This is probably equal to my venting of post-event blues, but it's mostly positive!

I've considered myself in the scene since around 2006. Back then, fingerboarding was booming. British fingerboarding seemed to be booming, everything was done on forums. All the Brits flocked to FFI to socialise with the Americans, just generally English speakers.

I'm going to list a pioneer some of you may not have heard of, Martin Illsley. He had probably a dozen companies over the time he was fingerboarding. Coke decks, Empire, Madness tape, ending finally with Arctic, which I was proud to represent.
So what does this have anything to do with British Fingerboarding? Simple. National motivation.
When Martin departed from the world of Fingerboarding, all British fingerboarding seemed a little stale. Something was missing.
In a way, I guess it is a little like an economy, but while British folks may not always buy from British companies, they may not realised that they were influenced by it.
But back to my point of National motivation, and sticking with the metaphor of an economy. Internationally people bought from us. To see our products around the world made us alert, patriotic.

This is where Blosom comes into it. Look at how popular they are, I believe there is a direct correlation between how much British fingerboarding has been spreading, and the sale of these decks.


But now people will say that products will have nothing to do with this, maybe it's just one of my hallucinated theories. And how are events tied in with this?

The first major event in British Fingerboarding - UKRendezvous, held by Sam Jamil.
Everyone was shy, no one had a taste of German events so no one knew what to expect, but despite this, we all had a sense of family, we could all relate because we had this fingerboard in front of us. I think this social aspect really motivates me personally, it's great!

Now I know there has been events since then, but I will only summarise the latest offering.

Crossed Fingers event, Oct 2012. It really felt like an event. Before going it felt a little contrived, but after the event had finished, I realised it was something special.
New blood had arrived, and arrived in style. The 10 who got to the next round (Best trick) had a variety of known people, and new. These new-to-events people blew my mind.
So the layout of the competition was similar to Fast Fingers, Best Run, Best Trick, S.K.A.T.E., all knockout format.
Unlike Fast Fingers, in the Best Trick round, we were given an extra two tries for our tricks, which is reasonable considering the vast difference in skill between the two nations.

Here is the stat that just makes me stupidly excited for the future of British fingerboarding:

Out of the 10 competitors, only 2 tricks weren't landed after 4 tries.

After having a birdseye view of most British events, this simple fact just makes my spine tingle with excitement! We are starting to see a competitive element arrive with force, and this can be good!
However, two things annoyed me after being defeated. I assume it's because I carry the title of "Yellowood team rider", but really, it's just a title. I was asked as soon as the final ended, "How does it feel to be beaten by a 12 year old?" Not bad, why? I don't know who the kid was who asked me this, but I can imagine he only asked me this out of spite. I'll answer it on here as: Fingerboarding is not propelled by age. It doesn't matter what your age is at all. The second question came from the winner himself (Whom has been acknowledged by a few members on here that he carried a bad attitude after he won.), "How did you get on Yellowood?" Now this is a question I hear a lot, no biggy, it's just the way it was smugly said. Really sly. Just because you have beaten someone who is on a team, doesn't mean you can take their place.
Keep a level head, have a laugh, and don't annoy people, then you will get on in the scene.

But aside from the negativity, British Fingerboarding is growing, I'm excited to see events in the coming months, and hopefully new British products too, it is always good for our community.

Viva la England.

This is great Thom, you explained everything about british fingerboarding culture.

I think the thing with sponsorship is a lot like other sports. You don't necessarily have to be the best to be sponsored by a big company. I mean, the big companies will look to sponsor those who are known in the scene, those who are likable and those who carry themselves and behave in a certain way. If a company is sponsoring a rider who is a bit arrogant/elitist, it could affect the image of that company!

I've only recently picked up fingerboarding and it was nice to find a forum with a lot of British people on it. The general vibe on this forum is pretty good, generally people are supporting each other, being friendly and giving constructive criticism when required.

Kerry does a good job with Unite and Fingersized, it's nice having a good distribution site based in the UK as by supporting FS, you're helping support the UK scene.

Hopefully Kerry (or others) put on more events in the future to help keep the community growing

Being on a team is about more than just riding well, it's about attitude, feedback, honesty and advertising (at least that's what I'll be looking for if I ever get as far as a team). And I'd love to see British products around the world, and British riders winning IFC. Go UK

(I feel I should add I'm saying this with a BRR rail, PoP Deck, BRTs and Oaks in front of me...)

Completely agree man!

Events bring the whole scene together, before there's so much hype, during the event you're meeting new people all the time creating brand new amazing vibes, and after the event you've met so many great people you can't wait to get home and talk to them whilst playing with your new stuff from the events.

Good vibes

This was awesome to read, loved the Ukr1 bit That's still one of my most memorable moments in fingerboarding! Mainly seeing you go for a laserflip back tail in best trick, blew my mind, aha!
But yeah, age doesn't matter in fingerboarding, but attitude does. Some kids seem to think that skill is everything, when in actual fact skill is one of the least important things that make a rider! These days it's down to style, personality, and contribution. Kids like Elliot have skill, but none of the other 3 main factors, and turn out to be dicks with no style, or any intention of contributing to the scene, it's people like that who stop the British scene from progressing!
But yeah, I can see the British scene going places, whereas the US scene is so vast, it's too spread out, the UK scene is so dense, we can and will achieve great things!

Kids are often like that though.

I remember when me and my friends just started skateboarding. We all knew who was the best at game of skate, who had the highest ollie, the most speed etc.

Kids compare themselves. This kid probably felt that he had beaten a pro and got stoked about it, so i wouldn't put too much thought into his behaviour.. This said without being there myself.

On another note.. Seen from outside the UK, you guys really seem to have a healthy scene going on and a lot of potential to grow. Blosom, Ampersands, the unite family and a few events.
We are jealous here in Denmark, haha


Also, thanks for an inspiring post Thom.

Inspirational, Thom. I must get you to do a couple of articles for Cyclone sometime!

Really sums up my feelings on the scene, can't wait to see what the future holds!

The first event that got me hooked was UKR2. I'd been fingerboarding for about a week, and was useless, and hardly knew anyone. Then I got to the event and was amazed at the scene, it was so cool how sound everyone was. I met Harry and Danny there and still speak to them regularly now, both of them being a huge part of the UK scene.

TomColbert wrote:

The first event that got me hooked was UKR2. I'd been fingerboarding for about a week, and was useless, and hardly knew anyone. Then I got to the event and was amazed at the scene, it was so cool how sound everyone was. I met Harry and Danny there and still speak to them regularly now, both of them being a huge part of the UK scene.

Aha, when we got lost looking for the event! 'nope, not down here!'
Didn't expect to be such good friends!

Danny Hynam wrote:

TomColbert wrote:

The first event that got me hooked was UKR2. I'd been fingerboarding for about a week, and was useless, and hardly knew anyone. Then I got to the event and was amazed at the scene, it was so cool how sound everyone was. I met Harry and Danny there and still speak to them regularly now, both of them being a huge part of the UK scene.

Aha, when we got lost looking for the event! 'nope, not down here!'
Didn't expect to be such good friends!

Cute!!!!!111

My first event was ukr3 and it was soo good! i loved it met lots of people there!

i wish for more companies to pop up in Britain......a company with substance though.

i know how difficult it is to produce in the uk though, so i wont hold my breath. i honestly think the weather has a huge role in the uk when it comes to fingerboard deck production....well....to do it well anyways.

i mean who wants to be in their shed sanding/lacquering in 0 and under conditions? i know i dont.

i think this is why alot of companies are a lot less productive during the winter months.

and at the crossed fingers, all the way through the comp i was willing the little guy Elliot to win......at this point i hadn't spoken to him, but i won brts in the raffle and said 'who wants a set of brts' and he literally ran up to me and snatched them off me....and this was with his huge bag of winnings.

some kids have no morals. it makes me sad in some ways, but i think alot of the younger guys need time to grow, this is what they dont understand. they think its all about skills to get sponsored (and i mean come on) thats all the kids aim for. (to be sponsored)....

when they forget about sponsorship and do it because they love it, a sponsor will come knocking, but until then, they will want as much free crap as they can get their mitts on.

im glad he won though. it shows that there is alot of younger generation who are ripping and growing into it....im sure if kids like Elliot kept fingerboarding, in time they would grow into serious sponsor material.

really nice post thom I'm definitely excited to see where the scene will be this time next year - there's a lot of growth coming I think!

kerryDETH wrote:

really nice post thom I'm definitely excited to see where the scene will be this time next year - there's a lot of growth coming I think!

Over the past month I've got 6 people into fingerboarding! I've told them to check out Unite for inspiration and news and Fingersized for products, one of them's just ordered a box 4, table and a Berlinwood!

This has to be the best thread i have read in a while. cross fingers was awesome. but i saw a segregation of the older people and kids. i had a long chat with someone in the scene who will not named and this is what we spoke about. kids just wanting free stuff and sponsors. dont get me wrong this is awesome they want sponsorship but thats all they fingerboard for. not because they love it and want to change the scene its just for free shit!!!

i want the scene just have more respect!!! i know thom made the comment about been on yellow wood which is a great achievement but thom is the most respectful and down to earth guy and this because he loves fingerboarding!! this is what alot of the olders are like. Kids need more respect for fingerboarding and for themselves.

i remember my mom saying. "been a kid are the best years of your life" damn she was right!!! just enjoy what you do and stop dreaming about constant free shit because nothing is FREE

wish the scene in sweden was bigger

If here in England, we could have a store like the brr store in Berlin or Pateo or the yellowood finger plaza that would be awesome ! Even without brr parks(which are really hard to get since they are hella expensive) it still can be very fun with homemade parks .. I think that would help a lot so people can meet other fingerboarders from England .. and ride together .. I know it's very hard this to become a reality but I hope someday it happens..

Really well said Thom

Being on a fingerboard team dosnt mean that you have absolutely mind blowing tricks. It mostly means that the company sponsoring you beliefs that you can add something new to there company and add something new to the scene. Being sponsored by a company that you absolutely love their products is great and them sponsoring you is adding you to the 'family'.

Take Sid Pereria, lets be honest he isnt the standard of the other flatface team riders. But mabey mike but him on the team because mabey he is just a really nice guy and beliefs that sid can spread the word of fingerboarding and flatface.

^Think it was because he's the kid's parents' age so he can persuade them into buying the kid a deck or something
really nice post Thom, inspiring stuff!
that kid is..well a kid, hopefully he drops the attitude when he grows up..

Such an enjoyable read.
You guys in the uk, or even all over the world who have a fingerboard scene are lucky.
I don't even think one exists over here in Australia.

But I agree with blosom, a lot of the younger generations these days don't fingerboard just for fun of it, all the want is free products or a sponsorship etc

Awesome explanation Thom the british scene is growing more and more.Its ashame we don't have that big of a scene in Sweden there is no real fingerboard event every year besides from the Malmö ultrabowl but there skateboarding is the big thing fingerboarding is just something on the side there's no event that focuses just on the fingerboarding

wish there actually was a scene here, its only me and Peter I think, Ironfingers seems to have dissapeared :/

loll dam I wouldn't write something that long lol I didn't read that even

dersz wrote:

loll dam I wouldn't write something that long lol I didn't read that even

Proves how much interest in fingerboarding you have.

Will Sparrow-Saunt wrote:

dersz wrote:

loll dam I wouldn't write something that long lol I didn't read that even

Proves how much interest in fingerboarding you have.

lol.

The companies is the one pushing the scene further as what Thom said. If the companies are progressing, the scene is also progressing. People are driven, imo, by new products. And because of that the level of the people is also increasing.

The scene here in Phil. is great! We have parks on malls and monthly competitions. We also have shops purely for fingerboarding.