2013 has been an important year for blading. If nothing else, it will be remembered as the year skaters sank their claws into a new grassroots movement and proved that hard work and determination are suitable stand-ins for financing. It’s a year young voices became louder, scenes became stronger, and the fabric of blade culture became richer.
It’s the year social media took over message boards, former bladers returned in droves, and companies with a clear vision that stayed their course pulled away from the pack.
For all these reasons and more, we decided that simply naming a sole individual Skater of the Year and calling it a wrap just would not do.
So at the suggestion of Frank Stoner, a new tradition was born — the ONE Awards.
After carefully considering a list of categories — benchmarks of our growth and development as a community — we invited a select group of ONE contributors, supporters and critics to participate in an entirely open nomination process to select the TOP THREE contenders for each category.
Once that was done, it was time to vote on the TOP THREE nominees for each category. And with voting closed and final results tallied, we are proud to announce the winners of the first-ever ONE Blade Awards.
* * * *
[PEOPLE]
BLADER OF THE YEAR
Richie Eisler
Runners Up:
Franky Morales
Alex Broskow
BREAKOUT BLADER OF THE YEAR
David Sizemore
Runners Up:
Andrew Broom
Wake Schepman
HONORARY CHRIS EDWARDS AWARD
FOR MOST POSITIVE BLADE INFLUENCER
Jon Julio
Runners Up:
Brian Freeman
Richie Eisler
[EVENTS]
BEST EVENT OF THE YEAR
Blading Cup
Runners Up:
Bitter Cold Showdown
Winterclash
BEST CONTEST PERFORMANCE (BLADER)
Alex Broskow (Blading Cup)
Runners Up:
CJ Wellsmore (Winterclash/Bitter Cold Showdown)
Montre Livingston (Blading Cup)
OUTSTANDING BLADE EVENT SERIES
Texas Skate Series
Runners Up:
Windy City Riot (w/advance fundraising events)
Clash Series (Winter/Summer)
MOST HOSPITABLE VENUE
City of Santa Ana (Blading Cup)
Runners Up:
Modern Skatepark (BCSD)
Woodward West (AIL)
[INDUSTRY]
COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Valo
Runners Up:
Southern Scum
USD
PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
Seba CJ Wellsmore Pro Skate
Runners Up:
Valo v13 Skate
Kizer Level II Frame
BLADE SHOP OF THE YEAR
Aggressive Mall
Runners Up:
Roller Warehouse
Shop Task
ANGRY YOUTH AWARD FOR BEST MARKETING
Southern Scum
Runners Up:
Valo
USD
[MEDIA]
BEST EDIT OF THE YEAR (BLADER)
Richie Eisler (Canada)
Runners Up:
Billy O’Neill (SSM)
Alex Broskow (Originals)
BLADE VIDEOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Ivan Narez
Runners Up:
Dom West
Erick Rodriguez
BLADE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Brandon Smith
Runners Up:
Jeff Stockwell
John Haynes
BLADE AUTHOR OF THE YEAR
Brian Krans
Runners Up:
Frank Stoner
Jon Robinson
2013 was another incredible year of BLADE LIFE and these people, events and companies helped make that possible. Let’s all take the time to give them the respect, appreciation and admiration they are due.
* * * *
Photos by Jeff Stockwell, Richie Eisler, Jonathan Labez, Jeff Linett, Brandon Smith, Daniel Le, and Randy Edwards
Special Thanks to Frank Stoner for the idea, and to everyone that participated, and Stefan Brandow for the logo design.
Because I know this will be debated…..
For the record Franky’s 6 individual edits from this year accumulated 256,654 views. Richie’s Canada edit alone got 438,225 views. Translation: Franky’s edits were seen by a smaller audience (hmmm…rollerbladers maybe?) while Richie’s edit was EVERYWHERE. Unless you’re one of those ppl that think being “underground”, having no money, and watching your friends and favorite bladers struggle to make it is cool, you understand, impact > everything else. Blading needs to be seen on a larger scale so that it can grow. Period.
Richie Eisler – Blade God of the Millennium
P.S. TSS….SS….cheaaa
THE YEAR OF THE BEARD!!!
Man, all TX dudes wanna do is Fuuuuuuuuuuu! Yo Ant Medina, you cool and all but Nicky Adams had the best edit of all time! Richie ain’t got no tattoo of a skateboard company on his throat. Probably doesn’t even have any skateboard tats on his body. Frankie be getting his swag and swerve on all up on dees hoes. Frankie 2nd to Nicky for real. Bladegod in training. Where da hoes at? Coco can get it. So could some of dem French hoes. Where was the category for biggest ass on blades? Y’all fuckin up. I been around da blade game for like 33 years so your boi know what he talkin about. Who is David Sizemore? Must be an ok blader but prob has no steeze since he’s white. Heard dat Broom kid is a tyke ass lil bitch. If you disagree wit what I’m saying why don’t you come get some of dis looonnnnnggg deeeeuuuuccckkkk! You don’t understand bladegod. Nicky a piller. He savin blading like no other gods.
Richie Eisler skater of the year for sure , but this awards look like “the One North-american Blade awards” !!!!
where is the rest of the world!????
you guys should spend more time the see what happend out of california and out of U.S. …
Thanks for your input, Jeff — but the individuals that nominated and ultimately voted on winners are scattered all across the globe.
And to anyone asking about criteria — there is none. Our nominating members could write in ANY NAME/COMPANY/EDIT they wanted to recognize for excellence. We simply crunched the numbers and took the TOP THREE names with the most nominations. Then THOSE names were voted on. It’s super simple stuff.
People have opinions. They are varied. We celebrate that. These awards reflect the opinions of influential members of the community.
Congrats to all involved and any that were nominated or won!
Blade cup couldn’t hold a candle to winterclash. And a-mall getting shop of the year? All they did was sell blades. Shoptask did a lot more for rollerblading then just sell blades…
Brodye—Shoptask is killer, but AMall did a lot more than just sell blades. They continued with their Trick Tip series, hosted the BBQ Meat Up series, worked to arrange seshes, kept edits flowing out, sponsored hella comps, always welcomed people to come visit, and kept hook-ups flowing all over the place (including sending out care packages to injured skaters). As a NorCal resident, I can say the place wouldn’t be the same without AMall’s influence. Love those dudes.
Brodye, AKA standard dude with a statement and absolutely NOTHING to back it up, don’t you forget about the amall CASH CLIP comps neither.
P.S. You fag!
This sport has gone so 1 sided, it’s scary.
Philip: I would tend to agree with you, but then again, I’m not at all sure we have the same reasons in mind.
To everybody else: Peace, love, and Bob Marley and all that.
Geez guys, relax. Most shops sponsor comps, host sessions, always welcome people when they come into shops, hook up people, blah blah blah. I guess we will have to see what shoptasks work with intuition liners and adapt brand turns out like in 2014 and beyond.
There is moves being made outside of California, that’s all.
Richie Eisler, David Sizemore, Southern Scum, Seba, and the Texas Skate Series were all outside of California.
I meant shop wise. Sorry about the mix up Alan.
A lot of people did vote for Shoptask, that’s how they got runner up.
I don’t know why people are so mad at Brodye he just has an opinion. Shop task is cool as hell tho. They should defanately be in secund place instead of rollerwarehouse. at least leon and justin rollerblade unlike the rollerwarehouse guy. LOL.
We Are Rising. Period. Thank you for everything ONE blade mag!
This year certainly had it’s highs and lows.
Learning of the end of the Bitter Cold Showdown was a very sad day, I went to a handful of BCSDs when I lived in Ohio, taking a greyhound to Vertigo Skatepark, the contest landing in my hometown of Columbus for a year, and then the road trips up north to Modern. All some of the most fun weekends of my life. Really bummed I wasn’t able to make it to the last one this year, but this contest will forever live in my memories.
That aside, this was my first year attending the Blade Cup in Santa Ana, which was awesome. Great turnout, great vibe, and some incredible skating. Bravo to Jon Julio and the whole team who made that event happen. Here’s to many more years.
I think I’ve been skating just as much this year as any other, and now having a full time job certainly has made it difficult. I’ve met a whole bunch of new bladers and had a blast pushing each other and ourselves over the past year, and am looking forward to more of that.
Best for the future. Roll on.
Magazine of the year
Be-mag
Hatian
No other nominations
nowadays nothing comes close to Haitian as far as magazine is considered. nobody want to read outdated articles….
^^ya’ll butthurt. Good luck with the high school project.
Blading is more than what you guys @ ONE magazine think it is.
Blading is more than what ONE thinks it is, more than what you think it is, more than what any other magazine thinks it is, more than what any company thinks it is, more than what any pro or am thinks it is.
Hell yeah, Alan!
@OneMagazine, does our trophy come in the mail or do we have to buy one ourselves?
If you are sending it out, this is the one we want
http://www.trophydepot.com/Leaders-Victory-Award/P11824_4/#.UrPNa-KmVSQ
I agree with Richie for skater of the year, but his Canada edit was definitely not edit of the year. Also, are you going to acknowledge Be-Mag as the magazine of the year?
Nice. I heard the amall trophy is going on tour. Anyone know what the stops and dates are? I want to get my picture taken next to it.
One can u pls. post dates as to when the Agressivemall trophy will be availble for viewing? I want to make sure I’m in town when it stops here.
Sizemore and Schepman should have been a Tie for breakout skater of the year. Company of the Year of should have been USD, Southern Scum and SEBA. Haven;t really seen much from Valo minus V5 and a few edits here and there, the level of consistency from USD has been Amazing all year with Erick Rodriguez dropping countless gems, who also should have tied with Ivan for videographer of the year. But thats just me, I know nothing.
#whitepeopleproblems
+1 on the Amall trophy tour. Anyone know dates yet?
All you guys our forgetting about my prize. I am Bat Kid!, I deserve all theses awards more than all theses guys that won theses awards i did.
Sit down bat boy, you’re blocking my view of the AMALL trophy!!!
It looks like US awards to me which is really sad..
“PRODUCT OF THE YEAR”
Runners Up:
Valo v13 Skate
-Really or it’s a terrible joke?
“BEST EVENT OF THE YEAR”
Blading Cup
-Come on!? Just count how many skaters attended event as competitors and spectators and how many edits dropped after event. Shouldn’t be that hard, unless you didn’t come to Winterclash at all but visited Blading cup.
“COMPANY OF THE YEAR”
Valo
Runners Up:
Southern Scum
USD
Did you know that USD dropped the most footage this year, released the mmost hardgoods, their team participated in events all over the globe this year? Including Winterclash, BCSD, Blading Cup, WRS uploaded etc.. I haven’t seen much from Valo this year. Maybe they are more US based as you might think yourself. P.S. Haven’t seen Valo V it’s only for sale just like any other product Company’s offer 😉
Sad, it’s just SAD
Is ag.mall trophy going to be a national tour, or only US? If international please come to Dubai!!! Many skater here would like to see.
Love the awards! Pumped to see the blading community starting to make itself legit! But shouldn’t there be an award for other things.
Gnarliest edit ender?
Radest trick?
Biggest gap trick?
Female blader of the year?
Best team?
Am of the year? Pro of the year?( instead of just best blader)!
Other than that congrats to everyone! They were well deserved and hard earned.
Maybe next year you could put a video together of like 6 pros running for best pro, put that out for publicity and do the same for AMs. It would be sick to see some full length parts come from these awards. You got your head in the right game though, keep it up one blade mag. I love it!
Excellent suggestions, Mat. Thanks man!
