Groundswell Grind is a celebration of the skateboarding community
RJ Barbaro seemed unstoppable with so much power and flow
The 2022 Groundswell festival in Scarborough was a great event to attend due to its focus on community spirit. The festival brought people together from diverse backgrounds, celebrating diversity, offering excitement through its unique format, and providing a fun and enjoyable experience. The festival showcased the best of different art forms, competitions and activities in a dynamic setting, providing a chance to celebrate various interests and communities in a lively and entertaining environment. One of the competitions that was celebrated was the Groundswell Grind skateboard competition.
The Groundswell Grind skateboarding bowl competition was a showcase of some of the best skateboarding talent from around the great state of Western Australia. Skaters from all ages and skill levels came together to compete at the Scarborough beach bowl, one of the biggest bowls in Australia, pushing the limits of what is possible on a skateboard. The high level of skill and creativity displayed by the skaters left the audience in awe, and the competition was a true celebration of the sport. One of the highlights of the competition was the representation of female skaters with many talented and skilled female skaters showcasing their abilities in the bowl. This not only adds diversity to the competition but also helps to inspire and empower the next generation of female skaters. Another highlight was the impressive turnout of young skaters. The future of skateboarding was well represented with many talented young skaters showcasing their skills and potential. This not only adds excitement to the competition but also helps to inspire and motivate the next generation of skaters.
Mia Kretzer airing out of the deep end of the Scarborough bowl on their way to 1st in the open woman’s class
In the open men’s class Robert-James Barbaro seemed unstoppable but young Cruz Evans was keeping the pressure on for a second place. In the open woman’s class it was a close competition between Mia Kretzer and Hailee Roberts. But, the insane level of competition was not just limited to the open class, many up-and-coming skaters also took the stage and proved that they have what it takes to be the next big thing in skateboarding.
According to the competition manager, Shaun Jarvis from Freestyle Now, “The Groundswell Grind Skateboarding Bowl Competition was a huge success. We were thrilled to see such a strong turnout of talented skaters from all over Western Australia and we are especially proud of the strong representation of female and young skaters. Skateboarding continues to grow in popularity and we are thrilled to be a part of this amazing community.”
A big thank you to the competition supporters, Modus Bearings, Panda skateboards, DC shoes, Aikenheads skateboards, Sneaky Wholefoods, Maple Road skateboards
The Groundswell Grind Skateboarding Bowl Competition is more than just a competition, it is a celebration of the skateboarding community and a testament to the passion and dedication of skaters everywhere. If you missed this year’s event, be sure to mark your calendars for next year and experience the excitement for yourself. With a fantastic lineup of talented skaters, a thrilling competition format, strong representation of female skaters, and a strong showing of young skaters, the Groundswell Grind Skateboarding Bowl Competition is a must-see event for any skateboarding fan.
Clockwise from top left – Cruz Evens was blasting out of the deep end of the Scarborough bowl on his way to 2nd place in the open class. – Junior is the oldest competitor at the Groundswell grind skateboard bowl competition. At age 56 he is not slowing down. A good representation of older skaters were at the competition in the masters class. Hailee Roberts took out the 2nd place in the opens womans class with great lines and airs and the crowds were loving it. – Under 12’s mens was won by Zen Evans who could have easily held his own in the open class with such skills like this frontside air in the deep end of Scarborough bowl. More photos can be found on our Facebook page here.
Groundswell Grind – Skateboard competition 2nd October 2022 – Official results
Woman’s Open – 1st Mia Kretzer $700, 2nd Hailee Roberts $500, 3rd Gogo Dale $300, 4th Lily Henry
Men’s Open – 1st Robert-James Barbaro $700, 2nd Cruz Evans $500, 3rd Brendon Cross $300, 4th Vai Evans, 5th Scott Michael Davis, 6th Jake Smith
Masters – 1st Herb Faust, 2nd Andy Farrell, 3rd Corey Brown, 4th Junior Linke
Men’s 15 years and under – 1st Miles Harding, 2nd Tyler Rodden
Women’s 12 years and under – 1st Rosie Connolly, 2nd Sienna Jones
Men’s 12 years and under – 1st Zen Evans, 2nd Locky O’Brien, 3rd Henry Bennel, 4th Kasper Godfrey
Women’s 9 years and under – 1st Pepper Connolly, 2nd Lea Tomolowicz, 3rd Harlow Clark, 4th Addison Sie
Men’s 9 years and under – 1st Otis Sienkewitz, 2nd Mason Clark, 3rd Jake Turnbull, 4th Levi Yamamoto Pagdanganan, 5th Ilay Godfrey, 6th James Rixom, 7th Logan Tomolowicz
