Outside the new building at the University in the city (Grafton Road off Symmonds Street) is this courtyard with a marble ledge. It has been skatestopped but its still pretty skateable, you just have to be a bit more creative. Some of the security guards are super cool- even got a high 5 from one after he gave us another 5 minutes to skate it.
Score 4/10

On Airedale Street in the city you will find this pretty gnarly ZERO style drop in. Another spot Bam Margera hit when he was here for the Adio tour years ago. Next to it is this brick ledge to low sloping rail.
Score 5/10

Weiden + Kennedy have posted a new installment of an ongoing project they're producing entitled DIY America. The third installment in the 'Skate and Create' portion of the series is online, and it has interviews about skateboarding from Ian Mackaye of Fugazi and Minor Threat, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Ethan Fowler and others.

On Leslie Ave in Kingsland is this quiet carpark with a wide sloping ledge and a set of stairs you can also skate as a ledge.
Score 4/10

These snake shaped manual pads have been on a few videos and been skated by visiting pros, so hit em up and 'one up' the pros! They are in the park area outside the entrance to Vector Arena.
Score 4/10

One of my all time favourite spots is this small courtyard outside the library and bars at the AUT campus in the city. This small courtyard has plenty of things to skate and you can do some pretty interesting lines here. There are low manual pads to a medium drop off, sets of stairs, a curvy snake manual ledge, a mellow wedge, and a square metal flat bar around a rubbish bin to hit. This is a bust most of the time so save it for late night missions. Don't screw it up for others kids!
Up the stairs on St Pauls street are these pretty cool stone benches also.
Score 6.5 /10

Along Quay Street (opposite Foodtown down by Vector Arena) lies this mellow sleepy bank. Nothing too steep and with enough room to practice your favorite new flip trick it's a fun warm up spot before you hit the numerous other spots this area has to offer. You can skate this whenever with almost no chance of getting kicked out- think of it as our anorexic, wuss-bag, nerdy baby sister version of the Brooklyn Banks.
Score 4/10

This is a capped ledge with a slight downhill run up, on Normanby road in Mount Eden, kinda opposite the ‘bo concepts’ store. Check out the ABC cuz video to see some action on this ledge. After you’ve hit this head to ‘wok n noodle’ say hi to Chang (he’s awesome!) and enjoy some killer noodles! Score 6.5/ 10

Well it's that time of the year- Christmas and new years!!

Thanks to everyone who has sent in a spot this thing wouldn't work without you. Seven prizes have been sent out to people over the last few months - thanks to ABC and Cheapskates Khyber for the gears.

Its beach time for me so there won't be any spots posted till early next year so check back early January.

Happy holidays and thanks to everyone who's supported CJ13 this year!

Peace!

This is a classic spot by the old railway station, about two minutes push from Vector arena. These numerous low to high stone ledges with years of wax slid into them and ledges and a gap across the road have provided many a weekend of fun over the years. They still grind and slide pretty well and provide great opportunities for interesting lines. Score 6.5 /10

Champion.

Old ginger-nuts won the CJ13 crew S.K.A.T.E trophy.

For now...

Only 8 days to go!
Don't forget Christmas day is one of the best days of the year to hit all those spots that you always get kicked out of!
Just don't eat too much you greedy bastards!!

This is a kinda gnarly ledge to hit on the corner of Shortland Street and Emily Place. Easy and low to get on and not too steep but its really really long. The run up is a little sketchy but its definitely hittable. Bring your wax.

Score 4/10

2000s

As the new year quickly creeps up on us everyone's top ten lists of the decade are popping up in the magazines and on the interweb. I wasn't going to post my best picks of the 2000s for fear of leaving out something important... but what the shit, here they are!

TOP TEN (in no particular order)



Films:
Lord of the rings trilogy
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
300
Let the right one in
Spirited away
Sin City
Kill Bill 1/2
Garden State
Donnie Darko
Dawn of the dead remake
notable mentions: Planet terror, where the wild things are, watchmen, gangs of new york.


Albums
(I know I've forgotten some killa ones, damm it!)

Converge -Jane doe/ axe to fall
The Blood Brothers- Burn Piano / Crimes / Young Machetes
Botch- We are the Romans
Bloc Party- Silent alarm
Deathcab for cutie- Transalantism
The Gaslight anthem- sink or swim / the 59 sound
Everytime I die- New junk aesthetic
The bronx- s/t II
Modest Mouse- we were dead before...
Sounds like violence- the pistol.
Notable mentions (this could go on for pages but here's a few) Cave in-jupiter, El Bronx Mariachi, Yeah Yeah Yeahs- its blitz / fever to tell, Norma Jean- the anti mother, Against!me-all, Tegan and Sara- the con, Beirut- all, Chuck Regan-Gold country, Hot water music- everything on no idea records, Future of the left- travels with myself..., The Veils- all, Interpol- Antics.

Skaters

Jamie Thomas
Chris Cole
Billy Marks
Eric Koston
Brian Anderson
Andrew Reynolds
John Cardiel
Heath Kirchart
Justin Strubing
Geoff Rowley
Notable mention: the international success of Gareth Stehr


okay so that's my lists- time for you guys to send in your decade favs! Concrete Jungle has a prize for our favorite list sent in- best new trick, best video part, best skate spot/ think of your own??? Be creative!!! Winner will be announced and list posted before Christmas- so get writing!

This classic manual pad or ledge to drop is right outside the entrance to vector arena. Pretty fun even though a little short for manuals.

score- 5 / 10