Amazing surfing video of Matt Meola

It is difficult to watch this video of Matt Meola surfing and not think of the evolution of skateboarding, particularly the transition between freestyle skating and the invention of vert in the empty swimming pools of southern California. Most of the stuff he does looks impossible. (via matt's a.whole)

Update: Gah, the video has been pulled offline for some reason. Here's another one, not quite as good. You can also try YouTube.

The evolution of skateboarding

The 1965 Skateboard Championships:

Del Mar Nationals, 1975:

The Bones Brigade Video Show, 1984:

Tony Hawk at X-Games, 1996:

Big Air competition at X-Games, 2008:

(thx, brian)

Update: The first video got removed from Vimeo...found a replacement on Google Video.

Speed skateboarding

HD video of two guys in powder-blue suits skateboarding down a hill at high velocity. This is insane, insane, insane...they even pass a car on the way down. Fast forward to 2:20 for the good stuff. (thx, dunstan)

Update: Michael Sippey made a topological map of the route these guys took.

Slo-mo skate video

Gorgeous slow-mo HD skateboarding video. You can really see the crazy things that the boards do in the air. (via justin blanton)

Beautiful, beautiful slow-motion skate video intro by

Beautiful, beautiful slow-motion skate video intro by Spike Jonze. The video it's taken from isn't too shoddy either...here's a typical glowing review. (via avenues)

Designers often have the design disease, where

Designers often have the design disease, where you "can't stop looking at things through your designer eyes". "But it's not just books, it's everything. You'll choose wine by the design of the label and you'd stay [at a hotel] because of the sign." (via emdashes)

Update: Bruce writes: "A parallel affliction to the Design Disease is Climber's Complaint, wherein someone who takes up rock climbing begins to see every object and architecture as potentially climbable. Similarly, Skater's Disorder afflicts those for whom every surface is seen to exhibit some measure of skate-worthiness."

Skateboarder Bob Burnquist has built the world's

Skateboarder Bob Burnquist has built the world's first permanent Mega Ramp, a structure pioneered by Danny Way, who used one to jump the Great Wall of China on a skateboard.

The 100 best skateboarding photos on Flickr.

The 100 best skateboarding photos on Flickr.

Slate ruminates on Danny Way's giant skateboard

Slate ruminates on Danny Way's giant skateboard ramp. Videos of people actually using this beautiful monstrosity are available on Way's site. Oh, and he jumped The Great Wall of China on a skateboard earlier this year.

Danny Way, a pioneer in distance and

Danny Way, a pioneer in distance and height skateboard jumping, will be attempting to jump the Great Wall of China on a skateboard tomorrow. He'll trying to break a couple records along the way as well: height out of a skateboard ramp and speed on a skateboard.

Great photo of a skater in Tribeca Park

Great photo of a skater in Tribeca Park.