SOTW 4-4-11:
This week’s Shot of the Week is a photo of Michael “Kalmar” Moschinius taken by Martin Willners in 1981 at Araby-rampen in Växjö, Sweden. A few words from Michael on the shot:
The competition in Växjö was part of the “1981 Coca-Cola Cup” which was kind of a swedish championship. It wasn’t a skatepark but a single “Hollywood-ramp” (about 13 foot wide, 13 high and with 10-15 foot of flat in the bottom). It was built for skaters by skaters in a residential area. We had very few sponsors (a local ski-skate-windsurf shop). This was the kind of terrain we had in Sweden these days. No bowls, no pools, no parks, no concrete!
We had very few older persons involved at this time and it was almost impossible to find anyone with proper knowledge of the sport who could be judges. Therefore we had to choose tricks from a printed list, write them down and give to judge and then preform them in the exact order during the run. Crazy, but better than nothing!
Did you know skateboarding was forbidden in almost all swedish citys during the late ’70s? If the cop came you better run as hell. But it was even worse in Norway: all import, manufacturing and sales was forbidden and it was even forbidden to own a skateboard!!
In the late 70’s and early 80’s Michael was a contemporary of Tony Magnusson, competing and sometimes beating him on the Swedish circuit. It’s not all in the past, Moschinius still skates.
Check out the Shot of the Week.
Dig the no-rails. Or tail-bone, nose-bone, lapper, coppers. That’s early for no plastic on a board, isn’t it? Or stickers even. Must be a sign of how difficult it was to get various stuff imported. Makes the contest seem that much more impressive.
I was digg’n the one Indy one Tracker set up.
I see some stickers above and below the Mk.I Caballero logo.
That is an amazing story,just awesome. Makes me proud,and humble.
Us dutch are a bunch of unorganised spoiled brats. I (put on my kneepads and) kneel and bow towards the swedes. Much respect.
I love this history of the sport we all live for!
It doesn’t look like either halfpipe in the photo has roll-out decks – anyone else learn on these? The only way to the top was pumping and just getting the 1-wheeler was pretty cool (man, I’m old…).