BOWL-A-RAMA 2018

Hold on to your Thrasher hats, BOWL-A-RAMA will soon be once again grinding into Bondi Skate Park. For the seventh year running, everyone’s favourite skate-or-die fest will drop in at the seaside bowl for a weekend of pro skaters, airs, grabs, stacks and stoked heads.

The General Pants sponsored event has lassoed a very impressive host of international and local skaters that are categorised into Pros, current professional skaters that are equal amounts skilled, fearless and cracked; Masters, names you’ve seen when playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater on PlayStation, including the man himself; Ladies, a freakish bunch of gals, some of which have their sights on the 2020 Olympics; and Juniors, a talented group of groms that’ll make you feel old, scared and listless.

With close to 90 of the world’s best skaters competing in the empty swimming pool style competition, there’s a lot of helmeted heads to follow. Here are a few standouts you should be keeping an eye on while getting stuck into Mexican grub from Beach Burrito and listening to bands playing live over the two days:

Hunter Long

In the land of surfing, this Hawaiian carves pavement. She’s on a mission to make the Tokyo Olympic Games and the way she’s going, she’ll probably do so.

Bucky Lasek

An X-Games stalwart and injury magnet, Lasek is truly dedicated to the sport of skateboarding and at 45 years-old, still pushes the envelope hard.

Demarcus James

With his long dreads exacerbating his already remarkable flow, the 30ish year old San Franciscan is a pleasure to watch.

Luigi Cini

This young Brazilian puts the whip and snap into whippersnapper. He’s been skating beyond his years for years and is one to keep an eye on.

BOWL-A-RAMA is the richest skate comp in the Southern Hemisphere and is part of an international series with other stops in New Zealand, USA and Spain. Tickets are selling fast and can be purchased on the website.

General Pants BOWL-A-RAMA Bondi 2018 will take place February 17-18 at Bondi Skate Park.

words by niall roeder