BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2024 Finals

For the ninth year in a row BOWLZILLA Gold Coast delivered the Australian Skateboarding Federation’s National Park Skating Championships to a raging audience and a raucous field of competitors. There were big differences this year in both and as a result everyone in attendance said it was the best one for years.

Energy levels were high and everyone there was up for the best day’s skating on the Gold Coast all year. So a bit of rain and a lot of humidity did not deter anyone. The crowd stayed through the showers and pitched in to dry the bowl during the breaks in rain and screamed louder for everyone each time the skating took off again. There’s no crowd like a Gold Coast skate crowd.

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2024 Results

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast On Hot Summer Night”

 

It was hot in the city today at BOWLZILLA Gold Coast. Once you add the humidity from the weather on top the whole place was boiling.

 

For the ninth year in a row BOWLZILLA Gold Coast delivered the Australian Skateboarding Federation’s National Park Skating Championships to a raging audience and a raucous field of competitors. There were big differences this year in both and as a result everyone in attendance said it was the best one for years.  

 

Events like BOWLZILLA are only possible because of the goodwill and belief of others. Support from agencies like Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland do a lot to bring skaters and fans from far and wide and when that is combined with integral support from skate brands like 187 Killer Pads, Girl’s Skate Gold Coast, Triple 8 Pads, Concrete Lines Skate Shop, Shadow Skateboards and Rattlesnake Motel, the whole community benefits. Even the smallest levels of support do massive things for the community.

 

“The best skater at any competition is the one having the most fun. Trying to decide who that was, was most definitely the hardest job this year. When you take away stress and attitude and replace it with fun and encouragement you get the best skating. The new levels that were attained by most skaters in every division this year was testament to this. Every single sponsor, supporter, fan and skater that contributed helped to show the best of what BOWLZILLA Gold Coast has been about since we started it way back in 2016. Nine Years? Thank you, every single one of you.”  Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director.

 

The final placings for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2024 are;

 

16 & UNDER – prizes donated by 187 Killer Pads, Triple 8 Pads, Concrete Lines Skate Shop, Etnies, Shadow Skateboards                                                                                

 

1st Noah Armstrong

2nd Asher Watt

3rd Samson Scott

4th Matteo Mattiazzi

5th Zion Gallagher

6th Reef Lewis

7th Wayan Jai Walter Cotton

8th Angus Campbell

9th Kai Gould

10th Zach Scanlon

11th Kalani Salussolia

12th Noa Annand

13th Henry Chapman

14th Elijah Jack Smith

15th Hunter Brown

16th Manoa Higo

 

MASTERS

 

1st Chris Enwright

2nd Marcio Godinho Brandini

3rd John Peewee Dickenson

4th Deryck Murton

5th Joel McMahon

6th Justin Leslight

7th Brad Anderson

8th Anthony Hearle

9th Shano Buttons

 

WOMEN – prizes donated by Girl’s Skate Gold Coast

1st Summer Rackley

2nd Eliza Pols

3rd Chihiro Young

4th Myra brown

5th Lulu Russell

6th Isla Lillie Bower

7th Tanisha Gardner

8th Freya brown

9th Coco Rackley

10th Bella Clark

11th Aurora Piazza

12th Pixie Richards

 

OPEN

 

1st Hudson Walker

2nd Zen Dickson

3rd Jesse Noonan

4th Futa Hashimoto

5th Shaun Boucher

6th Caylen Goldsbrough

7th Mitchell King

8th George Richards

9th Loz Brophy

10th Charlie Holland

11th Marcos Baker Brandini

12th Jorge Tichbon

13th Dylan Phillips

14th Matthew Beer

Posted on February 24, 2024 .

IS IT RAINING WITH BOWLZILLA?

Tomorrow for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast it is regrettably not a matter of if but when it rains. So it is important that all competitors are ready. Please make sure to share this with every single person you know who is coming to the event so they can share as well in the hopes that every competitor will have enough notice.

Rain is due early afternoon. So we will start first heats at 10am and run very quickly and very tight. The goal is to get all heats finished before the rain, just leaving us the finals to complete. THIS MEANS ALL COMPETITORS FOR ALL HEATS SHOULD BE AT THE SKATEPARK BY 9.30 AT THE LATEST FOR THE RIDER MEETING AND BE READY TO SKATE.

The running schedule is already posted and everyone has access to it on the website and Facebook. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ IT.

It is appreciated if everyone has patience at the competition and with everyone there. We will be working very hard to ensure we get the best results for all.

Posted on February 22, 2024 .

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2024 FORMAT

7.00 – 9.40 OPEN PRACTICE

 

16 and Under Eliminations: Format: 3 Heats: 3 x 40 second runs + 10 minutes practice, best run counts, top 8 scores of competition advance to Final.

9.40 – 10.00         Practice

10.00 – 10.30       Heat 1

10.30 – 11.00       Heat 2

11.00 – 11.30       Heat 3

 

Women’s Eliminations: Format: 3 Heats: 3 x 40 second runs + 10 minutes practice, best run counts, top 8 scores of competition advance to Final.

11.30 – 11.50      Practice

11.50 – 12.20        Heat 1

12.20 – 12.50        Heat 2

12.50 – 1.20          Heat 3

 

Open Eliminations: Format: 3 Heats: 3 x 40 second runs + 10 minutes practice, best run counts, top 8 scores of competition advance to Final.

1.20 – 1.40          Practice

1.40 – 2.10          Heat 1

2.10 – 2.40          Heat 2

2.40 – 3.10          Heat 3

 

Lunch

3.10 – 3.30         

 

FINALS:

 

16 and Under Final: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts

3.30 – 3.40           Practice

3.40 – 4.00           Final

 

Master’s Final: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts

4.00 – 4.10          Practice

4.10 – 4.30          Final Jam

 

Women’s Final: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts

4.30 – 4.40           Practice

4.40 – 5.00           Final Jam

 

Open Final: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts

5.00 – 5.10           Practice

5.10 – 5.30           Final

 

AWARDS:

5.45 – 6.00

 

COMPETITION FORMAT:

16 and Under: 3 Heats – 8 person heats, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts, top 8 scores advance, each heat is based on 10 minute warm up. 8 best scores advance to Finals.

Masters: smaller field this year, will run a straight Final.

Yeah Girl Women: 3 Heats – 8 person heats, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts, top 8 scores advance each, heat is based on 10 minute warm up. 8 best scores advance to Finals.

Open: 3 Heats – 8 person heats, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts, top 8 scores advance each, heat is based on 10 minute warm up. 8 best scores advance to Finals.

 

16 and Under FINALS: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts. Judges will rank skaters 1 – 8.

Masters FINALS: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts. Judges will rank skaters 1 – 8.

Yeah Girl Women FINALS: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts. Judges will rank skaters 1 – 8.

Open FINALS: 8 skaters, 3 x 40 second runs, best run counts. Judges will rank skaters 1 – 8.

BOWLZILLA™ Gold Coast 2024 JUDGING

 

JUDGING:

Three (3) judges with one (1) acting as head judge who will also score. Head judge ensures other judges are understanding of format and judging criteria.

 

BOWLZILLA™ is a park competition and therefore will be judged according to park skating style. Park skating has its emphasis on style and flow. Tricks are complementary to the riders run rather than being the focus of the run.

 

Judging is based on:

Use of the bowl: Each park is unique and therefore requires a unique approach. Elanora park has these things to consider use of in a line: two ends, full pipe, corners, hips and extension. A well-rounded run in this park will utilise as many of these features in a fluid park skating approach. If a skater spends the majority of their time utilising just one area of the park performing tricks, their run will be scored down.

 

Style: the fluid linking of park features and how individual tricks are performed within the run (i.e. continuity of line).

Content: park skating dictates that tricks are complementary to the whole run. If the tricks appear awkward and singular rather than part of the whole run they may be marked down. If the tricks are fluid and complimentary to the run then; the number, difficulty, originality and variety of tricks successfully performed will add to the score.

 

Note: These categories are weighted by the individual judge’s subjective opinion. Judge’s decision is final. Skateboarding is judged subjectively rather than objectively so it is fair to assume different people will have different ideas on results.

 

Run points:

Scoring is out of 100 per run.

The top two scores will be taken and the bottom two scores will be thrown away. In the event of a tie the riders other scores will be taken into consideration to form a tie breaker.

 

The top 8 scored riders will go through to the final. The final riders are chosen by top score across all heats and not by top skaters from each heat.

 

Run point distribution for judging guidance; 90-100 best runs of day – these runs should sit between; 90-100 and are usually reserved for the finals to ensure a lifting of scores throughout the competition. 80-90 top scoring heat runs sit within this range. A run within this bracket will consist of use of whole bowl, fluid and fast approach, tricks are complementary to the run and there is a variety with a mix of difficulty and originality. 70-80 runs within this range are generally smooth and consistent, use the whole bowl, fill the allotted time of 35 seconds per run but may not have the most spectacular approach. 60-70 a rider may not complete a run but within their run may use the bowl well and do some amazing tricks or a rider may do a very trick focused run that only utilises a portion of the bowl rather than all of it or the rider may be consistent but not perform a run that stands out against the other skaters. 50-60 a rider may only last 5 or 6 walls but do a couple of tricks that really stand out but did not have a long enough run or the rider may use the whole time but not perform a spectacular run that stands out. 30-50 the skater dropped in a got one or two tricks but nothing was spectacular. 0-30 the skater dropped in and did nothing.

 

Falls:

A subjective penalty will be assessed, and the following will be taken into consideration when determining the amount of penalty: First wall rebate; if the rider falls on the very first wall, they get to rebate but the clock keeps going. Not the second wall. The rider must race to restart their run as quickly as possible. If the skater chooses to rebate it is within the 40 seconds, the clock does not start over. When the clock hits 40 seconds the run is over, regardless of when the rider decides to start their run. What was being attempted when the fall/step off occurred? How the overall fluidity of the run was affected. Ability to recover and continue the continuity of the run.

BOWLZILLA Wellington is CANCELLED for 2024

It is with deep regret that we announce the cancellation of BOWLZILLA Wellington for 2024. The current global financial challenges have impacted the ability of BOWLZILLA Wellington to secure the necessary sponsorship funds required to conduct the event successfully. Despite the dedicated efforts of the BOWLZILLA Wellington team, the legacy National Bowl Skating Championships cannot proceed without adequate financial support.

BOWLZILLA Wellington has been a cornerstone of the community for the past eight years, and it is disheartening to make this decision. The BOWLZILLA team takes great pride in supporting local and skater owned businesses and acknowledge the impact this cancellation will have on Wellington's skate economy.

While New Zealand’s National Bowl Skating Championships is on hold for this year, we strongly urge the skate community to rally behind other skater owned and run events such as Mangawhai Bowl Jam and other SBNZ (Skateboarding New Zealand) supported competitions. In these challenging times for many it is crucial for the community to show their support by getting behind skater-owned and run businesses and events, who are all no-doubt doing it tough too.

The BOWLZILLA team extends heartfelt gratitude to every individual, business and organization that has played a role in making BOWLZILLA Wellington the premier skate festival in New Zealand since its inception in 2016. Thanks to Wellington City Council for your ongoing funding and support of BOWLZILLA. Your support has been invaluable, and we look forward to the possibility of resuming the event in the future.

SAVE THE DATE: BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2024

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast Skating on Cloud Nine

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is celebrating nine years of ripping this February 24th. Friends, family and fans are all rolling in for Australia’s biggest week of Park Skating. The Australian Skateboarding Federation National Park Skating Championships will be bigger and better than ever.

 

A week of skating in Australia’s favourite destination has already got skaters near and far getting their crew together and booking travel. The ninth annual skating festival on the Gold Coast is full up with; Learn To Ride clinics, Art Shows, workshops, Music, Parties, Food and the Competition. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast will be riding high on Cloud 9 this year.

 

The main event at BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is the Australian Skateboarding Federation’s National Park Skating championships for 2024. With inclusive divisions across all ages, abilities and sexes, the cross pollination of generations and styles ensures the greatest week of skating in Australia. Maintaining the largest Equality in Skateboarding event in Australia with equal prize purse across the Open and Women’s divisions is just one of the key ingredients making the celebrations such a success. Adding in the Open prize purse, cash for the Masters and prizes for the 16 & Under Amateur division, almost everyone goes home with something awesome.

 

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar. Promoting the celebration to a much wider audience is incredibly important in bringing greater awareness and better support for our community. We’re showing the best of friend’s skating to the world and encouraging them to come and be part of it all.

 

The City of Gold Coast have backed skating since forever and are continuously proactive in working with skaters to find ways of supporting them and encouraging their successes. It is not just the fact they have more skateparks per capita than anywhere else in the country but how they have supported the women’s skate scene with previous successes such as the workshops, activations and art shows, the many and varied skate events that have been both funded and supported across ages, styles and levels of expertise and also the grass roots opportunities they provide by working with Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching and so many others in the community. All of this comes to a culmination in the festivities that are BOWLZILLA Gold Coast every year.

 

“The Gold Coast’s star continues to shine with fantastic events like BOWLZILLA back for 2024,” said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

 

“I welcome the international competitors to the city as they battle with Australia's top skateboarders at Elanora and urge locals to get involved in the week-long expo which supports BOWLZILLA, offering free skate sessions and seminars from the pros."

 

Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director: “Our focus each and every year has always been the excuse to gather or friends and family from near and far and celebrate their talents and share all the best our community has to offer. Grinding into our ninth year on the Gold Coast is no small feat and we are looking forward to stepping up to the challenge of ensuring this year will be our biggest and best yet. Our friends and family are the greatest and we invite you all to come and celebrate them with us at this year’s BOWLZILLA Gold Coast!

21st February: Girl’s Learn To Ride Clinic – Tugun Skatepark

22nd February: SALKZILLA

23rd February: Gold Coast Grill – local hosted BBQ skate session

24th February: BOWLZILLA™ Gold Coast, Australia’s; National Park Skating Championships

24th February: Dive In – official after party – Rattlesnake Motel

SAVE THE DATE: BOWLZILLA Wellington 2024

PEACE IS WORTH SKATING FOR

BOWLZILLA Wellington, Waitangi Park 17/02/2023

 

BOWLZILLA Wellington is celebrating its 9th year as New Zealand’s biggest skateboarding festival the week of the 17th of February and capping it all with the New Zealand National Bowl Skating Championships.

 

For the ninth consecutive year, BOWLZILLA Wellington will be putting on the biggest week of skating in New Zealand. With more events, bigger gatherings, larger celebrations and the best week of skating Aotearoa is likely to see. The weeklong festival highlights all the best of skating through ARTZILLA, music, barbecues, catch ups, our incredible friends and family and of course the competition.

 

“The BOWLZILLA community has always been enthusiastic in their celebration of the most important parts of skating; fun, unity, music, arts, creativity, and all-round heavy ripping. There have been many changes to skate gatherings the last few years and we believe the best parts of skating that have always bound us in fun are worth that extra effort to ensure we maintain the stoke. For our ninth year we are dialling up the good times and making sure everyone knows how grateful we are for all their years of support in the best little city in the world.” BOWLZILLA Director – Chad Ford

 

BOWLZILLA is renowned for its full week of festival happenings and this year there will be new additions celebrating the wider skate community and their awesome talents. The biggest week of skating in New Zealand is growing even larger. Everyone is welcome to come along and cheer and be part of the whole festival for free. There are exciting announcements coming in the New Year about sponsors and the festival.

 

Wellington City Council, Wellington Skateboarding Association, Redhead or Dead Events and Miryoku Agency have joined forces once again to bring this fantastic festival to the New Zealand skaters.

 

BOWLZILLA was born out of likeminded friends in the skateboard community looking for new platforms to promote the extraordinary talents of their friend’s 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.


15th February: Women’s Learn To Ride Clinic

15th February: Welcome Party

16th February: WSA Street Jam

16th February: ARTZILLA

17th February: BOWLZILLA™ Wellington competition – Waitangi Park, Wellington

17th February: Dive In – official after party

18th February: Karori Vert Jam, Ian Galloway Park, Karori, Wellington

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2023 Highlights

Beautiful one day, ripping the next. The BOWLZILLA Gold Coast highlights clip is here to warm up the southern winter with a scorching summer recap – watch, enjoy and GO SKATE.

  

Higher, faster, longer, funner. Competitions can push skaters to challenge themselves and risk that little bit more. The best of it is when they’re pushing their mate in the next run to do better than they just did. Yeah, people won but that wasn’t ever the point. Nothing and no one was left behind this year and everyone celebrated together at the end. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2023 was a uniform free zone of rad times and ripping skating.

 

The Gold Coast skate scene is massive and growing with so many rad spots and generations of shredders keeping the torch lit it is no wonder that it is being called the skate mecca of Australia. Everyone’s welcome to come and grind the epic concrete and share in the stoke of it all.

 

It’s the community that makes BOWLZILLA Gold Coast happen and as rad as it is. Without their support it just isn’t possible to have festivals like these. The week is really a celebration of how epic they all are. Watch the shredding in the 16 & Unders, Masters, Yeah Girl Women and Opens and you'll see the next step that Australian skating took in 2023.

 

Sponsors and partners like; Dickies, Santa Cruz, Independent, Kangol, Yeah Girl, Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching, Australian Skateboarding Federation, Truckstop, Fuel TV, Girl’s Skate Gold Coast, Etnies, Rattlesnake Motel, Gold Coast City Council and Tourism & Events Queensland made sure everyone got thanked properly.

 

Massive shout outs go to all the friends, family, fans, media, sponsors, supporters, community, crew, and skaters for what was truly one of the best years ever for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast.

BOWLZILLA Wellington 2023 Highlights

BOWLZILLA Wellington brought the heat this summer for the National Bowl Skating Championships. As

winter sets in in the southern hemisphere this clip will get everyone all fired up again. After the last few

years of weather and lockdowns it was the celebration everyone wanted and needed – watch, enjoy and

GO SKATE.

The best skate comps are just excuses to get the tribe together for a week of good times and ripping sessions. Wellington is the perfect city for an event like BOWLZILLA where the community is the focus. The week is full of free learn to ride clinics, street jams, parties, art shows, barbecues, free jams and the excuse of the National Bowl Skating Championships.

Many were not able to attend BOWLZILLA Wellington at the last minute because of a cyclone hitting the North Island. Everyone in attendance went above and beyond to make it another legendary year though, but more importantly, celebrate for those in our community who could not.

Having the support year in year out from Wellington City Council has ensured not only that BOWLZILLA

Wellington is the largest skate gathering in the country every year but that Wellington is also home to the most thriving skate scene because of the We Skate Poneke initiative. The BOWLZILLA Wellington week is growing and becoming more representative of the whole colourful community and the best is yet to come.

The support that goes into festivals like these are so important and everyone in attendance: fans, staff, friends, family and the competitors all step it up a little bit more to show their appreciation. Watch the ripping skating in the Hot Wheels 16 & Unders, Masters, Women and Opens and you'll see the future really looks bright for New Zealand skating.

Sponsors and partners like The Cambridge Hotel that housed all the crew and competitors and all the other sponsors combined; Radioactive.FM, Monster, Hot Wheels, Kangol, Santa Cruz, Independent, Dickies, Manual Magazine, Powerhaus Automotive, Manky Chops, Wellington Skateboarding Association and Skateboarding.NZ were bloody awesome.

The BOWLZILLA Wellington Champions for 2023 are; Hot Wheels Skate 16 & Unders: Monty Graham, Masters: Ramon Thackwell, Women: Yeva Butler and Open: Shaun Boucher, and a special congratulations to Yeva Butler for taking out the Hot Wheels Skate fingerboard competition as well, she’s going to need extra baggage allowance to get home.

A huge THANKS goes out to all the friends, family, fans, media, sponsors, supporters, community, crew, and skaters for what was truly one of the best years ever for BOWLZILLA Wellington.

NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS BLAZING IN THE HINTERLAND

The first NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS blazed through the Lismore district with skaters from near and far getting the locals sparked up for the end of summer.

The Lismore district got hit hard by the 2022 floods and a lot of businesses and locals survived things that most people in modern Australia have never experienced. NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS was part of the one year anniversary to celebrate the incredible community and bring the good times back to The Hinterland. The week kicked off with drinks and celebrating at Two Mates Brewing in Lismore, who exactly a year before had a flood of three and a half metres wash through their brewery. Within a few weeks they managed to get set up enough to be a local gathering point and offer locals cold tinnies and community. It was a fitting place to get the weeks festivities started and they kept it going with all the goods and prizes for the main event on Saturday.

Lismore is getting ready to upgrade its skateparks and add a world class national sized facility. The first skating of the week was the Flea Circus for the Under 18s at Goonellabah skatepark which is about to get a rad redo as part of the new skate strategy for Lismore. With prizes and snow cones being given out to all in attendance from MODUS Bearings, Emerica Shoes, 36 Chambers Skate Shop and BOWLZILLA, the skating was definitely radder than anything the locals had seen for quite some time. There was a ripping group of youngsters scratching out new lines and tricks all over the park. Huddy, the Brandini brothers, Keke, Tāne, Kaedyn and the rest of them amped up the session and left new marks all over the park.

Nimbin is an all welcoming no egos kind of place and all the skaters that turned up for the open invite were sufficiently rewarded for their efforts and being part of the whole. The day kicked off with the Time Trials and it was an all in shred fest. Everyone started and stopped their own clocks which got them amped that much more. Nikki Lovelace took out the Women’s division with her next level training, Tony Chavez strategised into first and Shaun Boucher was the one to beat straight out of the gate. With $1000 for 1st, $600 for 2nd and $400 for 3rd, everyone had a serious go but in the most unserious way you could imagine as all egos were left at home.

PJ Sheek and Soy Division rocked out on the platform all afternoon as certified Australian legends Robert Brasher, Matt Davis, Trout and Dave Adair handed out $6000 in cash for ripping and good vibes to everyone charging the park. They were calling out tricks to be done, lines to run, spots to hit and vibes to be shared and everyone joined in and shared the stoke. The cash, challenges and good vibes were shared by Masters, Women and Opens equally. The field was massive with crew like; Chris Enwright, Matt Beer, Kayla Mathews, Marcio Brandini, Barry Taniwha, Nikki Lovelace, Nick Hepenstall, Shaun Boucher and even Steven Pineiro who trekked all the way from Puerto Rico pushing everyone to higher levels for which they were suitably rewarded.

All skaters and fans alike were grateful for Lismore Council and NSW Government supporting the local skate community and bringing back friends and family from all points for a final summer celebration of skating. They gave back to the Nimbin community making them busier than they’d been for years and everyone was stoked that it was because of skaters.

"NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS was our way of saying thank you to the skate community for stepping up and putting on ripping shows for everyone at all the events they continuously support. It was an open invite with free accommodation and celebrations and all in attendance went home stoked and rewarded. It just felt like the right gathering for Nimbin and the wider Lismore area for the example they set for what true Australian spirit means in how everyone came together a year ago during the devastating climate crisis. Bringing everyone together to celebrate and acknowledging the efforts they put in set a different tone to the standard gatherings and on behalf of our entire team we were all incredibly grateful we got to be a part of it.” Chad Ford – Event Director

All the things that make skaters lifers were be in full effect for the week. Good times, rad concrete, crazy challenges, road tripping, camping, live bands rocking it out on the platform, huge gatherings of epic skaters, art, parties, generations deep with gnarly skating and bags of cash rewards for everyone that turned up the stoke levels.

It is important to acknowledge the influential skaters and scene that came before us. NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS acknowledges and celebrates this by building on the past while writing a bright and energetic future.

All photos by: Michael White

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast Blazing HOT

Not even sure what to say about BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2023 that won’t sound like an exaggeration. It was just that much of step up from previous years. INSERT EXCESSIVE SUPERLATIVE HERE!!!

 

There’s an expectation that if you want to win the National Championships that you push yourself that much harder and with that it is often criticized by many that there is a level of seriousness that comes with such drive. Well, the skaters at this year’s BOWLZILLA Gold Coast flipped that script on its head. The energy levels were high, the airs were the highest ever scene in Elanora skatepark and every single skater had their mates back and encouraged them to skate even better than they just did which was a pretty tall ask.

 

The ASF National Park Skating Championships kicked off with the kids and they all pushed and prodded each other which saw them all throwing way gnarlier tricks than is expected for their ages. They most definitely had too much red cordial for breakfast. There is a very big list of rippers ready to take it up a notch. The future looks bright.

 

Counterbalancing the kids was the Master’s division and it probably shows off the spirit of BOWLZILLA more than any of the other three groups with the comradery, good times, legendary lines and smooth flowing style that can only come from decades on board and being such important members of the skating community. If the kids stick with it like these lifers do you really do they have a great life ahead of them.

 

The biggest division this year was the Yeah Girl Women’s comp and they set a whole new standard for female skaters globally. The new frontier of Women’s skating is growing at such exponential rates that it is hopefully not too far off that competitions can do away with divisions and the expectations of gender associated ability and the podium becomes more reflective of the entire community. The skating at BOWLZILLA Gold Coast this year moved that reality a few big steps closer.

 

The skaters in the Opens had no choice but to lift themselves that much higher after what was displayed in the other three divisions. It may have been a National Championships but the skating was at international levels. It is compulsory homework that everyone go and watch the replays and clips from the BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2023 to see how many steps forward Australian skating took on this day. The most important part of it all though, was that every skater in the finals pushed every other skater in the finals to ride better than they just did. Which almost seemed an impossible task.

 

The BOWLZILLA Gold Coast week was full of all the fun things that make it the biggest week in Australian skating with the Yeah Girl women’s Learn to Ride Clinic, SALKZILLA throwing out cash and good times, celebrations at Zipang, side sessions at all the epic Gold Coast spots, the comp itself and the infamous Dive In after party at Rattlesnake Motel. Year after year the welcome mat is rolled out on the Gold Coast and more friends and family come from far and wide to show their appreciation.

 

“it is absolutely unfair to single out any of the skaters from this year’s comp but in amongst all of the incredible skating there were some stand outs that broke their respective molds. A 9-year-old legitimately placed second in the Open division. Let that sink in. He skated at such a level as to be on par in style and tricks as the adults well over twice his age. I’m impressed every year with the new levels of stoke everyone brings to BOWLZILLA Gold Coast but this year’s skating was beyond compare. There is serious talk of some of the Yeah Girl Women’s finalists skating in the Opens next year. Every single person involved with this year’s celebrations should pat themselves on the back. Thank you, all of you for what you did. What a time to be alive!”  Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director.

 

None of it would have been possible without the support of the sponsors and prize givers for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast; Gold Coast City Council, Tourism & Events Queensland, Yeah Girl, Kangol, Dickies, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Independent Trucks, Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching, Rattlesnake Motel, FUEL TV, Girl’s Skate Gold Coast, Etnies, Truck Stop Skate Shop, Zipang Fine Dining and Australian Skateboarding Federation.

 

The final placings for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2023 are;

 

 

 

YEAH GIRL SKATEBOARDING – WOMEN – equal cash prize purse with Open, prizes donated by Kangol and Girls Skate Gold Coast.

 

1st Arisa Trew

2nd Zahra Johns

3rd Taniah Meyers

4th Jada Ward

5th Coco Crafter

6th Eliza Pols

7th Alicemay Abagian

8th Summer Rackley

9th Chihiro Young

10th COCO GILLETT

11th Freya brown

12th Coco Rackley

13th Olive Williams

14th Arielle Zisti

15th Layla Crilly

16th Marley Williams

17th Reann Roche

18th Taya Monahan

19th Ella O’kane

20th Bella Clark

21st Lulu Russell

22nd Kaitlyn Dam

23rd Poppy Jo

24th Myra brown

 

16 & UNDER – prizes donated by Kangol, Santa Cruz, Independent, Etnies                                                                                

 

1st Cayden hawker

2nd Jacob Hanson

3rd Caylen Goldsbrough

4th Hudson Walker

5th Asher Watt

6th Noah Armstrong

7th Taj Bartle

8th Jamie Aldridge

9thJack Lewis

10th Zion Gallagher

11th Kai Gould

12th Noa Annand

13th Elijah Jack Smith

14th Noah DC

15th Cody inteman

16th Wayan Jai Walter Cotton

17th Zach Scanlon

18th Hunter brown        

 

MASTERS – prizes donated by Kangol

 

1st Ian Davidson

2nd Chris Enwright

3rd Marcio Brandini

4th Deryck Murton

5th Justin Leslight

6th Simon Charles Takinga Brown

7th Brad Anderson

 

OPEN – prizes donated by Kangol

 

1st Ash Wilcomes

2nd Louie Daiguchi

3rd Bryce McKean

4th Marley Rae

5th Taj Wolfenden

6th Zen Dickson

7th Steven Pineiro

8th Jake Thatcher

9th Matthew Beer

10th Harvey Campbell

11th Logan Graff

12th Jorge Tichbon

13th Levi Yeaman

14th Marcos Baker Brandini

15th John Peewee Dickenson

16th Loz Brophy

17th Kerehama Milroy

Posted on February 25, 2023 .

BOWLZILLA WELLIGTON 2023 FINAL RESULTS

This year’s BOWLZILLA Wellington which was presented by Monster Energy was one that will go down in legend. The National Bowl Skating Championships really turned it on this year.After the last few years of weather and lockdowns it was the celebration everyone wanted and needed.

 

BOWLZILLA Wellington is a community event and many were not able to attend at the last minute because of the cyclone hitting the North Island. Everyone in attendance went above and beyond to make it another legendary year, but more importantly, celebrate for those in our community who could not.

 

Having the support year in year out from Wellington City Council has ensured not only that BOWLZILLA Wellington is the largest skate gathering in the country every year but that Wellington is also home to the most thriving skate scene. The We Skate Poneke initiative that WCC run, has given a massive boost to the community and is bringing some incredible spaces and gatherings for everyone to utilise. The BOWLZILLA Wellington week is growing and becoming more representative of the whole colourful community and the best is yet to come.

 

The support that goes into festivals like these are so important and everyone in attendance: fans, staff, friends, family and the competitors all step it up a little bit more to show their appreciation. This was well and truly evident in the Hot Wheels Skate 16 & Under division. These kids are getting so good that many aren’t waiting to age out before heading into the big leagues of the Open Division. The future really looks bright for New Zealand skating.

 

Our sponsors and partners like The Cambridge Hotel that housed all the crew and competitors and provided the perfect gathering place and all the other sponsors combined; Radioactive.FM, Monster, Hot Wheels, Kangol, Santa Cruz, Independent, Dickies, Manual Magazine, Powerhaus Automotive, Manky Chops, Wellington Skateboarding Association and Skateboarding.NZ were bloody awesome.

 

The BOWLZILLA Wellington Champions for 2023 are; Hot Wheels Skate 16 & Unders: Monty Graham, Masters: Ramon Thackwell, Women: Yeva Butler and Open: Shaun Boucher, and a special congratulations to Yeva Butler for taking out the Hot Wheels Skate fingerboard competition as well, she’s going to need extra baggage allowance to get home.

 

A huge THANKS goes out to all the friends, family, fans, media, sponsors, supporters, community, crew, judges, Head MC Sean Goff from the UK, international DJ Ally AF and skaters for what was truly one of the best years ever for BOWLZILLA Wellington.

 

BOWLZILLA Wellington 2023 placings:

 

Hot Wheels Skate 16 & Under

 

1st Monty Graham

2nd Ari Saffer

3rd Marshall Littlefair

4th Ace Findlay

5th Rio Saffer

6th Tate studd

 

Masters

 

1st Ramon Thackwell

2nd Von Griffin

3rd Chris Wood

4th Simon Hunt

5th Orson Reynolds

6th Nick Bennett

7th Craig Harris

8th Adam Warriner

9th Jason Hill

10th Scott Wilkinson

 

Women

1st Yeva Butler

2nd Ignacia Munoz

3rd Krysta Ashwell

4th Gala Baumfield

5th Ella Vincent-Hyde

6th Rose Nawalowalo

7th Georgia Hudson

8th Chrystal Doller

 

Open

 

1st Shaun Boucher

2nd Zedyn Fellows

3rd Jett de haan

4th Bowman Hansen

5th Josh Wilson

6th Felix Griffin

7th Brynn Fraider

8th Zef Robinson

9th Johan Dowley (Lex)

10th Louis Newman

11th Dallas A J Waitokia Marshall

 

Hot Wheels Skate – fingerboard video winner

 

Yeva Butler

Posted on February 17, 2023 .

BOWLZILLA Wellington is rolling into town

New Zealand’s biggest week of skating is back with BOWLZILLA Wellington rolling into town. Skateboarding New Zealand’s National Bowl Skating Championships are back bigger than ever to crown the Nation’s best skaters.

 

The BOWLZILLA Wellington community is growing wider and more colourful every year. The week of events is a celebration of and for all of them.

 

This year’s week of events is more reflective of the wider skate community with a free women’s learn to ride clinic being run by SkatEd, Wellington Skateboarding Association are throwing a fun street focused gathering with the WSA Kicker to Bin Jam, The Cambridge Hotel and Radioactive.FM putting on a ripping Welcome to Wellington party, Manky Chops Gallery are continuing their long and successful run of the best underground art shows in New Zealand with ARTZILLA, Skateboarding.NZ and WSA are hosting the National Bowl Skating Championships, the Dive In after party is going to be legendary as always and finishing off the week with a rad ramp session at Karori will ensure the best year yet for New Zealand’s biggest skate festival.

 

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of a host of new sponsors who will elevate the competition and ignite the crowds with their energy! Iconic toy brand Hot Wheels will add a touch of excitement to the 16 & Under division with prizes to be won and an interactive activation of their new brand, Hot Wheels Skate. Get ready to experience the thrill of skateboarding like never before! Legendary brand Kangol are bringing some prestige to the awards ceremony and Monster Energy are raising the levels for the whole event with their support. Along with the other incredible sponsors like Santa Cruz Skateboards, Independent Trucks, Dickies and Powerhaus joining up with accommodation and celebration partner The Cambridge Hotel and media partners Radioactive.FM and Manual Magazine and production partners Manky Chops and SkatEd, there is nothing but love for the skate community and all its friends and family 15-19th of February in Wellington.

 

All the up to date information is going out live all week on Radioactive.FM and @bowlzilla channels. Fans will also be able to watch the bootleg livestream from Atmos Film Productions on the day.

 

As always it is being brought to everyone by; Wellington City Council, Wellington Skateboarding Association, Redhead or Dead Events and Miryoku Agency for the very best week of New Zealand skateboarding.

 

“There is an energy that Wellington adds to any gathering lucky enough to be held there. The location, the community and all that the two make possible ensure good times and unity that are beyond compare. It is one of those places that once you go you will forever want to return. Us being able to stage BOWLZILLA Wellington there for what now will be our eighth year is a privilege and an honour. And the colourful and ever-expanding community of Wellington skaters is the reason why. Do whatever it takes to get there. The welcome mat is out and the party is starting.” BOWLZILLA Director – Chad Ford.

16/02/2023: Welcome Party – The Cambridge Hotel – FREE

17/02/2023: Kicker-bin jam – hosted by WSA, Fusion and WCC

17/02/2023: ARTZILLA – venue TBA – FREE

18/02/2023: BOWLZILLA™ Wellington competition – Waitangi Park, Wellington – FREE

18/02/2023: Women’s Learn to Ride clinic – Waitangi Park Skatepark – FREE

18/02/2023: Dive In – official after party – venue TBA – FREE

19/02/2023: Karori Vert Jam Barbecue – Ian Galloway Park, Karori, Wellington – FREE

Posted on February 9, 2023 .

WSA Kicker to Bin Jam

‘Twas the night before Bowlzilla…

We’re bringing down the heat from treetops to the city park again, this time the infamous kicker to bin. Come to

Waitangi next Friday 17 Feb for a fun skate jam with a free bbq and spot prizes. The space will run a schedule of

activities and events over the weekend to break it up from the main event over at the big ol’ bowl.

Huge thanks to the legend and massive talent @th0mas.aitken for the awesome flyer illustration

NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS RIPPING IN THE HINTERLAND

NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS 04/03/2023 – Nimbin Skatepark

 

NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS is launching the first week of March with 4 days of skating, music and gnar-factor 100!

 

Four days in The Hinterland filled with music, art and skating will be getting everyone hyped. More fun, bigger challenges, go fast, make the friends, rip the concrete and have at it. Skaters will be getting it around Lismore with an Under 18s Flea Circus at Goonellabah full of fun and challenges, art shows and music and then the main Gnar-Walls rally at Nimbin Skatepark on Saturday 4th March. Don’t expect the ordinary and only come for fun.

 

Lismore Council and NSW Government are supporting the local skate community and bringing back friends and family from all points for a final summer celebration or skating. Local businesses and local legends are all getting on board to ensure the famous Hinterland hospitality is turned up to 11.

 

"When you’re given the support to do something a bit different that gives back to the community in ways not often possible then you should grab hold of that opportunity and invite everyone along to celebrate it to the fullest. The whole week of NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS is about fast paced good times. It will be another epic chapter in the legend of Nimbin.” Chad Ford – Event Director

 

All the things that make skaters lifers will be in full effect for the week. Good times, rad concrete, crazy challenges, road tripping, camping, live bands rocking it out on the platform, huge gatherings of epic skaters, art, parties, generations deep with gnarly skating and bags of cash rewards for everyone that turns up the stoke levels.

 

NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS is getting everyone together for a ripping week in The Hinterland. Pack your bags and get there.

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast High Flying

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 25/02/2023 – Elanora Skatepark

 

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is bringing back the biggest high flying ride to adventure on the Australian skate calendar this February. Generations of skaters will be raising the bar on good times with four wheels. The Australian Skateboarding Federation National Park Skating Championships will be bigger and better than ever.

 

The annual week of skating festivities on the Gold Coast have a packed line up this year of Learn To Ride clinics, Art Shows, workshops, Music, Parties, Food and the Competition. Good times at BOWLZILLA Gold Coast are going to be bigger, richer and more raucous.

 

The eighth year of BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is capped by the Australian Skateboarding Federation’s National Park Skating championships for 2023. With divisions across all ages, abilities and sexes, the goal has always been to stage the most inclusive week of skating in Australia to inspire everyone to have all the fun. A source of pride is that it is the largest Equality in Skateboarding event in Australia with equal prize purse across the Open and Women divisions. It also has a huge prize pool for the 16 & Unders and prize money for the Masters.

 

BOWLZILLA is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar. Their support helps promote the festival to a much wider audience and helps to show how participation in the skating community continues to grow each year. It helps show off the best of skating to the world and encourages them to come and be part of it all.

 

Gold Coast City Council have done fantastic things for skateboarding and also the local community through skating for decades. The number of facilities they have built, skate schools they support and events like BOWLZILLA Gold Coast that they encourage, has ensured the Gold Coast has the best skate scene in Australia. It also has benefits for the wider community with lifestyle and business opportunities. New world class facilities in the coming years heading toward the Olympics will only serve to cement this legacy.

 

“Another day and another national championship on display in our city,’’ said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

 

“This tournament is more than just high-level action from Australia’s best skaters. It combines with a four-day celebration of skate culture courtesy of the BOWLZILLA festival. Congratulations to Major Events Gold Coast and event owners for bringing the action to our coast in February.’’

 

Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director: “We grow and develop every year to represent our community and provide them the best platform to enjoy, share, celebrate and skate the hell out of all the best skate spots on the Gold Coast. The whole focus of BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is about the great generations of skaters that make up our family. We have many exciting announcements to come in the New Year about the biggest week of Australian skating in 2023. Start making your travel plans. We’ll meet you at the bowl.”

 

BOWLZILLA stands on the shoulders of giants and we strive in all we do to acknowledge the influential skaters and scene that came before us; Patti McGee, Tony Alva, Lora Thornhill, Jay Adams, Adrian Jones, Grant “Biff” Murdoch, Dog Town, Steve Alba, Suicidal Tendencies, Black Flag, Pearl Jam, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Hellmen, Glen E. Friedman, Thrasher, Independent, The Bones Brigade, The Beastie Boys, Lance Mountain, Chris Miller, Cara Beth Burnside and Tony Hawk. The new guard of Poppy Olsen, Keegan Palmer, Taniah Meyers, Grant Taylor, Lizzie Armanto, Danny Leon, Nicole Hause, Rune Glifberg, Omar Hassan, Bucky Lasek, Jack Fardell and Pedro Barros, would not be here without this heritage. BOWLZILLA™ acknowledges and celebrates this with plans to build on the past and write a bright and energetic future.

Posted on December 22, 2022 .

BOWLZILLA Wellington – POTS OF GOLD

BOWLZILLA Wellington is celebrating all the colours of the skate community the week of 18th of February and capping it all with the New Zealand National Bowl Skating Championships.

 

For the eighth year in a row BOWLZILLA Wellington is delivering the biggest week of skating in New Zealand. With more skating, bigger gatherings, larger international field and bigger pots of gold full of rewards at the end of it all.

 

Nothing gets in the way of BOWLZILLA, not rain, cold, closures or pandemic. BOWLZILLA always finds a way to ensure the community has a guaranteed annual gathering of the best the skate community has to offer. 2023 is going shine bright. The weeklong festival highlights all of this through art shows, music, barbecues, catch ups, our incredible friends and family and of course the competition.

 

“BOWLZILLA Wellington has always been a festival of the community and each year that community grows bigger and more colourful. We look forward to welcoming everyone to come and enjoy the diversity of our friends and family. At its best, skateboarding is bright and bold and energetic and creative and welcoming and GNARLY! BOWLZILLA Wellington 2023 is going to be all of these things.” BOWLZILLA Director – Chad Ford

 

BOWLZILLA is renowned for its full week of festival happenings and this year there will be new additions celebrating the wider skate community and their awesome talents. The biggest week of skating in New Zealand is growing even larger. Everyone is welcome to come along and cheer and be part of the whole festival for free. There are exciting announcements coming in the New Year about sponsors and the festival.

 

Wellington City Council, Wellington Skateboarding Association, Redhead or Dead Events and Miryoku Agency have joined forces once again to bring this fantastic festival to the New Zealand skaters.

 

BOWLZILLA was born out of likeminded friends in the skateboard community looking for new platforms to promote the extraordinary talents of their friend’s 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 in the New Year about all the great events and sponsorships happening as part of BOWLZILLA Wellington 2023. Follow @bowlzilla for the most up to date info.

Posted on December 22, 2022 .