etnies

Meet Chelsea, the etnies Girl of the Month

Meet Chelsea, an 18-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, and our newest etnies Girl of the Month!

etnies Girl: What are your interests?
Chelsea: I love skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding with a passion. They are quickly beginning to consume my life—I can't seem to get enough of them. I also play lacrosse, paint, draw, and fiddle around with the guitar and attempt to sing from time to time.

etnies Girl: What are your talents?
Chelsea: I consider myself a pretty talented artist in both visual arts and musical arts. My voice is my best instrument, followed by piano or guitar, and my painting is coming around. I am not the most talented skateboarder, although I am probably most passionate about it. I have had five knee surgeries, so my abilities on a skateboard are limited, but I try hard not to let that stop me from riding.

“Never be afraid to live life to the fullest and end up with a few scars.”

etnies Girl: How did you get involved in skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding?
Chelsea: Skateboarding really started with my best friend Nick, he has skated for a long time and after watching him and seeing how passionate he was about it I just had to try it. I loved watching the X Games and skate videos so I figured I might as well give it a go.

The first time that I ever surfed was in Surfer's Paradise, Australia. I visited the summer of my sophomore year in high school and fell in love with it. There is no feeling in the world like being connected with nature through riding a wave. Surfing is probably the most tranquil, peaceful sport in the world, but when you least expect it Mother Nature can rear up and throw you for a loop as well. It’s exciting, wild and relaxing all at the same time, and I’ve fallen head over heels for it.

When I decided that I wanted to try out snowboarding, I gathered up one of my closest friends, Sara, and we drove in a blizzard to "Midnight Madness" at Mad River Mountain in Ohio. I went down the slopes only once; I attempted to push myself towards the lift when all of a sudden, my boot went straight through the fresh powder. I shifted my weight in an attempt to free my foot and wound up ripping my cartilage because my board slid out from under me. Well, to make a long story short, I couldn't stand to get tossed around like that and there was no way that I was going to let the injury slow me down. I got a snowboard for Christmas and as soon as I healed I went back and dominated the slope that tore me up. Now it’s my passion and I plan to stick with it for as long as I physically can.

etnies Girl: What do you like about etnies Girl?
Chelsea: I love etnies Girl because it gives talented girls huge exposure for sports that are, or at least started out as being, male dominated. I don't think that enough guys realize that there are girls out there who can really shred.

etnies Girl: Why are you an etnies Girl?
Chelsea: I am extremely independent. I have always been my own person regardless of what people think about me. When I first began skating I was made fun of quite a bit for the sole fact that I was a girl—which only made me stronger and want to show up all of the boys.

etnies Girl: What do you do for fun?
Chelsea: Typically I skate or just hang out with my friends. I would surf and snowboard more but it’s so seasonal. That’s what makes skating great—you can almost always do it, indoors or out. I like to go to concerts. I love music so i try to surround myself with it. I can usually be found in a coffee shop listening to someone play guitar, down in an underground concert hall in Columbus or skating around town.

etnies Girl: Where do you find inspiration?
Chelsea: I try to find inspiration within myself. Throughout the past six or seven years I have had to face a lot of physical hardship with my knee problems, and really the only person who can make me keep going and stay active is myself. I do have idols just like everyone else though, and one of my biggest idols is Bethany Hamilton. She lost her arm in a shark attack while surfing, but she continues to compete and surf today. That simply takes guts, so I don't know how you couldn't find inspiration in her and her story.

etnies Girl: What’s your biggest accomplishment?
Chelsea: My biggest accomplishment thus far is probably overcoming my physical limitations with having knee surgeries and still pursuing the sports that I love. It would be so easy for me to give up and take it easy—as many people have advised me to do—but I don't like taking the easy way out all of the time. There are certain things in life that you just have to do, and doing actions sports is one of those things for me. You only live once.

etnies Girl: Why do you love action sports so much?
Chelsea: I love the simple thrill of action sports. There is nothing more exciting than feeling a wave pick you up ten feet in the air and then riding it all the way through from top to bottom knowing that you could get tossed at any second with one false move. There is nothing more peaceful than cruising from place to place on your skateboard and then hitting up a park after school to try to land a new trick you’ve been working on. I love action sports because they are thrilling, a challenge, and they take guts because you have got to be willing to take chances in order to succeed.

etnies Girl: Can you tell us a little about your knee surgeries and how you’ve still managed to keep active despite your physical limitations?
Chelsea: This year I had my fifth knee surgery. My complications began with lacrosse and soccer but have never failed to limit me to a certain extent in everyday life. I have almost no cartilage left in either of my knees so it is important for me to be careful to a degree. At first I was afraid of getting hurt while skating or snowboarding, so before I decided to try any tricks I decided to get strong. I began lifting weights in order to strengthen the muscles around my knee, and once I felt strong and confident nothing could hold me back. The key to overcoming physical limitations is staying confident. If you are going to try a trick then you have to commit or else you are going to get hurt.

etnies Girl: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Chelsea: My mom and dad both always say to me, “Chels, never be afraid to do what makes you happy. You have got to live while you are young.” That simple piece of advice has helped shape me into who I am today. They gave me this advice after one of my first knee surgeries because the sports that I participate in on a daily basis are physically demanding and hard on your body, especially mine, but they didn't want me to stop doing what I love. Nothing is more important than doing what makes you happy. Skating, surfing and snowboarding are what make me happy, so they are just something that I have to do.

etnies Girl: What’s really important to you?
Chelsea: Above all, my family and friends are the most important things in my life. My education probably comes second, followed by staying healthy and my sports. I cherish all of these things very much, so I am so thankful to have a supportive family and close friends. A good education is a gift. Because I am going to go to school in Australia, I will be able to follow my dream; without school, none of that would have been possible. And of course my health and sports are important to me because I enjoy being physically active and challenging my body on a regular basis.

etnies Girl: Is there anything else you would like to say before we go?
Chelsea: I guess the only thing that I have to say is if you haven't tried it yet, get out there and skate, surf or snowboard! Never be afraid to live life to the fullest and end up with a few scars.

Chelsea’s Favorite Things

Place: “Australia. It is the most beautiful country in the entire world. It is clean, you can skate and surf all day, and the people are amazing.”
Animal: “Sharks. This is probably crazy because I am a surfer, but they are very intriguing to me. They make me want to study Marine Biology.”
Color: “Yellow…it’s wild, fun and bright.”
Hangout: “My house. Every time that I am in town, my friends all come over to my house and we just jam out and play music into the night. It is the hub of my town. Everyone hangs out there.”
City: “Los Angeles. I love L.A. because it is an artist city and it’s coastal. When I was on my way to Australia, my flight was held over in L.A. and that was the first time that I experienced the city. There were street venders everywhere, skaters all over the place and some great art shops and record stores.”
Song: “Soul Meets Body” by Death Cab For Cutie
Album: “This is so hard because there are so many great albums, but right now I have been listening to Motion City Soundtrack's new album, "Commit This to Memory.”
Band: “I love anything indie like Death Cab For Cutie or Motion City Soundtrack, but I also love the classics like Elvis and The Beatles.”
Book: “Pipe Dreams” by Kelly Slater
Movie: “Donnie Darko”
TV show: “The OC”
Sport: Surfing, skating, snowboarding and lacrosse
Game: “Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Any of them, they are all great.”
Food: “Pickles or tacos. It’s a tie.”
Candy: “Nerds Rope. I can never get sick of those things.”
Holiday: “I love Christmas because I get to see everyone in my family and my best friend, Nick.”
Smell: “Bananas or the ocean…anything tropical.”
Hobby: Skating, surfing, snowboarding and art
Guilty pleasure: “Harry Potter. I don't know if it is really a guilty pleasure, but I have been made fun of it before. I just love the books and the movies.”
Athlete: “Bethany Hamilton because she is so strong, and Kelly Slater because he is an amazing athlete.”
Hero: “My mom and dad. They have done an amazing job raising me and developing me into who I am today. They have always supported my decisions 100 percent and they are two of the strongest people I know.”
etnies Girl shoe: Callicut, Novice and Cinch

Be an etnies Girl of the Month

Would you like to be the next etnies Girl of the Month? Leave a comment telling us why you deserve to be the next etnies Girl along with your age and, if you’re extra nerdy (which we love) add a link to a picture of yourself. Make sure to leave your CORRECT (no funny business!) e-mail address in the e-mail field, or we won’t be able to contact you if you’re chosen. (Don’t worry, your e-mail address won’t show up in your comment.) If you’re feeling shy, you can also e-mail a paragraph describing why you should be our next etnies Girl along with a photo of yourself to etniesgirl [at] soletechnology.com, or send it to:

etnies Girl of the Month
c/o Sole Technology, Inc.
25422 Trabuco Rd., Suite 105 #235
Lake Forest, CA 92609

Don't forget to include your name, age, address and phone number.

etnies Girl’s New Music Search!

etnies Girl has a new team DVD in the works, and we want to give you the chance to get your band on the soundtrack! Enter etnies Girl’s New Music Search by June 15, 2006, for the opportunity to have one or more of your band’s songs featured on the soundtrack of the etnies Girl team DVD that will be available at selected etnies Girl retailers later this year. etnies Girl will pick the winning submissions based on quality, fit and sound, and there is no limit to the number of submissions that will be chosen. Winners will be announced by September 1, 2006. Good luck!

etnies Girl Announces Four New Additions to 2006 Team

Left to right: Tarah Gieger, Sarah Whitmore, Nina Buitrago, Stacey Mulligan

etnies Girl is proud to announce the addition of four talented new athletes to our already stellar 2006 team. Tarah Gieger and Sarah Whitmore have been added to the motocross team, along with Nina Buitrago and Stacey Mulligan in BMX.

Tarah and Sarah have been riding for the etnies flow program for the past year and have now progressed to full-fledged global team riders. They are currently training hard to prepare for their quests for the 2006 AMA/WMA Championship title.

Nina and Stacey are the first freestyle BMX girls to represent the etnies Girl team. Both up-and-coming street and ramp specialists, they have been riding on the etnies Girl flow program for the past year and earned their stripes to advance to the team. They are looking forward to big wins in the 2006 season.

Welcome to the team, ladies!

STEP UP Is Everywhere!

So imagine you work for etnies like Candice, our delightful events coordinator, and you’re trying to get away from it all by taking a nice, relaxing vacation to North Carolina. You decide to go hiking in a fairly remote location—Crowders Mountain, to be exact—and then you look down and see your company’s ad campaign, STEP UP, right in front of you.

etnies is everywhere, people. Resistance is futile.

Last Chance to Win a Year’s Supply of Shoes

Today is the last day to sign up for your chance to win a year’s supply of etnies Girl shoes, so if you haven’t already entered to win, do it now! One grand prize winner will be randomly selected to win 12 pairs of etnies Girl kicks, and two runners-up will each receive one pair of shoes. Enter to win by 11:59 p.m. PT today, March 28, 2006, and get ready to make room in your closet!

Catch Lauren Perkins on CNBC Today!

Lauren in San Francisco

Unless you have aspirations to be the next Donald Trump, we’re guessing you don’t watch “On the Money” on CNBC. Well, for once you’ll have a reason to watch the show, because etnies Girl’s very own Lauren Perkins will be making an appearance on the show’s “Out of the Box” segment tonight, Monday, March 27, from 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. ET. Check it out!

Introducing etnies Girls Get on Board!

Have you always wanted to learn how to skate, surf, ride motocross or BMX? If so, you’re in luck!

etnies Girl is proud to announce the launch of our very own action sports clinic series, etnies Girls Get on Board. Open to females of all ages and skill levels, Girls Get on Board clinics will provide you with the basic skills and confidence needed to participate in action sports, while enabling you to learn from professional athletes such as our very own etnies Girl team riders—including Elissa Steamer, Lauren Perkins, Nina Buitrago, Stacy Mulligan and more. You will never forget the first time you hop on a skateboard, surfboard, motocross or BMX bike, and we want to be there when you do it!

To learn more, visit the etnies Girls Get on Board page.

Enter the ME (my etnies) Giveaway!

Have you always dreamed of being a shoe designer? Enter the ME (my etnies) Giveaway and your dream could become a reality! All you have to do is design a pair of custom Callicuts with the ME (my etnies) custom shoe builder, and you could be one of five people to win a pair of custom Callicuts each month between March and July. All entries must be received no later than July 22, 2006, in order to be eligible so start designing! Good luck!

Spencer O’Brien Takes Second at U.S. Open

Spencer O’Brien (left, in white pants) on the podium at the U.S. Open.

Congratulations to etnies Girl Canada rider Spencer O’Brien for placing second in Women’s Slopestyle at the U.S. Open in Stratton, Vt., over the weekend! Kudos also to etnies Girl snow team rider Alexis Waite for placing eighth in the same event.

Best Trick Contest March 18 at etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest

Just a reminder, ladies, the etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest will host its first Best Trick contest of 2006 tomorrow, Saturday, March 18!

The contest will kick off at noon with a 45 minute jam session on the hubba, rail and stair section of the park. Judges will choose the best tricks throughout the session, and the top five places and the best slam will earn cash and prizes from etnies. Contestants will also have the chance to win $20 bills for landing random tricks called out during the session.

The contest is free to etnies Skatepark members and open to girls as well as the guys. No pros allowed and full pads are required.

Stop by to catch the action or, better yet, enter the contest!

UPDATE: Check out the etnies Skate site for the contest results!

Download New etnies Girl Team Wallpaper!

The 2006 etnies Girl Team (from left to right): Mary Osborne, Elissa Steamer, Tarah Gieger, Leanne Pelosi, Alexis Waite, Lauren Perkins and Sarah Whitmore. Not pictured: Janna Meyen, Evelien Bouilliart, Stacey Mulligan and Nina Buitrago.

We just added a brand spankin’ new desktop wallpaper of the etnies Girl team to the Wallpaper page. Come and get it…your computer will thank you!

Hey Baby, What’s Your Sign? Introducing the Callicut Birthstone Series

Astrologers believe that birthstones possess a power beyond their beauty and that wearing a birthstone—the gemstone that corresponds with the month of one’s birth—brings good luck and health. With this in mind, etnies Girl introduces the Callicut Birthstone Series of 12 special edition shoes. Based on etnies Girl’s most popular model, the Callicut, the new Birthstone Series replaces the standard “E” logo with an embedded outline of imitation birthstones.

Every month between April 2006 and March 2007, a new Callicut Birthstone shoe will be released featuring that month’s respective birthstone. Each shoe will only be available within the month that corresponds with the birthstone; retail stores will receive the shoes one month prior. The first shoe in the Callicut Birthstone Series, delivering to retail outlets this month, features the diamond, April’s birthstone.

The full roster of Callicut Birthstone shoes that will be launched over the course of 2006 and 2007 is as follows:

Birthstone Month: April Birthstone: Diamond Retail Delivery Date: March 2006
Birthstone Month: May Birthstone: Emerald Retail Delivery Date: April 2006
Birthstone Month: June Birthstone: Pearl Retail Delivery Date: May 2006
Birthstone Month: July Birthstone: Ruby Retail Delivery Date: June 2006
Birthstone Month: August Birthstone: Peridot Retail Delivery Date: July 2006
Birthstone Month: September Birthstone: Sapphire Retail Delivery Date: August 2006
Birthstone Month: October Birthstone: Opal Retail Delivery Date: September 2006
Birthstone Month: November Birthstone: Citrine Retail Delivery Date: October 2006
Birthstone Month: December Birthstone: Blue Topaz Retail Delivery Date: November 2006
Birthstone Month: January Birthstone: Garnet Retail Delivery Date: December 2006
Birthstone Month: February Birthstone: Amethyst Retail Delivery Date: January 2007
Birthstone Month: March Birthstone: Aquamarine Retail Delivery Date: February 2007

Keep checking the site to see each new Callicut Birthstone Series shoe unveiled in the Footwear page, and check the Shop Locator to find an etnies Girl retailer near you.

ME (my etnies) Now With Skulls, Hot Pink and Gunmetal

We just added two new colors and a new pattern to the ME (my etnies) custom shoe builder in the Online Store! Now you can customize your very own pair of etnies with the brand new hot pink and gunmetal colors and skull and crossbones pattern.

Take a few moments to customize a pair of your own etnies and post your design code in the comments so we can check them out, and stay tuned to the etnies Girl site for additional shoe models, colors and patterns that will be released in coming months.

Leanne Pelosi Wins Vans Cup Rail Jam

Photo: Eddie Lee

Congratulations to etnies Girl team rider Leanne Pelosi for winning the Rail Jam at the Vans Cup at Tahoe over the weekend! Leanne won the event for the second year in a row with a half cab to front boardslide to fakie off, earning her a $2,000 check plus a surprise $4,000 bonus check from Tylenol. Leanne also competed in the Slopestyle event, securing a seventh place finish behind fellow teammate Alexis Waite, who finished fourth. Way to go, girls!

Kudos also to etnies Girl flow riders Mercedes Nicoll for placing ninth in Superpipe and Spencer O’Brien for placing ninth in Slopestyle.

You can catch all of the action by tuning into Fox Sports Net at 3 p.m. for the two part broadcast on April 28 and May 5, with a rebroadcast on May 12 and May 19.

Learn to Skate at the Final Chick Flip Cliniques 2006 in Quebec

If you live in Quebec, Canada, you still have one more chance to learn how to skate at the etnies Girl-sponsored Chick Flip Cliniques 2006!

The final clinic in this series of skate camps for girls will take place on March 11 at Universe Skatepark in Repentigny.

The camp will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and there will be an open session afterwards from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day will end with a best trick and a poser game for the campers from 2 to 3 p.m. All of the coaches are certified by the P.E.S.Q.

Visit Rugged Riders for more information or to sign up for the camp.

Win a Year’s Supply of etnies Girl Shoes!

If you haven’t already signed up for your chance to win a year’s supply of etnies Girl shoes, then take a minute to sign your bad self up! One grand prize winner will be randomly selected to win 12 pairs of etnies Girl kicks, and two runners-up will each receive one pair of shoes. Enter by March 28, 2006, and get ready to make room in your closet!

March’s Snow Team Report

Leanne (left) and Alexis at Mt. Baker in February

Leanne

Since the last snow team report, Janna Meyen made history, becoming the first athlete ever in X Games history to fourpeat! Lately she has been concentrating on filming with the Volcom crew, and she is currently on the road hitting up the backcountry. She reports that she’s having a blast and will continue to follow the snow. She’s also getting ready for an Alaska trip in early April. It will be her first Heli experience, so she’s pretty pumped.

Leanne Pelosi and Alexis Waite have been on a serious mission to get the goods as well. They were seen a few weeks ago at the Legendary Mt. Baker Banked Slalom and then shortly after that, they drove up to Whistler to get some backcountry shredding in. They are both currently in Tahoe for the Vans Cup. Shortly after that, Leanne will head to Japan for her first time with the K2 crew to terrorize Tokyo and Akihabara. Good luck, Leanne, and make sure to bring lots of oatmeal! As for Lexi, she will continue her filming journey with Misschief, probably somewhere in Tahoe.

To see more photos from Leanne and Alexis’ Whistler trip, visit the Photo Gallery.

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