Etnies Skatepark Lake Forest, Ca

Thrasher Magazine, April, 2004 by Joe Hammeke

BACK IN THE '80s freestyle skateboarding was a lot bigger than it is now. Not that it was all that big or that it even exists now, but it was a part of the contest circuit and there were over a dozen or so professional freestyle skaters. Their styles ranged from the boarder-line street skating of Steve Rocco and Don Brown to the technical masterwork of Rodney Mullen. There was even a Dan Gesmer, who saw skateboarding as soul searching--err-surfing. See Public Domain for one of the most fast-forwarded video parts of all time. These freestyle guys and a few girls had carefully planned out routines of flatground wizardry. Three-sixties, nose manuals, kickflips, and even the Primo Slide were all performed in coordination to music. If there was a synchronized swimming of skateboarding, this was it.

Well, about the time big pants and small wheels took over, board shapes changed to allow more technical tricks on street so that freestyle skateboarding all but ceased to exist. Rodney Mullen was the only one who managed to adjust to the slightly larger boards, and had the ability to take his freestyle tricks to the raw streets. Much of the remainder of these guys went on to own the rest of skateboarding. Rocco had already started World Industries, Dan Gesmer makes some strange trucks for longboards, and Pierre Andre owns Etnies, eS and Emerica, aka Sole Technologies. He also managed to take fellow freestyler Don Brown with him. Maybe this has to do with their ability to plan ahead ... and plan ahead they did.

The Etnies park is excellent. The majority of the park consists of "street" oriented obstacles such as flat bars, handrails, banks, ledges and a double set. This is great since the majority of skateboarders ride that stuff and only a small percentage ride the bowls. I know, lets keep street skating on the street and all that, but unfortunately Southern California is plagued with an over-abundance of security guards, thus making it nearly impossible to session a street spot. Now it's pretty much a midnight barge-and-bust mission; not all that fun for the typical skateboarder who doesn't need photos or video of every trick he does.

Since the park is located directly behind the Sole Tech offices, Mark Waters was able to oversee its construction. Absent are the Taco Bell quarterpipe, ridiculously high extensions, and other strange obstacles placed in prime locations. There were a few things that managed to slip by, though. Mr Waters must have been out of town when they installed a steep, four-foot-wide bank near the corner of one of the bowls. The coping is either aluminum or galvanized steel--pretty slow when dry, ridiculously slick when waxed. Either way, this park is better than anything open to the public in Southern California. Although the photos you see here are padless, that was on opening day and now everyone must wear full pads, even on the street course. Get ready for the double-set knee slide.

Etnies Skatepark

Where: Lake Forest, CA

Directions: Orange County: Exit the 5 on Lake Forest Drive. Go east, a little over six miles. The park is between Rancho Parkway and (toll road) Hwy 241 What: Large street area, flow bowls, T bowl and peanut pool

Pads: Yes, full pads--lids, knee and elbow

Pay: Not for the first year. Thanks Etnies

Good/Bad: Your best bet in Southern California