Spirits and motivation were once again boosted following the madness of Midway Mayhem that went down a week prior. The locals are motivated to rip even harder after witnessing the level of skating that went down, so you could imagine that the sessions that went down at the park this past weekend were pretty heavy.
It was another stacked weekend at the Kumba Skate Plaza. We kicked things off on Friday with a mini ramp jam and washed the night down with a braai and some cool drink. The following day we sparked the 2015 Kimberley Skate League (KSL) season in which 2 four-man teams went head to head in four different fun and easy challenges that test speed, balance, and more. KSL is perfect for the younger, more beginner-level skaters as it makes them feel more included in our weekly program by presenting them with an alternative to team sports featuring challenges they can relate to. We had a team of skaters travel from Barkley West to participate in the first match that went against a team of local groms who are quickly coming up. Over the next 12 weeks, we’ll have 8 teams battle it out until we find the 2015 Kimberley Skate League Champions in July.
Following KSL, we held the Mini Rider Cup in which 8 teams of 3 skaters battled it out head-to-head for their shot at the R2000 prize purse. The skating was top-notch, as expected, and team Cheese Kop held it down the hardest, coming out on top with the R1000 grand prize. On Sunday we proceeded with our usual Skate Lesson Sundays clinic in which our top local skaters provided free skate lessons for the Kimberley youth. You can find us at the Kumba Skate Plaza every Sunday from 14:00-16:00 demonstrating skateboarding basics and working hands on helping out the laaities, so feel free to come through and learn a thing or two.
Check out a few photos from the weekend, below.
Braai time. Samkelo mans the grille.
Hangin’ in a chow line. Time to dish up.
Mvelo and Thabang enjoying a bite.
FNL squad.
On to the first match of the Kimberley Skate League season. Match 1 was the Barkley West Team vs. Kimberlaaities team “The Strikers”.
Kimberley Skate League (KSL) is full of fun & easy challenges geared more towards beginner-level skaters that haven’t quite stepped to many tricks yet. First up was the longest manual.
On to the slalom challenge. Kaone cruises throughout the bins.
Off to the ride/drop challenge. Nothing too scary for day 1. We hit 4 different obstacles to see if the skater could ride over/off of it.
Lastly at KSL was the fastest lap. A young Barkley West skater cruises along towards his best time.
Following KSL, we held the Mini Rider Cup team competition. Papi and Moustache, as they’re known, greet each other before the contest starts.
Will Meleng, smith grind hand of doom.
Oreokame heelflips the 2 stair.
MJ, always progressing. Back fitty.
Damian starting off his near flawless run with a frontside air on the quarter. Damian fell once throughout the course of his 3-minute run. He doesn’t get free boards for no reason.
3rd place team “Kool Katz” consisting of Will Meleng, Charles Sheppard, and Samkelo Rashole.
Brad Balie, Damian Bramley, and Jaydan Klaasen of team “Dumb Ways to Die” took R600 for their 2nd place spot.
Team Cheese Kop consisting of Siphiwe Keshwa, Alec Balie, and Martin Kotze took the R1000 grand prize for winning the Mini Rider Cup. Cograts, dudes.
Photos by Chinner & Erwin Lyon
Words by Chinner