What do you get when 20 seasoned drinkers (and coincidentally amazing skateboarders) find themselves on a self-funded holiday abroad with absolutely no previous knowledge of the place or understanding of the local language?
A SHANGHAI MEAT-PIE.
Separate taxis and a few Instagram hints of where spots might be were the closest things we had to a tour guide for 17 long days. It wasn’t always easy, but between countless beers, durries and games of dice and with just the right amount of skateboarding thrown in the mix, you’d have to be trying pretty hard to have a shit time.
MATT D’AMBROSIO | FAKIE FLIP
This was the closest moment we had to assembling the entire 20 man crew at a single spot the entire trip. Couple 20 hungry skaters with a crowd of at least triple that size in close proximity to some slum-style Chinese construction work and you can only guarantee one thing; total chaos. Between offers for us to perform as a group at an upcoming mall opening, a few near misses with rogue infants and four hours on the clock, the boys put a real hurting on this impromptu demo.
“Couple 20 hungry skaters with a crowd of at least triple that size in close proximity to some slum-style Chinese construction work and you can only guarantee one thing; total chaos.”
CAMERON MARKIN | FRONTSIDE OLLIE
Yeah, That’s right! Cameron Markin! The guy who photographed every inch of this article (except for this shot) where he handed the camera to Lewis Wood. Boom!
JAROD ‘BOGGO’ BOGUNOVICH | FRONTSIDE LIPSLIDE, BLUNTSLIDE TO FAKIE
This one came way out of left field. While Jason, Harry and I were doing our best to capture the madness and excitement of everyone’s first spot of the trip, Boggo patiently waited, before casually asking if I’d like to see this trick out forward or fakie. No more than five minutes later he’d claimed arguably the best trick of the day… out fakie.
LEWIS WOOD – OLLIE
We played a fun little game here. It didn’t have a name, but involved sending everyone around the building to make as much noise and ultimately be as annoying as possible. Thereby drawing the security far enough away that Lewis had time to climb up this bank and clear the gap… First try.
JACK BRIDGES | SWITCH OLLIE
While out on the streets in search of some ‘tension relief’ Jack found this spot right around the corner from the hotel. He did this trick multiple times, at my request, before rolling away directly into the Sumo Massage Parlour.
“Lewis looked understandably nervous. From my vantage point some 30 metRES away he could be seen visibly shaking at the run up”
LEWIS WOOD | BOARDSLIDE
It only took Lewis a few hours from arriving in Shanghai to stumble across this beast. The boardslide claim was immediately laid and a few days later it was executed as easily as it had been called up. As we were quietly setting up to avoid getting the boot from the heavily patrolled Bund River district. He looked understandably nervous. From my vantage point some 30 metres away he could be seen visibly shaking at the run up. Life, limb and pride on the line he made quick work of this terrifying feat.
