Lulu Hart (Bentley) from Coconut Grove, Florida was age 17 when the enduring images of her skating freestyle on the South Seashore Pier, Miami in 1977 had been taken by Jonathan Utz. The images then appeared within the e-book, A Secret Historical past of the Ollie by Craig B. Snyder, and Lulu was interviewed for BackSide Skateboard journal (vol. 9, Finish Winter/Summer season 2022).
In her interview, Lulu shared that she began skating after seeing Dave Bentley skating the pier the place she would generally skip faculty to go to along with her girlfriends. “My dad and mom purchased me a board and I began. I might smoke pot and skate. Beloved the sensation of it. I wasn’t occupied with competing or the entire tradition of it. Simply smoking and skating! (laughing).”
Whereas Lulu wasn’t uncovered to another feminine skaters, there have been actually different girls in Florida who pursued it within the Seventies like Crystal Loges, Jeannie Narducci, Judith Cohen, Kelly Marsh, Lisa Muir, and Peggy Turner. In truth, when Lulu’s images had been posted to a Fb web page all about Florida historical past there was some confusion as a result of one other girl named Carol Canner had all the time thought the photograph was of her, and her pal, Susie Hawksadoo Wildeski was additionally confused.
Fortunately, all was resolved, and the doppelgangers, Lulu and Carol reminisced over their recollections from the period and all of the issues they’d in frequent. However Lulu needed to explicitly state: “that’s undoubtedly me within the image. I used to be sporting my custom-made Connie Banko bikini driving my G&S fibreflex skateboard, and sporting a puka shell necklace that I made. The image was taken by a photographer named Jonathan Utz.”
When requested about how she was handled as a feminine skater for Bottom magazine, Lulu stated she all the time felt accepted. “After Dave [Bentley] and I bought collectively I might go together with him and his mates to skate parking garages. I beloved that! We’d begin on the high and skate all the way in which down into the road.” Lulu defined that she didn’t carry out a ton of tips apart from handstands “however largely loved the pace of the parking garages and driving on Dave’s shoulders.” Lulu stated she felt wistful for her teenaged years every time she sees the ladies skating and progressing as we speak.
The most effective half concerning the interview was how Lulu and her former skater boyfriend, Dave reunited and married in 2016! Apparently, their relationship in 1977 was short-lived. Lulu married and bought divorced, and Dave was additionally divorced when Lulu posted some classic images on Fb and the 2 reconnected and began a long-distance relationship since she was in Florida, and he was in Pennsylvania. After 5 years the 2 bought married! Lulu stated, “Skating introduced us collectively after which reunited us!” and Dave echoed her sentiments as a result of it was skateboarding that basically modified his life.
Lulu nonetheless visits her household a number of instances a 12 months in Miami, splitting her time between Florida and Pennsylvania.
Photographs: Jonathan Utz
Reference:
Addelio, Michele. “Lulu Hart,” Bottom Skatebaord journal 9 (Finish Winter / Summer season 2022), p. 108-111.