In 1997, Jeremy Wray did one of the greatest tricks ever done on a skateboard – a 16-foot ollie from one water tower to the next.
Yes, you read that correctly, we’re claiming that an ollie – the first trick every skater learns – is the greatest ever. We claim it as the greatest because in the 23 years since Wray did it no other skater has had the nerve to charge at the gap. A lot of the mind-blowing trick we see, like a kickflip into a bank or a 25-stair ollie, allows the skater to take as many run-ups as they need. For Wray, at the speed he was going, if he jumped off the board it would’ve meant falling from the top of the tower to flat.
For years, we’ve wanted to talk to Wray about his water tower ollie, so while we were out in California we tracked him down and convinced him to meet us close to the towers, about an hour outside of LA. And if it wasn’t nostalgic enough, we even had to hop the fence to stand in between the towers and soak in the madness. Not only should you check out our video, but go back and watch all of Wray’s parts because he is criminally underrated when it comes to ’90s and early ’00s skating.
Related Posts
Comments
Popular
-
A CHAT WITH LUDVIG HAKANSSON, THE OLDEST SOUL IN SKATEBOARDING
The man loves to read Nietzche, skates in some expensive vintage gear, and paints in his own neoclassical-meets-abstract-expressionist style.
-
HANGING OUT WITH ANDREW HUBERMAN, SKATEBOARDER TURNED NEUROSCIENTIST
Curious what it would be like to hang with this guy outside of a stuffy podcast studio? Us too.
-
GROWING UP, MOVING OUT, AND BREAKING BOARDS
A personal essay recounting a love affair with something we're all too familiar with.
-
INTRODUCING THE NEW JENKEM COLLECTION, JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Air fresheners, bumper stickers, a shirt with a gun on it and a bunch of other stuff.
-
HOW CHAD CARUSO SKATED ACROSS AMERICA
Chad did it the way most skateboarders would: independently and without much of a plan.
January 21, 2020 2:19 pm
Vid is down. In the UK at least. Isn’t on your YouTube channel either.
January 21, 2020 8:26 pm
First pro I ever met – blockhead tour in 1993 or so – they were skating spray painted world industries boards. Wray was crushing this manual pad such a nice guy. Great segment Jenkem Folks
January 21, 2020 8:43 pm
Mr. Kimball – 100% on point brotha!
Jeremy Wray is a fucking legend.
January 22, 2020 5:33 am
I wonder what Sturt is up to.