_New look for Roll Toronto… and Forum.

We got a new look!

When we first started posting in April last year there was no real structure to our blog, no real zing, you know? It was alright, but it kind of looked like everything else on the web and didn’t have its own feel… plus the navigation was all over the place and we were covered in a bunch of drop shadows and gradients. Bleugh. It didn’t really say “ours” in the way I think any of us wanted it to, and it didn’t stay for long.

As we transitioned to HD edits at the start of the year our theme changed too- we switched to larger embedded videos to take advantage of the incredible HD goodness Dan’s new camera brought to our game. While it looked decent enough and we had a big wide column full of video, it was too chunky and every week or so someone would ask where to find the street spots map, despite it being at the bottom of the page… clearly the accessibility was restricted. I get to redesign the site, so after plenty of false starts we’ve ended up with the site you see today- full of fancy header CSS transparency and boasting a new Forum. It… just felt like the right time to do it, and I hope you all like it as much as we do.

So you know we’ve been filming all summer, right? We’ve got a teaser edit coming along shortly from Dan Lefebre which will be hot fiiiiire while Dave Ghent has some more GoPro HD edits to drop over the next couple of weeks.

Too late to BBQ?

_Guy Crawford

_Taylor on Razors Flow!

You read it right- after a summer of kicking ass and taking names, Taylor Ritchie got the long-deserved nod to ride flow for Razors International through Shop-Task.

Look for an edit from him sporting his brand new Aragon 3′s shortly! I, for one, cannot wait.

_Badass Roundup Of The Week

Halfway through August already, and the weather is only just starting to show the kind of heat people tell me Toronto experiences every summer… hmm, did I break it by moving here? Personally I’ve loved the 20ish breezy sunshine we’ve had up until now, but I’d rather not deprive you all. I assume that this late bloom means it’ll stick around until October.

This weekend is pretty busy for Toronto rollers, with our own Blade Jam in High Park tomorrow from 1pm. The turnout looks pretty amazing so far with Mike D booked in and ready to rock, Blair Lougheed and Taylor Ritchie representing a certain skateshop (oooh, gossip!) and some old school rollerbladers back from the dead. This incredible afternoon will be followed by MobbMedia’s Sunrise Skate Battle at Iceland skatepark in Mississauga, starting from 7am on Sunday. We’ll be there, but my legs (and liver) are going to be knackered!

I’ve been literally sitting on an awesome photo of Dave Ghent for a couple of months now, trying to decide what to do with it- but I’m bored of waiting for the right time to use it, so here it is… Dave Ghent, rugged topsoul on a joined wooden handrail with gravel runup and landing near Rosedale subway. Bloody purple pants… I blame AJ.

Since Shop Bladr sadly closed its doors and ceased trading in Ontario, local skaters have been asking themselves what’s next for the average roller? What is left to aspire towards? Fortunately for us all, original Grillz roller Leon has stepped up and offered potential spots on the Shop Task team to three lucky Ontarians, which including existing team members Mike David, Jon Craig and Aaron Mcinnis could take the GTA Task What rollcall to six… Good looking Leon, its great to see money being put where mouths are.

So who are these three illustrious skaters you ask? In no particular order they are Taylor Ritchie, Blair Loughead and Erik Foster. Jammy bastards! Good work gents, I look forward to taking awkward and out of focus photos of you soon, then apologising and asking you to do the trick again. Congratulations, friends! You deserve it so much. Now get to promoting!

Gatsby loves Hey Dude v3. He says that the Toronto section is the best section in the video, and probably the best crew section he’s seen since BMC2. He says all this while looking adorable. To pick up your copy of Hey Dude v3, bring $5 to the Blade Jam or the Sunrise Skate Battle and pester Dave Ghent for a copy. Five Bucks! Do it, or Gatsby will be sad. Do you really want him to be disappointed in you?

Dave Ghent made some alterations to his xsjados, adding Razor buckles to the cuffs for a little more support by drilling a new hole just forward of the xsjado cuff holes and shortening the buckle strap.

Dave says he’s cautiously optimistic; they’re a lot more supportive but he doesn’t know if they’ll take abuse that well, or missed soul grinds. They look like they’re doing a pretty good job to me, good mod Aslan.

Taylor borrowed my skates to get a photo- True Topsoul in skates two sizes too big. Good lad.

Last but not least, here’s a photo I took on Wednesday night at the waterfront, relaxing at the end of a funny photoshoot. Considering that I’m a complete novice, I’m really happy with how this photo turned out, and more than a little surprised!

That’s it for this roundup, I’ll see you all tomorrow afternoon!

_Oh Hai.

Back safe and sound from a two week vacation to Vancouver and San Francisco and ready to skate in Montreal this weekend at the TAZ- see you there!