The Element family tree.

The Australian Element team is quite an interesting group. From all over OZ (and NZ), with different styles, a wide range of interests , unique backgrounds and different ways they go about things. Like all families , as they grow, they branch out and develop their own style and ways of getting through this crazy thing call life. This is a little break down on some of the interesting things I learnt about the team on my first trip away as TM with the Australian Element team. Although we got somewhat rained out , a good time was had by all and we got as much skating done as possible, considering the conditions. So please read on as I branch out (get it? Element tree? Branch? Yeah you get it) and share some things i've learnt from my time with these unique individuals.

nick garcia, nosepick nosedive - torti

Jack Crook - Jack Crook, the man with a thousand flips, I found out is also the man who loves to sleep. But hey, he's a skateboarder, what reason does he have to wake up early anyway? No other skateboarders are awake before 11 are they? Imagine if they did, how much productivity that could be made! Ahh, to dream. Jack is real mellow, extremely talented and never complained at all. The switch flip then heel, so gnarly. If you go to all that effort on landing that first flip, you best commit to the second!

jack crook, sw flip/sw heel- torti

Casey Ainsworth - Casey is our new guy, some what of a secret weapon. He's had a pic here and there, but expect to see Casey popping up quite regularly. He wasn't officially meant to stay at the hotel as he only lives in Coolangatta (we were 15 minutes away in Burleigh Heads) but, keeping up with the positive team spirit, Casey stayed on the couch of one of the units, even got his own bed for a night, then got it taken away when one of the guys made friends with a local. Taking one for the team mate, that attitude will see you go a long way, 10 brownie points for you young man.

casey ainsworth, half cabbage - torti

Phil Marshall - Phil was the only rider on the oz team that I hadn't met before this trip, all i'd seen was his constant ripping inside the pages of the magazines , shredding the pages you could say (I just made that up!!). This is what I found out - I was right, Phil is real good on a skateboard and will skate any thing, the other thing I found, is that Phil is an extremely quirky character. From ordering expensive cocktails at dinner, getting lollies on the Element card where ever we went to, or possibly exaggerating an injury when he wasn't into a spot he was trying a trick on, Phil intrigued me daily. This isn't a bad thing though (usually), who wants a team of boring robots, not me, no thanks! What it does leave me with is an undying interest in what will happen next trip, i'm sure more ripping from Phil of course and hopefully, many more quirky surprises to surprise everyone with.

Corbin Harris - Corbin is, well, Corbin. We all know him , have watched his TV show (when there's skating on it and not footballers) and we all know that, put in his environment, he kills it on his shred sled. For Corbin, he'd had a big week prior to the trip, he'd interviewed Tony Hawk, done a bunch of "presenting" and launched Pop Gun, his new show to the pay TV world. So the fact that it rained, meant that Corbin , who could usually destroy any of the transition in the area, got somewhat of a break. He was good entertainment though, he charmed the fiery spot owners, cheered his fellow team riders on and made the most of the rain by making sure he was where he needed to be once the sun set, promoting the brand by getting amongst it. Corbs like the others has some big plans for this video project skating wise so gear up for a wild ride.

Bjorn - I have known Bjorn for quite a while and I'm used to the way he runs a tight ship when it comes to getting photos and footage logged. Obviously, like everyone, the rain was doing his head in, but you need to stay calm in adversity and BJ handled it like always. Bjorn was also in the "been here before" room with our 2 American friends and Corbin. That room was quiet, they would go to sleep at a sensible hour, maybe have a couple of drinks but nothing too crazy most of the time, generally conducting themselves like good boys. This was the total opposite to the other room, which held Fardell, Jack Crook, Casey and Phil. This room was a mess, smelled like a fridge full of off milk and usually had some sort of metal on or a terrible free to air television show on. That's how its always been though, all skate trips, no matter what team . There's the room that rages and the room that chills. Its always the chill crew room that is the one ready to rip in the morning and always the other that takes forever. As a TM or photographer, you just accept it and move on. Bjorn knows how to work the system, stay in the mellow room, paying sneaky visits to the other one, that way, when the mess gets made, or the smell turns to unbearable, he straight up bails. Cleaver man.

The Yanks - Besides shooting photos, the main reason for this trip was to open the new Element Collective Store in Burleigh Heads, and finish off our Element Summer catalogue, so we flew out Element U.S. Pro Levi Brown and am Nick Garcia to come shred for a few days before they headed to Melbs to strike a pose. Both were great dudes who were a pleasure to have on board, Nick and Levi had a willingness to skate everything and anything in their path. Your both welcome back any time as far as I'm concerned guys, thanks for the stop in.

nick garcia, wallie nose manny - torti

Fardell - Jack Fardell , skating wise, Jack got MVP, hands down. Every spot he got something, he even did tricks in the rain. It's impossible to keep him down. I think he had a "this my town" (well , adopted town) vibe going, you know, a sort of local pride thing .Well what ever it was, he got tricks. Jack and I are quite good mates these days, we work together when we shoot, he's actually one of the only guys out there that wants to get involved as far as angles and such goes, which i love. Jack partied hard on this little trip, but since then has settled down a lot, he's got a nice live-in girl, wakes up at a real human time and has chilled somewhat on party time. Jack's kept the shredding going since the trip ended, literally killing everything is his path. Keep it rolling Jack, good things are on their way.

So that's a little round up of our trip , we also had little Kobe Graff on the trip too, who has a real bright future ahead of him. For a 12 year old he has no problem skating with the big boys and is happy to get up time after time when he's knocked down. He's mature beyond his years and it'll be exciting to see him grow up. Considering we got rained on constantly and the trip was only pretty short, I feel i've now bonded with these guys and i'm really looking forward to making a full length feature with them, (oh, I guess the cats out of the bag that we're working on a video finally) and hopefully get to see more of the branches of our Element tree, who knows, maybe well grow some more branches soon.