This is a program from the California Free Former World Professional Skateboard Championships. The price purse was $20,000, or about $116,000 compared to buying power in 2026. The event was held at the Long Beach Arena, and put together by a concert promoter. The 1977 California Free Former World Professional Skateboard Championships would be held in Akron, Ohio of all places. This program is slightly over 8’5 x 11″. The cover is glossy heavy almost card stock. The interior pages are glossy too, heavier than normal magazine paper but not as heavy as the cover. This program comes from the collection of Mark Conahan.
Sanctioning Body: World Skateboard Association
Rules And Production: Professional Skateboard Association Of America & Pacific Skateboard Association
Sponsored By: California Free Former Skateboards
Presented By: Wolf & Rissmiller Concerts & World Wide Entertainment
Skaters on the right page, as listed on page 14: 1 – Mike Weed, 2 – Mark Bowden, 3 – Skitch Hitchcock, 4 – Stacy Peralta
Check out that schedule. At 7:00 there’s something called “Flash Cadillac.”
INVITATIONAL COMPETITION Although there are now thousands of skateboarders in this country (with the number of foreign enthusiasts rising fast), there are perhaps only a handful who can lay claim to the title “World’s Best.” Now to award this title and $20,000 cash prize money, fifty performing contestants (selected for their outstanding achievement, professional experience and unique talent) have been invited from around the world to participate in the biggest PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP ever held.
Photos by James O’Mahoney and More pics by Warren Bolster with Thanks to “Magic Rolling Board” And Alfred Maldonado, Plus Skateboard and Skateboarder For information!
Competitor close up gallery after the main pages.
FREESTYLE JUDGING
The freestyler will have five judges evaluating each routine, (trials a minimum of 90 seconds and finals 2 minutes). The areas considered to formulate competitor’s score include:
(A) STYLE. Fluidity and composure
(B) DEGREE of DIFFICULTY: balance, skill, strength
(C) EXECUTION: variety, form, duration, finale.The scoring system awards 10 points for each area of consideration, 30 points possible for each routine (with use of half-point increments).
10 – PERFECT
9 – NEAR PERFECT
8 – EXCELLENT
7 – VERY GOOD
6 – GOOD
5 – FAIR
4 – AVERAGE
3 – BELOW AVERAGE
2 – POOR
1 – BAD
Skaters on this spread: 1 – Russ Howell, 2 – Tony Alva, 3 – Laura Thornhill, 4 – Torger Johnson, 5 – Greg Weaver, 6 – Warren Bolster.
Left page skaters: 1 – Curt Lindgren, 2 – Tom Sims, 3 – Bruce Logan, 4 – Don Andre, 5 – Ellen Berryman, 6 – Steve Brown, 7 – Steve and Barrie Boehne, 8 – Desiree Crisp,
Right Page skaters: 1 – Robin Alaway, 2 – Chris Yandell , 3 – Bob Mohr.
Skaters: Left page inset is not named. 1 – Debbie Eldridge, 2- Henry Hester, 3 – Jim Higham, 4 – Steve Cathy, 5 – Tommy Ryan, 6 – Steve Shipp. 7 – Ed Nadalin, 8 – Gordon & Smith FibreFlex racing team, 9 – Roy Jamison.
Skaters: 1 – Bob Skoldberg, 2 -Rhino Catamaran Demonstration Team, 3 – Bob Jarvis, 4 – Ty Page, 5 – Gary Kocot, 6 – Ed Nadalin. Inset bottom right is not named.
Ads for IKS Bearings and California Free Former plastic decks.
Back cover: Ad for California Free Former “plastic decks”Pro” model CF-P.
Here are the competitors with pictures in order of appearance.
Results?
Late breaking news on Skate and Annoy, the results from the 1976 Free Former World Professional Skateboard Championships. I’m just regurgitating the same results from elsewhere, notably the Skateboard Hall of Fame. The “Hot Dog” event and Speedracing are listed in the schedule, but I can’t find results anywhere. Barrell Jumping and High Jump are mentioned inside the program but not in the schedule.
Men’s freestyle
1. Chris Chaput
2. Ed Nadalin
3. Mike Weed
4. Gary Kocot
5. Russ Howell
Men’s slalom
1. Henry Hester
2. Bob Piercy
3. Mike Williams
Women’s freestyle
1. Ellen Berryman
2. Laura Thornhill
3. Ellen O’Neal
Women’s slalom
1. Desiree Von Essen
2. Terry Brown
3. Robin Logan
360’s
1. Bob Jarvis
2. Chris Chaput
3. Gary Kocot
4. Steve Shipp
5. Ed Nadalin
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