Skateboarding fever hits Cresta

Skateboarding enthusiasts were treated to adrenaline-pumping action at the second Grand Slam of the Kimberley Diamond Cup at Cresta Shopping Centre on 28 June.

The action-packed day was full of skating and live entertainment from 5FM DJs who kept the event alive.

The epic event offered prize money of R50 000 which attracted some of the country’s top U16 and Over-17 street skaters and skateboarding teams.

Project manager Johan van Schalkwyk said Cresta shopping Centre lived up to the grand slam promise.

“We really love this venue; we needed to bring skateboarding to locals and also to grow individuals around the world because skating teaches you how to balance things in life,” he said.

“Skaters learn how to fall and get up and do better – so it basically teaches you how to balance your life…another reason we are keen on this project is because young people battle to get jobs, so we are creating jobs by using skateboarding.”

Local residents, who competed at the grand slam, will also have an opportunity to compete at the world championship in October for a prize money of R5 million.

When asked why there were no women competing, Van Schalkwyk mentioned that they are working on a new project which seeks to bring women into skateboarding.

“We want to give women the platform to also join in the fun. The project is still in an infant phase… we are actually going to draw out a programme for women to start joining us in October this year.

The Kimberley Diamond Cup results

U16

1. Jeremy Stone (R800 plus R2 000 Boogaloos voucher)

2. Mark Linzi (R400 plus R1 500 Boogaloos voucher)

3. Michael Stylianou (R300 plus R1 000 Boogaloos voucher)

0ver-17

1. Alan Marola (R12 000)

2. Kanya Spani (R5 000)

3. Shuaib Philander (R3 000)

Rider Cup

1. Packing The Heat (R10 000)

Dlamini Dlamini

Alan Marola

Kanya Spani

Wesley Schroeder

Best Trick

1. Kanya Spani – Kickflip frontside 5050 (R3 000)