ConferenceTV Clips by Matty Watky (February 2008).

Check the Video on Instagram.

Bonus Shot: Outspin Negative Makio to Fakie. Photo by Jeremy Stephenson.

Larger Picture on Imgur (via).

This edit from 2010 was lost when The Conference Vimeo was deleted, luckily I had an .mp4 of it on my computer. This edit is from my 2010 trip to Barcelona Spain skating with the rest of the USD AM Team all over Spain. Filmed & Edited by Matty Watky. - Brett Dasovic.

Check some photos of the USD Show of Force Tour

Who is Mark Korte and what does he have to do with rollerblading?

I can basically answer that by saying… I am the USD Enforcer, one of the founders of the Stretch Crew, and a Powerslide veteran… since a lot of kids might not know what in the hell that means, I will break it down.

I came to be part of USD in the late part of ‘98, when the team was Arlo Eisenberg, Champion Baumstimler, Dustin Latimer, Jon Julio, and Josh Petty. At the time I was only hired by Powerslide to push papers, but that changed after a week or so.

To make a long story short, I had found my calling. I got to know all of the USD team (which was going through a transition period, much like we are now) and I ended up being the filter between the company and the team; I might even go as far as to say the glue, and at the same time I was the International Sales Manager at Powerslide.

So I was able to combine all of that into helping make USD (and The Conference Brands that followed) the hottest thing available. During this period, of which I am very proud to be a part of, we had the undisputed best team in Rolling, I built a worldwide flow team to rival all others at the time, and worked with distributors in over 40 countries building USD.

I was very adament about everything having structure, and working with the best team of rollers in the world has moulded my personality to this day, and I am grateful to each and every one who ever rolled for USD. […]

Full Interview on Oneblademag.com.
Originally posted on Believeinone.com | backup on Archive.org.

Mark Korte is Back! Back in the day, when the legend of the infamous Stretch Crew reached around the world. Back when Coup De Tat was the authority on Rollerblading, back when USD consolidated the undisputed sickest, most powerful, stylish and most influential skate team on the planet – there was one person in the wings, always motivating, encouraging, managing, and developing the USD brand to rule over the Rollerblading world – Mark Korte.

Known as one of the craziest fools on the planet, he lived and breathed USD. Eventually forming an unbeatable worldwide flow team – some of which are currently still representing today and some of which even have carried the USD / Conference flag since he left to pursue other endevours in the Golf business.

But, now the time has come for the passion to return to the USD / Conference with the return of the Prodigy, the return of the glory days when USD was considered to be the leader and innovator of the Rollerblading lifestyle, the days when it was not enough to be an amazing skater, you had to have style, personality, and a true love for rollerblading. Reviving the glory of the days of Arlo Eisenberg, Jon Julio, Champion Baumstimler, Dustin Latimer and Josh Petty. Those who made Rolling what it is today. The founder of the Stretch Crew and the USD Enforcer is on a mission to return USD to the top of the game in Rollerblading.

The last of the famous international playboys – Mark Korte, coming to a city near you with the New Stretch Crew, which will be restructured to bring Rolling back to you, the individual skater, back to the reason we do this in the first place – for the lifestyle, and for those who want to have the most innovative equipment available from the most dedicated skater owned company in Rolling – USD and The Conference Team – also led by Bauer, true to The Conference since day 1, will continue to push forward. He will now be concentrating more on the improvement of the product and sales and representing like always. Mark Korte and Stefan Beierlein (Bauer) the new Conference Dream Team. Both will be assisted by Oli Benet and Demetrios George. The Motherfucking Stretch Crew is back, with a Vengeance!

Thanks Mark.

Deshi is becoming a part of USD.

CTV - The Conference in Los Angeles (California)? A video by Matty Watky. Up: Rachard Johnson & Dominic Sagona. Check the Video on Vimeo (link down).

The Conference is glad to present another awesome product to add to its collection: The new Colin Kelso Pro. This skate has been put together with Colin’s input and improvements and is ready for imminent release. It is a totally new Skate system and comes with an improved internal structure along with plenty of other new features.

Release Dates

• USA: Nov 20th
• Europe: Nov 30th

Key features

• super light weight skate (including its soul plate): only 1312g including liner, shock absorber and innersole, Boot only without soul plate only 950g.
• new reworked soul plate, now lighter and smaller: 2mm taken off width on the positive side. Advantage on ledges. Material taken removed from the soulplates, new plate is now only 362g.
• New Kizer Air Shock absorber. New air distribution concept.
• New Kizer Triple Shock Innersole, for support on entire base of foot.

Kelso Design

• NEW wrap around Kevlar toe area for added protection.
• NEW 45° strap with protection and heel lock function.
• NEW fully replaceable male and female buckle.
• reworked liner for better fit, comfort and control.
• embossed logos, clean and simple design

NEW internal structure

• new longer lasting inside construction, more flexible, material stays in perfect shape. More supportive on your ankles than ever before.
• inside construction made of DELRIN (TM from DU Pont of Switzerland)

NEW RIC (Replaceable Internal CUFF) System

• skate comes with two different thickness of internal cuff support.
• skate it without support or with one internal cuff support or two internal cuff supports.
• can be used as stash pocket.
• support can be increased by adding the Deshi strap

So. Lightweight, supportive yet flexible, innovative, compatible with many other options of soul plate, sleek and black, revolutionary anti-shock system. Not bad, eh?