Six12 Media: Makaha 50th Anniversary Snake Run Mini-Bowl Contest

12/23/13

Makaha 50th Anniversary Snake Run Mini-Bowl Contest

Sean Johnson

In 1963, Venice Beach lifeguard Larry Stevenson found Makaha Skateboards. The name came from a beach in Hawaii that Stevenson had the chance to visit during his Navy days in the Korean war. Makaha was known for making the first high quality skateboards, and for later inteventing the kicktail.

Pauline Branom

During the same year it opened, Makaha had sponsored a team of skateboarders, which included top surfers such as Mike Doyle, and held the first skate contest. A half century later, Makaha is celebrating it's 50th Anniversary and the 50th Anniversary of the first skateboard contest by holding a Snake Run Mini-Bowl Contest & Food Drive at the Venice Beach Skatepark. Taking place on Saturday December 14, 2013, the contest was open to all with a $10 entry fee and 2 cans of food to donate. 100% of the profits from the event went to the Westside Food Bank which is helping to feed people in need this holiday season.

Food trucks, vendor booths, and music from DJ Bennett Harrada filled the outside of the skatepark as legendary skater contest announcer Dave Duncan called the contest. In the kids divisions, Kiko Fransisco and Asher Bradshaw blast those huge airs they are well known for. Pauline Branom lead the girls division, showing that girls can skate the park just as good as the guys, and in lots of cases, even better. Jesus Estaban had the trick of the day with his ollie from the snake run onto the guardrail where the DJ booth was set up and back into the snake run. Sean Johnson 50-50 grinding nearly the entire snake run bowl then reverting on the drop back in. Dogtown boys Leandre Sanders and Haden McKenna had the most consistent lines, with one-foot airs and a handplant transfers by McKenna and 180- nose grinds out of the bowls channel by Sanders, given them 2nd and 3rd place finishes. Powell's Charlie Blair was crowned the winner for his big airs and tech tricks.