Norway

[projectbridget]

sup?
i'm writing an article for a zine at the moment about the ban on skateboarding in norway from 78 to 89. is anyone here from norway that remembers anything about the time?
i hear they were building big crazy ramps & shit out in the forests, away from the cops. it'd be ace if i could get some firsthand accounts, or just anything from anyone who was affected by it.
thanks heaps yo

[Smokesletsgo]

Hey

Skateboarding was considered a crime in Norway from 1978-89. Import, sale and use skateboards was illegal. You got fined and had your board confiscated if caught. The movie "Thrashin" was even rated 18 because it was about skating.

Ramps were secretly constructed in the woods and boards were smuggled in to the country, mostly from Sweden. In the skateboarding community, skateboards and all skateboard related gear was valued like gold.

This is mostly common knowledge for us norwegian skaters. I'm not old enough to have experienced it first hand, but there is a norwegian skateboard mag called playboard, who've written a few articles on it. I can PM you their email adress if you're interested, I'm sure they won't mind answering your questions.

There was also released a documentary on the ban last year, but unfortunately it's not free. Haven't gotten around to see it myself yet, but from what I've heard, it's very detailed and has interviews with many key figures from that time, like smugglers, crew leaders and people who produced boards in secret. It's called "Brettkontroll" and is in Norwegian, but I assume the DVD has english subtitles.

Hope this helps a little

[projectbridget]

dude that would be awesome if you could pm me their address.
it sounds hectic, thanks heaps for your help!

[Smokesletsgo]

Done.

Don't mention it, glad to help

[Smokesletsgo]

I came across this article: http://www.oslogames.no/cat.aspx?cat=98894&t=0&id=129724&intcmd=print

[Wilp]

sverige :D

[Smokesletsgo]

Hello neighbor

[Wilp]

hey :D