Yeah it’s a tired Clash reference, but at least I didn’t title it London Calling. Our Czech ex-pat Marek Litinski went back to the fatherland (motherland?) for a week and got stuck in London for an extra week becasue his “papers weren’t in order,” or so he claims to his wife… While he was there he happened on the Quiksilver Bowlriders contest in Cantelowes, a Dreamland park that we posted about earlier. Some of the eurpean skate sites have video from that contest up. Now Marek supposedly finished 4th, but must have done somehting to piss off the locals because every time he comes on camera the cut to a different guy. I begged Marek to bring a camera with him so we could get a little European skate coverage that wasn’t hand me down, and he obliged. When I spoke to him on his return, he said the thing that made the biggest impression on him was the fact that adults were allowed to openly drink beer in the presence of minors without the Aumsville Police U.K. equivalent of the National Guard being called out. Ironically, he was also present when Lodoners had near riot conditions during an all…

The Gabriel Park skatepark is nearly done. It’s not open yet but the Airspeed crew was engaged in some “dry runs” last Sunday when the weather was (finally) nice. In person, the park is much different than it looks in construction photos, or these photos, for that matter. I was a little worried about excessive flat bottom in the middle area, but it’s not a problem. It’s almost as if these guys know what they are doing. Imagine that! This park is unlike anything the Portland area has to offer and will make an excellent addition the local terrain and lore. The concrete is smooth and the lines are varied. I would say that you’d have to be mentally challenged to not have fun here, but that would assume I’ve actually ridden it…

This week’s Shot of the Week is Mark Conahan at the nearly finished Gabriel Park skatepark. When it actually opens for business pleasure is unknown for sure. There’s still a pour or two and a lot of landscaping to go. The crew was on site yesterday and gave Mark Conahan the opportunity to air off the extension. Check out the full size Shot of the Week

So I get a call and some on tells me Gabriel is still not open, yet the footage you are about to witness would lead you to believe the opposite but as you can plainly read Gabriel is closed? “Kooks go home,” is what I was told.

Dropping In: The True Story of Don Wimmer. It’s about time. I’m so sick of all the lies and hype… Errr.. Wha? There’s a movie about a guy who ditched his career as a CPA to try and become a pro skater at age 42. No, it’s not Grover, but it does sound like an elaborate setup for a joke. Don is Concrete Wave’s 2008 “Speedboarder of the Year,” so I’m guessing he’s either good at downhill (er.. speedboarding) or is a fan favorite. You can watch the dmovie for free this weekend, after which you’ll have to pay for the DVD or wait till it hits Fuel TV or something. More info at Dropping In, or watch it here after the jump.

She says: I hope I don’t break my neck! Yeah, that would be a real, uh, shame.

The end is near! The GVK Photo Manipulation Kontest ends Sunday at Midnight! Get those images done this weekend if you want a chance to win a free skateboard and some assorted schwag. This entry comes courtesy of Seth Berg. Of course if you just want a chance to win a skateboard without having to spend any creative energy, check out this contest over at Sacrifice Skateboards.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this approach to building a bowl. It seem like one where somebody would suggest it and then more experienced heads would intervene and say something like “Sure, it’s possible, but not really advisable.” In any case, these shots come to us from 13th Street Skateboarding, a modest web site without pretension that is dedicated to covering skateboarding in Missouri. This same park has age restrictions, meaning if you are over 17 you can only skate at certain times. Ridiculous, but not unheard of in Missouri. The St Charles County skatepark near St Louis Missouri also has such restrictions, although I’ve heard they have loosened somewhat. I love the Midwest. That’s why I moved to Oregon! But for all my fallen brothers who were left behind, check out 13 Street.