RECAP of the Asics Skateboarding premiere event
On September 13, to celebrate the premiere of Asics Skateboarding’s brand-new video “A Guided Tour”, the local scene came alive! The EMPR team, the local skateboarding club SKAB and the Durango Café teamed up with Asics to create a one-of-a-kind day designed to bring the whole skate community together. A mix of good vibes, shared passion, and raw skate culture—this was all about celebrating the spirit of skating in the most authentic way.
The day kicked off with a “secret contest” in pure cash-for-tricks .style. The idea was simple but genius: the skate team sent out exclusive invites to a handful of friends, who could then pass them on to someone else. A kind of underground chain to build a contest for the core scene, by skaters, for skaters. In the end, about thirty riders showed up, ready to throw down.
The meetup started at the shop around 4PM then the crew took to the streets, cruising through the city before hitting the skatepark to break in a reshly-installed rail on a pyramid. The tricks started flowing, the energy was high, and the session only kept building.
From there, the crew headed to the whitewater stadium, tucked away in the industrial zone behind the park, where the team had revived an old curb spot by setting up a brand-new metal edge. The place went off—every inch of the spot got shredded. The stoke was real, and the heaviest tricks of the day were rewarded with straight-up cash, keeping it raw, core, and true to skateboarding’s roots.
Photo by PAL / Vidéo by Romain Freitas
After the session, everyone regrouped at the Durango Café in the Hédas district—just in time for apéro hour and after a much-needed shower).
There, the rest of the local skate scene was waiting for the night’s big moment: a ddouble video screening. First up was a short film by Romain Freitas (aka Freepago), premiering his new project: “Bad Night Outside”. Three minutes of pure energy, shot between Mont-de-Marsan and Anglet, capturing the EMPR team’s latest skate trip. A raw, vibrant edit that perfectly bottled the feeling of hitting the road and skating with friends.
To finish the day on a high note, we were treated to a world premiere screening of the new Asics Skateboarding video project, A Guided Tour, a global skateboarding odyssey.
Skateboarding has always been about motion—across streets, borders, and cultures. With “A Guided Tour”, ASICS Skateboarding releases a 25-minute film that captures this restless spirit.
Directed by Jacob Harris and creatively shaped by Jake Gascoyne, the project represents the third full-length video from ASICS and one of its most ambitious.
Multiple destinations, one language: skateboarding
Shot over eight months, the film traces a path from Helsinki's granite plazas to the alleyways of Okinawa, from Los Angeles freeways to the iconic architecture of New York City.Each destination adds its own texture, reminding us that skateboarding thrives everywhere.
The project introduces four new skaters to the ASICS roster: :
- Jaakko Ojanen, from Finland, whose creativity reinvents obstacles.
- Kyonosuke Yamashita, from Japan, blending flow and precision.
- Evan Wasser, from the US, bringing raw power and style.
- Victor Campillo, from France, linking European finesse with youthful energy.
They join Shay Sandiford and Awkwasi, two familiar names in the ASICS universe.
Beyond individual parts, the video features montage sections packed with names like , Zander Mitchell, Mark Humienik, the Late Nite Stars crew, and many more. It’s a reminder that skateboarding isn’t just about stars—it’s about the collective energy of a scene.
A visual travel journal
A“A Guided Tour” plays out like a road movie on four wheels. Tricks are only part of the story. Street sounds, landscapes, and atmospheres provide as much substance as the skating itself. Whether it’s snow-dusted Helsinki or neon-lit Okinawa, the camera celebrates the diversity of the skate experience.
Once synonymous with running performance, ASICS is now carving out a meaningful space in skateboarding. With projects like this, the brand demonstrates its commitment not just to shoes, but to the culture that makes skateboarding unique.
