When We Was Rad:
Skateboard History from UK Vintage Magazine

Andy Ruffells Holeshot BMX and Skate Christmas Party 1987


Holeshot Preview 1987 Rad MagazineThe big Christmas event for 1987 was Andy Ruffell’s Holeshot competition. He knew how to stage such things, even then. This was the first year in which skating was included, and Christian Hosoi was on the list. Also lined up were Jeff Grosso and Jason Jessee with Marc Gonzales and Gator in the “maybe in your dreams” category.

On the BMX side, Matt Hoffman was paying a return visit along with Ron Wilkerson and Josh White. The other aspect of this which was a guaranteed crowd-pleaser was that it was NOT a “leave your boards at home” show. This was to be a party for the whole scene.


5 responses to “Andy Ruffells Holeshot BMX and Skate Christmas Party 1987”

  1. Coming from the tiny village of Southrop – a naive 14 year old – this was my first skate event of any kind. Thanks dad. As you might imagine it was slightly earth shattering.
    Highlights were Crispin Robinson grinding a raised RSJ, Gonz wallrides and fly-off style, Hosoi dominating the vert, scooter anarchy, and my first taste of skateboard irony: what I presumed were fashionable London skaters mucking about on cheap polyprops ollieing at least 18 inches high.
    I now live 5 minutes from the venue and every time I go to the Waitrose just down the road I get a hit of teenage invincibility to go with my artichokes.

  2. i was there sk8ing vert with the visiting pro’s,slapping “saw that” zine stickers all over the ramp-(dicky’s old zine) killa day tearing it up all over the course with a new set of wheels that we’d had (un-offically !) donated from burlo’s shop.
    some kid thought i was steve caballero and asked me and asked me for my signiture-so i just wrote “skooly”-then had hundred kids chase me and ask me for stickers& autographs ! had to run back up ontop of the vert ramp!……i was just some kid riding a black cab board with knee pads and a black flyway lid, that sneaked in with paul wright(chingford ripper)
    -try n see dicky’s “saw that”- zine- write up on the hole jam for a funny outlook on the who jam-killa times!!!!!!

  3. i used to skate at chingford
    i lost touch with paul wright after he went to america
    dont suppose anyone is still in touch with him and can give me a contact so i can say hi???

  4. sorry to chnge the subject completly..but no that mr boyce has gone away if theres anyone that reads this page and skated in the carlisle area in the 80,s and 90,s please get in touch with me…there was a scene there and would love to talk to anyone who skated there in the decades mentioned.usandkids31@aol.com martytn ta all

  5. ok chaps…lol…seen as mr TLB has got other things on his mind elts try and cheer up and tell everyone of ther good and bad skate epsisodes…..ill stat of by telling the time i got me old man to drive me all he way to lytham st annes i think it was near the windmill and in RAD they had said there wa a skate park biult there…so takes me ages to get me dad to take me there and then when i got ther the “kers had smashed it all up and said to me oh its closed now. by the way mr boyce if u read this i would love to taqke over the site if u want

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