In the eight years that have passed since our last “Pick of Video Parts” list, the way that we consume content has changed drastically. This spans from a declining willingness to actually visit websites and read long-form text (a point considered and addressed by the resurgence of the WFSA website) to our desire to actually invest time in watching any video that lasts longer than 30 seconds.
The writing was already on the wall back in 2017, when an initial, unpublished draft of the “Pick of 2017 Video Parts” post was never shared, as we couldn’t find enough parts to populate it. This trend has continued, with the number of new video parts being released diminishing each year.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t still a slender stream of new video part trickling through. In 2023, we had sections like Vaughn Johnson’s excellent Broken Laces, Alexander Rademaker’s ‘I can’t believe it’s not freestyle’ Three-Legged Friend and Ethan Young’s hammer-heavy Prey, all of which are definitely worth your time watching; however, beyond these parts, there weren’t too many more. Skateboarding has now largely moved to social media sites, so video parts are hard to find and easy to overlook.
That leaves us wondering: will this be the last ‘top video parts’ video we’ll be able to do? What a shame that would be, for us to revive the format after eight years only to immediately discard it!
Well, that’s where you come in. Don’t succumb to the allures of instant gratification you can garner on social media sites. Take the time. Put the effort in. Make something that you can look back on and be proud of.
A full part gifts the world with so much more than a throwaway 30-second clip. It’s an insight into who you are, how your mind works and a lasting reminder of what you’ve achieved. Don’t make your efforts, your passion, disposable. Leave a mark and make a statement.
Well, anyway, enough with all of that. Hopefully, to inspire you on your pursuit of video part perfection, here are a few of the highlights we’ve picked out from the last year. There may not be as many as we’d have liked to have seen, but what’s lacking in quantity is more than made up for in quality. We hope you enjoy them!
Peter Andersson – Why’d you come in here looking like Peter Andersson
If we had to single out just one freestyler flying the flag for full-length parts, it would have to be Peter Andersson. The man consistently puts out a new part every year, and you never know what to expect from them! Peter mixes technical footwork in with some unusual and lesser-seen combinations in a part that truly represents his style of skating. It’s just three minutes of fun and representative of what a video part should be!
Orson Merry – Redo
We’re going all the way back to 1st January 2024 for this one, with a full debut part from Orson Merry, who (as we’ve already established) is one of the top amateurs in the world right now. The part is short and sweet, combining a mix of his refined, contest-destroying stock tricks and a few hammers, peppered with a couple of unique oddities. Whilst we didn’t get another full part from him for the following 365 days of the year, hopefully we see more in 2025!
Daniel Adam – Dancing in the Dust
It goes without saying that Daniel is one of the best competitive freestyler skaters in the world right now, but what’s really exciting is everything that he’s capable of beyond his routines. This was evidenced in the short video part he put together back in November 2024, which showcased his exceptional, smooth footwork and his incredibly precise and technical truck transfer trickery. The video part is also undoubtedly very Daniel; it feels like you’re just watching one of his runs, so three minutes just fly by. You can see this in action by syncing the song up with his World Championship run – he hits all the same beats! Flawless.
Jillis Groen – Wederkeer
Jillis’s return to the competitive freestyle scene in 2024 was very welcome, whereby he seemingly picked up from where he left off over a decade ago and started to immediately place highly. As someone who isn’t particularly active on social media, there wasn’t much more to be seen of Jillis’s skating, until he dropped his Wederkeer part in October. In a comforting and familiar car park setting, this part showcased some of Jillis’s more technical tricks, with the section’s relaxed flow and chilled vibes capturing some of the beauty of those solo sessions.
Honourable Mention
Andy Anderson – Crazy Wisdom
So, is Andy Anderson a freestyler? No, not really. Is Andy Anderson a street skater? Nope, I wouldn’t say that either. How about park? Or vert? Well, he’s not really any of those things. Andy Anderson is just Andy Anderson, and is more than content to just keep doing his Andy Anderson thing. So whilst this didn’t make our top list, as it’s not really a ‘freestyle’ part, we couldn’t not include it as the freestyle influence is clear and we couldn’t not reward having the guts to end such a heavy part with a stationary freestyle banger!
What were your favourite parts of 2024? Did we include any of your favourites? And will you be looking to film your own part in the coming year? Head on over to the LateTricks Facebook page and join the discussion!
