The Most Influential Fingerboarders Series: Martin Ehrenberger aka Mr. Blackriver Ramps
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2022
- Welcome to the premiere episode of the Most Influential #fingerboarders series. This series will explore the most important fingerboarding personalities that brought Professional #fingerboarding to where it is today. Today, we will start with the most influential person in professional fingerboarding, Mr. Blackriver Ramps himself, Martin Ehrenberger.
While on a trip to United States, Martin walked into a skateshop in Salt Lake City and saw a 2nd Gen Tech Deck Black Label branded fingerboard “Econoline” graphic. He scooped it up, and this started a chain reaction.
Martin quickly realized that even though fingerboarding had taken the world by storm, there were no suppliers of high-quality fingerboard products. Taking the initiative, Martin established the first professional fingerboard company in 1999, crafting high-quality fingerboard obstacles and selling them online.
Built from high quality wood and metal, the initial ramps were vastly different than the plastic factory-produced ramps made by Tech Deck. There was the Big Mama, a massive wooden vert ramp with enough space to include a tall ledge. Complete with metal coping and branded +Blackriver-Ramps+ stickers under the coping, the level of professionalism was unrivaled at the time.
There was the rail, built from wood, with metal coping, with a downward (or upward) slope depending on how you approached the obstacle.
And the picnic table, a classic, that was quite a bit larger, and more solid than it’s Tech Deck counterpart.
Lastly, Blackriver also produced what it was renowned for at the time. Full fledge professional fingerboarding parks. These parks contained most of the aforementioned obstacles, as well as having stairsets complete with rails, kicker ramps, and wallrides. It was completely unseen at the time.
Martin not only brought a professional product to the scene, but also evangelized the hobby at professional business conventions. Since the beginning of the company, Blackriver participated in ISPO, the largest trade fair in the sports realm. Martin had the foresight to see that connecting with other leading brands that it would bring legitimacy to the hobby. This allowed opportunities such as partnering with Nokia, Canon, Titus, among others. This also led to skateboard shops purchasing #Blackriver products as well as parks. These skateshops became central parts of the fingerboard community in the region.
One misconception I see at times is that Blackriver does not support the fingerboard scene and only cares for the money. This could not be further from the truth. A self-employed carpenter is a respectable career, capable of making enough to have a comfortable life. early days of Blackriver was a struggle for Martin, barely scraping by for the first handful of years. Even with this struggle, Martin pursued the business endeavor as well as building the hobby in a professional level. If Martin was in it for the money, Blackriver would have folded within a handful of months when the sales were no coming through.
In 2000, Martin Ehrenberger hosted the first Fast Fingers Contest, which in a handful of years would become the largest and most renowned fingerboard contest. Eventually, it would become the official World Championship of Fingerboarding. Offering cash prizes to the winners, as well as providing a ton of fingerboard prizes, it was a way for Martin to build a community around the hobby he loved so much.
The early days of the German Fingerboard scene was vibrant. Fingerboard contests were being held all over the country. In 2003, we even saw the German Championship series, where contests were held in 6 different cities. Fingerboarders could accrue points by placing well at these events, with the person with the most points becoming the German National Champion (Shout out to Chris Heck). Martin Ehrenberger and Blackriver was essential in the establishment of this tour, providing the parks, prizes, and logistics behind this series.
Martin also sponsored events outside of his own. This legacy of supporting fingerboarding continues to this day through their donating Blackriver fingerboard products to fingerboard events all over the world.
Another aspect of Blackriver that was revolutionary at the time was the professional quality of media that the company produced. Pissing Fingers 1 was a VHS video that was available for purchase in 2003. This video showcased the German fingerboard lifestyle, showcasing the fingerboaders that were prominent in the early days as well as the events they attended. It showed that fingerboarding was more than merely a hobby and it was a lifestyle. This inspired fingerboarders around the world to grow their own fingerboarding communities through in person events, as well as inspire fingerboarders to mimic their favorite fingerboarders’ tricks and style. 
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Did you enjoy learning about Martin Ehrenberger and Blackriver Ramps? Let me know!
Maybe a video on iconic obstacles would be a good choice? Could provide a lot of direction for those interested in obstacles but with no idea what to get.
That's a great idea, I'll probably have to enlist some help with that one. I don't have a ton of newer products so it's hard for me to compare!
I met Martin in 2010 when he came to my home town, Toronto, for a meeting with Tech Deck. I offered to show him, hansen, and andreas around town while they were here. We had a blast visiting indoor and outdoor skateparks and ended the day with a steak dinner. I'll never forget that day. Since then, he has always been such a huge supporter of any events that I held personally or had a hand in helping with. The scene would DEFINITELY not be where it is today had it not been for Blackriver. Loving these series Chris! Maybe one day you can do one on The Most Influential Influencers of fingerboarding. ;o) JK Keep up the great job my 80's music loving brother.
Hahaha! You know that's not a bad idea! We all know who #1 would be 😜
@@cdplaya Aw schucks. 😁👊🏻✌🏻
This was super cool to watch
Love these! Thank you
I've enjoyed this episode.
Very inspirational!
This series is legendary
Much appreciated :D more to come soon :)
Great video my bro!! As his neighbor for over 3 years living in Schwarzenbach an der Saale (Blackriver translation in German) and working with him with many events; Ive never seen a business owner give back so much to the fingerboarding but skateboarding community as well for all the amazing work he had done with the area many local skate parks. Living next to Martin is never a dull moment ill tell you that!!
Thank you! I stayed with Martin for 3 months back in 2011 - every day was exciting haha!
@@cdplaya that's awesome!! Hope to see and meet you one day if you ever go back to Blackriver country. ;-)
@@andyheritage yes! Possibly in 2023 or 2024!
great video!
incredible job, Chris! I can't wait for the continuation of this series.
He's the best ever! Tell him indonesian scene need the blackriver tho 🇲🇨💥💥🖤🖤
Great idea for a series, I barely knew anything about Martin
Yeah, so many people told me the same thing haha Martin is behind the scenes making soooo much happen!
Great video!!!
Superb content! 😔🙏❤️👌🤟
This video is awesome 🎉
Thank you! I've been a fan of your skateboarding since I first saw videos on Blackriver's RUclips✌️☺️
Man keep these videos coming
I love learning about these influential people!
new history drop
Awesome wow I Love learning all the history! Can't wait for the next one!
Thank you! Next one is in the works 😁 it's going to be a great one too!
Love it my bro. Sub right away. ❤️
Thank you for all the documentation. I'm always very happy when I see that you uploaded a new video. Normally I'm just a silent spectator, but here I just wanted to say thank you. Gladly more! Greetings from Germany.
#teambobinnwoods
I'm glad that you enjoy the content :D There's much more to come!
What a dream man
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it Francisco! Hope all is well :)
Had no idea the guy Bevup has been skating with in Germany recently was the Blackriver founder
Yea! In fact, the footage of Martin building the concrete park / curbs is with Nathan!
🔥
I sure hope the D-Rex is on your list of the most influential fingerboarders! Boris killed every contest back in the day! ❤
😜Three straight Fast Fingers among those wins!!
You should teach a class lol, these videos are good
Fingerboard University, enrollment for Winter Term this Friday 😂
Salty peaks is my local shop
I NEED HELP. around 2010 there was a british RUclips fingerboarder who was sponsored by winkler wheels and i believe also BRR. his videos were top notch. i believe one of his main videos was to a song by the fray. i have been searching for him for so long but cant remember his name and cant find any videos of his on youtube! anybody remember who im talking about?!