Every year we try to team up with KCDC and friends to host Skate Night, the party that brings skateboarders out of hibernation every winter to remind them that New York is still the best skate city. This year RVCA supported the entire shindig and their guys — Spanky, Curren Caples, and Reynolds — joined us to skate the Coda miniramp. And because Skate Night fell on Valentine’s Day, we hosted a very special speed dating experiment, based off our dorky dating show, “Date A Sk8er.”

This was one of the best Skate Nights yet, so if you missed it, scroll through the photos below (or on NYskateboarding.com) so you remember to never skip one again. Because as the great philosopher Chad Muska once remarked on the importance of photo recaps: “I did a lot of cool things last night but didn’t post any pictures… So did it really happen?”

As proof of how trife New York winters are for skating, dozens of kids came from all over the city to skate a narrow mini ramp. They were all stoked to get some circulation in their legs again after months of freezing weather, but definitely not as stoked as Queens local Leo Heinert was on dudes’ cosmic purple shirt.

Many skaters’ dreams came true this night when they got to skate with Andrew Reynolds and Kevin “Spanky” Long. At least four people in this photo are analyzing Reynolds’ back D and nerding out about how it’s the best back D they’ve ever seen in person. Unfortunately, Spanky slammed before we could snap a photo of him skating. Sometimes you skate the ramp, sometimes the ramp skates you.

A couple of ladies signing up for the main event, our very own Speed Date a Sk8er. If you were a horny guy in New York this night and you didn’t come through, you seriously blew it. Most of the dudes who signed up were shy and anxious, but the chicks were all confident as fuck and on the prowl.

Did the girl on the left plan to come wearing a RVCA shirt, knowing that they were one of the sponsors of the party? Or was this just by some odd chance and her normal go-to skate shirt? Either way, if some bigwig at RVCA is reading this, you can Venmo us some marketing dollars for this free branded content. thx.

Between the mini ramp, speed dating, free drinks, and some tunes, we had a lot going on. Some folks came for the skate, some for the date, but this chick definitely came for the pong. After dominating all of her opponents, she executed the ceremonial Shame Paddling upon every losers’ buttocks. #ponggang

Speed dating (surprisingly) went off! Not sure why this pair looks like they’re arguing, guess that’s just how people look trying to cram a whole evening’s worth of flirtation into three minutes.

“I’m from New York, deadass!”
“Interesting, go on…”

Again, is this two strangers dating or a couple arguing? Lot of emotions flying around on that stage, careful or you might catch a feeling. If you look at this guy’s name tag, it says his name is Millhouse, like the Simpsons character. Think he was going for a grown-up, bad boy Milhouse vibe, but not quite sure this chick was picking up what he was putting down.

The speed daters were on stage as a literal spectacle, which is maybe the most anxiety-inducing way to go on a date, but the dates were going so well none of them cared. Setting all these people up on Valentine’s Day counts as an act of public service, certifying Jenkem as a charitable organization. What’s good with that tax break, De Blasio?

Rare shy guy behavior from Jenkem’s secret agent, Raspa, who filled in on a round of speed dates. By the end of the night, we had more girls than guys lined up to flirt, so Raspa had to fill space and take matters into his own hands, as usual.

Erik Ellington kept it low-key and played the supportive husband role all night to his fiance and owner of KCDC Skate Shop, Amy Gunther. This proves you don’t have to be extravagant to win at V-Day. Give your girl a nice bouquet of flowers and you’ll be getting your face licked in no time! We should do a segment called “How do skaters taste?” Every answer would just be: sweat, dirt, and the ground of whichever surface they were falling on that day.

Hijinx did not disappoint. The band told kids they had $20 for anyone who dropped in from the balcony and this guy went for it. He didn’t stick the landing but it didn’t matter.
The rush he got from setting his board on the railing to a room full of people cheering for him was good enough. Pure raw skate glory at its finest.

Shredmaster Keith lived up to his namesake by sporting this blouse he ran through a paper shredder. It’s kind of a genius way to make his sponsors think he’s always skating through the New York winters. When they ask him what he’s up to he can say, “You fuckin’ see my threads, bro? I been shredding!”

Of course, after seeing the first daredevil attempt the railing drop in, security was not hyped to see it again. This guy is trying to explain that he signed a waiver, but the guard wasn’t having it. Seconds later he was dragged out of the place in a headlock. He didn’t get lucky, but it was better than almost dying in a bowling alley.

Photos: Taji Ameen
Dumb captions: Nic Nootens & Ian Michna
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