It’s no exaggeration when Vancouver locals refer to the Vans Park Series as “skateboard Christmas.” For a brief moment, our scene becomes the global epicentre of transition gnarlitude. Bowl riders from around the planet converge to session, hang out and demonstrate the limits of possibility on the spots that we spend the rest of the year skating and caring for. Standards get pushed, stoke levels reach their boiling point and everyone, from the crustiest bowl trolls to the vaping grommets, get to feed off an undeniable energy.
This year’s event brought everything that could have been expected. Hungry young pros laid waste to the iconic Hastings bowl, cracking open new lines in a pit that has been sessioned for over a quarter of a century.
In a not entirely surprising fashion, Pedro Barros returned from Brazil to secure a back-to-back victory after completely demolishing last year’s contest, soaring higher and tweaking harder than anyone thought was possible. Pedro probably spent more time in the air than on the concrete during his runs. The list of other rippers is too long to go through, but everyone was especially stoked to see locals Adam Hopkins, James Clarke and Andy Anderson hold their own against the best bowl riders in the world.
With the sun blazing and the tunes blasting, and MCs Rennee Rennee and Tim O’Connor keeping things gliding along smoothly, Vancouver got to witness an absolutely savage display of raw skateboarding power. Thank you to Vans for keeping the fire lit!
All photos by Dan Mathieu
