Kevin Kowalski Every goddamn year, for one wild-ass weekend, Tallinn throws its mad footprint onto the worldwide skate map – and it's the Simple Session, man! Skaters from the frickin' ends of the Earth are gearing up for the pilgrimage to this small Baltic nut-house. But this ain't just about a colossal competition, hell no! It's a mind-bending odyssey through the psychedelic vortex of gnarly side events that'll detonate your consciousness. Nils-Eerik Vesberg and Meelis Erm Aaron "JAWS" Homoki Picture this: Freedom Square, where insanity meets concrete. Skate modules sprout up on the grand stairs, rails snake through the place, a colossal pyramid/gap-style monstrosity looms, and a goddamn sick wall ride that defies gravity. Locals like Kristo Õismets, Rain Lindemann,...
Estonian riders, my friends, they're a breed apart – wild, unpredictable, and utterly versatile. They dance on the edge of the asphalt abyss, conquering rough street spots, mini-ramps, transitions, public parks, and even daring vert transitions. That’s how they do. Summers? Well, they're a cruel mistress, always too damn short for their taste. So, when the weather gives them a wink, they grab life by the grip tape and ride it for all it's worth. And one specimen stands out from the crowd. This young blood? He skates like the devil's on his tail, throttling down the asphalt with a fearless abandon that'll leave you gobsmacked. Big tricks? Hell, he scoffs at them and hungers for more. But that's not...
Words and photos by Nicolas Bouvy While the Estonian community has always been home to rebellious and fearless individuals, with girls sharing sessions with the guys, the Estonian scene is gifted with individuals such as the talented Merje Reisenbuk or the super-active Liidia Maier who runs Pavilion Skatepark in Tartu, most of the women and girls have often felt excluded. Like us, they are drawn to the uncool wooden toy but are unsure of where to ride their urethane. When we, as men and boys, search for a gnarly session filled with aggressivity, speed, grinds, and all the reckless, macho vibes we crave, sometimes we tend to forget our own humble beginnings. We should be the first to acknowledge that...
Words and photos by Nicolas Bouvy Jaagup Mägi K. (1990) aka JMK, is a rare gem that any skateboard community would dream of having. He's a bold and creative rider deeply influenced by old-school moves, and every session with him turns into a thrilling, chaotic adventure. His unorthodox style sets him apart in our community, and he's the kind of friend most Tallinn skaters abides by. Jaagup is known as one of the wildest night owls in town, an unstoppable and incredibly social soul. But that’s not all, he has another arrow in his bow, an unlimited imagination that he expresses through art. Jaagup, bs crail at Loigu ramp. Back in the day, Estonia witnessed the emergence of Soviet Rula-manufactured...
Fs Disaster on the hip of Räsälä Pool, Finland. Words and photos by Nicolas Bouvy The name Jani Mäkelä is a must know in our close neighbouring Finland. It might not ring a bell for the younger generation of skateboarders in Estonia. But the man definitely deserves a little reminder. Tallinn will host its 23rd Simple Session this September and exactly 20 years ago Jani won that contest. And that’s not his only Estonian connection, hell no, he did come to the capital during the same year with some big names in the business, Andrew Reynolds and Kevin Spanky. He’s not only a stylish ripper. As a humble man he’s not gonna accept much praise for his work, but there...
