Wallenberg Set

Last updated
Wallenberg Set.png

The Wallenberg Set, also known as the Wallenberg Four or simply Wallenberg, is a popular location in the skateboarding community. Located at the Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School in San Francisco, California, [1] it consists of four tiers of pavement and curbing, adjacent to a stairway and next to a parking area. The section notable for skateboarding measures 4 feet 4.8 inches (1.341 m) in height and 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m) in length. [1]

Contents

Since becoming notable, the school has re-profiled the "run up" to the set, and it is no longer possible to use adjacent Vega Street to gain speed in order to jump the entire set; speed has to be obtained from a ramp, roll in, or by some other form. [2]

The address of the school is 40 Vega Street, San Francisco, California 94118. The GPS coordinates of the Wallenberg Set are 37°46′49″N122°26′48″W / 37.78014°N 122.44664°W / 37.78014; -122.44664 .

Coverage in skateboarding media

The Wallenberg gap first appeared in Mark Gonzales's part in "Video Days," a 1991 skateboarding video released by Blind Skateboards. [3]

In 1999, Danny Gonzalez performed a Kickflip to Melon grab as seen in Transworld's "The Reason". [4] [5]

In 2004, Thrasher skateboard magazine hosted "High Noon at the Big Four" at the famous spot. Unlike traditional skateboarding competitions, there were no rankings or standings; the event was billed as a "big tricks contest." In order to encourage skaters to attempt difficult tricks, cash prizes were offered for landing specific ones. Andrew Reynolds was the first skateboarder to successfully perform a frontside flip. Darrell Stanton performed a switch backside 180. Lindsey Robertson landed a heelflip over the set. [6]

On 30 May 2009, Thrasher magazine's Back to the Berg contest was held at Wallenberg, in which another set of difficult tricks were landed. Jordan Hoffart's varial heelflip, Nick Merlino's switch heelflip, Chris Cole's backside 360 and switch frontside flip, Cody McEntire's backside bigspin, Andrew Pott's hardflip, and Lizard King's 180 ollie north, ollie disaster, and scarewalk. [6]

Andrew Reynolds backside flipped the set. [7] The trick appeared on the cover of the May 2007 issue of Thrasher and was also added to Reynold's part in Emerica's Stay Gold [8] released in 2010.

Chris Cole was the first one to 360 flip it in New Blood a skateboarding video by Zero Skateboards. Some of the most popular skateboarding tricks that have been performed include Frank Gerwer's kickflip over the set. Lindsey Robertson performed a backside heelflip over the gap at the Thrasher contest. Some other tricks include a backside 180 (Diego Bucchieri), a pop-shove it (by Steve Nesser - 411VM #66), a switch ollie, a switch frontside 180 (by Tony Manfre - montage in Free Your Mind from Transworld Skateboarding), a pop-shove it to melon grab (Jeremy Reeves, from footage featured on Thrasher magazine's website). [ citation needed ]

Forrest Edwards landed a Switch Kickflip down the stairs; there are photographs of the feat in the April 2013 issue of Thrasher, and a 'magnified' clip of the trick on Thrasher's YouTube channel. [9] On the same day, DJ Gaudin landed a Switch Backside Kickflip. [10]

Chris Joslin performed two tricks down the set for his Etnies Album part. The first was a hardflip backside 180 which was only captured from one angle since he landed it on his third attempt. The second was an inward heelflip. Both tricks had never been done (NBD) at this location.

On November 9, 2019, Miles Silvas switch back heeled the set after five trips to the spot spanning over four years of attempts. [11]

Never Been Done (NBD's)

YearSkateboarderTrickVideo
1991Mark GonzalesOllie IndyBlind - Video Days
1998Diego BucchieriBackside 180 OllieThink - Dedication
1999Danny GonzalezKickflip MelonTransworld - The Reason
2002Frank GerwerKickflip411VM 60
2002Tony ManfreSwitch OllieThrasher - Jaded
2003Tony ManfreSwitch Frontside 180Transworld - Free Your Mind
2004Steve NesserBackside Pop Shove It411VM 66
2004Andrew ReynoldsFrontside FlipThrasher - High Noon at the Big Four
2004Darrell StantonSwitch Backside 180Thrasher - High Noon at the Big Four
2004Lindsey RobertsonHeelflipThrasher - High Noon at the Big Four
2005Chris Cole360 FlipZero - New Blood
2007Jeremy ReevesPop Shove It Melon ?
2007Andrew ReynoldsBackside FlipEmerica - Stay Gold
2009Chris ColeBackside 360Thrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Chris ColeSwitch Frontside FlipThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Jordan HoffartVarial HeelflipThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Nick MerlinoSwitch HeelflipThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Lindsey RobertsonBackside HeelflipThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Cody McEntireBackside BigspinThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Andrew PottHardflipThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Lizard KingBackside 180 Ollie NorthThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Lizard KingOllie DisasterThrasher - Back to the Berg
2009Lizard KingScarewalkThrasher - Back to the Berg
2013Forrest EdwardsSwitch KickflipThrasher - NDB at Wallenberg
2013DJ GaudinSwitch Backside FlipThrasher - NDB at Wallenberg
2014Zach WallinNollie Backside 180Enjoi - Oververt
2015Shane O'NeillNollie Backside HeelflipShane Goes
2015TJ RogersSwitch Frontside BigspinBlind - IOU
2016Ryan DecenzoFrontside 360 OllieRDS - Enter the Red Dragon
2016TJ RogersSwitch Frontside 360 OllieRDS - Enter the Red Dragon
2018Chris JoslinHardflip Backside 180Etnies - Album
2018Chris JoslinInward HeelflipEtnies - Album
2019Miles SilvasSwitch Backside HeelflipPrimitive - Encore
2020 Brandon Turner Switch HardflipSk8mafia - The Sk8mafia 2020 Video
2024 Dylan Jaeb Fakie KickflipPrimitive - Daydream
2024 Toby Ryan Nollie Backside FlipREAL Skateboards Presents Toby Ryan

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skateboarding trick</span> Trick performed on a skateboard

A skateboarding trick, or simply a trick, is a maneuver performed by manipulating a skateboard, usually with one's feet, in a specific way to achieve the desired outcome – the trick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kickflip</span> Skateboarding trick

The kickflip is a skateboarding trick, in which the rider flips their skateboard 360° along the axis that extends from the nose to the tail of the deck. When the rider is regular footed the board spins clockwise if viewed from the front.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indy grab</span> Type of aerial sports trick

An Indy grab, also known as an Indy air, is an aerial skateboarding, snowboarding and kitesurfing trick during which the rider grabs their back hand on the middle of their board, between their feet, on the side of the board where their toes are pointing, while turning backside. This trick is done only backside; the same maneuver done while turning front side, is called a front side air. The Indy grab is a generic skateboarding trick that has been performed since the late 1970s. This trick is performed mainly while vert skating, e.g. on halfpipes. Although this move can be done on flat land, it is much easier on a ramp. The Indy grab is one of the basic tricks in vert skating and is usually combined with spins, kickflips and heelflips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Mullen</span> American professional skateboarder

John Rodney Mullen is an American professional skateboarder who practices freestyle skateboarding and street skateboarding. He is considered one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. Mullen is credited for inventing numerous tricks, including the flatground ollie, kickflip, heelflip, impossible, and 360-kickflip. As a result, he has been called the "Godfather of modern street skating."

Tom Penny is a professional skateboarder from Abingdon, United Kingdom (UK). As of January 2013, Penny is sponsored by the Flip skateboard deck brand and his Cheech & Chong signature deck is one of the brand's highest-selling deck products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ollie (skateboarding)</span> Skateboarding trick

The ollie is a skateboarding trick where the rider and board leap into the air without the use of the rider's hands. It is the combination of stomping the tail of the skateboard off the ground to get the board mostly vertical, jumping, and sliding the front foot forward to level out the skateboard at the peak of the jump.

Andrew Reynolds is an American professional skateboarder known for co-founding Baker Skateboards in 2000 with artist Jay Strickland. He is now Baker Skateboard's sole owner. Reynolds established Bakerboys Distribution with Erik Ellington and Jim Greco in 2007. Bakerboys Distribution provides distribution for closely related in-house skateboard companies such as Deathwish Skateboards and Shake Junt. He is also the head of design at Altamont Apparel. Reynolds primarily skates street. He has been called one of the most influential skaters of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Cole (skateboarder)</span> American skateboarder

James Chris Cole is an American professional skateboarder. As of September 2020, his sponsors are Fallen Footwear, Monster Energy, Bones Bearings, Cult Crew, Thunder Trucks, Spitfire Wheels, Stance, Kershaw Knives, Grizzly Griptape, GoPro, Indian Motorcycles, cbdMD, Remind Insoles, and most recently Zero Skateboards.

A freestyle skateboarding trick is a trick performed with a skateboard while freestyle skateboarding. Some of these tricks are done in a stationary position, unlike many other skateboarding tricks. The keys to a good freestyle contest run are variety, difficulty, fluidity, and creativity. This is an incomplete list, which includes most notable tricks.

A varial flip is a type of skateboarding trick in which the skateboard rotates around its vertical axis, or its vertical axis and its horizontal axis simultaneously. The first flip trick, called a kickflip but originally known as a "magic flip", was invented by professional skateboarder Rodney Mullen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slide (skateboarding)</span>

A slide is a skateboarding trick where the skateboarder slides sideways either on the deck or the trucks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nollie</span> Skateboarding maneuver

In skateboarding, a nollie, short for "nose ollie", is an ollie executed at the front of the board while the rider is positioned in their natural stance. Professional skateboarders Karl Watson, Shuriken Shannon, Tuukka Korhonen, and Sean Malto have been recognized for their ability to perform the nollie trick. A nollie can be easily confused with a fakie ollie, whereby the rider uses their original foot position but is instead riding backwards.

Kevin 'Spanky' Long is an American professional skateboarder. Long's skateboarding stance is goofy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caster board</span> Two-wheeled, human-powered land vehicle

A caster board, vigorboard or waveboard is a two-wheeled, human-powered land vehicle. Other names are J-board and RipStik, both of which are derived from commercial brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shove-it</span> Skateboarding trick

A shove-it is a skateboarding trick where the skateboarder makes the board spin 180 degrees without the tail of the board hitting the ground under their feet. There are many variations of the shove-it but they all follow the same principle: The skateboarder's lead foot remains in one spot, while the back foot performs the "shove". The pop shove-it was originally called a "Ty hop", named after Ty Page.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Street skateboarding</span> Sport discipline

Street skateboarding is a skateboarding discipline which focuses on flat-ground tricks, grinds, slides and aerials within urban environments, and public spaces. Street skateboarders meet, skate, and hang out in and around urban areas referred to as "spots," which are commonly streets, plazas or industrial areas. To add variety and complexity to street skateboarding, obstacles such as handrails, stairs, walls, flower beds, bins, park benches, picnic tables, and other street furniture may be traversed as single tricks or as part of a series of consecutive tricks called a "line."

Chris Roberts is an American professional skateboarder and host of the podcast The Nine Club with Chris Roberts.

Shane O'Neill is an Australian professional skateboarder from Melbourne, Victoria. Shane is a member of the SLS "9 Club" meaning he has landed a trick in the Street League competition that judges scored an average of 9 or better. Shane's trick was a switchstance Switch 360 double kickflip. Shane is one of only few skateboarders to win gold in all four major skateboarding contests the X Games, Street League Skateboarding, Tampa Pro and World Skateboarding Championship. His normal stance is Goofy.

Milton Martinez is an Argentine professional skateboarder. In 2019, Martinez was named Thrasher's Skater of the Year.

References

  1. 1 2 "WE CHARTED SOME OF SKATEBOARDING'S MOST ICONIC SPOTS". Jenkem Magazine. 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  2. "The Wallenberg Four Stairs" . Retrieved 2020-07-03.
  3. Colberg, Tait (2013-06-21). The Skateboarding Art. Lulu Press, Inc. ISBN   978-1-300-09709-9.
  4. "Video". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  5. "WHAT HAPPENED TO DANNY GONZALEZ?". July 20, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "Junk Drawer". Thrasher Magazine. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  7. "Classic Covers: Andrew Reynolds". YouTube.
  8. Miner, Jon (Director) (2010). Stay Gold (Motion picture). Emerica.
  9. "Video". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  10. "Video". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  11. "My War: Miles Silvas" via www.thrashermagazine.com.