It is a little known fact that Norway is the only country on earth that has ever declared skateboarding and the possession of skateboards to be a criminal offence. Between 1977 and 1989 it was illegal to import, possess or ride a skateboard. The reasoning behind this, according to the Norwegian Government, is that the Ministry of Transport and Communications, along with the Ministry of Environment believed that skateboarding was a reckless pursuit which endangered not only the skaters themselves but also the elderly who walked the streets. This reckoning resulted in one of Norway's most obscure laws being passed, a total ban on skateboarding and associated paraphernalia. The Oslo Games serves as a tribute to those skaters who flouted the law and kept skating alive in Norway in the face of great hostility and under threat of criminal prosecution.
The history of Norwegian skating is unique. While bureaucrats used legislation and the police used heavy handed techniques in their efforts to eliminate skateboarding in Norway a small group of approximately 40 skaters used their ingenuity and passion to keep it alive. During the 12 years of prohibition these skaters travelled to Sweden, The U.S and Britain to get their inspiration and returned to Norway with new skills and ideas. Secret spots were discovered around Norway where they could hone their skills away from the watchful eye of the police.
One such discovery was Slemmestad Pipe, a tight, steel pipe which was popular in 77⁄78 and played a significant role in establishing the Norwegian skate scene. Skaters from all over Oslo would meet at Slemmestad, inspired by punk rock and American skate mags a culture developed and vert was skated for the first time in Norway. In the summer of 78, as the skating was becoming serious and Lars Petter Lunder (LP) made his way to 11 o'clock and did Norway's first gay twist with his board strapped to his feet the police raided the spot and ordered factory workers to weld a steel bar across the pipe.
LP was the most successful skater of his generation. His talent on a vert ramp was so undeniable that most of us who grew up in the 80's were sure he would become a big time pro. In 1980 in Sweden he skated a demo alongside old school legends Stacy Peralta and Allan Gelfand impressing the crowd with his aggressive style. It was at this event that Jason d'Ancona told Stacy about the prohibition of skating in Norway. Peralta later wrote about this in an article for Action Now, much to the enthusiasm of all Norwegian skaters.
As skating under prohibition became a way of life for most Norwegian skaters many ramps were built in secret. These undercover operations were frequently raided by police and boards were confiscated. Extreme measures were put in place by the skaters to evade the law including painting ramps in camouflage colors and placing barbed wire strategically around the ramp to ensure their get away before being detained by police.
As skaters thought of ever more ingenious ways to keep their culture alive a young arts student, Anders Wittusen, turned his hand to the production and sale of illegal skateboards. His brand, True Art Of Norway and Utopia, produced 80% of all boards used in Norway. In the late 70's his boards were simply copies of Dog Town boards but he later experimented with his own designs which have since become iconic in the Norwegian scene. Inspired by the art of Andy Warhol, they were even exported to Denmark and England, with his caricature of the Norwegian Crown Princess, the "Colonel Sonja" model, being the most recognizable and popular of his designs. Jason d'Ancona "The father of Norwegian skating" once said that Anders Wittusen was responsible for keeping skating alive throughout the prohibition.
Then finally after 12 years of prohibition the Norwegian Government over turned its decision to criminalize skateboarding. In 1989 the ban was lifted and met with an industry boom which was so immense that cheap skateboards could be purchased in almost every store and even at petrol stations.
That summer Neil Blender and Craig Johnson were the first pros to visit Norway and were treated as rock stars. The old schoolers embarked on national demo tours and inspired kids around Norway to pick up a board and just skate. The rest, as they say, is history. 21 years after the ban was lifted the Oslo Games will be the first ever professional international skateboarding contest to be held in Norway; it's been a long time coming but we can assure you it will be worth the wait.
Norwegian Old School Hall of Fame
LP (Lars Petter Lunder): #1 ripper of Norwegian old school skateboarding. Today he is a trader in old vinyl records, mostly punk, pop punk and Russian jazz. He is said to have a record collection of 60,000 LP's.
Jason d'Ancona: Born in America and came to Norway as a child. LP describes him as a "soul skater" with the smoothest style in the history of Norwegian skateboarding. An early spokesman for the Norwegian skateboarding community; Jason became the editor of Norway's first skate magazine. A long time political activist and anarchist, he is today partially handicapped due to multiple sclerosis and is unable to skate. He spends most his free time studying Tibetan Buddhism.
Thomas Ørbeck: Dedicated vert skater and snowboarder. Established the most important skate spot in Norway in the prohibition era: the "Frogner ramp" in Oslo. In the mid 80's Thomas started the Oslo Skate Society (OSS), and staged a demonstration outside the Ministry of the Environment, skating the curbs outside the building and demanding to meet the people responsible for the prohibition. This demonstration was partial success resulting in a deal which would later afford OSS members to reclaim the confiscated boards of other members. Needless to say, most Norwegian skaters became members.
Anders Wittusen: The man behind the most outstanding Norwegian production of snowboards and skateboards. Five of his snowboards are in the National Ski Museum. He is also one of the first Norwegian graffiti artists. He still works as an artist, and rides his old split tail snowboards whenever there's powder in Norway.
Cedrik Cornell: youngest member of the old school crew, won a street contest in Sweden in his early teens, and was the first Norwegian to do a flat land ollie. He became a pro–snowboarder on the international Sims team and rode for them for three years. He is today considered the foremost authority on snowboard technology in Norway.
Jørn Torjussen: In almost every photograph of Norwegian old school skateboarding, Jørn is present, either skating, or in the background. Early on he travelled to the French Alps and pioneered Norwegian Snowboarding. In the late 80's he rode for the Burton international team. Today he is a medical doctor, and the doctor of the Norwegian National Snowboarding Team.
Knut Anders Farstad: Came from a small town in western Norway, Molde. He became a symbol of hardcore skateboarding and snowboarding; always going full throttle and as large as possible. He had a big local following which made Molde one of the most progressive skateboarding cities in Norway. In the 90's Knut Anders fell 10 meters and broke his back in a climbing accident. He is still seen doing rolling handstands and technical flip tricks to the great enthusiasm of all the new school kids.