BOWLZILLA Wellington, the National Park Skating Championships, were absolutely the best of Wellington this week. The host city really turned it on with welcoming everyone back from a year of COVID exile. The hospitality, the fans, the weather and the skating were exactly what everyone has been screaming for.
Skateboarding.NZ have been working hard to build a new model of national support and their good work shone through this weekend in that although BOWLZILLA Wellington is the only local pathway for local skaters to try and qualify for the Olympic Games, it was barely mentioned because the comradery of the community was absolutely the most important part of the whole celebration. The glory of the rings can wait, friends, family and skating came first.
It has been said so many times but that is because of the truth of it, when the weather is perfect in Wellington it is the best little city in the world. Combine that with the local fans, the incredible support of the city and sponsors and the skaters it seems all pushing themselves further than before and this year will really be remembered as a highwater mark.
Wellington City Council and the sponsors really went above and beyond to ensure that the post COVID welcome back was going to be nothing short of spectacular. Dickies with their hard wearing work wear made sure the Open competitors got paid properly for the hard work, Yeah Gnar once again helped cement the fact that Women’s skating is rightfully equally acknowledged and supported, Civil Parks worked overtime to get the site open and comfortable for all the fans, the skate nerds favourite toy Tech Deck gave fantastic support to the 16 & Unders, the Masters are always valued and supported by everyone, The Cambridge Hotel housed all the crew and competitors and provided the perfect gathering place and all the sponsors combined; Santa Cruz, Independent, Skullcandy, Manual Magazine, Spitfire / Irrom Distribution, Powerhaus Automotive, Sky Sport Next, Vans, Red Bull, Wellington Skateboarding Association and Skateboarding.NZ were bloody awesome.
The New Zealand National Champions for 2021 are; Women –Krysta Ashwell NZ
Champion, Tech Deck 16 & Under – Sam Westerkamp, the Masters champion for 2021 is Orson Reynolds and the Dickies Opens champion for 2021 was the Tech Deck 16 & Under champion for 2020 – Niwa Shewry.
A huge THANKS goes out to all the friends, family, fans, media, sponsors, supporters, community and skaters for what was truly one of the best years ever for BOWLZILLA Wellington.
BOWLZILLA Wellington 2021 placings:
Tech Deck 16 & Under
1 Sam Westerkamp
2 Max Hancock
3 Monty Graham
4 Marshall Littlefair
5 Felix Griffin
6 Ace Findlay
7 Lochie Barrie
8 Jake Harris
9 Carter Williams
Masters
1 Orson Reynolds
2 Leigh McKenzie
3 Von Griffin
4 Nathan Adams
5 Hayden McDermott
6 Simon Hunt
7 Nicholas Bennett
8 Aaron Bell
9 Craig Harris
10 Scott Wilkinson
11 Adam Warriner
Women
1 Krysta Ashwell
2 Billie Morrison
3 Yeva Sauytska
4 Gala Baumfield
5 Ela Poynter
6 Ella Vincent-Hyde
7 Jessica Ready
8 Evelyn Armstrong
9 Poppy-Jo Garratt
10 Jessica Lord
11 Georgia Hudson
12 Chrystal Daller
13 Eva Corkery
14 Aaliyah Iwikau
15 Poppy Cottrell
Dickies Open
1 Niwa Shewry
2 Bowman Hansen
3 Dereck De Souza
4 Stefan Robin
5 Josh Wilson
6 Tom Mitchell
7 Chris Wood
8 Remus Henare
9 Rico Henare
10 Noah Winningham
11 Levi Rhind
12 Ken Te Ohaere
13 Nick Bush
14 Alexi Dowley
15 Nicholas Joyen-Conseil
16 Chris Curran
17 Kere James Milroy
18 Will Butler
All photos by David Read for Manual Magazine @manualmagazine
