KHIRO SKATEBOARD PRODUCTS

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JUDI OYAMA

Judi Oyama was born and raised in Santa Cruz and started skateboarding over 34 years ago. She loves skating to this day, and still rides, as often as she can. She mostly races slalom race these days and ride the parks now and then. She is a full time mom with two young boys and a full time job as art director at Zero Motorcycles which keeps her pretty busy. Judi Oyama started skated for Santa Cruz Skateboards back in the mid 70's, and was one of the first women riding Independent trucks and still does to this day. She was also one of the few women downhillers that raced against the men. She won the 2003 Slalom World Championships at the age of 43, and is currently ranked second the US and first in the masters division overall. She teaches beginning slalom and skate classes to many stoked younger skaters and continues to encourage more mom's and women to get out and skate. Judi is the VP of Board Rescue.org, a non-profit that helps get skateboards to kids at risk.
Skater for Life! - Judi-O

ISABELLE FRIED

I was born in Paris, France in the early Sixties. I began surfing/sk8ing in California, while attending University at UCSD. I competed in the NSSA Collegiate circuit and, after learning to compete quickly, placed 3rd in the Nationals in 1984. I skated to class and thought it was great transportation. After graduation, I became a Software Engineer, then a wife and mother, which caused me to become more, more sedentary. Surfing was not always accesible due to weather conditions. I began losing touch with my athletisism.
Two careers later, my kids, Russell and Marie, invited me to join them at the YMCA sk8 camp. I'd been downhilling on a long skateboard for a year and thought it would be great fun to try a park on my old school skateboard I'd saved from college – a Caster! I dropped into a 3 foot mini-ramp and got a hipper the size of a Frisbee. After grimacing, I gave it a second try and have been hooked ever since. While visiting family in France, I started to sk8 downhill seriously, gaining strength, timing, confidence to go really fast (about 80kph/50mph) I also got hooked on sk8ing bowls, snake runs, and banks in Marseille.
Speed is my thing; maching fast pendulum slides, grinding pools, downhill bombing, giant slalom courses, surfing overhead beach break, and snowboarding powder. As a skater, I never grow tired waiting for good conditions. Now, I sk8 anything. I know the cement/asphalt is always 6 foot and glassy! The more potential for speed, the harder I work to make it happen.
I have traveled the throughout the states and Europe looking for speed. I've competed in pool, slalom and downhill events, both pro and amateur, placing anywhere from 1st to 7th - always loving the thrill of competition. I also spend much of my free time promoting skating; competitions, demos, and seeking media coverage. I also run a Downhill Divas Skateboard club designed to gather beginners through professionals in a female only venue. Our beginner downhill divas want to learn to skate and skate hard, laugh lots and spend time learning to love being board. Sharing the adrenaline and excitement with other girls is my way of passing the stoke to others; showing girls an insanely fun path to sustained great health, happiness. My favorite quote, "I didn't stop skate boarding because I got old. I got old because I stopped skateboarding."

LYNN KRAMER

I first skated when I was 7 years old, knocked out half of my front tooth on the first day. I started skating again at UCSD in 1985 and was one of the first members of the RTS skateboard club of UCSD. We built a vert ramp and a mini on campus with the help of the recreation department. We held punk shows and contests to help fund the wood. In 1989 I headed the Women's Skateboarding Network. Our 'zine "Girls Who Grind", later called "Equal Time" was distributed to over 250 girls and women in over 5 countries. Many of the women who were part of the Network are still skaters and/or work in the industry. Between 1992 and 2001, I mostly surfed and snowboarded, winning the USASA Nationals in Boardercross and Alpine Racing in 2000. My best vert awards were 7th place in the All Girl Skate Jam and 4th place at the Vans Triple Crown Soul Bowl, both in 2001. In 2002 I started racing skateboard slalom and building slalom boards. With the help of the La Costa Boys and my sponsors Khiro, Nitro, Sk8Kings, and Abec11, 3dm, I have worked my way up through the ranks, and won 5 World Championship titles. For the past couple years, I've been racing the boys in the Pro division, and I am the first woman to have her own "Slalom Pro Skateboard".

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