Jay Adams Mural Skate Session

Saturday, August 30, several hundred showed up at the Venice Beach pier for the Jay Adams Memorial Paddle Out. Surfers, skaters, friends, family, fans, from around the world, all came out to celebrate Jay's life.

A few hours later, everyone gather together at the Venice Skatepark for the unveiling of a Jay Adams mural that was painted in the skatepark's pool. Similar to the Shogo Kubo mural that was also just recently painted in the pool. After a mini skate session, Christian Hosoi, led the proceedings, where just as at the paddle out earlier in the day, many of Jay's friends spoke about him, his influences, and his legacy. Nathan Pratt, Tim Jackson, Jeff Ho, Tony Alva were among the many that stood in the deep end and spoke to the huge crowd that sat around the pool. Then the blue tarps was pulled off the pool wall to reveal the mural. After everyone got their group photos in front of the mural, the pool was cleared out again to be skated.

First Photo: Hosoi & Jeff Ho - Second Photo: Jesse Martinez & Allen Sarlo

Tony Alva

First Photo: Justin Burbage - Second Photo: Eddie Reategui

Shane Borland


Hadden McKenna

Julian Torres

Justin Burbage

Tony Alva

Shane Borland


For a ton more photos, check out the complete gallery:



More from Venice Skatepark:

R.I.P. Jay Adams

The Original Seed, the most influential figure in skateboarding, Jay Adams has passed away. If you're reading this blog, you pretty much know who Jay is. Only 53 years old, Jay was down in Mexico with his wife and kids, surfing everyday, when he suffered a heart attack last night.

“In contests, Jay was simply the most exciting skater to watch. He never skated the same run the same way twice. His routines were wickedly random yet exceedingly tight and beautiful to watch: he even invented tricks during his runs. I’ve never seen any skater destroy convention and expectation better. Watching him skate was something new every second– he was “skate and destroy” personified.” –Stacy Peralta




“I was a P.O.P. local from birth. The ORIGINAL MASCOT. My dad rented surfboards under the Northside of the pier. All the guards at the park used to let me in for free. FUCK Disneyland, I had P.O.P., surf and all. I surfed the cove with Mickey Dora before leashes were invented.” –Jay Adams
“He (Jay Adams) didn’t give a shit about money, and I don’t think that’s why he did it to begin with. He never was interested in any of the material rewards that came from skateboarding. I think that he just basically had a total Fuck You approach to the whole commercialism of skateboarding.” –Tony Alva .

Shogo Kubo Memorial Paddle Out

At noon on Saturday, July 19, family, friends, and fans gathered at the Venice Beach Pier for a paddle out in memory of legendary skateboarder, original Z-Boy Shogo Kubu who passed away last month.

2014 Z-Flex Jay Boy Classic

z-Flex riders Oscar Navarro and Malakai Monte

On Saturday, April 12th, Venice Skatepark hosted the first annual Z-Flex Jay Boy Classic, a contest for 21 & under unsponsored skaters. Taking place in the skatepark's pool, 40 skaters competed for the first place prize of a 1 year flow sponsorship from Z-Flex. Not only were there several skaters from states like Hawaii, Texas and New Mexico competing, there was also a little grom named Indiana from the United Kingdom.   Jay Adams was on hand all day skating, signing autographs, and tossing out free stuff. Along with Jay, a who's who of Venice skate legends were present, skating the pool, judging the contest, and having a good time. Christian Hosoi, Eddie Reategui, Aaron "Fingers" Murray, Tim Jackson, Aaron Scott, Pat Ngoho, George Wilson and Eric “Tuma” Britton who also was the contest announcer.

Here's a preview of the full contest edit that will be up soon:

After a morning practice session, the jam format contest started. Each skater got an intro run at the start of their heat. Z-Flez even brought in some bleachers for spectators to watch from, a first for Venice skatepark. From 40 skaters, 8 were chosen to compete in the finals. Highlights included Venice skatepark regular Hezekiah Seales unique stylish pool carves, which sent one of his shoes flying off a few times, Andrew Miller with a bunch of different blunt combos, and "Spacoli", who with his long hair, bandana, and flannel, resembled a young Jay Adams.

Christian Hosoi

"Spacoli"

Jay Adams

Hezekiah Seales

Eddie Reategui

Royalle Bernstine

Andrew Wallace

Andrew Miller

Results: 1. Andrew Wallace 2. "Spacoli" 3. Andrew Miller 4. Royalle Bernstine 5. Hezekiah Seales 6. Alex Vasques 7. Andley Lerma 8. Robert Baltazar

Jay Adams & the 8 Finalists

Aaron Scott

Dogtown's Hadden Mckenna

Malaki Montes

Andrew Wallace

Jay Adams & the 8 Finalists

With Nearly 150 photos taken, they all can't fit on this blog, so check out all the photos from the contest (146 photos total) in the Z-Flex Jay Boy Classic Photo Gallery. A video of the contest is coming up soon.

Bro fisting Hosoi