Vans Bowl A Rama 2012: Bondi Contest Day Video

Bowl-A-Rama 2012 Highlights and Contest Videos
The bowl’s action at Bowl-A-Rama 2012 was watched by tens of thousands of people around the world via a global webcast from istia.tv/2, live Fuel TV broadcast and Vans Live 2.0 App. On isTia.Tv app, people could comment live on the action and every trick of skateboarders. The Bowl-A-Rama event that was started eight years ago, grew every year and prides itself on being an event for skaters, by skaters. Vans BOWL-A-RAMA™ Bondi is one of skateboarding’s biggest concrete bowl events and this year’s event included an unprecedented prize purse of $85,000 USD.

2012 Bowlarama nearly didn’t happen—a couple nights before the final, some salty scallywags poured oil into the  bowl, rendering the surface dangerously slippery. Fortunately it was cleaned up and given a fresh coat of paint, j ust in time for the big day. The Bondi Bowl on the Saturday morning of the 2012 Bowl-A-Rama contest. Photo Kim Andison for isTia.Tv

“The prize purse has increased dramatically this year and we feel we have set a precedent for other competitions. Professional skateboarders put their lives on the line at these events so we feel they should be justly rewarded. When the riders are stoked they skate better and when that happens the crowd gets the show of their lives. That was well and truly the case today” – Chad Ford, Frontside Events director.

Sixteen-year-old professional skateboarder Pedro Barros (BRAZIL) took out his third consecutive Pro Title after a heated final that saw him using every inch of the bowl at full-throttle speed, busting everything from head-high stalefish 540s, to technical lip trickery like alley-oop frontside 50-50s around the tight corner, just beating an impressive Bucky Lasek (USA) and Rune Glifberg (DEN).

Mik Mulhall Bondi 2012 Photo Kim Andison

Competition was equally fierce in the Masters Division with an epic display of skateboarding genius. Legendary skateboarder Steve Caballero (USA) wowed the crowd with his effortless style, experienced consistency and signature frontside inverts, fingerflip Indys and of course his original Caballerial spins that saw him take home his fifth consecutive Masters Title at the event.

For amateur skateboarders the Dew AM Jam saw Australia’s top Under 18 bowl riders invited to skate alongside the Pro’s. In the 12 months since the inaugural Dew AM Jam at Vans BOWL-A-RAMA™ Bondi 2011, Australia’s top Under 18 bowl riders showed the world it will soon see more Australians represented at the top international levels in bowl skateboarding with the likes of 13-year-old Lachie Aboott and 14-year-old Jakob Robinson ripping up the bowl.

Rune-Glifberg-Bondi-Bowl-A-Rama. Photo Kim Andison

Aussie World Vert Champ Renton Millar was stoked to see his group of handpicked groms rip it up at the event.

“In the year since we started searching for Dew AM Jam skaters, I have been blown away by how many more skaters there are and the bag of tricks they all are claiming under their belts. No doubt the young Aussies are inspired by the new, young wave of international bowl riders and they are showing they want to stand up alongside them in the next couple of years with a view to taking out the Vans BOWL-A-RAMA™ Bondi title,” says Millar.

After eight years Vans BOWL-A-RAMA™ Bondi continues to wow a growing audience; “We are proud to have been involved with this event from its inception eight years ago. Each year we make a real effort to increase the prize money and elevate the event for the benefit of both skateboarders and spectators.

Bucky Lasek Bowl-A-Rama Bondi. Photo Kim Andison

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Steve Caballero’s Half Cab shoe, so to have him win the Masters is particularly memorable. It’s an incredible result to have Pedro win the Pro’s too.” – Deena Colman, Vans Australia Marketing Manager.

To see more photos and complete results, click on http://blog.istia.tv/2012/02/bondi-bowl-rama-2012-results.html.

All pictures courtesy of Kim Andison in Sydney. Thanks a bunch!

Eddie-Elguerra-Bondi-Bowl-A-Rama-rock-2-fakie. Photo Kim Andison

Bucky Lasek and his $9,000 check