With that face-picking pun out the way, there’s an app out for Android (and for iOS next year) specifically designed for skaters and snowboarders to register and share their favorite spots on the move, and there’s quite a bit of noise behind it.
The app’s premise is fairly simple, you take a picture of your spot and drop a pin in it (not helping with the acne metaphor), much like google maps. You then add details for what’s there, and gradually you build a log of transfers, rails and gaps that you can share over Facebook, or with anyone else who has the app.
There are a good few names behind it as well (mainly ones that are hard to pronounce); Eero Ettala and Fredu Sirvio (the creators) Eiki and Halldor Helgason, Heike Sorsa, Mark McMorris and Aaron Biitner are representing the snowboard side, and Madars Apse, Jaakko Ojanen, Simo Makela, Jesse Turunen and Pirkka Pollari are handling the skating side. (n.b. watch the video in the Pirkka Pollari link, it’s like the first pint after work. On a friday).
Very soon that secret spot of yours may not be so secret after all, but on the flip side, think of all the great new ones you might find. Personally, I think it’s great idea, and I’d be keen to see it extended to long boarding and free running. It might just be the best weapon in the fight to take over the cities (or just a way of saving some space in your head). Either way, it’s free, so join in.
