On Board for Lowe Syndrome.

Skaters Set to Cross America by Board

MORRO BAY, CA.
A team of California skateboarders is poised to make history this summer. The group, including some of the legendary figures in the sport, will kick off August 2nd in Newport, Oregon on a cross-country board trek that will take them nearly 3,000 miles. For some of the skaters, it will be a repeat performance.

Jack Smith, organizer of the venture known as Skateboarding Across America - On Board for Lowe Syndrome, first crossed the nation by skateboard back in 1976, joining two friends on a record-setting push from Lebanon, Oregon, to Williamsburg, Virginia, that spanned 32 days. A few years later, Smith teamed with veteran skaters Paul Dunn, Gary Fluitt and Bob Denike to improve his own mark, finishing the coast-to-coast transit in just 26 days in a trek that raised funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. This year he hopes to do even better.

Smith, Fluitt and Dunn will reunite in August to make a new push for the record books. With teammate Nick Krest, they plan to cut the trans-America skateboard journey to just 21 days.

"This time it will be a lot harder," Smith said. “Most of us are in our 40’s now, we have jobs and families, and pushing a skateboard 150 miles a day isn’t so easy on old bones."

Still, the skaters are confident that their quixotic venture will be triumphant. They plan to tap a new generation of specialized skating equipment to cover the long stretches of roadway, and they expect to be joined en route by some of today’s top skaters. But the real difference between this year’s journey and previous trips is more personal and more heartfelt than that.

Skateboarding Across America - On Board for Lowe Syndrome aims to draw attention to a rare genetic disorder that claimed the life of Smith’s 14-year-old son, Jack Marshall Smith, in May of this year. Originally known as oculo-cerebro-renal or OCRL syndrome, Lowe Syndrome was identified in 1952 by Dr. Charles Lowe and colleagues. It affects only boys, causing physical and mental handicaps and a range of medical complications.

“My son has been an incredible inspiration to myself and many others whose lives he has touched,” says Smith. “This is my chance to pay him back for all that he taught me.”

To make the journey in a record-setting three weeks, the team will need to cover about 150 miles a day, no mean feat on a skateboard, even for athletes a couple of decades younger than Smith, Fluitt, Krest and Dunn. To make this possible, Skateboarding Across America hopes to attract a broad range of sponsors. All proceeds from the journey will be donated to the Lowe Syndrome Association.

Details of the cross-country skateboard trek, including the team’s itinerary, have been posted at www.ncdsa.com.

Information aboutLowe Syndrome is available at www.lowesyndrome.org.

Contact: Jack Smith, 805-597-5722, jack@videoactionsports.com

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The IASC Ebay auction.

Help Support the International Association of Skateboard Companies and get rare, cool skateboard paraphenelia too.
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When you buy from the IASC auctions you are helping support skateboarding. Get rare finds, pro autographed products and more. The IASC is a non profit association. For more info go to www.SkateboardIASC.org

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Or you could just click here.

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Bayview Rumble.

It’s official, Tum Yeto will be participating in the upcoming Bayview Rumble in San Francisco. The Bayview Rumble is a pure skateboarding event that we are proud to be a part of. It’s on August 30-31, are you in? Contact your sales reps:

Amy Stobbe - CA, NY, NJ, NC 1-800-TUMYETO amy@tumyeto.net

Erin Gavin - all other states 1-800-TUMYETO erin@tumyeto.net

Check out Bayview Rumble for even more info.

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Foundation news, plus a new rider.

Foundation is getting geared up to be part of the Tum Yeto team on Thrasher’s own "KINGS OF THE ROAD" event. The event starts on the East Coast August 15th and ends in San Francisco, CA on August 30th. Tum Yeto is putting together the best of the best team for this event. For more info go to http://www.thrashermagazine.com/

Matt Allen has flown the coop from his old team to ride for the Foundation Super Company!!! Matt is on a mission and will have a full-length part in the upcoming Foundation video entitled "THAT's LIFE".

Justin Strubing is still in beautiful Barcelona, Spain filming for his part in the upcoming Foundation video, while the rest of the team is traveling the US collecting hammers for sure.

After hearing Tony Silva brag about all the good spots he gets to skate in Colorado, Leo Romero booked himself a flight right away. Lee is now having a blast in Colorado with his friend and teammate Tony.

Corey Duffel nearly escaped death on the 88 Footwear tour when the team RV burst into flames while doing 90mph on the freeway. Everyone quickly jumped out and watched the whole RV just melt away. Evidently while everyone was stunned and still shaken up over the event, Corey Duffel was laughing hysterically, thinking that this was the funniest thing he had ever seen. After all this went down, the 88 team rented a new vehicle and will continue to finish the tour to Toronto, Canada.

Gareth Stehr will be visiting the south for the first time, meeting up with Pig Wheels and Dekline teammate Ben Gilley, and Patrick Melcher. They have a few demos lined up, plus a lot of chaos.

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Memorial Skatepark.

Construction began this week and the park should be completed late October/early November. The park is located at the corner of 30th St and Marcy Ave in Southeast San Diego, only blocks away from the Tum Yeto headquarters. The park will aslo feature an old school snakerun, beginner bowls and lots of real street features (handrails, ledges, stairs, gaps, etc).

Stay tuned for info on the grand opening! We'll report it when we know about it.

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