An empty pool in Sydney became the infamous heartbeat of Australia's emerging skateboarding scene more than 40 years ago, and despite the injuries, those who braved its vertical walls still love the sport.
"They were all riding super flex [decks], and we were on wooden boards," Mr Thomas said.Mr Thomas said he then discovered Pymble pool which took days just to "figure out how to skate"."Its influence across Australian skateboarding is very real."'Almost unrideable' pool drives evolution
"With five-foot of vert and three foot of transition, that means you need to go up to the top, your acceleration down is phenomenal and then you've got to change direction, 90 degrees, instantly," Mr Hatten said."You couldn't buy anything. They were not in shops. I imported a board from America," he said."We used to stick sandpaper on to the boards to give it grip.
Even with the innovation, Pymble pool proved too difficult and Mr Thomas said it "finished my skating career".More purpose-built skate bowls were built and competitions held, including the 1979 Australian championships won by Wedge."Maybe the top three of us that were vying to win the competition … I'd be coaching my mate so he could beat me," Wedge said.
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