Judi’s love for skateboarding started at a young age, with her first downhill race at the age of 15 in Capitola. From there, she became a fixture in the local skate scene and even landed a job with the Santa Cruz skateboard company NHS, where she packed and shipped skateboard parts and learned how to silkscreen boards. This job helped kickstart her career in graphic design, as she also airbrushed surfboards and created window displays for NHS.
For many years, there were few slalom skateboarding races to attend. However, Judi never lost her passion for racing and continued to skate around town for fun. In 2001, she received a call from a friend informing her that official races had started up again. Despite having two young children at the time, Judi eagerly dove back into the world of racing. Her kids even accompanied her to the races when they were still in diapers and while she was breastfeeding in her early 40s.
Judy’s dedication paid off, as she began winning races without slowing down. In 2018, she was honored with an induction into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame. To top it all off, Judi played a role in curating the NHS Skate Museum when it opened in Santa Cruz, which features photos and videos of old competitions, colorful skateboards, and vintage skate art. Her original Santa Cruz skateboard team bag is displayed in the museum alongside other skateboarding gear from the 1970s.
One of Judi’s early skateboards is highlighted in the museum – a Santa Cruz brand board made of deep red fiberglass with red wheels and yellow block lettering. Additionally, one of her helmets from her early days is housed in the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Judi jokingly remarks that having her items in a museum makes her realize she’s getting older but also proud of all that she has accomplished throughout her career as a competitive slalom skater.
In conclusion, Judi has always been passionate about slalom skating since participating in her first race at Capitola at 15 years old. She worked hard to become one of the best racers out there and even managed to win races without slowing down despite having children while doing so.