Youth Week on the Island is happening this year inside the Langford Heritage Skate Shop with the 2nd Annual Langford Slamma Contest hosted by Hippie Mike. The ramps are all built and ready for serious action. Come out Saturday night May 2nd, 6pm and join in the fun while you try and win yourself some cash and prizes!!!

Open to all ages and all skill levels. Plus we are raising some money towards a new skate park project in the area. Show your support!

See you there

There is a first time for everything and this is one of those times you wouldn’t want to miss. Hastings Bowl has been the home to some amazing competitions in the past with The Battle at Hastings annual events, and there have been some amazing demos there over the years including ones from Tony Hawk, but a $75,000 purse for a full on Pro Comp? It’s about damn time.

Brought to you by Vans, along with the hard work of Kevin Kelly from BLVD Skate Shop, this thing is almost here. Read the write up below and wait for more info on how to get your tickets

Vans brings the world’s greatest skateboarders to Canada this summer with skateboarding’s premier bowlriding competition, the celebrated Van Doren Invitational to be held at Vancouver’s legendary Hastings Bowl on July 11 & 12. Top skaters from around the globe will battle it out before a live audience for top honors and their share of US $75000 purse as the competition hits the global stage on Saturday, July 12 via live Webcast on thrashermagazine.com/vdicanada.

The invite-only organized jam format will showcase
modern bowlriding’s greatest talents, such as current World Champion Pedro Barros, X-Games gold medalist Curren Caples and reigning Van Doren Invitational champion Ben Hatchell, plus top challengers like Grant Taylor, Ben Raybourn and many more.

“It seems like only yesterday that Vans helped to bring the Slam City Jam skate contests to Vancouver’s PNE and today Vans Canada is excited to present the Van Doren Invitational as we bring together some of the greatest bowl riders from around the world to the Hastings Bowl at the same location. Don’t miss this exciting day in Canadian skateboard history!” – Steve Van Doren, Vans Vice President, Events and Promotions

Kicking off at 10 am on Friday, July 11 at the Hastings Bowl located at the PNE, the Van Doren Invitational bowl jam is free to public spectators. The event will offer two days of fun and activities for the entire family including an interactive village, learn to skate clinics, plenty of giveaways, food stations and music by Vans skate legend John Cardiel, aka DJ Juan Love, and local favorite DJ Vinyl Ritchie. The event will be streamed live at thrashermagazine.com/vdicanada on Saturday, July 12th from the Hastings Bowl in Vancouver, British Columbia. Stay tuned to thrashermagazine.com/vdicanada for Webcast information, contest schedule, athlete profiles, videos and more.

The Canadian edition of the Van Doren Invitational at Hastings Bowl is proudly presented by Vans in association with Thrasher Magazine, The Boardr, UTMG, and supported by Ace Trucks, Anti-Hero Skateboards, Creature Skateboards and Bones Wheels.

“Vans doesn’t mess around when it comes to throwing a contest and the 2013 Van Doren Invitational will go down in history as not only one of the best, but the event where the new generation of bowl rippers really took control.”
– Thrasher Magazine

The inaugural Van Doren Invitational debuted in 2013 at the Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California and is set to light up the Open once again this year on August 1 & 2. Visit www.vansusopenofsurfing.com for more information.

Vans opens a retail store in the newly renovated and expanded Guildford Mall in Surrey, BC. The store has been open for a little bit but finally celebrated it Grand Opening last night. With the legendary John Cardiel spinning reggae vibes on the turntables and Greg Galinsky doing paint pen art on hats it was a nonstop party for 3 hours straight. And in amongst it all people could get free gear like backpacks, sunglasses and cupcakes. The only thing missing was a skateboard demo but little Kaelen Faux took care of that one ripping back and forth in the store on his mini board and trying to bust out ollies for Cardiel.

Surrey is blessed to have the original Authentic shoe brand supporting the city and we are welcoming them with open arms. The skateboard industry is finally recognizing our city as a serious point on the world map.

It was a great event – same thing happens today 2-5pm at the Granville location. Get there…

Thanks for the love guys – Vans for life!

This Saturday marks the 4^th Battle at Hastings, a solid hardcore bowl contest put on by Kevin Kelly and BLVD Skate Shop. All 3 of the first years were amazing and this year Kevin has World Cup Status which means a bunch more pros will be heading north to Vancouver for the event. $15,000 in prize money will be handed out amongst these shredders throughout the day. But the question is who will be the ones pocketing it?

Here’s the list of competitors:

• Andy Anderson 
• Adam Hopkins 
• Adam Richter 
• Alex Sorgente 
• Anthony Hancock 
• Aiden Dansey 
• Brad McClain 
• Bryce Stark 
• Chris Klich
• Chris Connolly 
• Conlan Killeen 
• Cody Lockwood
• Charlie Blaire 
• Danny Tumia 
• Danny Hagge 
• Elijah Burle
• Frank Shaw 
• Frank Faria
• James Clarke 
• John Morgan 
• Johnny Turgesen 
• Keegan Sauder
• Mike O’Friel
• Mason Merlino
• Nick Peterson 
• Riley Boland
• Rick McCrank 
• Raven Tershy
• Stevie Denham 
• Steve Reeves
• Sky Siljeg 

Last year Mason Merlino took the gold, but this one is gonna be super hard to repeat that. If you’ve ever been to Hastings Bowl then you know exactly why I say that. This bowl can take you out at any moment, as it proved last year by breaking Dave Priest‘s knee and separating Adam Hopkins‘ shoulder. It’s gonna be interesting to see if the Ams can keep up with the Pros this year as well, but most of the Ams are local to Hastings so they definitely stand a chance. Our eyes will be on our team rider Andy Anderson along with some other locals like “Frontside Kid” James Clarke, Conlan Kileen and the 2 Adams, but at the same time it’s gonna be tough to beat the skills of Keegan Sauder and Rick McCrank.

Of course there’s also that guy named Raven Tershy showing up…

The only way to know how unreal this contest is gonna be will be to show up and watch it.

Battle at Hastings IV

Saturday August 31^st @ 1pm

Oh so many kings in this world, but 18 in particular that will hold their titles with great pride for the rest of their lives.

This weekend marks the end of the 19^th year for The King of The Bowl Series as Strato and the crew head up to Squamish and Whistler to finish off the season. Beef Under the Chief at Squamish is always a solid event, and it’s also the only bowl on the series that has coping so it makes for a completely different feel, less bonelesses and more grinders. If you’ve never been to Squamish it’s a tough little bowl to figure out, and has a serious steep wall with a corner pocket and a loveseat to carve, grind and air over if you’re man enough. The Bushman is all man, and when he rolls in you better get out of the bowl because he ain’t stoppin’ for nothin’, and if you see him heading towards the corner pocket grab your camera because he’s gonna do something hardcore. Bushman might be the only person who can air over the loveseat.

All the crew’s gonna be there including a bunch of dudes that missed it last year.

On Sunday after a crazy night of camping, everyone will relocate to Whistler as the series continues for the grand finale. Whistler Bowl is one of the best of the old bowls competing with Seylynn for the title. It has a wicked speed line, tons of spots to catch humungous airs out of and a sweet barricade at the top of the bathtub section. Every year at Whistler is awesome and something new will be done for sure. This is how the summer sessions of the old bowls end every year and it’s always a great show. Last year it was obvious as Adam Hopkins was crowned the King of the Bowls since he won all 5 events, but there are no repeats so him and the other 18 people whose names are engraved on that amazing handcarved trophy will have to wait and see who will join them in the rankings of the irresistable title

King of the Bowls…

August 17^th & 18^th 

Come out and join in the fun if you can

The two best skateboard shops in Vancouver have come together to offer a small run of collaboration T-shirts. An eclectic mix of live artists with a background in skateboarding will be on hand to entertain. This free event takes place at Antisocial Skateboard Shop and features performances by Craig Williams, Sorcerers and The Rita. Early show, doors at 8pm. Please bring a can of food for the food bank.

It’s Youth Week and the weekend is always filled with skateboard competitions. Hippie Mike set up the Surrey Jam for today at Chuck Bailey (4-9pm) and Jeff Cole organized one at the Skate Plaza tomorrow (1-4pm).

And then there comes Sunday – Michael James, better known as Giver, has got this one ready to go. Starts at 11am on Sunday morning, so some of you might have to preach to the devil that day and miss church to go skateboarding, like it would be the first time….

The only difference for the Railside Contest is you actually have to be a Youth to compete, meaning no one over the age of 18 is permitted to compete but can still show up to watch and support the yoots in action. We have a strong feeling that The Dominator, Dominic Devries could take this one home if he decides to show up, but maybe we can convince our top Youth Riders Andy Anderson and Brad Muscat to show up and go for gold. It is Fighter’s last day being 18 years old that day.

Either way, get your skate on…