SbA’s 2011 Amateur Series set a whole new benchmark for the standard of emerging skateboarders in Australia. In the Junior Division it was 14-year-old Ryder Lawson from Cronulla who smashed it with ridiculous consistency and a style well beyond his years. While the title of Oz Open Am Champ went to Eden’s Reece Warren, who qualified first in Canberra, and then went on to top the final field of 13 of the country’s best up and comers.
Ryder Lawson now rides for Flip Skateboards direct from America, and was invited to compete at the Maloof Money Cup in New York. Reece Warren, having won wildcard entry into the SbA Pro/Am Invitational Tour, is now ranked (in the lead-up to Stop #3 – The Island) 5th in Australia, having skated against the likes of Tommy Fynn and Chima Ferguson since winning the Am Series.
Along with Reece, other Am Series finalists such as Rob Kenworthy, Gabriel Summers and Joel McIlroy, all having since had a high profile year with magazine coverage, new sponsorships and web-clips, have also been invited to skate (and subsequently place well) in the Pro/Am Tour. Now that these guys are ranked in SbA’s top 40 going into 2012, they are all ineligible for the Am Series.
So, with these guys out of contention, we’re looking at rippers like Josh McMurray (WA), John Dykyj (NSW) and Bugs Fardell (QLD) as the names to beat. Turning 15, could it be young Ryder Lawson who serves it to the big guys in 2012? And what about the juniors? Mikey Mendoza (QLD)? Dani Campbell (NSW) . . . or, could it be the kid we’ve not yet heard of? Could it be YOU?
The big announcement for 2012 is that SbA has proudly partnered with NIKE SB as our official series sponsor. We look forward to having some of Nike SB’s top Oz riders in attendance, judging and scoping the talent in 2012. Other news includes some location change-ups, such as SA’s qualifying heat taking place at the new Osborne Skatepark, the Canberra heat taking place at the epic Belconnen park, and our Grand Finals at the end of March happening at the re-vamped Skatepark Of Melbourne in Mitcham, Victoria.
All in all, we couldn’t be more amped for the NIKE SBA 2012 AM SERIES. Whether you’re keen to compete, support your mates, score a snag off the barby, or just soak up the vibes of good tunes and intense shredding – we look forward to seeing you in the mix. As always we’ll be blogging photos, results and clips from every state, so keep in touch with all the Series action at the most legit Oz-dedicated skateboard website: sba.org.au
- Andrew ‘Cuzza’ Currie
National Events Manager
Skateboarding Australia
For series info: CLICK HERE.
