Tag: Poppy Starr Olsen

Our recap of our time on the course of the Vans Park Series in Chelles is decidedly different from the ones we did in MontrĂ©al. We went from ESPN highlight shots to almost crawling inside Greyson Fletcher’s beard to look for crumbs and other things. If you loved the contest, saw the tricks on our socials this is the “through the rabbit hole” view you need to complete this Vans voyage voyage.

Fletch
Fletch
Poppy Starr Olsen's mom told her... "drink a glass of water after each beer!". Pretty good parenting if you ask us!
Poppy Starr Olsen’s mom told her… “drink a glass of water after each beer!”.
Pretty good parenting if you ask us!
Check the style and see the future!
Check the style and see the future!
On the way to the contest, Keegan got called out by some of his peers for losing his Australian accent.
On the way to the contest, Keegan got called out by some of his peers for losing his Australian accent.
Remember when last year we said Cocona Hiraki was going to be the future? Well this is her little sister who might be next in line.
Remember when last year we said Cocona Hiraki was going to be the future? Well this is her little sister who might be next in line.
The past.
The past.
"Yo can you please get down on your knees? I am trying to film this contest..."
“Yo can you please get down on your knees? I am trying to film this contest…”
This kid was bummed he didn't get his Tony Hawk Trick Tips video signed by the Hawk.
This kid was bummed he didn’t get his Tony Hawk Trick Tips video signed by the Hawk.
This guys family used to have a famous rum distillery in Martinique. Depaz Rum... Google that!
This guys family used to have a famous rum distillery in Martinique. Depaz Rum… Google that!
Keegan Palmer drank Red Bull from various style of dispensaries over the course of this trip.
Keegan Palmer drank Red Bull from various style of dispensaries over the course of this trip.
"Dad... did that girl just nosegrind the biggest obstacle in the park?"
“Dad… did that girl just nosegrind the biggest obstacle in the park?”
French Hero and the #2 spot Vincent Matheron.
French Hero and the #2 spot Vincent Matheron.
Snap...Tom Schaar!
Snap…Tom Schaar!

For more VPS coverage click here.

Photos by Danny Sommerfeld
Words by Roland Hoogwater

When we flew to China we arrived at Shanghai airport as two tourists, my travel companion had been to the “People’s Republic of China” before but it was my first time in Asia. I didn’t know what we were in for but I was down to experience it all, we both wanted to see as much as possible.

We had brought along the perfect tool for that, an old Digital 8 “tourist style” handy cam. Armed with both the “handy cam” and our boards we chose to visit not only the Vans Park Series but everything else that Suzhou, Jiangsu and the Chinese people had to offer us.

team

 

First off, I have some information for you, “the internet” is not the same in the PRC, no Facebook, Instagram or even Google! This was at times a big plus because instead of looking down to our devices we looked up into the somewhat smog-filled part of the world we were in.

Secondly, we didn’t want to spend all our time at the hotel or at the event. “When in Rome” you don’t just want to stay inside the Coliseum, right? So one-day Oski (bless his heart) managed to get us some free (complimentary) bikes and we were off into the weird wilderness of China’s concrete jungle.

cycling

Now, we were two white guys. Normally that is not a big deal but we were in a part of China that did not have many westerners in it. This Caused us to become somewhat of a circus show at times. People wanted to skype their families together with us, stared without shame, took “secret” pictures and the biggest bonus, they allowed us to go and see and do everything. Nobody told us no! We went into temples, factories, sweatshops and “fake supreme shops” all with our “tourist camera” in hand.

sewing

That brings me to my second to last point:

Environmental groups are not completely against dams. We approve of appropriate development.

Ma Jun, Chinese environmentalist.

Now after reading this quote you might be confused about the link to the Vans Park Series right? Well, there is no link other than that we put a large percentage of “random” quotes in this video. Not normal quotes (spoken ones) but quotes printed on various pieces of clothing.

We found these quotes (in a store that sold fakes) that seemed random and were often badly spelled and connected them to our experiences in Suzhou. So instead of trying to make sense of the quote at the top of this article just know it is a random quote we found and used, in a similar way as all the others you will see in our video.


A small example of what we found.

Finally, if that didn’t convince you to watch the video let me assure you that we have included some great moves by people like Romand Pabich, Oskar (Oski) Rozenberg-Hallberg, Brighton Zeuner, Kokona Hiraki and a dancing, screaming but overall ripping Pedro Barros. Press play and enjoy the ride!

brooooooo
Extra thanks go to Vans for supporting this project.