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 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 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.

BOWLZILLA Wellington – Once Again Back Is The Incredible

Wellington is set to again be the Capital of Skateboarding with the return of BOWLZILLA Wellington on Saturday 29th October. New Zealand’s National Bowl Skating Championships will be roaring back bigger than ever to crown the Nation’s best skaters.

BOWLZILLA Wellington is going to be the biggest gathering of skaters in New Zealand this year. With New Zealand opening back up again, this year’s festival is going to be a celebration like no other. The week offers; parties, music, art shows, industry catch ups, governance meetings, barbecues, ramp jams, the competition and most importantly community.

BOWLZILLA was established as a foundational event that the New Zealand skating community can depend upon and utilise as a platform for all things skate every year without fail. The competition is what makes it all possible but the whole week of all the things is the point. That is why this year there are a couple of new gatherings being added to the permanent schedule.

In addition to the Welcome Party, ARTZILLA, BOWLZILLA Wellington National Bowl Skating Championships, Dive In after party and the Karori Vert Jam and barbecue, a free women’s Learn To Ride clinic will be added at Waitangi Park during the week and some surprises with the inclusion of the more diverse creative outlets of New Zealand’s skate community for the art show. There are a few other awesome gatherings being announced as we get closer to the festival.

This is the second year in a row that BOWLZILLA Wellington has had to postpone due to COVID lockdowns and it will be the second year in a row New Zealand skaters will come out the other side with a bigger and better gathering to celebrate the awesomeness and resilience of their community. More skaters, more events, more fun and it’s all free.

There are returning sponsors ensuring the Tech Deck 16 & Unders, Santa Cruz Open, Masters and Yeah Gnar Women’s divisions will be just as spectacular as always and to make it more interesting Protec are doing a special prize for the hardest skating most spectacular slam of the day. The parties are getting a bit of extra wow this year that will be announced shortly and Wellington Skateboarding Association, Skateboarding New Zealand and Wellington City Council via its Community Events and Sports Event funding are lifting the week to even bigger heights. To top it all off there is international broadcast via the live webstream with an international media partnership being announced shortly.

“Wellington City Council is excited to welcome back the annual BOWLZILLA Wellington event. Following the debut and success of so many incredible skaters at the Olympics, we look forward to seeing these athletes in action at the National Championships in the Capital. An incredible opportunity for our community to witness the skill of these skaters. To all of those competing at BOWLZILLA Wellington 2022 – we look forward to seeing you in action.” Mayor Andy Foster

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.

“Skaters are some of the most resilient people in the world. We are brilliant at adapting and taking whatever is in front of us and turning it into the best moments possible. BOWLZILLA 2022 is going to be a case study in this and we can’t wait to reunite with our friends and family in Wellington for the week of the 29th October to celebrate. The continuing support of Wellington City Council and our sponsors, which make it all possible, will be rewarded with the biggest skate party Wellington has seen to date. The whole week is free and everyone is welcome to come celebrate with us.” BOWLZILLA Director – Chad Ford.

With the new run date and borders now open, overseas friends are able to return. BOWLZILLA will be working with everyone to make this possible with accommodation being provided by the legendary Cambridge Hotel, which will also be the daily gathering spot away from the bowl for the week.

BOWLZILLA was born out of likeminded friends in the skateboard community looking for new platforms to promote the extraordinary talents of their friends and their talents that run in oversupply 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 2022.

26/10/2022: Women’s Learn to Ride clinic – Waitangi Park Skatepark - FREE

27/10/2022: Welcome Party – The Cambridge Hotel

28/10/2022: ARTZILLA

29/10/2022: BOWLZILLA™ Wellington competition – Waitangi Park, Wellington

29/10/2022: Dive In – official after party

30/10/2022: Karori Vert Jam, Ian Galloway Park, Karori, Wellington

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast Turned the Tide

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast was postponed a week so friends and family could put their houses back together after the flooding. Beautiful Gold Coast came through to make sure their reunion celebrations were epic.

After the torrential rain and flooding of the weeks before, the water rolled back and everyone had a fantastic week of celebrating in the epicentre of Australian skateboarding; the Gold Coast. With Yeah Girl putting on a free women’s learn to ride clinic and a skate zine workshop, the debut of SALKZILLA, the ASF National Park Skating Championships and the final celebration – Dive in at Beach Burrito Company, it was the week everyone needed.

Once again the sponsors stepped up to make sure the skating community knew how much they are appreciated. Yeah Girl ensured the women had equal prize money once again making it the biggest Equality in Skateboarding competition in Australia and Girl’s Skate Gold Coast raised the stoke with some extra prizes, Dickies had the Opens covered, Protec raised the stakes by rewarding the Best Slam of the whole competition which ended up having to be shared three ways (heal up everyone0, and Vans, Santa Cruz, Independent, Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching, Zipang Fine Dining, Fryzee Tattoo, Girl’s Skate Gold Coast, Fiik, Beach Burrito Company, FUEL TV, along with Major Events Gold Coast, City of Gold Coast and Tourism & Events Queensland helped out with the all-important structural support and prizes.

Everyone worked so hard to help friends and family recover during the postponement and that good energy flowed over into the entire week. It wouldn’t have felt right to run the week before while our friends and family were going through so much. What a difference a week makes though. The community was so happy to rally and get together at BOWLZILLA. The festival is an opportunity for friends and family to gather from near and far to catch up, show off their art, get creative, socialise and skate. It is a gathering point first and foremost and that was what supplied all the best moments of the week.

SALKZILLA was a new addition to the festivities this year and will grow into its own beast soon enough, it seems. Yeah Girl, Girl’s Skate Gold Coast, Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching, Zipang Fine Dining, Fryzee Tattoos and City of Gold Coast all got together and created a night of good times, free barbecues, loads of prizes and cash giveaways for random tricks and maximum stoke. The whole of the park was set alight by all our friends for hours. No stress, good times, nothing timed or serious, just get in there and get at it. The beast has been unleashed.  

As the world recovers and adapts more friends and family from far and wide will be able to make the journey to BOWLZILLA. The last couple of years have been a challenge but that has laid the groundwork for even more awesome times ahead with the BOWLZILLA community.

“You can crush us, you can bruise us, but you’ll have to answer to the fact that skating is our way of life and no matter what is thrown at us we will always rise above and find ways of gathering to celebrate the best of our skate community. Skateboarding won’t change the world but skateboarders sure are. The resilience and fortitude and goodwill that skating teaches us has been shared far and wide the last few weeks. Look at the many members of our family that have been working overtime to help water-soaked communities recover. They weren’t doing it with skateboards but skating lifted them and supported the support. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast was bloody fantastic again this year, one of the best ones yet but I’d rather you take the time to celebrate those in our community that worked far harder and for far nobler causes. They deserve the accolades. I just hope we did enough to show them all how truly grateful we were this week. Thank you, every single last one of you.”  Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director.

Sponsors and prize givers for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2022 were: Gold Coast City Council, Tourism & Events Queensland, Yeah Girl, Dickies, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Independent Trucks, Vans, Fiik Electric Skateboards, Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching, Beach Burrito Company, FUEL TV, Protec, Girl’s Skate Gold Coast, Truck Stop Skate Shop, Fryzee Tattoos, Zipang Fine Dining and Australian Skateboarding Federation.

The final placings for BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2022 are;

PROTEC BEST SLAM OF THE COMPETITION – special prizes by Protec

Indi Barnard

Jake Thatcher

Harvey Campbell

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

1 Ruby Trew – ASF National Park Skating Champion 2022

2 Arisa Trew

3 Heili Sirvio

4 Taniah Meyers

5 Anneka Lewis

6 Zahra Johns

7 Coco Crafter

8 Haylee Powell

9 Jada Ward

10 Mila Sirvio

11 Isla Lillie Bower

12 Tanisha Gardner

13 Tora Waldren

14 Mel NC

15 Chihiro Young

16 Marley Williams

17 Kayla Matthews

18 Olive Williams

19 Jazz Kennedy

16 & UNDER – prizes donated by Protec, Santa Cruz, Independent, Vans                                                                                

1 Louie Daiguchi – ASF Australian Park Skating Champion 2022

2 Caylen Goldsbrough

3 Taj Wolfenden

4 Hudson Walker

5 Cayden Hawker

6 Noa Barnes

7 Jack Lewis

8 Jacob Hanson           

9 Asher Watt

10 Oliver Macdonald

11 Kruz Lovett

12 Jackson Schulze

13 Kai Gould

14 Yo Wuoti

15 Samson Scott

16 Tasman Cahill

17 Zion Gallagher

18 Elijah Jack Smith

19 Zen Dickson

20 Zane Perez

21 Gustavo Baker Brandini

22 Noah DC de Campos          

MASTERS

1 Trev Ward – ASF Australian Park Skating Champion 2022

2 Chris Enwright

3 Marcio Godinho Brandini

4 Justin Leslight

5 Iain Watt

6 Deryck Murton

OPEN

1 Marley Rae

2 Jake Thatcher

3 Shaun Boucher

4 Jesse Noonan

5 Ash Wilcomes

6 Matthew Beer

7 Charlie Holland

8 Marcos Baker Brandini

9 Nixen Osborne

10 Logan Graff

11 Kai Farrelly

12 Barry Taniwha

13 Jorge Tichbon

14 Bryce Mckean

15 Levi Yeaman

16 James Stuurman

17 Dylan Phillips

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast – Boarders Open

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast 2022 is going to be the biggest skating celebration of the year. With the newly opened borders there will be skaters coming from far and wide. The Australian Skateboarding Federation are ensuring the National Park Skating Championships will be bigger and better than ever.

2022 is already shaping up to be amazing and the annual week of skating festivities on the Gold Coast is going to put it over the top. With a packed line up of Learn To Ride clinics, Art Shows, workshops, Music, Parties, Food and the Competition, everyone is guaranteed a good time at BOWLZILLA Gold Coast.

ASF are again ensuring Australian skating is properly supported with the seventh annual BOWLZILLA Gold Coast National Park Skating Championships. The biggest competition of the year in Australia has nurtured Olympic champions like Keegan Palmer, Poppy Olsen and Kieran Woolley, along with underground legends like Shaun Boucher, Aimee Massie, Nixen Osborne and Shanae Collins. With divisions across all ages, abilities and sexes, the goal has always been to get everyone together to inspire each other and 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.

It is important to skateboarding and BOWLZILLA, that ASF competitions are run by members of the skateboarding community across Australia as a collaborative effort, and ASF are stoked to have BOWLZILLA as the peak National Park Skating event for 2022 with all its fantastic partners and amazing festival events.

Once again back is the incredible; Yeah Girl. Their support of BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is invaluable each year. They kick the week off with a women’s Learn to Ride clinic, continue the awesomeness with workshops and art shows, ensure the Equality in Skateboarding prize purse is funded and finish off the celebration with curation of the Dive In after party.

"Yeah Girl was established to help promote and support the amazing talents of the international women’s skate community. We do this through our art shows, workshops, learn to ride sessions, advocating and support. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is the perfect partner for us because they have always worked hard to ensure an equal platform for all skaters. They were the first international competition to have a woman as head judge for the entire competition and they are the largest Equality-in-Skateboarding competition in Australia. What we really love about BOWLZILLA is that it brings the skate community together and fosters great sports(wo)manship and camaraderie. BOWLZILLA regular Poppy Olsen was a prime example of this during the Women’s Park Finals at the Olympic Games when she lifted Japanese skater Misugu onto her shoulders in a show of support after she fell in her final run. This is what Yeah Girl stands for and BOWLZILLA Gold Coast supports.” Sarah Huston – Yeah Girl

Tourism and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said events like BOWLZILLA were important to the Palaszczuk Government’s Economic Recovery Plan for the Gold Coast.

“Events bring competitors and spectators to the Gold Coast which benefits local jobs, accommodation and transport providers, as well as restaurants and cafés,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

That’s why in 2022 we’re backing events that make a sound contribution to the Gold Coast’s visitor economy.

“Learn to ride clinics at BOWLZILLA 2022 are a terrific way to get immersed in Australian skate culture.”

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.

“Broadening our annual events calendar has never been more important,’’ said Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

“BOWLZILLA fits that bill perfectly as it attracts the best skaters from the country for a week-long program of workshops, shows, exhibitions and competitions.

“I applaud organisers and look forward to visiting Elanora in March for the action.’’

Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director: “Seven years in and we’re just getting started with BOWLZILLA Gold Coast. When we began all those years ago the goal was to create a reliable, fun, entertaining gathering to show off our friends and family’s amazing talents and get everyone together once a year to catch up and celebrate. We have grown beyond that to become the biggest skateboard festival in the country, set international standards with equality in skateboarding with our prize purse and staffing, nurtured the local kids into becoming the current biggest sporting event finalists and gold medalists and most importantly become the dependable community gathering we had hoped we could be. None of this would have been possible without the foresight and investment made by Gold Coast City Council which provided the base for us to build upon and then the support from Major Events Gold Coast and Tourism & Events Queensland which has enabled us to support and promote the talents of our amazing community and of course the skaters and our friends and family that have driven it all from the outset. Everything is free and everyone is welcome to come and join us for the week to celebrate.”

All photos by Sarah Huston for Yeah Girl

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast – Lifting Boarders

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast was the last international professional skateboard competition of 2020 before the world closed down. It will be the largest competition of the New Year lifting boarder’s spirits around the country. Once again the ASF National Park Skating Championships will be back to bring the cheer.

With such a crazy year behind us, there are high expectations for 2021 and what it will bring. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast will be do its part in bringing back the positive with the festival hosting; art, music, learn to ride clinics, food, parties and of course the competition.

For the sixth year BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is the ASF National Park Skating Championships, which makes it the peak ASF park skating competition in Australia, with the highest prize money in Australia. The competition has equal prize purse across Yeah Girl Women’s and Dickies Open, the largest Masters prize purse in Australasia and an oversupply of prizes for 16 & Unders.

The BOWLZILLA Gold Coast festival is about the gathering of Australia’s skateboarding community for a week on the Gold Coast, which is the best skate community in Australia, to celebrate all that makes them great, art, music, food, friends, community and skating.

The main show, the competition is the Australian Skateboarding Federation’s biggest Park Competition of the year for them and the Nation. ASF competitions are run by members of the skateboarding community across Australia as a collaborative effort, and the ASF are stoked to have BOWLZILLA as the peak national park event for 2021 with all its fantastic partners and amazing festival events.

Global powerhouse Yeah Girl started on the Gold Coast and has grown to an international platform showcasing the many varied and awesome abilities of womxn’s skateboarding. They have supported BOWLZILLA since inception and work together every year to ensure the highest paid Equality-in-Skateboarding event in Australia and that it continues to support the ever-growing womxn’s skateboard community on its path to the largest international competitive stage.

"Yeah Girl began as a way to give voice and spirit to the ever growing and evolving womxn's skate community. Working with BOWLZILLA Gold Coast was a no-brainer — they have always tried to find ways to further develop their understanding and support of the womxn's skate scene. At the first BOWLZILLA Gold Coast in 2016, Shari Duffy became the first woman to judge an international skateboard competition and has since taken on the role of Head Judge. The competition itself, having the largest Equality-In-Skateboarding prize purse in Australia, and the many other things done during the festival and behind the scenes every year in planning, help promote the best of our community on the largest stage available in Australia.” Sarah Huston – Yeah Girl

The only reason BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is even possible is because of the foresight of the Gold Coast City Council. They have provided the support and the platform for what is the Nation’s best skateboard community. What they continue to do each year with building more skateparks and providing more learn to ride clinics and the supporting of events which help rally and showcase the community is beyond compare in Australia. BOWLZILLA Gold Coast being the largest event of its kind in Australia is testament to the great work GCCC has done so far.

“Our city is expanding its major events calendar, actively seeking out new format events to attract national interest in the coast,’’ said Mayor Tom Tate.

“You only have to say the word BOWLZILLA to make you want to hear more. Blending cool music with epic skate bowl skills, great food and world-class competition is the perfect recipe for a great event.

“I wish organisers and competitors every success with the program and look forward to the thousands of social media selfies being shared across the globe.’’

Major Events Gold Coast CEO Jan McCormick:

"I’m thrilled to see BOWLZILLA hit the Gold Coast once again in 2021. The action-packed event is an iconic feature in our city’s sporting events calendar. I look forward to welcoming the competitors, their families and the spectators to another memorable National Championships.”

BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar. TEQ’s support helps promote BOWLZILLA Gold Coast and attract friends and family from far and wide, not just for the week of the festival but throughout the entire year. Being part of the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar helps show off the best of us to the world and encourages them to come and be part of it all.

The BOWLZILLA Gold Coast festival is coming back for a sixth year! The week of fun on and off the board returns with a womxn’s learn to ride clinic with Yeah Girl and Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching, Beach Burrito Company is the night-time venue for the week 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.

“This year BOWLZILLA Gold Coast is dedicated to the far too many we have lost in our community over the last year, especially Australian legend Grant “Biff” Murdoch. We realise how lucky we are to still be perpetuating our Peter Pan Complex with this festival and will do everything we can to lift the spirits of our community with a fantastic week on the Gold Coast. Our job is to spread joy and inspire and we will make sure there are equally high doses of both. We thank all of our supporters for assisting us in continuing the stoke that is BOWLZILLA Gold Coast. We are an Open Boarders event, so everyone with a positive attitude is welcome to come join us at our free week of skating celebration.” Chad Ford; BOWLZILLA – Director.

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.

Dates:

13th March 2021

Event info: TBC – information coming soon

9th March: Yeah Girl x Gold Coast Skateboard Coaching – Girl’s Learn To Ride Clinic – Tugun Skatepark, Boyd St, Tugun 4224

10th March: Gold Coast Grill – local hosted BBQ skate session – more to come

11th March: Tic Taco art exhibition / video premier – Beach Burrito Company; The Strand Shop 25/26, 72-80 Marine Parade, Coolangatta 4225 Ph: (07) 5536 4192

12th March: Gold Coast Grill – local hosted BBQ skate session – more to come

13th March: BOWLZILLA™ Gold Coast, Australia’s; National Park Skating Championships – 1 Pines Lane, Elanora QLD 4221

13th March: Dive In – official after party – Beach Burrito Company; The Strand Shop 25/26, 72-80 Marine Parade, Coolangatta 4225 Ph: (07) 5536 4192

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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

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