BOWLZILLA Wellington – CAPITAL NEEDS

BOWLZILLA Wellington, Waitangi Park 9/03/2019

Wellington is set to be the Capital of Skating for New Zealand again the first week of March. 2020 is going to be the biggest year ever for skateboarding on the global stage and BOWLZILLA Wellington is the first big step for New Zealand skaters.

The road to the Olympic Games for skateboarding begins this year. Qualifying points started accruing in November for skaters competing in National Titles and other international professional competitions around the world. BOWLZILLA Wellington is the only points awarding Park competition in New Zealand for local riders to try and earn their way toward the biggest stage in the world.

BOWLZILLA Wellington is returning for its fifth year with the highlight being the all-encompassing New Zealand National Park / Bowl Skating Titles. Skateboarding.nz the National Governing body of skateboarding in NZ, sanctions this event as the National Championships for Park / Bowl skating which sees skaters from all around the country and expats flying in. The festival includes an art show, parties and music and an old school ramp jam and barbecue. It is the greatest week of skateboarding in New Zealand and everyone is invited to join in the celebrations.

“Wellington has had a commitment to skateboarding going back decades, which makes it the natural home of this national event,” says Mayor Andy Foster.

“Our community has benefitted from showcasing the healthy and creative lifestyle of skating at Waitangi Park since it was developed in 2006. Skateboarders were also using the same site for more than a decade before that.

“As skateboarding enters into the Olympics for the first time this year it is important we all find ways of encouraging our community in their goals of reaching the world’s biggest stage.”

Participation in the competition, spectators and fans at all the festival events and overall interest in BOWLZILLA Wellington has increased double digits every year since its inception, which sees Wellington really come alive with all the best of skating. The Park Skating National Champions for 16 & Under, Women, Masters 40+ and Pro/Am Open are special for the skating community and are now an important annual part of what makes Wellington great.

“2019 saw several international firsts and wins for New Zealand in Skateboarding Street and Park. Members of our fledgling National Team self-funded participation in several Olympic Qualifying events from L.A. to Rio De Janeiro in Brazil to represent their country. BOWLZILLA 2020 continues in its fifth consecutive year as the National Qualifying event for Skateboarding Park. We invite expressions of interest from new partners wishing to support this key step for Tokyo 2020 Olympic athlete selection." Ramon Thackwell, Director – SKATEBOARDING NEW ZEALAND – Skateboarding.nz

Wellington City Council, Skateboarding New Zealand, Redhead or Dead Events and Miryoku Agency have joined forces to create this fantastic opportunity for New Zealand skaters.

“BOWLZILLA Wellington has always been a community based and focused festival. The support we have received over the years has allowed us to build a platform for our friends to develop and showcase their incredible talents to their community and the world. It is difficult to see government agencies turn away from skating the very year they would get the biggest recognition and return especially with such a capable National Governing body like Skateboarding.nz doing amazing work regardless. Our friends and community are amazing though and together we will make this year’s BOWLZILLA Wellington the best one yet. Come skate and celebrate with us.” BOWLZILLA Director – Chad Ford.

BOWLZILLA was born out of likeminded friends in the skateboard community looking for new platforms to promote the extraordinary talents of their friends, talents that run in oversupply within skateboarding but are not often seen in the outside world. BOWLZILLA Wellington is the biggest platform for showcasing all of this amazing talent in skateboarding in New Zealand. There is an open invite for everyone to come and be part of the celebration.

There will be more information coming shortly about all the great events and sponsorships happening as part of BOWLZILLA Wellington 2020.

Event Name: BOWLZILLA™ Wellington

Dates: Competition; 7th March 2020, Festival events 5-8th March 2020

Event info:

5th March: Fusion Surf/Skate Welcome Party – The Cambridge Hotel

6th March: ARTZILLA – Manky Chops

7th March: BOWLZILLA Wellington competition – Waitangi Park, Wellington

7th March: Dive In – official after party

8th March: Karori Vert Jam, Ian Galloway Park, Karori, Wellington

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/bowlzilla

INSTAGRAM:

@bowlzilla

#bowlzilla    #bowlzillawellington    #bowlzillawellingtonroadtrip

BOWLZILLA winning Gold on the Coast

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 16/03/2019 – Elanora Skatepark

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is roaring to the top as the biggest skateboard competition this year for Australia. Setting standards as the benchmark for fun, friendship and full on skating. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is now the ASF Park Skating National Championships.

Yeah Girl is again working with BOWLZILLA to ensure the highest paid Equality-in-Skateboarding event in Australia continues to support the fast-growing women’s skateboard community on its path to the largest international competitive stage. The interest in skating is growing now the Olympics is part of the events landscape and BOWLZILLA Gold Coast as the biggest Park Skating competition in Australia is here to support the locals that want to have a craic but encourage and ensure fun and community stay the main focus.

"From the skaters to the artists and photographers, there’s no shortage of talented women in skateboarding and the BOWLZILLA Gold Coast festival never fails to recognise that. We’re excited to partner with BOWLZILLA again in 2019 to continue to promote and celebrate the grassroots culture of women’s skateboarding. It’s a great opportunity to support our Australian ladies of shred like Poppy Olsen, Taniah Meyers, Shanae Collins, Ava Godfrey, Charlotte Heath, Aimee Massie and so many more.” Sarah Huston – Yeah Girl

Councillor McDonald and Gold Coast City Council have been visionary in their support of BOWLZILLA Gold Coast and the skateboarding community at large for many years now. With BOWLZILLA now being elevated to the largest skateboard event of the year in Australia in 2019, their investment is paying dividends.

“I have worked closely with the skateboard community for many years and have ensured continuing investment in the Pines Skate Bowl at Elanora because I believed it would provide great benefit to our community and inspire the local youth. Having BOWLZILLA Gold Coast grow into the biggest skateboard event on the National calendar is testament to our city and our fantastic community assets. The BOWLZILLA festival brings together Australia and the world’s best skaters and showcases their music and art for the whole of the Gold Coast community and visitors to enjoy.” City of Gold Coast – Councillor Daphne McDonald.

Tourism & Events Queensland have come on board to help amplify these fantastic contributions to skateboarding and Queensland. BOWLZILLA features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar. Queensland, just the place to experience Australia’s best live events.

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said “BOWLZILLA attracts some of the best skating talent and events like this drive tourism outcomes across Queensland,”

“BOWLZILLA would attract skateboard professionals from all over Australia and the world”. Ms Jones said.

“We are delighted to be supporting this event through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Destination Fund.”

This year’s BOWLZILLA Gold Coast festival has a full week of fun on and off the board. It will be kicking off with a girl’s learn to ride clinic with Yeah Girl and Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching, there will be nightly gatherings at Beach Burrito Company for art, food and parties, there are several local hosted barbecues at some of the best skateparks in Australia and it is all wrapped around the biggest comp of the year in Australia at Elanora skatepark.

“As skaters we all have our own approach to skating and wants from it. The uniting thing is the incredible fun we get out of it and the amazing community it makes us part of. The goal for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast has always been to gather our friends, show off what makes them great, celebrate with our community and invite others in to be part of it all. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast can now be used to help those that want to reach the highest athletic platform in the world but who we are and what we’re about is the gathering, the community and the fun. The opportunity afforded us by our sponsors, Councillor McDonald, Gold Coast City Council and Tourism & Events Queensland means more good times and more new friends. Come skate and celebrate with us.” Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director.

There are further announcements coming soon about new sponsors and friends coming to skate with us, so stay tuned.

BOWLZILLA Wellington – Capitol Asset

BOWLZILLA Wellington, Waitangi Park 9/03/2019

This is the year New Zealand skaters are launched onto the world stage via BOWLZILLA Wellington 2019. Big returns are coming for the skaters of New Zealand with the maturation of their skateboarding Capitol Assets.

The road to the Olympic Games for skateboarding begins this year. Qualifying points start accruing the beginning of January for skaters competing in National Titles and other international professional competitions around the world. BOWLZILLA Wellington is the first points awarding Park competition in the world for the year and the beginning of the path.

The annual National skateboard festival BOWLZILLA Wellington is returning for its fourth year with the highlight being the all-encompassing New Zealand National Park / Bowl Skating Titles. SBNZ the National Governing body of skateboarding in NZ, sanctions this event as the National Championships for Park / Bowl skating which sees skaters from all around the country and expats flying in to have a craic. The festival includes an art show, some parties and music and an old school ramp jam and barbecue. It is the greatest week of skateboarding in New Zealand and everyone is invited to join in the celebrations.

“It is only fitting that Wellington is home to the National Titles of Park Skateboarding – BOWLZILLA Wellington. We are very proud of our creative and healthy community here in Wellington and the promotion of our fantastic lifestyle to the world through this event is brilliant. As skateboarding enters into the Olympics and Wellington becomes a pathway for our local athletes, we look forward to growing this festival and the benefits it has on our community for years to come”. Justin Lester; Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand.

There is increasing interest and participation in the competition each year and with the Olympic points opportunity thrown in it is going to make the choice of the next National Champions for 16 & Under, Women, Masters 40+ and Pro/Am Open all the more difficult. With 2018 being the first Equality in Skateboarding event ever held in New Zealand, thanks to Yeah Gnar NZ, this year there is going to be a larger and more inspired international field in the bowl.

“Over the years, New Zealand has produced some of the world's most talented skateboard professionals: Gregor Rankin, Dave Crabb, Lee Ralph and Andrew 'Morri' Morrison. The path was gruelling, and their professional careers always began overseas. This year Skateboarding NZ (SBNZ) received international sanctioning as New Zealand's National Sports Organisation for skateboarding. Several New Zealand competitions are now on the World Skate calendar for Oceania, including BOWLZILLA Wellington as the National Titles. Skateboarding NZ now offers a local platform with international standing so kiwi skaters can begin their professional journey here at home. Starting off the year with BOWLZILLA Wellington is fantastic - for a small country we’re making big steps this year." Ramon Thackwell, Director – SKATEBOARDING NEW ZEALAND – SBNZ

Wellington City Council, International Skateboarder’s Union, Redhead or Dead Events, Skateboarding New Zealand and Miryoku Agency have joined forces to create this fantastic opportunity for New Zealand skaters.

“Whatever lay ahead for skaters with the new Olympic stage we will be here supporting our friends in the skateboard community. We have built a gathering to unite those who love what we do and celebrate the skaters who inspire us to have as much fun as possible on four wheels. Even if you know nothing of skating, we guarantee that time spent at any of the BOWLZILLA Wellington celebrations will turn you into a fan. Come and enjoy the good times with us in Wellington.”  BOWLZILLA Director – Chad Ford.

BOWLZILLA was born out of likeminded friends in the skateboard community looking for new platforms to promote the extraordinary talents of their friends, talents that run in oversupply within skateboarding but are not often seen in the outside world. BOWLZILLA Wellington is the biggest platform for showcasing all of this amazing talent in skateboarding in New Zealand. There is an open invite for everyone to come and be part of the celebration.

The will be more information coming shortly about all the great events happening as part of BOWLZILLA Wellington 2019.