20.10.2016

South and Beyond

Celebrating 5 years of adidas Skateboarding in South Africa

Words: Ollie Stalefish | Photographs: Adriaan Louw and Sam Clark

adidas Skateboarding presents South and Beyond – a film starring the adidas South Africa skate team and their journey over the past five years.

Pieter Retief was one of Cape Town’s biggest up-and-coming skateboarders with deep roots embedded in the local scene. When adidas first spotted Retief, they saw promise in him as a team rider, and as time went on his full potential became clear. So, they put him on the payroll, and then gave him the task of curating a local adidas skate program, meaning he got to handpick the skateboarders who would represent the brand alongside him.

The result is a team of like-minded individuals who have become something of a family, with South and Beyond documenting the family holidays they've enjoyed over the years, and stars:

Dlamini Dlamini; so nice they named him twice. One of South Africa’s most highly acclaimed skateboarders, Dlamini's been travelling the world as one of only two South Africans to ever be invited to take part in the prestigious Street League event in Barcelona. He also regularly spends extended periods in the USA, where he’s been acknowledged by global skate media and has proven that it doesn’t matter where you come from – if you have the determination and skill then you can go anywhere by doing what you love.

Khulu Dlamini from Durban possesses both huge pop and an eye for the awkward skate spots that are commonly found on South Africa’s rough streets. His laidback style and easygoing nature make him the life of the party at any given session. In addition to his regular appearances in Session Magazine, Khulu recently made it onto the front cover, with a full-length feature story inside to accompany the shoot. 

Allan Adams is the young, softly-spoken tech wizard from Cape Town. The rate at which this kid progresses on a skateboard is astonishing, and he's proof that the next generation will be better than the last. Having recently won the 2016 Element 'Make It Count' international contest, he earned a trip to Barcelona and there’s no looking back now as he’s all set to take on the world.

Yann Horowitz originally hails from Durban and is a force of immense power and fluid energy on a skateboard. He regularly features in skate magazines across Europe and rarely misses an appearance of some sort in an issue of Session Magazine. In fact, he’s featured on more covers of Session Magazine than anybody else. In addition to winning numerous local contests, Yann's also been featured in countless videos and even toured parts of Europe, such as Belgium with RVCA and France with Familia Skateboards, for whom he recently turned Pro. 

Led by these ambassadors, adidas has documented skateboarding in locations across Southern Africa over the past five years, carefully crafted by skate lens-men Adriaan Louw and Sam Clark for a film that promises to set a new benchmark for local skate video production. 

Pull in for the screening at Baseline on Friday night (21 October, 19:00 – 21:00, 8 Kloof Street, Gardens), otherwise you can watch it here from Monday 24 October. 

 

https://superbalist.com/thewayofus/2016/10/12/check-the-fine-prints/793
https://superbalist.com/thewayofus/2016/10/06/the-travelling-showroom/788
https://superbalist.com/thewayofus/2016/09/28/man-s-a-mag-man/769