17 June 2011
By Andrew Currie (Event Manager)
Due to the usually perfect crisp dry weather, June is one of the best times to visit Queensland for skateboarding. Inspired by last year's self-funded efforts by Vicco's Shauny Eaton to hold a weekend bowl series on the Gold Coast, with his blessing, we here at SbA (Skateboarding Australia) set about organizing the first ever 'official' Goldy Grail. The date was set for the Queen's Birthday long weekend of June 11 & 12, and the prize purse of $6500 was announced . . . and then it rained.
I couldn't believe it. Those damn Victorian's dragged their grey skies north . . . just gammin'. We dodged a bullet on Saturday at Elanora with clouds looming, but not a drop of precipitation. Sunday, however, was looking to be a sure washout. I, along with our committed SbA staff, sat on-site at Pizzey from 8am, amidst the showers and puddles, drearily sipping our coffees, watching the radar on-line, discussing contingency plans, and taking calls from competitors as to whether it was even worth showing up. And then a crow stole my breakfast leaving me with the crap end of a toasted sandwich with no ham, or tomato. It really did feel like a bread and cheese kind of day.
Alas, the Skate Gods smiled upon our sorry souls – clouds began to break and a mere slice of blue sky was all it took to get our arses into gear. Bowls were squeegied, tents were erected, PA and speakers tested, stencils sprayed, and skaters were told to get out of bed and start stretching. Day 2 of The Goldy Grail was on!
Saturday was all about man's country. Elanora is big – real big – 20 foot full-pipe big! I live down the road from this monstrosity, and can't say it's somewhere I frequent for 'fun.' The boys seriously stepped it up with highlights including Anton Jeandet's 1-foot to fakies in the not-so-shallow end, Moose charging insanely long all-time front smiths, Fred Garland's gangsterish rock-n-roll and lip slides, Jackson Pilz's frontside nosegrinds, and Brodie Sellars' over-vert stalefish in the pipe. Local ruler Nick Heppenstall stepped up to the plate with an all-time classic vert style reminiscent of the greats, blowing minds with massive method airs and face-high judos. 18 year old Bugs Fardell impressed the crowd and scored $50 off his big brother for nailing a frontside nosegrind up the escalator into the fullpipe second shot.
Trickery is all well and good, but when it comes to Elanora it's all about paddling hard and taking off deep to hit 'Pipe.' Saul Bell, prior to hanging up on the bar, gave it a solid bash, however – it was Shauny Eaton who laid into it that little bit harder and faster, pushing limits with wallet dropping layback frontside thrusters, all the while tempting fate right under the lip before she closed out. It's with genuine stoke that we award Shauny Eaton the award for 2011 Pipe, and therefore declare Eaton the first ever Australasian Pipe Master.
When asked about his newly acquired title, Shauny replied "I hardly slept the night before the Grail. I kept waking up from pipe dreams about the weekend to come. Now I just can't wait for next year to pass the title on."
Sunday kicked off in Pizzey's new bowl, which although smaller in size, still offered up a suitable challenge for the battle weary troops. Standouts included Heppenstall once again drifting Hosoi-esque aerials over the hip (landing three quarters of an inch under coping), Reece Warren's frontside ally-oops, Peewee's indy fastplant over the hip, and Brodie frontside bonelessing from platform into the minute tranny of the love-seat step. The less intimidating stature of Pizzey New saw truly creative approaches from the likes of Noah Phillips who seemingly intentionally hung up on combos like lein air to smiths, while Jackson Pilz started his runs by popping nollie tail-smacks from the platform, followed by unimaginable weirdness like no-comply crailslides – yeah, go figure?
After points were accumulated from the two-day series, in which skaters needed to skate consistently well at both bowls, in the upper rankings of The Goldy Grail were:
4th: MAX SCHUBERT - $500. Although coming from the middle of the field on Saturday, Max really stepped it up in Pizzey's new bowl on Sunday. Gliding back smiths, lightening fast backside air tail smacks, and hanging in there on a precarious backside noseblunt, all with a style that seems way too seamless for an 18 year old, Max was a favourite amongst the judges, the crowd, and his peers alike.
3rd: IAN 'ETHY' DAVIDSON - $800. Everyone's new favourite skater, Ethy embodies what we believe the Grail is all about – charging hard with a smile on your dial. You could tell Ian was having a blast with his mates, all the while ripping beyond belief both days with consistent lines comprising full speed freight train fifty-fifties, frontside airs into 10.15 in the pipe, along with frontside and backside handplants.
2nd: RJ BARBARO - $1200. Rj Barbaro arrived from Melbourne with the eye of the tiger. Although all 3 top place getters skated incredibly consistent lines, RJ was unstoppable with marathon runs incorporating technical lip trickery, airs onto and back and in off the back of the fullpipe, and massive tweaked pop-tarts and stalefish. RJ won at life all weekend scoring points with the judges and the ladies.
1st: JACK FARDELL - $2000. The undeniable champion of the first ever Goldy Grail was local Jack Fardell. Anyone who'd witnessed Jack's big bowl skating in the last six or so months would've known he was going to be hard to beat, and he was. Lines included rolling in switch, Hewitt grinds, side D into the belly of the beast, caballerials, face high indy to fakies, 5-0 to fakie over the love seat, frontside blunts, ally-oop frontside five-O's, air and ollie to tail and truck bash annihilation, and chest high backside disasters reminiscent of Danny Way. Unanimous. Padless. Phenomenal. Jack Fardell won the weekend.
Amidst a late sprinkle of rain, we just scraped in the $1200 Old Bowl Cash Grab. Pineapples ($50 notes) were handed out for never-before-seen moves like Max Schubert's backside smith into the square corner and Jack Fardell's front lip over the channel reverting into the corner.
Massive thanks to everyone who came along to support the first ever Goldy Grail. I for one feel like I've been a part of history. Now check out the clip and froth.
By Andrew Currie (Event Manager)
Due to the usually perfect crisp dry weather, June is one of the best times to visit Queensland for skateboarding. Inspired by last year's self-funded efforts by Vicco's Shauny Eaton to hold a weekend bowl series on the Gold Coast, with his blessing, we here at SbA (Skateboarding Australia) set about organizing the first ever 'official' Goldy Grail. The date was set for the Queen's Birthday long weekend of June 11 & 12, and the prize purse of $6500 was announced . . . and then it rained.
The Goldy Grail.
I couldn't believe it. Those damn Victorian's dragged their grey skies north . . . just gammin'. We dodged a bullet on Saturday at Elanora with clouds looming, but not a drop of precipitation. Sunday, however, was looking to be a sure washout. I, along with our committed SbA staff, sat on-site at Pizzey from 8am, amidst the showers and puddles, drearily sipping our coffees, watching the radar on-line, discussing contingency plans, and taking calls from competitors as to whether it was even worth showing up. And then a crow stole my breakfast leaving me with the crap end of a toasted sandwich with no ham, or tomato. It really did feel like a bread and cheese kind of day.
Alas, the Skate Gods smiled upon our sorry souls – clouds began to break and a mere slice of blue sky was all it took to get our arses into gear. Bowls were squeegied, tents were erected, PA and speakers tested, stencils sprayed, and skaters were told to get out of bed and start stretching. Day 2 of The Goldy Grail was on!
Brisbane's Noah Phillips tip-toes the plank on behalf of the PHC (Pirate Hesh Crew) with a flared out frontal attack in Elanora.
Legendary Vicco ruler, Anton Jeandet, gives us a bit of ‘Jesse Arm’ on a floaty frontside ollie.
Fred Garland charges hard and fast on a front lippy into the deep corner.
Saturday was all about man's country. Elanora is big – real big – 20 foot full-pipe big! I live down the road from this monstrosity, and can't say it's somewhere I frequent for 'fun.' The boys seriously stepped it up with highlights including Anton Jeandet's 1-foot to fakies in the not-so-shallow end, Moose charging insanely long all-time front smiths, Fred Garland's gangsterish rock-n-roll and lip slides, Jackson Pilz's frontside nosegrinds, and Brodie Sellars' over-vert stalefish in the pipe. Local ruler Nick Heppenstall stepped up to the plate with an all-time classic vert style reminiscent of the greats, blowing minds with massive method airs and face-high judos. 18 year old Bugs Fardell impressed the crowd and scored $50 off his big brother for nailing a frontside nosegrind up the escalator into the fullpipe second shot.
The Sunny Coast’s 9th place getter Jackson Pilz cruises through with a back crail at The Grail.
Brizzie’s Brodie Sellars gets creative with a stale nosegrind revert for 6th.
Nick Heppenstall blazed into 10th with textbook judo airs Cab would be in awe of!
8th place finisher and Elanora local, Bugs Fardell committed with power moves like no-comply tailslides.
Trickery is all well and good, but when it comes to Elanora it's all about paddling hard and taking off deep to hit 'Pipe.' Saul Bell, prior to hanging up on the bar, gave it a solid bash, however – it was Shauny Eaton who laid into it that little bit harder and faster, pushing limits with wallet dropping layback frontside thrusters, all the while tempting fate right under the lip before she closed out. It's with genuine stoke that we award Shauny Eaton the award for 2011 Pipe, and therefore declare Eaton the first ever Australasian Pipe Master.
Apparently it’s deeper than soul.
The inspiration behind the Grail – Victoria’s Shauny Eaton charged like no other to take out ‘2011 Pipe’ with full throttle thrusters up in man’s country.
When asked about his newly acquired title, Shauny replied "I hardly slept the night before the Grail. I kept waking up from pipe dreams about the weekend to come. Now I just can't wait for next year to pass the title on."
Shauny is a certified ‘Pipe Master’ complete with spray tan.
Sunday kicked off in Pizzey's new bowl, which although smaller in size, still offered up a suitable challenge for the battle weary troops. Standouts included Heppenstall once again drifting Hosoi-esque aerials over the hip (landing three quarters of an inch under coping), Reece Warren's frontside ally-oops, Peewee's indy fastplant over the hip, and Brodie frontside bonelessing from platform into the minute tranny of the love-seat step. The less intimidating stature of Pizzey New saw truly creative approaches from the likes of Noah Phillips who seemingly intentionally hung up on combos like lein air to smiths, while Jackson Pilz started his runs by popping nollie tail-smacks from the platform, followed by unimaginable weirdness like no-comply crailslides – yeah, go figure?
After points were accumulated from the two-day series, in which skaters needed to skate consistently well at both bowls, in the upper rankings of The Goldy Grail were:
4th: MAX SCHUBERT - $500. Although coming from the middle of the field on Saturday, Max really stepped it up in Pizzey's new bowl on Sunday. Gliding back smiths, lightening fast backside air tail smacks, and hanging in there on a precarious backside noseblunt, all with a style that seems way too seamless for an 18 year old, Max was a favourite amongst the judges, the crowd, and his peers alike.
3rd: IAN 'ETHY' DAVIDSON - $800. Everyone's new favourite skater, Ethy embodies what we believe the Grail is all about – charging hard with a smile on your dial. You could tell Ian was having a blast with his mates, all the while ripping beyond belief both days with consistent lines comprising full speed freight train fifty-fifties, frontside airs into 10.15 in the pipe, along with frontside and backside handplants.
Coming in a hot 2nd, RJ Barbaro did Melbourne proud with insanely tweaked moves like this pop-tart in Pizzey’s ‘new bowl.’
2nd: RJ BARBARO - $1200. Rj Barbaro arrived from Melbourne with the eye of the tiger. Although all 3 top place getters skated incredibly consistent lines, RJ was unstoppable with marathon runs incorporating technical lip trickery, airs onto and back and in off the back of the fullpipe, and massive tweaked pop-tarts and stalefish. RJ won at life all weekend scoring points with the judges and the ladies.
RJ – winning at life.
Jack Fardell punched Elanora in the face with a winning back d.
1st: JACK FARDELL - $2000. The undeniable champion of the first ever Goldy Grail was local Jack Fardell. Anyone who'd witnessed Jack's big bowl skating in the last six or so months would've known he was going to be hard to beat, and he was. Lines included rolling in switch, Hewitt grinds, side D into the belly of the beast, caballerials, face high indy to fakies, 5-0 to fakie over the love seat, frontside blunts, ally-oop frontside five-O's, air and ollie to tail and truck bash annihilation, and chest high backside disasters reminiscent of Danny Way. Unanimous. Padless. Phenomenal. Jack Fardell won the weekend.
2011 Goldy Grail Winner, the Gold Coast’s very own Jack Fardell.
Amidst a late sprinkle of rain, we just scraped in the $1200 Old Bowl Cash Grab. Pineapples ($50 notes) were handed out for never-before-seen moves like Max Schubert's backside smith into the square corner and Jack Fardell's front lip over the channel reverting into the corner.
John ‘Peewee’ Dickenson hit gnar-mode once the ‘old bowl cash grab’ got underway. Hangin’ onto moves like this backside boneless over the channel saw the pineapples flowing his way
Massive thanks to everyone who came along to support the first ever Goldy Grail. I for one feel like I've been a part of history. Now check out the clip and froth.
