NASS 2009 Write Up

“Alex, we need you at NASS, we’ll get someone up there to cover you – Can you arrange yourself a flight down?” – Not the words I was hoping to hear from Nick Ousley when he rang me just a week before the event.
You see, I’m up doing some work in the Edinburgh store at the moment and I thought my good deeds up here would allow me to get out of the annual pilgrimage to those far away grassy hills of deepest, darkest Cider country; Shepton Mallet. Where they all talk funny and marry their cousins (or something like that!)


Now, don’t get me wrong – NASS is a fantastic festival and every time I go I do thoroughly enjoy myself. It’s just that every year I seem to take with me a curse that means, no matter how systematically I plan for every eventuality, something will always go wrong to increase the journey time home dramatically. Most of you that read my account last year will no doubt re-call my moanful regaling of arriving home, bleary eyed, at 3am on the morning of my 29th Birthday to find my tea sat there cold, the gravy with a skin on… Add that to the previous year that saw Avid, Linskey and I sat aboard a 9 hour plus train ride from Bristol to Leeds that seemed to want to show us every quaint, picture postcard station in South Wales (Yeah, we ended up with a detour into a different country!) and you’ll understand my scepticism. “Ah, sod it. Yeah, I’ll come” came my reply. Surely nothing could go wrong three years on the trot?

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New Schaeffer McLean Edit, Not To Be Missed

When our Schaeffer's not making grown women swoon, he also likes to skate a bit. Check it out below and prepare to be amazed. Remember Schaeffer's only 5 years old, big things are predicted...

NASS '09 Skate Edit

Has it really been a week already since it all kicked off? Yes is the answer to that, believe it or not and in that time our videographer (he'll like that) has banged this little skate edit together featuring the likes of Ben Raemers, Stu Graham, Amir Williams, Doug McLaughlan, Manhead and many more. Check it out.


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Supra Skytop II - We've seen it!

Yesterday was the long anticipated launch of the Skytop 2 for Supra shoes and Route One was there in full effect. We got to the party nice and early to make the most of the day. The party was all happening at a 'proper' little boozer in the east end of London. The Griffin is just around the corner from the Old Blue Last and is just as beaten up as that famous party venue with equal amounts of character and charisma, no pretensions here just good times.

The Skytop 2 was being kept completely under wraps, the only people allowed to see the shoe being a select number of UK stores (about ten in total) and that was it. Supra have been really hit over the last year with a huge influx of fakes hitting the web. These hooky shoes are generally really crappy, but with so many out there and Supra being in such demand, it is definitely a problem for them. So, for the release of their next big shoe the guys at Supra were not playing. Unless you were on the list and bothered to go to the viewing you were not gonna see this shoe until it hits stores early next year. No doubt we were there……with bells on.


We don't want to ruin the anticipation for the shoe, but suffice to say that Supra have done it again, producing yet another banging high top that will keep the streets rocking for a while. We like the shoe a lot, there were even arguments that it was Supra's best yet, but that kind of half drunk conversation between sneaker geeks is best left in the pub……………………………………….the shoe is good, really good. Nuff said.

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NASS '09 Girls Comp Edit

Here we have a short but sweet edit of the Girls comp at last weekends NASS. Featuring the likes of Lois Pendlebury, Lucy Adams, Sophie Allen, Danielle Mellor and Sabrina Goggel and of course not forgetting Route One's very own Sam Bruce.
Looks pretty good to us, certainly enough skills there to be giving the lads a run for their money...


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Inline Finals - NASS '09

Check out this edit of the best of the inline comp and the best trick comp at this years NASS as afilmed by our resident videographer. Sweet moves.

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Skate edit to follow tomorrow...

More DC Dates For Your Diary

DC’s King Of Series global grassroots skateboarding contest returns for its fourth year, touring to five new infamous skate spots worldwide throughout 2009. The series kicks off in Dublin on 25th & 26th July, and then moves on to Vancouver, Rome, Philadelphia and ending in Sydney.

This one-of-a-kind contest travels to local street skate spots in cities across the globe, welcoming the city’s best unsponsored skateboarders to compete in a jam format contest. A win at these contests gives undiscovered street skaters more than just their local city’s respect. The winners walk away with instant global exposure throughout the skate world and a spot on DC’s newly formed DC Kings Team, DC’s latest skate squad based completely of DC King Of contest winners.


The series launched in 2006, culminating at Manhattan’s legendary Brooklyn Banks. Since then the DC King Of Series has called on undiscovered skateboarders from all over the world to battle for each city’s coveted title. In 2007, the DC King Of Series traveled to the west coast for DC King of Los Angeles, and later that year went worldwide with the DC King of Barcelona. In 2008, the DC King Of Sao Paulo was held followed by DC King Of Los Angeles II, each crowning its own King.

Each DC King Of contest will be held over two days at two well-known local spots in each city. One tech spot, and one gap or rail spot will be used to test the Skateboarders’ abilities. Each contest will have up to 50 of the city’s top unsponsored skaters who will compete both days for the crown. The 50 contestants will be divided into four heats. Each heat will be given a 15-minute practice session, followed by a 30-minute jam format. DC’s Global Pro Skate Team will be on hand to judge the skaters, and will determine the winner who will join the DC King’s Team. The one skateboarder with the highest total score for both days combined will be Crowned their city’s DC King.

Stay tuned for more details on the pros in attendance and how to get involved yourself.

A DC Date For Your Diary

To celebrate the launch of legendary skate photographer Mike Blabac’s photo book “Blabac Photo: The Art of Skateboard Photography” and the release of his limited edition DC Signature Shoe, DC is hosting a launch party on Weds 22nd July, from 6pm – 10pm at the Maverik Showroom in Shoreditch, London. The exhibition will then open to the general public from Thursday 23rd -31st July.

Mike Blabac will be there on the evening talking about his photos and signing copies of his book along with several of the US and European DC riders who feature in the book, including Colin McKay and Ryan Smith. Chances are you won't get in to the launch party, but hang around outside and maybe you'll see some stars. The exhibition proper is something you'll not want to miss out on though...

Manhead Takes 2nd Place At NASS!

If you can remember it, you probably weren't there... Lucky we've got a bundle of photos to remind us of what a quality weekend it was then!
As you'll see below, our very own Manhead took 2nd place overall in the street skate competition and takes home a massive cheque for his troubles. Good work son.


We'll have a full write up when our memories start flooding back, but for now, be content with this photo of the youngest and newest member of the Route One Team, Schaeffer McLean, winning over the Loaded Ladies with his many charms...

NASS '09 IS Nearly Upon Us

If you weren't aware and why the hell not, NASS 2009 is happening this weekend! Situated once again in the beautiful Somerset fields of Shepton Mallet, this years event promises to be the biggest and best yet.

Featuring an amazing lineup of music - NERD, CKY, Chase & Status, Lethal Bizzle, Shy FX, The Scratch Perverts and Route One's Favourites, The Nextmen, among many others.
In addition to the tunes, there'll be the usual assortment of skate, BMX, inline and FMX, plus the likes of parkour, mountain biking and streetboarding.

It's not only the pros who can get involved this year either, spot comps allows all comers to get involved and show the big boys how it's done. There's also a video comp for all you budding Scorcese's out there. Shoot some footage at one of the events, edit it within a week and enter it to win big.

As ever, Route One will be out in force, with team riders competing in the skate and inline events, plus the Route One MegaStall back in full effect with bargains galore and the famous sound system deafening anyone careless enough to wander nearby!

Tickets are still available, and will be throughout the weekend on the gate, so if you've not got yours yet and are at a loose end, get down and get involved. It's a weekend you'll never forget!