In early November Freestyle Now hosted a series of skatepark coaching workshops sessions and a skatepark competition in and around Karratha, in the northwest of Western Australia. Freestyle Now squad members Kim Bloodson, Mitch Harris and John Manning we in charge of bringing the radness to the locals of Roebourne, Wickham, Dampier, Nickol West and Karratha. It was an awesome trip from all accounts with the 3 squad members really getting in with the locals, interacting with them and assisting them with some great skill sets. We got Kim, Mitch and John to sending a few words about their experience from Karratha.
Kim Bloodson overlooking the town he grew up in and pointing to where he wrestled his last shark.
Kim Bloodson
As I stepped off the plane in Karatha I instantly regretted only owning black clothes, you have to physically push through the wall off heat to get to the terminal, I’m sure we are all going to melt to death. Me Mitch and John are greeted by a lovely lady asking if we are the freestyle guys and we are all like “aaawww yyeeaaahhh” high fives n cool handshakes n stuff. We start doing backflips n flairs n junk in the terminal, you know just being rad guys. We are given a rental car and head into the inferno to find the hotel. I get a private room cause I’m the most freestyle while John n Mitch begin the fight for wifi in their shared room, suckers. First job on this trip is Roebourne. Its new park is the mostest epic goodness I’ve seen in a long time. The locals are super keen to ride our stuff as they have none of their own, so we have a lovely afternoon of hangs and laughs with some pretty wild kids, man it was the best. Driving the 30km back to Karatha we are greeted with a breath taking sunset, it’s so moving we put on a Celine Dion CD and cry like little woman at the majesty of the Pilbara. Dinner at the tavern, yes please, found fifty bucks, good night. Day 2 begins. It’s Wickham today and its only 1000000 degrees so it should be a casual one. Wickham only has a small park but it’s got huge attitude, or raditude. The kids there are amazing cool crew and many tricky tricks where learnt by the whipper snappers, cool tunes and a feast for the masses to boot. Lovely drive home past the prison and back to the air con hotel. Day 3 is at the new Karatha park in town. It’s a nibble fest of goodness and fun fun, the lovely youth workers cook more food for the humans and we just be like the coolest guys around ever, cool handshakes n stuff, so cool. I grew up {hahahaha} in this town so it’s amazing for me to be back here doing what I did here 20 years ago. I’m constantly asking locals about old spots and long lost ramps but they look at me like I’m speaking another language??Generation gap? Day 4 is Dampier. We head out early and scope out the town, it’s so beautiful. We play the Celine Dion CD again and just cry heaps. We then proceeded to do the most manly thing one can do in the Pilbara apart from kicking a football at a V8,,,,WE OPEN OUR FIRST COCNUT. High fives and backflips happen. Dampier park is my most fav, cass vibes on the cuteset little PA and met some awesome crew, best crew up there, so nice seeing these isolated guys skating so hard. Day 5 is comp day in Karatha Nickol West skatepark, huge turnout in the most hotness since hotness was a thing. We melt and yell and laugh and eat and hang and make new friends all day to a banging soundtrack supplied by a DJ. Really was an amazing comp. So with that our trip is at an end but not before we spend the night dancing at the local night club, ouch, good times. I hope I get the chance to do this again next year cause I felt like we really did a good thing up there. I would like to thank Sophie for looking after us so well and all the other old and new friends for being rad….
PS no Celine Dion was actually played on this trip but we did buy a Nelly CD….It’s getting hot in here so Freestyle Now…………. before it’s too late…..bbyyeee blood.xox
John Manning and Mitch Harris with red dog on the way into Dampier.
John Manning
The recent Karatha trip was a really good time, despite the heat, checking out the five parks that we held coaching workshop sessions at during the week was my favourite part of the trip. Roebourne park in particular was a really fun park and had some really interesting features to it. I’d love to go back to that park one day to get a proper ride of it. The kids that participated in the coaching sessions and the comp were all nice kids and fairly well behaved. Overall it was a fun time and all the events we held went smoothly. Thanks to Freestyle Now for the trip!
Clockwise from top left – Bloodson making the Wickham locals stoked – Mitch and a local at Wickham getting some skate skills on – Sun set at Karratha skatepark while J-Love in the white shirt looks on – John helping a Dampier local with some scooter skills.
Mitch Harris
The opportunity to travel to the Pilbara to run coaching workshop sessions and a competition was recently presented to Freestyle Now by the City of Karratha. Bloodson, John and I found ourselves lucky enough to be flying north to run these events. The blast of heat and humidity received while getting off the air-conditioned cabin of the plane was a unique welcome to apart of Australia I’d never had the chance to see before.
After checking in to our accommodation J-Love (John) and I were given a VIP tour of Karratha by Blood, who had grown up here and was interested to see how things had changed and capture some feelings of nostalgia. Highlights of the tour included guided views of roofing of some of Karratha’s commercial and residential properties accompanied by Blood’s catchphrase/future pick-up line: “I did the roof on that”. Blood also pointed out some spots that he used to ride and skate back in the day, “make do with what you have” perfectly labels the curbs, sets and sketchy drains that were around.
Coaching clinics started with Roebourne, definitely one of the most well-constructed and designed parks seen while up there. The heat didn’t seem to deter anyone from having a shot on John’s bike and scooter or my board. Wickham was next and with weather to match the day before it was again surprising to me how enthusiastic most kids were to be out in the unforgiving sun. Savior came in the form of a youth worker whose generous gift of icy-poles provided a cool respite.
Coaching at the Shed was a nice break-up of the week, with a later start time in the cooler part of the day and evening everybody was a lot more energetic and willing to commit. Free sausage sizzle was rad too (too bad for Bloodson who is a vegan). Coaching clinics finished in Dampier which was an excellent place to hang out beforehand. Coconuts, palms and beaches with a cool breeze made me question whether I was really working. With cheap frozen cokes, a decent skatepark, and scenic views this place seemed like paradise. There was a really good turn-out for skaters in Dampier with a good range of skill and age, excellent to see a decent scene in such a remote place.
The trip ended with the competition at Nickol West. In what seemed like weather conditions reserved for the ninth circle of Hell we helped set up and got under way. Free stuff will make a person do crazy things, evidenced by the amount of kids who showed up to ride and skate in the heat. The free water was essential as you seemed to sweat your body weight whether you were moving or not, regardless the day was successful with everybody receiving a prize for their efforts and minimal injuries (except for that guy who burnt himself on his friend’s home-made moped/death-trap, but that had nothing to do with the comp).
In summary, a fantastic trip that all three of us agreed we’d love to do again. Hopefully see you next year Karratha.
Clockwise from top left – John looking over some of the Dampier skatepark – Mitch helping a Dampier local with some ledge skills – The crew, Kim, John and Mitch at the Nickol West comp – Sun set at Dampier skatepark.
To see more photos from the trip check out face book page here.
