ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

I remember meeting Bob at the 2001 La Costa slalom race. There he was riding his 2" X 4" with old steel roller sk8 wheels. We chatted for a bit and later e-mailed each other back and about freestyle stuff.

He will be missed by many around the globe. I was chatting on MSN yesterday with Russ Howell when he received word from Yoyo. It is sad news to say the least.

Our condolences to all his family and friends.

World Freestyle Skateboard Association (WFSA) founder Bob Staton died yesterday. Bob approached Stefan "Lillis" Åkesson in 2000 about a merge of the International Network for Flatland Freestyle Skateboarding (INFFS) organization that Lillis had run since the mid 1990's. In 2002 the WFSA completely took over as the official body for freestyle skating.

Together the two orchestrated a freestyle revival that has brought new popularity to the freestyle discipline, bringing back old freestylers, but more importantly bringing new skaters into the discipline and conquering new frontiers with Brazil and Japan.

Freestyle skaters meet at the www.WFSAFreestyle.org and at their forum www.WFSAFreestyle.org/forum.

/Jani