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> KEN GIBBONS @ ST. MARYS - '89
While I never knew Ken Gibbons on a personal level, he was the very first pro skateboarder I ever rode with at the very first skatepark I ever rode at: St. Marys.
The year was 1989 and myself and 4 other young grommets that could barely roll found themselves in a heated session with Ken Gibbons in all his Bonzer days glory.
Ken flew all across this spined mini ramp with speed and style, hitting long stylish frontside grinds, contorted back foot rock 'n' rolls and multiple foot plant varieties, including his staple - the frontside boneless. He even rode his board backwards, which was unheard of in the day.
Trying desperately to get a roll, yet having little to no talent, myself and my crew served only to get in the way of this grandmaster as he showed all and sundry how to skate a spine ramp. That's me in the early part of this clip audaciously pre-empting Ken not making the air to pogo on the spine - he made it, and I had to bail out of a drop in directly in front of him, trying TWICE to recover my board out of his way as he returned.
Gav Stocker paid his grommet dues to Ken at the end of this clip by being mocked and taunted as he tried in vain to hit a tail tap!
We were all aware of our position in this session, we were the kooks, Ken and his crew were the pros and we felt honoured to even be on the same platform as him. For years to come we would all do rock 'n' rolls with the same back foot tweak that Ken did. Infact, it wasn't a rock 'n' roll to us unless you tweaked your back foot!
Over the recent 5 or 6 years I have had the pleasure to meet many of my skate idols from those early days of skateboarding and the one thing that always rings true when discussing the old days: we were all there having as much fun as each other. It didn't matter if you could rock 'n' roll the pool wall at St, Marys, or if you couldn't rock to fakie the smallest section, the level of enjoyment was equal.
With this tragic passing of Ken it saddens me to think that he will never get to see this footage and that I will never get to reminisce with him on a day that was fundamental to my skateboarding future.
To Ken's family and friends, your lose has been felt by many.
Here is Ken at that session ripping it up as only he could.
http://www.archive.org/download/BenonJuliusWilliamOttoKoebsch_52/kengibbons.mpg
(45mb)
RIP
dam thanx for the footie benon ,,,that was tight,,,lovin the indy,s to nose ,,and the frontal off the side of the wall ,,,and the boneless to get off the ramp was classic,,,kenny shreds ,,,rip
That's mad! So good that you still had that footage! Really good to see.
RIP Ken.
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ken gibbons @ st. marys - '89
benonkoebsch 12:39 15/Jul/06
While I never knew Ken Gibbons on a personal level, he was the very first pro skateboarder I ever rode with at the very first skatepark I ever rode at: St. Marys.
The year was 1989 and myself and 4 other young grommets that could barely roll found themselves in a heated session with Ken Gibbons in all his Bonzer days glory.
Ken flew all across this spined mini ramp with speed and style, hitting long stylish frontside grinds, contorted back foot rock 'n' rolls and multiple foot plant varieties, including his staple - the frontside boneless. He even rode his board backwards, which was unheard of in the day.
Trying desperately to get a roll, yet having little to no talent, myself and my crew served only to get in the way of this grandmaster as he showed all and sundry how to skate a spine ramp. That's me in the early part of this clip audaciously pre-empting Ken not making the air to pogo on the spine - he made it, and I had to bail out of a drop in directly in front of him, trying TWICE to recover my board out of his way as he returned.
Gav Stocker paid his grommet dues to Ken at the end of this clip by being mocked and taunted as he tried in vain to hit a tail tap!
We were all aware of our position in this session, we were the kooks, Ken and his crew were the pros and we felt honoured to even be on the same platform as him. For years to come we would all do rock 'n' rolls with the same back foot tweak that Ken did. Infact, it wasn't a rock 'n' roll to us unless you tweaked your back foot!
Over the recent 5 or 6 years I have had the pleasure to meet many of my skate idols from those early days of skateboarding and the one thing that always rings true when discussing the old days: we were all there having as much fun as each other. It didn't matter if you could rock 'n' roll the pool wall at St, Marys, or if you couldn't rock to fakie the smallest section, the level of enjoyment was equal.
With this tragic passing of Ken it saddens me to think that he will never get to see this footage and that I will never get to reminisce with him on a day that was fundamental to my skateboarding future.
To Ken's family and friends, your lose has been felt by many.
Here is Ken at that session ripping it up as only he could.
http://www.archive.org/download/BenonJuliusWilliamOttoKoebsch_52/kengibbons.mpg
(45mb)
RIP
JAKEBROWN 08:46 19/Jul/06
dam thanx for the footie benon ,,,that was tight,,,lovin the indy,s to nose ,,and the frontal off the side of the wall ,,,and the boneless to get off the ramp was classic,,,kenny shreds ,,,rip
A.Walker 13:38 19/Jul/06
That's mad! So good that you still had that footage! Really good to see.
RIP Ken.
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