Known by most in the Dubai scene as Kyle F****** Smith, Kyle is recognized by his unmistakeable suave style on and off the board. Hailing from England with roots in Jamaica, Kyle’s been steady killing spots and lean fast food chains across the cityscape. Chomp on this…

Just Kyle’s luck… Bangin’ backside kickflip to snapper. Yesterday in Zabeel Park, Dubai…

photos: evan

Martin Jaouni of Fujeirah came out to Dubai one sunny saturday in May and got this ollie up gap backside lip on these concrete benches in Deira. Martin is pretty much the nicest guy you’ll meet in the UAE, plus he’s got skills to look out for. Bulgarabia represent!

photos: evan

Art is skateboarding, skateboarding is art. Enjoy the graphics!

"Modern Equation" by Rollan Rodriguez (Evildogboy), "Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music" by Mohammed Al Shaibani, "Right Here, Right Now" by Eyan Lomuntad (DeepFry), "Mille-mare (a million seas)" by Janet Bellotto

"Three At Sea" by Joshua Watts, "The One Eyed Monster" by Kris Balerite (Dozign), "Ethnic Patterns" by Mellissa Guevarra, "Bokeh Snatcher" by Joseph Manata (Pinkblot)

Words from the director of the exhibition:

“Dubai, over the last couple of years has gone through an amazing transformation bringing with it a rather very interesting cultural evolution. One such evolution that i have noticed over time has been that of the subtle uprising of street culture (Hip-hop, Bboys, Street Fashion, Skateboarding) and how they have managed to blend in well with the local art and design scene.

"Sugar" by Petra Matar (Bon Petra)

The Skateboarding scene in the UAE, contrary to popular belief, is actually quite large in number; one just needs to look around to find them skaters grinding the benches of Satwa, riding the rails of DIFC and JBR and thrashing it out at the the skate-park in Abu Dhabi. It’s a sub culture that’s been nurtured by the right kind of individuals out here and I am glad it’s a growing one.

"Take me to the desert, to the city, to the beach" by Hind Mezaina

I have always been a fan of skateboarding and the sub-culture it thrives on. The ‘Skate Art’ aspect of it, managed to be a curious source of personal inspiration for my works.

people curiously admired the skateboards hung on the walls of The Shelter

"Self Portrait" by Evan, "Bring the sword & axe" by Khalid Mezaina, "Face to Face Basis" by Darwin Guevarra

After Much Deliberation, I realized that no one has really done a full-on skateboard deck art show in the Middle East. We at FN Designs thought of taking a step and the risk of curating the first skateboard art exhibition in the region.

And thus FAKiE was born.

"In Transition" by Fatma Saeed Saifan, "Or maybe not..." by Salama Naasib, "Psychokitty" by Diya Ajit (Chroma)

FAKiE refers to riding a skateboard backwards from the way a skateboarder would usually ride it. And it made sense to us, since only one of our featured artists for the show is an actual skateboarder. Also, working on a skate deck as medium, has been a first for majority of the artists involved in the show. Plus we also like the obvious tongue in cheek humor of the term.

"Marks" by Fathima Mohiuddin, "Mr. Mojo Risin" by Ubik, "Tiger" by Nargis Ahsan

FAKiE features 30 artists from the UAE with multiple backgrounds who have been handpicked dude to the unique styles that they posses to make this show what it is; and hoping you will like what you see and support our initiative and embrace it.

"Octopus Ink - Not a Reality Show" by Mark Ganzon (Cloud88), "You should see the other guy" by Emma Pinkerton, "The Humming Factor - I got my aura... aight" by Wafa Hasher AlMaktoum (Jawa)

"Scorpion" by Sarah Lahti, "Little Yellow Riding Wood" by Robert James Gibbs

"Lazer Flip" by Lateefa Bint Maktoum AlMaktoum, "Angry Panda" by Rashid Al Mulla, "Need my History" by Faouzi Khilifi (eL Seed)

We like to thank all the participating artists for being so enthusiastic about the project and for taking time off from their hectic schedule to make art on the decks. This show is your labor of love as much as it is ours.

We would also like to thank Ahmed Bin Shabib, Rashid Bin Shabib, Bradley Kirr, Saadia Zahid, Neil ‘djSolo’ Andrew and to all who have joined us for our dexhibition.”

-Wafa Hasher AlMaktoum

Director

FN Designs

Last May, Red Bull premiered their Manny Mania event which took place in the Fruit and Vegetable market of Dubai. Young uprise, Mark Issa, was crowned manny champion and has won a trip to New York City in August to compete in the Manny Mania Finals.

Peep the coverage and wish your boy Mark Issa luck as he heads out to skate with the big boys…!

Results:
1. Mark Issa
2. Alex Medvedev
3. Evan Collisson

video by Mark Gavigan

On Friday the 7th of May 2010, many board skaters and many more patans took the time out of their busy schedules to travel out to the famous fruit and vegetable market north-west of nowhere to glean knowlage on an event known only as ‘Red Bull Manny Mania’. Not all was in vain however as the patans witnessed maneuvers that they only thought were possible with the usage of some kind of glue applied to the shoe. Well, how is your mind not to be confused when witnessing the technical maneuvers of board skaters such as Jan Hoffman, Omar Al Abbar, Evan Collisson, Lawrence Jokun, Martin Jaouni, Max Velmitskiy, Gustav Larsson, Mark Issa and the one and only Alex Medvedev – edevedevedevedevedevedevedev. Special thanks to all the Patans for making the event so special. PATAN POWER.

Some wonder why Maysam didn’t make it to the finals!

Omar Al Abbar – Abu Dhabi Corniche from Skate Arabia on Vimeo.

Shout out to lil’ Omar Al Abbar for putting it all together with the help of Brad Kirr, Circle 8, Tashkeel, Red Bull, Orbit Showtime Arabia and everyone who came out to make it happen!

Omar Al Abbar sips on some Jeema before ripping the bowl.

Behold… Mamzar!

Flatbar!

Crowd

sick turnout

Standard Red Bull girls

Wierdo’s

She can skate too!

The giant paint spill graphic was done by Tashkeel, check them out @ www.tashkeel.org

Myles floats a fakie ollie

…and backside

Omar kickflips over the rail

Evan scraping out of a tailslide on the lip

Lawrence pops a big one over the spillage

Dj control center

Gustav enjoys a burger, hot off the grill from below

The 2nd biggest center of attention apart from the bowl.. the grill!

Brad ‘Yakhi’ Kirr

Carving yakhi style

Mrs. Al Abbar doing her part

Night time and still lit up

Ahmed Jaddo

Marcus

Alex Medvedev

Myles Evans

Omar Al Abbar

Evan Collisson

Brad Kirr holds up a customized trophy with his name on it, courtesy of Tashkeel!

RESULTS:

INTERMEDIATE

1ST: ALEX MEDVEDEV

2ND: MARCUS

3RD: AHMED JADDO

ADVANCED

1ST: EVAN COLLISOSN

2ND: OMAR AL ABBAR

3RD: MYLES EVANS

Watch out for video coverage of Skate Biladi to air on the Orbit Showtime Network in the coming weeks!

Photos by Luke Kelly

Max Velmitsky, Noseslide, beside the big burj

the famous halwan grocery next to Deira Fountain

Martin Jaouni, five 0 up in Bur Dubai

Kevan Medullah, backside nosegrind on The Hill

Lawrence Jokun, Crooks, JBR

Kelvin Hartley, Ollie in Deira

Luke and friends, Deira Fountain

got some skate photos? send them in!

email: info@skatearabia.com

Happening this year on October 8th, 9th and 10th, Arab Am 2009 was great… Three whole days of ripping around an indoor course built by Bradley Kirr and Tamer Ramadan. The event was part of the Adrenaline Sports Live, which hosted a weekend of all kinds of ‘extreme’ sports action from skateboarding to wake-boarding and even snowboarding..! (Photos of which we only wish we could share.) Fortunately the skatepark had the largest space out of any other event outside of the expensive cars on display. So we had a bunch of buttery flatground to skate instead of just the ramps.

A.S.L. takes place every year and it’s sort of like the ASR (action sports retailers) tradeshow which goes on in California every year with all the skate companies. In Abu Dhabi, there are numerous booths set up by all kinds of random companies and distributors. And not all of it revolves around ‘action sports’, much less skateboarding… Beside the skate park there were sailboats on display and also a Thailand tourism company who were giving away these flags that a bunch of kids tied around their necks as capes. (see Jan’s photo below, he opted for the skirt steez)

Sucks to be writing about an event that was already a month ago! Anyway for all you out there, this competition is open to anyone in the Middle East…

Results

Seniors:

1st: Evan Collisson, Dubai

2nd: Alex Medvedev, Dubai

3rd: Kyle Kenny, Abu Dhabi

Juniors:

1st: Mark Gavigan, Dubai

2nd: Omar Alabbar, Dubai

3rd: Lawrence Jokun, Dubai

Big up’s to all the winners!!! But uhhh, we’re just wondering.. “Shu!? Where’s all the Arab skaters in this competition if its called ‘Arab Am’!?”

Yalla, so if you can make it to Abu Dhabi next year, make sure you sign up for the Arab AM 10′ and represent!

Check out these photos shot by Yoon Sul courtesy of skateistan.org

kenny reed

“After two years of working towards this goal, the Skateistan team is extremely pleased to announce the official opening of Kabul’s largest indoor sports facility and skate park at 2pm on the 29th of October. This milestone has been achieved through the collaborative efforts of an Afghan and international team…”

maysam faraj

please visit skateistan.org for more photos and information

‘Sparks’, for those who haven’t been there to know, got it’s radical name early on when this spot was built back in 2006.? During a few initial sessions of the spot, sparks we’re literally flying… Any time you landed primo or grinded a ledge just right, sparks would light up under your board like firecrackers. It basically caught on real quick and everyone started calling it ‘Sparks’. It sounded real dorky for at first, but we all dorked out eventually.

…Forget what i just said and check out this amazing spot for yourself. Respect your local spot – throw away your garbage!

Here are a few photos from a couple weekends ago at the infamous Sparks in Deira, Dubai.

martin jaouni, backside smith. shot a little early

the que

omar alabbar

tamer ramadan, bs nosegrind 180

tamer ramadan, bs nosegrind 180