Tommy, innocent Corey, Palmy with his girl Lucy, and Ricky. POLARPREMIERE Photos: Eduardo Vieira From left to right: 1) The groms got in early for the…