At the start of every year there are a whole stack of Bowl comps and events that happen over the course of a few weeks. The Belco Bowl Jam is an outlier in the best ways possible. There’s no wristbands or timed runs. It’s a grassroots skateboarding jam that brings everyone together to share the stoke and take in an atmosphere that you just won’t find anywhere else. Belco Bowl Jam has been happening on and off since about 2001 and some have been bigger than others but this year was definitely one to remember.
Luke Brown put in the hard yards with the help of CSA and other locals to make the bowl and the event the best it can be. This year a lot of the younger skaters not only held their own but stole the show. Twelve year old Ethan Copeland did a massive 540 over the channel after making them look easy in his runs. Jed McKenzie blasted the highest air with the help of others grabbing his arms to slingshot him down the roll-in. A handful of skaters were ripping non-stop all afternoon and pushed through to the night. Matt Kitai kept the stoke going all with so many sick runs and out-of-nowhere bangers.
When the action was peaking, local legend Craig Allard surprised everyone with his monstrous “Whale Tail” creation to go over the channel as a special feature. At first there were doubts that anybody would be able to skate it but after sizing it up a few brave souls gave it a try. Anyone who got something on the whale tail didn’t without a battle and a few good slams first. A padless Kristian Rowell got the crowd pumped up with some close backside boneless attempts. Eventually he was the last one standing but after a hard earned roll away from his trick the crowd erupted and Belco Bowl Jam 2017 finished on a high note.
This year’s Belco Bowl Jam wouldn’t have happened without the tireless effort of Luke Brown and the support of Canberra Skateboarding Association, Trilogy Skateshop, Skateboard.com.au, Vans, Baird Demolition, Modus Bearings, Device Skateboards, Volcom, Lakeside Tattoo Parlour, Spitfire Wheels and Independent Trucks. Thanks to Nature Park screenprinting for the tees. Also thanks to the Lighthouse Bar for hosting the After Party and bands Astro Zombies and COFFIN for playing a rad show!
Thanks everyone for an epic #BelcoBowlJam2017
Top Juniors: Mitchell Bullard, Sam Bolitho & Will Cornford
OPENS:
Matt Kitai - Trilogy Skateboards - LORD OF THE BOWL - $1000
Kristjan Rowell - Vans - BEACHED WHALE - $500 - Bs Boneless
Ethan Copeland - #BairdDemolition - CHANNEL KILLA - $500 - 540
Jedd McKenzie - Skateboard.com.au - HIGHEST AIR - $300
Matt Kitai - Modus Bearings - LONGEST ROCKN' SLIDE - $250
Jackson Bogaerts - Lakeside tattoo parlour - STYLE MASTER - $250
Jedd McKenzie - Device Skateboards - BEST RUN - $250
Matt Kitai - Volcom Skate - BEST HANDPLANT (Eggplant) - $250
#CBRsk8 #BelcoBowlJam #Belco
Thanks David Pang and Andrew Traill for the photos!
The old girl gets her annual makeover.
Nice time lapse of Belco getting her facelift for the big night thanks to Vagabond.
Looking good under lights.
Another busy day! Thanks Nature Park for screening, Irene from Trilogy for Vinyl and Azza Lovelock for mounting them! Here's the trophies!!
Love this 'Best Run' trophy from Device Skateboards aka Tom 'VB Man' Flaherty!!!!!
Massive thanks to Craig Allard for his top work on this!
Pocket Rocket 11-year-old Ethan Copeland skated and destroyed including a 540 over the Onion to take out the 'Baird Demolition - Channel Killa' Pic David Pang
15-year-old Jedd McKenzie killed it winning the 'Master Blaster high air skateboard.com.au' category and the 'Device Skateboards - Best Run' category with kickflip indy, mondo airs and tricks to decka, fs 5050 to fakie and a cab as well as flying over the Channel. He also pulled a nosegrind tailgrab on the beastie Whale Tail constructed by Belco's Craig Allard!!
Andrew Traill photo of the Stalefish 'Master Blaster' with Belco's Lee Steele on class clown Cons' shoulders judging the height.
Jackson Bogarts backsmith Pic David Pang
Matt Kitai shredded all day. What isn't captured in the video is the amount of sick runs he did with various tricks, never mind the bangers he put down! One of my favourites was a FS smithgrind to roll out manual then rolling back in to a Madonna over the Channel. Check #BelcoBowlJam2017 on instagram and you'll see the footage.
Matt deserved his 'Trilogy - Lord of the Bowl' title and also took home the 'Volcom - best handplant' category with an Eggplant on the Whale Tail (OMG) and Rock n Roll slid for three spider web panels to win the 'Modus Longest Rockn Slide' award! Pic David Pang
Jackson slob blaster.
Kritty aka Kristjan Rowell from Taz closed out the session in style with a Backside Boneless on the Whale Tail to win the 'Vans Beached Whale' category!
Super sick day. Thanks heaps to everyone including all the CSA crew who helped run it with me and all the sponnos for making it happen.
Thanks to:
Trilogy Skateshop, Vans, Baird Demolition, Skateboard.com.au, Modus Bearings, Device Skateboards, Volcom, Lakeside Tattoo Parlour, Spitfire Wheels and Independent Trucks. Thanks to Nature Park screenprinting for the tees. Also thanks to the Lighthouse Bar for hosting the After Party and bands Astro Zombies and COFFIN for putting on a good show!
Hope your Belco Bowl Over wasn't too heavy everyone. See ya next year!!!!!!
Here is the clip
Belco Bowl Jam 2017 from Skateboard.com.au on Vimeo.