Quiksilver Bowlriders ‘08 Preview
April 29, 2008 – 11:26 pm PT by GregTags: Bowlriders, Quiksilver, Rune Glifberg, World Cup of Skateboarding —
One of the coolest contest series in Europe is getting ready to kick off. Actually, the Quiksilver Bowlrider Series apparently started its 12-stop series on April 20 but the big date is the finale in Sweden from June 12-15. Hometown hero Rune Glifberg is the reigning champ. The Bowlriders site has been updated with a major preview of the season plus a bunch of background info. We’ve saved you the work of having to check it out by posting it below the flier below…
Suzuki presents QUIKSILVER BOWLRIDERS 2008
June 12th - June 15th, 2008 / Malmö, Sweden
For the third year in a row, Malmö is becoming the world capital of skateboarding. From June 12th to June 15th, the Quiksilver Bowlriders sets up in the best concrete skatepark in Europe for one of World Cup Skateboarding’s most spectacular stops. This time around, 48 of the world’s best pro skaters will try to oust last year’s winner, Denmark’s own Rune Glifberg, from his throne. And he’s determined to not give it up that easily… In 2008, the take-no-prisoner-style battle promises to be fierce.
Concrete kings
Set for almost ten years in Marseille (France), the Bowlriders was pretty much an American domination affair, with the multiple victories of Omar Hassan and Tony Trujillo, not to mention John Cardiel’s b-side 360 on a broken board, a trick for the skateboard history books that is still talked about today, or Alex Chalmer’s death-defying transfers.
As the contest gave more and more exposure to the European scene, its stars now play in the same category. Among these “super-Euros” of skateboarding, Malmö will notably be graced by the presence of 2006′ Italian winner Daniel Cardone with his fast, effortless and unpredictable skating, all-terrain Irish master Ross McGouran, last year’s 2nd place winner local hero John Magnuson, the bouncing Basque Alain Goikoetxea and even Danish legend, of Powell Peralta skateboards late-80s fame, Nicky Guerrero… All ready to clash, because it’s worth it : in 2008, Malmö’s winners will be awarded a total of 35,000 euros in prize money and this official World Cup Skateboarding contest will be broadcasted live on the web. Last year, it drew 4,000-people crowds every day on the bleachers set around the arena.
Malmö skatepark, skateboarding’s 8th wonder
Located in the south of Sweden on the Baltic Sea shore, “Stapelbaddsparken” has become one of the world’s most famous concrete skateparks in 2006, thanks to continuous support from both Malmö’s dynamic city council and its 100%-dedicated local skateboarding community.
It took six years until completion, but the result was worth the effort : its perfection allowed this 27,000 sq.-ft polished concrete architectural jewel to become the ideal place to hold the Quiksilver Bowlriders from now on.
In the beginning was pool riding…
By creating in 1999 the Bowlriders in Marseille, Quiksilver brought back to the limelight skateboarding’s original discipline: pool riding. Following a series of massive droughts throughout the ’60s and ’70s in California, a new generation of skateboarders decided to skate the emptied pools. Soon enough, a movement was born, complete with radical and technical moves, plus the occasional confrontation with the police. Skateboarding was ready to be its own rebellious sport, not only a transposition of surfing to the sidewalk… A fascinating tale, told in 2000 by one of its actual actors, former pro Stacy Peralta, in his Sundance-awarded documentary film Dogtown And The Z-Boys. It took a few decades for the story to come full circle: twenty-odd years after Tony Alva’s 1976 Skateboarder mag interview –in which he declared : “One day, I’d like to see a contest in a real bowl”-, the pool-riding pioneer’s dream has come true.
Ross McGouran
He might skate street, but he can upset a few vert vets too… All-terrain mastership is Ross’ secret weapon. Only 20 years old and hailing from Harrow (London), he missed the podium by a hair last year but was definitely the 2007 Quiksilver Bowlriders’ revelation, thanks to his style’s purity and consistence. 2008’s surprise? Very possible.
Daniel Cardone
In 2006, Daniel Cardone was the first European skater to win the Quiksilver Bowlriders. Before him, this World Cup Skateboarding contest was strictly under North American rule. The Italian’s secret? It’s all in the flow, to the point that one wonders if he still has regular knees and ankles. Daniel flies on the skateparks surface, effortlessly and faster than the rest. While his “tuck knee” tricks have become one of this Bologne-based skater’s trade marks and attracted the judges’ favor, Cardone’s lifestyle reflects in his skating: one of a bohemian traveler, who drops his bags wherever he likes a skatepark, anywhere in the world. Unfazed by glory, even if Quiksilver has just released his own pro-model shoe (in black and white, available in Quiksilver shops). At 28 years old, he’s one of the contest’s favorites.
Rune Glifberg
With 20 years of professionnal skateboarding under his belt, Rune Glifberg is one of the few European skaters to have achieved US stardom from the early ’90s on. A vert ramp maestro and a fine pool rider, Rune is Danish but is the closest thing to a Malmö local, for he lives in Copenhagen, a mere 20 minutes away from Stapelbaddsparken. Needless to say he’s been dissecting the park’s endless possibilities since its very birth, a major advantage which allowed him to win the 2007 Quiksilver Bowlriders.
Masters contest
Christian Hosoi, Steve Alba, Pat N’Goho, Natas Kaupas… Just a few of the names that have shaped skateboarding’s history. One by one, they all were invited to skate at former editions of the Bowlriders. In 2008 the tribute only gets stronger, as 20 of these legends will compete in Malmö during the first installment of the “Masters” side contest, for a 10,000 € prize.
Quiksilver Bowlriders Series : the wild cards
It doesn’t only happen in Malmö. Through a series of contests in Europe, Australia and the USA, the Quiksilver Bowlriders Series are here every year to provide 14 spots for the finals at Stapelbaddsparken, granting each QBS winner a spot to battle against the invited pros. The QBS’ aim is simple: visit the best skateparks in Europe in order to give the new jacks an occasion to meet skateboarding’s concrete riding elite.
Quiksilver Bowlriders Series 2008 Calendar
- April 20: Lisboa (Portugal) – Amadora Skatepark
- April 26: Paris (France) – to be confirmed
- May 1: Vienna (Austria) – Goodlands Skatepark
- May 3: Courtrai (Belgium) – Bowl Kortrijk
- May 10: Chomutov (Czech Republic) – Chomutov Skatepark
- May 17: Hagen (Germany) – Der Hagen Bowl
- May 24: Lausanne (Switzerland) – Vidy Bowl
- May 31: London, Camden (UK) – Cantelowes Park
- June 2: Brescia (Italy) – Railway Skatepark
- June 7: Leioa (Spain, Biscaye) – Leioa Skatepark
- June 8: Horten (Norway) – Horten Skatepark
- June 12: Malmö (Sweden) – Stapelbaddsparken
- June 13 – June 15: Finals - Malmö (Sweden) - Stapelbaddsparken
Quiksilver Bowlriders program
- Contest’s best trick wins a Suzuki motorcycle
- Concerts / DJs
- Pool sessions, courtesy of Suzuki
- Masters contest
- Kids session
