BONDI BOWL-A-RAMA / WELLINGTON / LOVE & GUTS 2010

Reason number 685,386 why to skateboard: The Bowl-A-Rama…
Words: Filmer Boi / Photos: Otto Cei

Donuts, Disco, and the Yerminator holding it down, down under.

Rune Glifberg getting boosted.

There were 384 professional skateboard contests held since the last Bowl-A-Rama in 2009. Some were dumb and some were dumber. This is a tale of one that was simply the best of them all.

A contest needs something big, it needs something worth dying for: Girls?, Money?, Glory?, Breakfast at Jeds, yes…

We begin far far away in Wellington New Zealand, The 3rd annual beginning of what is now referred to as The Bowl-A-Rama Festival!
We check into the the Museum Hotel, known for its outstanding art collection, Hippopotamus Restaurant and close location to Waitangi Skatepark. As we walk through the halls we are greeted with the familiar smells that had us in poor favor last year. After a ragged jet lag nap and a viewing of “Distract 9” from the skater-flix library, it’s go time!

Rain was threatening, rain is always threatening, along with all four seasons plus earthquakes which we experienced the night before. 20 to 30 pros From around the Globe primed and ready to start the new season. The qualifying heats were exciting especially with die hard locals like Kadin Elliott, he just keeps getting better and his love for skating grows on you, Diego Casal, completely ripped apart practice  and then there was Mike Bancroft who after a squabble with a car, stepped up and ripped it hard!

Into the final we go, Qualifying in first Pedro Barros (more about him later), also previous winner Rune, Octavio Neto, Josh Borden, Sky, Senn-Dog, Corbin and Renton “World Champion” Millar.

the Qualifiers were energetic and somewhat friendly, Not so in the final. Pedro had lines, Pedro had Bangers, but did he have what it takes to win down here? The skating was a wide mix of styles; Josh skating strong and keeping it real with a wide range of tricks both old and new, sky flowed fast and used some  original lines, Ocatavio Neto has thrown the skate handbook out the window, Corbin is fast and adaptive and didn’t back-down after a little noggin bash. Senn will make any heat interesting, Renton, more suited for deeper holes, surprised us all with some strong landing tricks. If anybody was going to challenge the little big-man from Florianopolis Brazil, it would be Rune. Rune did have the lines and the tricks but maybe not enough time to get back to full strength from some recent injuries. Without to much challenge Pedro unleashed a barrage of tricks that had everyone in awe. The kid comes poised, super refined, spreads it out all over the place, skates smart and gets in there with the boys!

Apparently no one told Pedro that you can’t stroll in at age 14 and beat everyone.

Daniel Cardone smoothing out the roughness.

Yar Jarsh! Borden, Andrecht.

Otavio Neto has one of the best chaotic and energy driven styles. That’s a NOLLIE stale. Sick!

A small but intimate affair went down with the Masters, Pat Ngoho after twice serving as a bride’s maid takes the win but not before the Master’s treated us all to a great historical jam that among others featured Sasha skating with bravery and advil despite a bad back, Mike Spittlehouse; New Zealand’s original shredder and also the iconic and legendary Lee Ralph who dazzled us with glimpses of his magical style and array of his unique tricks.

Ngoho in Ngo Zealand.

Are you kidding me? Lee Fucking Ralph!!! One of the greatest of all time.

Wellington killers, Pedro and NGOHO.

Off we go to Sydney and we are only just getting started!

Sydney in February, Summer! and we are headed to Bondi. straight into it we go. Besides shows such as musical act Shwayze flown out by Oakley from Southern California, there was also the Oakley Big Wave Awards, A new street event called ironically enough the Flat-A-Rama and another strong showing by the Love and Guts Art Show.

After a solid week of thrilling practices, long days and longer nights we arrive at Saturday Morning with the Masters  who may be a little older but it is well concealed by the enthusiasm of the skating, several heats were reduced down to 8 guys who would settle it out later. The Pros came out swinging at the bell. First heat Grant Taylor! super exciting, Chet Childress Curren Caples and in later heats; Alex Perlson, Adam Luxford, Daniel Cardone, Patch, so many great skaters and the field was going to get one cut at 10.

Senn dog still has flow, even where toilets flush backwards.

Curren Caples performs well in front of death lenses.

The Masters was just one of those events where you wanted a good beverage a good seat and just let it happen. Two time defending champ Cabby, the always consistent Mik Mulhall, the Trick Scientist, Charno, also previous winner and crowd favorite Lance Mountain. Pat Ngoho, Just off a win in New Zealand was keeping the momentum going, also there was John Grey from Australia with tons of tricks and deep knowledge of the bowl, OC’s most favorite skater Lester Kasai, who always brings big game. and the upper Grand Stands hero; Jeff Grosso, The jam started with strong runs and  as we got deeper into  the jam Charno and Mik stayed strong, Lance pulled out with an ailing back, Grosso wrapped the entire shallow with a boardslide, Ngoho was feeling the lines, Lester was giving the good fight and Cab stayed consistent and let his experience work for him.

Cerulean Blue is a cool breeze. NGOHO.

I’ve often wondered if in the southern hemisphere, eggs had the white in the middle and the yolk on the outside. Grosso clears up another urban myth.

10 guys 30 minutes, yes, 10 guys going at once! Great skaters made it through such as Renton, TJ Barbaro, Rion Linderman, Juergan, and Bob, but the money was on the 3 plus 1, The 3 being the 3 previous winners Omar, Rune and Bucky, but they were all looking at the plus one which was Pedro Barros, 14 years old and rattling the cage.
30 minutes meant nothing to no one. All ten were in it to win it,  pacing oneself  was not an option, and that is how it began. The top guys were a little shaky, uncommon bails and even Pedro  who saw an opening early couldn’t stay on, so after two rotations of organized solo runs we were about where we started it didn’t matter cause the flood gates were up and the bulls were loose! Jam Time, Pedro and Bob make a statement early, Pedro skated with bionic powers, strong lines and the courage of 10 men. Bob always just heads off in a uncharted mind blowing direction, everything is possible with him.
Rune was now battling with a new injury to his shin area and just as he started to gain momentum the injury was just to much for the 2007 winner. TJ Barbaro started to adapt nicely, Rion got his spin on, Josh held his own, Juergen is flowing talent, Renton, was a man on fire and after a second place qualifying slot he was going for the win, however it was cut short with a nasty spill from perhaps one of the biggest 5’s of the weekend. Renton had to sit it out but not before a standing ovation and the applaud of all his skate brothers. Omar owns the lines in this bowl but was just a little outside himself, he had a tough summer as we all saw and is now getting it back together with a strong finish and  some new tricks. Bucky was the guy that most of us had gone to the bank with, for he brings originality and something new and exciting every year, but as the nature of the jam, it forces variables from outer space that sometimes work with you and sometimes work with your fellow skater. In truth it was a tough jam for all, a lot of mixing and forced skating. Pedro on the other hand, among other things as previously mentioned is a fighter, he went with the session and rose to the occasion., he got hotter and hotter and wowed everyone.

Cardone is a beast!

Just some local guy, Renton Millar.

Up and comer, Grant Taylor got his feet wet.

Top 3 punishers in Bondi, Pedro, Bucky, and Bob, 1-2-3.

Pedro Barros turns one down properly on his way to top honors.

A big one in the books, Vans, Oakley, Dew, Bowl-A-Rama  have created something to be proud of, they have created something that will stand aside the Hester Series, Gold Cup, NSA, Marseille, and other great contest/series of the past.