Many skaters who showed up on Saturday started before the sport was picked up by the mainstream. It was a tougher time in general back then. Back then, the ramps were much smaller and more difficult to maneuver on. “It’s really cool because it’s a chance for all of us old guys to get together and act like we’re still young,” he said. “Everyday is Halloween normally, but today I actually fit in.”īut more than the funky and flamboyant attire, it was great catching up with old friends and competitors. “It’s always been that way,” he said of his hair. Skater Kevin Staab competed in the event with his hair dyed florescent pink – not done for the contest, but a look he’s kept since the 80s. “We gotta ride the real deal here,” he said. Hawk’s pink board that he rode in the 80s – which he dusted off from his garage – had no nose on it, making it harder to stay on. Hawk wore a blue shirt that he wore back in the epic skate film “The Search for Animal Chin.” Some spectators got decked out in bright fluorescent colors and cut-off denim shorts. The event was a combo effort by Hawk’s company Shred or Die and Quiksilver, which had recently done an ’80s street skating competition.

Girls weren’t interested in you if you were a skater,” Hawk said.

“When I was growing up, skating wasn’t cool. The event showcased a time when skating was at its heyday, when the innovative teens were creating unique moves and pushing the limits. Iconic skaters, including Tony Hawk, Huntington’s Christian Hosoi and Newport’s Omar Hassan, gathered for an ’80s-style skate contest for a laid-back competition to show they’ve still got the moves – some of which they personally created back in the day.

“Right now, if I took a picture and held it up to old photos, you couldn’t tell the difference,” said Eric Voldeng, 40. He looked up at the wooden ramp built in the Quiksilver parking lot on Saturday and marveled at the still unbelievable skills the old-school skaters were busting out for the crowd. HUNTINGTON BEACH When Eric Voldeng thinks of the ’80s, flashbacks of punk rock, great parties, and backyard skate ramps come to mind.

Christian hosoi 80s