"Witch Hunt 2018" Article
Seattle-based non-profit Skate Like a Girl has hosted the Wheels of Fortune (WOF) weekend for nearly a decade. Over the years, WOF has grown from a tiny one-day girls’ comp to a women’s skateboarding weekend-long festival, bringing the community together and becoming a way for any girl skater across the globe to make a name for herself. As a result, over 100 of the best rippers from around the world show up from as far as Japan, Brazil, Russia and beyond. Since everyone travels so far to attend, the Northwest’s own Skate Witches thought it would be a good idea to entertain everyone the day before the main competition with a silly skate-centric scavenger hunt; thus, the Witch Hunt was born.
At this year’s 3rd annual event, the action started with a meet up at the Lower Woodland Skatepark where an international crowd of gals dominated the space to warm up and form their squads. Around noon, everyone was called together and confetti was shot into the air to announce the official start of the day. All 18 teams were then unleashed into the streets to skate iconic Seattle spots, giggle uncontrollably and eat bananas in non-traditional ways. After Witch Hunting all day, everyone met back up at the Cal Anderson courts to turn in their score cards. After a quick skate session, the rain came so we all went over to 35th North skateshop for awards, food and a Gnarhunters pop-up shop. Afterwards, we capped the night off by watching the new Elissa Steamer Documentary, Timeless Areas by Beth O’Rourke. If you were there, have a look through these photos to reminisce. If not, just pretend you were there!
Lacey Baker took a quick nap in front of the crew prior to the launch of Witch Hunt 2018 Photo: Norma Ibarra
Fresh off knee surgery, Angie Crum gently caressed the rail with this smooth frontside boardslide Photo: Olga Aguilar
Women’s skate legend Amy Caron used binoculars to spot fresh talent while recruiting her Witch Hunt team. Why so grumpy, sir? Photo: Olga Aguilar
Damn, Lacey Baker was back at it again with textbook tré flips Photo: Norma Ibarra
After back-to-back vert victories, Nicole showed she can slide the bars as well as the coping Photo: Norma Ibarra
The crowd came together to hear important announcements prior to the Witch Hunt kickoff Photo: Olga Aguilar
Seattle resident ripper Lexi Briggs bravely launched the confetti cannon, which officially marked the start of Witch Hunt 2018 Photo: Norma Ibarra
Stella Reynolds read the rules closely to ensure her team, Nannies With Attitude, was set up for success Photo: Zorah Olivia
Team Crust Sluts devised their witchy plans while a jogger passed them by Photo: Olga Aguilar
Team Skate Witches had a colorful vibe this year Photo: Olga Aguilar
Team Dix Chix Trix Mix plotted their schemes of sorcery Photo: Olga Aguilar
Nannies With Attitude posed for a quick photo with Seattle celebrity dog, Lady the Stray Photo: Olga Aguilar
Vanessa Torres consensually touched boobs all weekend Photo: Norma Ibarra
“2-4-6-8 who is really hyped to skate?” Team WERK huddled up for a quick cheer before hitting the streets of Seattle Photo: Norma Ibarra
Team WERK Captain Alex White found the easiest challenges and scored the most points while her henchwomen looked very serious Photo: Norma Ibarra
Challenge: “Whole Team shotguns a LaCroix.” Team WERK shotgunned Soleil. Is it a make? Judges? Photo: Norma Ibarra
The first stop for a few of the teams were the dirt jumps adjacent to the skatepark, where the challenge was to complete some type of flip trick. Inside sources say that in a true display of sportswomanship, everyone was patient and there was no snaking Photo: Olga Aguilar
Nora Vasconcellos flicked this earthy quarterpipe kickflip. She scored a few quick points for Nannies with Attitude with this dirty ditty Photo: Zorah Olivia
Lizzie Armanto showed off a perfect buttboard drop in to score a few early points for Team WERK Photo: Norma Ibarra
Nora reads some challenges for the next generation of team members, Stella Reynolds and Dahlia Lundquist Photo: Zorah Olivia
Climbing up the face walls of giant ramps sure paid off for Nora during the “Leticia’s Lift” challenge, which was doing ten push-ups in your bra, followed by a tré flip Photo: Zorah Olivia
Lizzie had no issue performing this sans-Vans backside disaster at Judkins Skatepark to add digits to Team WERK’s score Photo: Olga Aguilar
Mariah Duran peeped the Lizzie clip, while Dayana and Marsha had a nice chat Photo: Olga Aguilar
Team Skkrrrrrrrt!, comprised of Canadian and American she-redders, smiled for a quick groupie Photo: Olga Aguilar
Dana Alwazani of Babes Brigade popped an ollie at Judkins Skatepark Photo: Olga Aguilar
Kat Sy fearlessly dodged the haters to successfully manual into Green Lake Photo: Norma Ibarra
Kat Sy also successfully added sticker durability testing to her ever-growing resume during the Witch Hunt Photo: Norma Ibarra
She then posed for a new Tinder profile pic, which did not win her team any points, but definitely won some hearts Photo: Norma Ibarra
Florida’s Fabiana Delfino powered through a varial flip backside disaster for Team WERK Photo: Norma Ibarra
Jenn Soto kickflipped over six upside-down boards and was quickly backed up by her teammates, Breana Geering and Mariah Duran Photo: Norma Ibarra
Minna Stess respected the “kids only” sign and slid one down the slide to score for her squad, Nannies With Attitude Photo: Zorah Olivia
The Chelsea Peretti banana-eating challenge was a treat for Nora and Stella Photo: Zorah Olivia
Reynolds ripped down the evo store five stair like it was nothing! Photo: Zorah Olivia
Meagan Guy gets by with a little help from her friends during this bike hippie jump Photo: Zorah Olivia
Team Sk8Kittens, led by the “baby daddy of Seattle Skateboarding” Marshall “Stack” Reid, hit Seattle’s iconic Garfield High School Photo: Olga Aguilar
Japan’s Nanaka Fujisawa ollied this crusty 11 with ease! Photo: Olga Aguilar
Some well-earned post-make high five-age! Photo: Olga Aguilar
Jenn Soto did not perspire while performing this power move Photo: Norma Ibarra
Lizzie scored some numbers for Team WERK with this cruisy carve Photo: Norma Ibarra
These Foxy Ladies weren’t scared to shred the walls of Jimi Hendrix’s alma mater, Garfield High Photo: Olga Aguilar
Allysha Le grabbed some points for Team WERK at Seattle Vert Ramp Photo: Olga Aguilar
An upside-down Armanto stuck this invert for Team WERK Photo: Olga Aguilar
Allysha and Lizzie put their bubble tea aside to boost these dueling inverts Photo: Olga Aguilar
Nicole Hause got the last word in before biting her teammate’s style for the “Nora Challenge”—doing a backside air wearing purple Photo: Zorah Olivia
Stella swiftly gained speed at Seattle Vert Ramp Photo: Zorah Olivia
Team WERK showed their support all day long with fist bumps like these Photo: Norma Ibarra
They also had gentle high fives on lock Photo: Norma Ibarra
Team WERK from left to right: Breana Geering, Jenn Soto, Mariah Duran, Dayana Young and Lizzie Armanto Photo: Norma Ibarra
Team WERK, baby! Photo: Norma Ibarra
Vancouver legend Rose “Skater Rosie” Archer was down to get covered in Ketchup to squeeze in some last-minute points for Team WERK Photo: Norma Ibarra
After getting kicked out of the store, Lizzie successfully swooned security into posing for a snapshot Photo: Norma Ibarra
Kat Sy encourages her teammates to "skate spoon" while a bro in the background wonders where all the girl shredders came from Photo: Norma Ibarra
The giggly gals of Nannies With Attitude stopped by the iconic Seattle Central double set to rack up some final points before calling it a day Photo: Zorah Olivia
After seven whole hours of scaring the boys of Seattle, the Witch Hunt teams met up at the Cal Anderson tennis courts for the Sage Williams Memorial Skate Jam where Dayana put a hurting on this QP Photo: Norma Ibarra
Your favorite skater’s favorite skater, Niki Washington, was ripping the courts post-Witch Hunt Photo: Norma Ibarra
The Skate Witches, Shari White and Kristin Ebeling, collected everyone’s challenge sheets before heading to 35th North Skateshop to announce which team scored the most points Photo: Olga Aguilar
The shop was packed with skaters and spectators alike eager to hear the results! Photo: Olga Aguilar
Jai Ledesma shows off her fresh Skate Witches tattoo, completed stick-n-poke style by her Sk8Bae teammate, Jess Wu-O Photo: Olga Aguilar
The lurker's corner was held down thanks to the likes of Sunny Smith, Lacey Baker, Vanessa Torres and Sam Narvaez Photo: Olga Aguilar
Attendees showed off their love for rock ‘n’ roll with these hand gestures Photo: Zorah Olivia
Two Legends, one photo. Elissa Steamer hosted a Gnarhunters pop-up shop and Alex White was there to support it Photo: Norma Ibarra
Team Nannies With Attitude were crowned with pointy black hats for scoring the most points during their Witch Hunt Photo: Olga Aguilar
Stella scared even more boys with the Zumiez Destroyer Award trophy, an all-black sawzall Photo: Zorah Olivia
Nannies With Attitude rejoiced in their victory over the other Witch Hunt Teams while enjoying their new hats Photo: Zorah Olivia
Who gave these kids power tools? The Skate Witches, that’s who Photo: Olga Aguilar
Post pop-up shop, Elissa and Rachel nibbled on popcorn prior to the premiere of Beth O’Rourke’s sold-out screening of Timeless Areas. What an end to an epic day! Photo: Zorah Olivia
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