Editing Skateboarding (section)

===1970s===
In the early 1970s, [[Frank Nasworthy]] started to develop a skateboard wheel made of [[polyurethane]], calling his company Cadillac Wheels.<ref name="SBH"/> Prior to this new material, skateboards wheels were metal or "clay" wheels.<ref name="Architecture"/> The improvement in traction and performance was so immense that from the wheel's release in 1972 the popularity of skateboarding started to rise rapidly again, causing companies to invest more in product development. Nasworthy commissioned artist [[Jim Evans (artist)|Jim Evans]] to do a series of paintings promoting Cadillac Wheels, they were featured as ads and posters in the resurrected ''Skateboarder Magazine'', and proved immensely popular in promoting the new style of skateboarding.

In the early 1970s, the precursors to the modern skateparks for skateboarding would be the repurposing of urban hydro and storm water infrastructure such as the [[Escondido, California|Escondido]] reservoir in [[San Diego]], California.<ref name="Architecture"/> ''Skateboarding'' magazine would publish the location and skateboarders made up nicknames for each location such as the Tea Bowl, the Fruit Bowl, Bellagio, the Rabbit Hole, Bird Bath, the Egg Bowl, Upland Pool and the Sewer Slide. Some of the development concepts in the terrain of skateparks were actually taken from the Escondido reservoir.<ref name="Stalefish">{{cite book|title= Stalefish: Skateboard Culture from the Rejects Who Made It|first= Sean|last= Mortimer|publisher= Chronicle Books|year= 2008|isbn= 9780811860420|access-date= November 3, 2012|url= https://archive.org/details/stalefishskatebo0000mort|url-access= registration}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.angelfire.com/ca3/peralta/iv.html |title = Stacy Peralta 1st Skateboarder Magazine Interview |publisher = Skateboarder Magazine |date = October 1976 |work = Z-Boys.com |access-date = November 3, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141213112922/http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/peralta/iv.html |archive-date = December 13, 2014 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://calstreets.com/gxp-retro-skaters/skateboard-history-vintage/2012-06-12-05-45-04/sims-corporation-2 |title = Sims Contributions and Importance to Skateboarding |author = Ben Marcus |publisher = Calstreets |date = May 24, 2012 |access-date = November 5, 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130617041510/http://calstreets.com/gxp-retro-skaters/skateboard-history-vintage/2012-06-12-05-45-04/sims-corporation-2 |archive-date = June 17, 2013 |df = mdy-all }}</ref> Many companies started to manufacture trucks (axles) specially designed for skateboarding, reached in 1976 by Tracker Trucks. As the equipment became more maneuverable, the decks started to get wider, reaching widths of {{convert|10|in|mm}} and over, thus giving the skateboarder even more control.<ref name="Architecture"/> A banana board is a skinny, flexible skateboard made of [[polypropylene]] with ribs on the underside for structural support. These were very popular during the mid-1970s and were available in a myriad of colors, bright yellow probably being the most memorable, hence the name.

In 1975, skateboarding had risen back in popularity enough to have one of the largest skateboarding competitions since the 1960s, the Del Mar National Championships, which is said to have had up to 500 competitors. The competition lasted two days and was sponsored by Bahne Skateboards and Cadillac Wheels. While the main event was won by freestyle spinning skate legend [[Russ Howell]],<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.skatelegends.com/russ_howell.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20011224210956/http://www.skatelegends.com/russ_howell.htm |url-status = dead |archive-date = December 24, 2001 |title = Russ Howell Interview |author = Dan Gesmer |work = Skate Legends.com |access-date = November 3, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://skateboard.about.com/od/boardscience/a/DogtownHistory_3.htm |title = The True Story of Dogtown and the Zephyr Team |author1 = Steve Cave |publisher = [[About.com]] |access-date = November 3, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130206185951/http://skateboard.about.com/od/boardscience/a/DogtownHistory_3.htm |archive-date = February 6, 2013 |url-status = live }}</ref> a local skate team from [[Santa Monica]], California, the Zephyr team, ushered in a new era of surfer style skateboarding during the competition that would have a lasting impact on skateboarding's history. With a team of 12, including skating legends such as [[Jay Adams]], [[Tony Alva]], [[Peggy Oki]] and [[Stacy Peralta]], they brought a new progressive style of skateboarding to the event, based on the style of Hawaiian surfers [[Bertlemann slide|Larry Bertlemann]], [[Buttons Kaluhiokalani]] and Mark Liddell.<ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.dogtownskateboards.com/about/history.html|title =Our only Crime is Being Original|author =Dogtown Skateboards|access-date =November 24, 2012|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20121226053345/http://www.dogtownskateboards.com/about/history.html|archive-date =December 26, 2012|url-status =dead|df =mdy-all}}</ref> [[Craig Stecyk]], a photo journalist for ''Skateboarder Magazine'', wrote about and photographed the team, along with [[Glen E. Friedman]], and shortly afterwards ran a series on the team called the Dogtown articles, which eventually immortalized the Zephyr skateboard team. The team became known as the [[Z-Boys]] and would go on to become one of the most influential teams in skateboarding's history.<ref name="Stalefish"/><ref name="Legend">{{cite book |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2i55HQAACAAJ |title = Dogtown: The Legend Of The Z-Boys |author1 = Craig Stecyk |author2 = Glen E. Friedman |author3 = C. R. Stecyk |publisher = Burning Flags Press |year = 2002 |access-date = November 3, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150320012851/http://books.google.com/books/about/Dogtown.html?id=2i55HQAACAAJ |archive-date = March 20, 2015 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title= Have Board, Will Travel: The Definitive History of Surf, Skate, and Snow|first= Jamie|last= Brisick|year= 2004|publisher= Harper Collins|isbn= 0060563591|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=gNv-ge5rOOUC&q=Jay+Adams+is+said+to+have+changed+skateboarding+at+del+mar&pg=PA45|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160429190622/https://books.google.com/books?id=gNv-ge5rOOUC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=Jay+Adams+is+said+to+have+changed+skateboarding+at+del+mar#v=onepage&q=Jay%20Adams%20is%20said%20to%20have%20changed%20skateboarding%20at%20del%20mar&f=false|archive-date= April 29, 2016|url-status= live}}</ref>

Soon, skateboarding contests for cash and prizes, using a professional tier system, began to be held throughout California, such as the [[California Free Former]] World Professional Skateboard Championships, which featured freestyle and slalom competitions.<ref name="Birthday">{{cite web | last = Lannes | first = Xavier | title = Happy Birthday Ellen Oneal | publisher = istia | url = http://blog.istia.tv/2011/05/happy-birthday-ellen-oneal.html | access-date = November 17, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121024053810/http://blog.istia.tv/2011/05/happy-birthday-ellen-oneal.html | archive-date = October 24, 2012 | url-status = live }}</ref>

A precursor to the extreme sport of [[street luge]], that was sanctioned by the United States Skateboarding Association (USSA), also took place during the 1970s in [[Signal Hill, California|Signal Hill]], California. The competition was called "The Signal Hill Skateboarding Speed Run", with several competitors earning entries into the ''[[Guinness Book of World Records]]'', at the time clocking speeds of over {{convert|50|mph|kph|abbr=on}} on a skateboard. Due to technology and safety concerns at the time, when many competitors crashed during their runs, the sport did not gain popularity or support during this time.<ref>{{cite web|url =  https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-nov-18-sp-signalhill18-story.html|title =  Board out of their minds|author =  Mike Horelick|date =  November 18, 2007|work =  [[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date =  November 17, 2012|archive-url =  https://web.archive.org/web/20120622195909/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/nov/18/sports/sp-signalhill18|archive-date =  June 22, 2012|url-status =  live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-8612409 |title = vHistory of skateboard competitions 1960s to 1980s: A brief overview |author1 = Killeen Gonzalez |date = June 9, 2011 |work = [[Yahoo]] |access-date = November 17, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140113025406/http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-8612409 |archive-date = January 13, 2014 |url-status = live }}</ref>

In March 1976, Skateboard City skatepark in [[Port Orange]], Florida and Carlsbad Skatepark in [[San Diego County]], California would be the first two large size US skateparks to be opened to the public, just a week apart.<ref name="Architecture"/> They were the first of some 200 skateparks that would be built through 1982. This was due in part to articles that were running in the investment journals at the time, stating that skateparks were a good investment.<ref name="Gnarly"/><ref name="Stalefish"/><ref>{{cite book|title= Skateparks: Grab Your Skateboard|first= Matt|last= Doeden|publisher= Capstone Press|year= 2002|isbn= 0-7368-1072-2|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=XU5F2ngzU58C&q=Skateboard+City+skatepark+opens+in+Port+Orange,+Florida&pg=PT7|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160427154102/https://books.google.com/books?id=XU5F2ngzU58C&pg=PT7&dq=Skateboard+City+skatepark+opens+in+Port+Orange,+Florida&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3RyYUKqgL8X1iQLRmoEg&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ|archive-date= April 27, 2016|url-status= live}}</ref> Notable skateboarders from the 1970s also include [[Ty Page]], Tom Inouye, Laura Thornhill, Ellen O'Neal, Kim Cespedes, Bob Biniak, Jana Payne, Waldo Autry, Robin Logan, Bobby Piercy, Russ Howell, Ellen Berryman, [[Shogo Kubo]], Desiree Von Essen, Henry Hester, Robin Alaway, Paul Hackett, Michelle Matta, Bruce Logan, Steve Cathey, Edie Robertson, Mike Weed, David Hackett, Gregg Ayres, Darren Ho, and [[Tom Sims]]{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}.

Manufacturers started to experiment with more exotic composites and metals, like [[fiberglass]] and [[aluminum]], but the common skateboards were made of maple plywood.<ref name="Architecture"/> The skateboarders took advantage of the improved handling of their skateboards and started inventing new tricks. Skateboarders, most notably Ty Page, Bruce Logan, Bobby Piercy, Kevin Reed, and the Z-Boys started to skate the vertical walls of swimming pools that were left empty in the [[Drought in the United States#Localized United States droughts|1976 California drought]]. This started the "[[Vert (sport)|vert]]" trend in skateboarding. With increased control, vert skaters could skate faster and perform more dangerous tricks, such as slash grinds and frontside/backside airs. This caused liability concerns and increased insurance costs to skatepark owners, and the development (first by [[Norcon]], then more successfully by Rector) of improved knee pads that had a hard sliding cap and strong strapping proved to be too-little-too-late. During this era, the "freestyle" movement in skateboarding began to splinter off and develop into a much more specialized discipline, characterized by the development of a wide assortment of flat-ground tricks.

As a result of the "vert" skating movement, skate parks had to contend with high liability costs that led to many park closures. In response, vert skaters started making their own ramps, while freestyle skaters continued to evolve their flatland style. Thus, by the beginning of the 1980s, skateboarding had once again declined in popularity.<ref name="SBH2"/>