Pre-Laced 2015 Friday Night Photos

Tripping over to Rampworx after work on a Friday night, these are just a few shots I picked off from the Pre-Laced session. Just an open session in the park that a number of visiting skaters were using to warm up and get a feel for the park ready for the main event.

Winterclash 2015 Saturday Photos

Still working through all of the photos I have amassed at the end of last month. I had also forgotten that I got shots from three days at Area 51, not just the two of Winterclash so the third instalment of the Dutch trilogy will be coming soon(ish). For now though, the second day of skating in Eindhoven for Winterclash 2015.

Winterclash 2015 Friday Photos

Slowly working through the hundreds of photos I took over the past two weekends. Here’s the first batch done – Friday session at Area 51 for Winterclash 2015. Working through these I realised a couple of things. First I don’t like skaters who wear all black. You make my life difficult. Second I spend far too much time watching the girls skate.

King Of The Park – Blade Jam

MagsBlade LogoDue to injuries I didn’t take my skates to this event put on by Blade Life. It was a fairly chilled affair up at Mags on Ramps in Halifax with mostly locals and a few youngsters trying out the park on skates. The park is pretty basic but it’s clean, dry and the staff are great. Worth a visit next time any events are on there I’d say.

Due to lack of skating options I only stayed for a short time to shoot some photos and get out before the storms made the motorways impassable…

Slamm Jamm 16 photos

What needs to be said? In its 16th year and still going strong. It took a while but the photos from Slamm Jamm 16 are now here for you to view…

There are a few edits too:
Continue reading Slamm Jamm 16 photos

RJT Trophy – 10 year anniversary

Again I packed up my camera gear to head down to Barry for the weekend; remembering a legend, an inspiration and above a remarkably decent human being. It’s ten years since we lost Rich Taylor and yet again we get together to celebrate the legacy of one who touched so many lives by attending the Richard Taylor Trophy event.

RJT Trophy Logo

This year the competition was held indoor at the Spit and Sawdust park in Cardiff, South Wales. The second day was intended to be a more chilled session at the Knapp skatepark in Rich’s home town of Barry. However due to the park being temporarily closed for repairs and with the weather unpredictable, it was swapped for a Slip’n’Slide session down the hills overlooking the beach.

The Results:

Under 16
1st Jordan Ward
2nd Tom Bellamy
3rd Joe Hughes
Open
1st Tesharn Febz
2nd Andrew Speed
3rd “Barney”
Them wot can
1st Blake Bird
2nd Jake Ricketts
3rd Sam Davis

For those who couldn’t make it, Mark Worner put together an edit from the comp:

I did manage to get some photos from the comp too:

I want to say a huge thanks to Rob and Gaynor for the hospitality. To Riddick for getting us back from Cardiff after someone got far too drunk. To everyone who arranged or helped out with the comp, who turned up, who came out partying. You all helped make this one of the best events, and weekend in general I’ve ever attended.

Can I suggest to all those based in the UK to consider your own legacy and get yourself on the national organ donor register.

And while we’re at it, here’s a quick edit that Jon Peters made of the fun had throwing ourselves down a Welsh hill on the Sunday.

Unit 23 Open 2014

Unit 23 Open LogoSo, there were a few names down for this little known event in an obscure park somewhere in Scotland. Thought I’d head up to see what it’s about. I knew it was going to be a long weekend so rather than brave the dubious Unit 23 sofas I went for the safer option of camper in the carpark (which came with the added bonus of late night toast). Turned out alright in the end.

Well, with names like Montre Livingston, Josh Glowicki, Fredrik Andersson, Alex Burston and many more in the building, it’s no surprise that the level of skating was high. With these guys though it also meant the vibe was competitive but friendly. This perspective ran throughout the day, including all the competitions. I think the youngest category received the biggest cheers (partially bolstered by the mums and dads no doubt, but still). A great day as always put on by Scott Quinn and the Unit 23 staff.

So the story goes that after a good night’s Honey fueled sleep, and sweet breakfast, I took a few photos…

Oh yeah, and some random traveler called Anthony Medina knocked together an edit

Rush Blade Jam 2014

It was a hot day. A long hot day. Great park though and many skills were exhibited. When it came down to it though, top spot went to a rather ill Alex Burston. I managed to get a few shots down even though my batteries had decided it was a good day to take a holiday. Cheers to the organisers and sponsors of the event, to Rush Skatepark for having us over, and of course to everyone who turned up. Hope those that made it to the lake in the evening managed to cool down adequately.

Oh, and there’s an edit out as well…

MCR Street Jam 2014

MCR_Street_Jam_LogoIn planning the second of what could become the UK’s primary street skate event, local boy and international rollerblading legend Alex Burston could never have guessed it would be right in the middle of the hottest weather of the year. Which would have been perfect, were it not for the biggest summer thunderstorms the area has seen for a generation landing right at the same time.

Was it a washout though? Did the street skaters pack up and go home? Of course not. Everyone still came and converged on Castlefields Arena as you would expect and when there was a break in the rain long enough to clear some of the puddles, mayhem commenced. The MCR Street Jam was on for another year.

Filmed by Scott Hallows and Tim Darker for The Booted

I however set off late and having nearly been washed off the M6 on my journey North decided to play it safe and went straight to the “after session” organised at Bones Skatepark. Here I got my camera out and took a few shots of the very hot warm-down session that occurred.