King of the Groms kicked off this season at the incredible Simi Valley Skatelab. Skatelab is celebrating their 10th anniversary and is one of the premier skateparks in the Nation. The total entry was 90 kids. All 12 or under. The youngest skaters were Taj Cunningham, and Ellis Topanga, both coming in at the tender young age of 4.
The Bowl:
The bowl session kicked off 1st. We started with the beginners. It’s the pure root of skateboarding. These young kids were so amazing. They got out there in front of everyone and simply skateboarded. Most did the Grom slide into the bowl, and were fished out by their mom or dad at the end of their runs. The parents and skaters alike showed an incredible amount of support for these skaters. Loud cheers, and shouts of support could be heard the entire division. Next up the Intermediate rippers. Again, what can I say? Lip tricks, late grab airs, early grab airs, smooth carve lines were the norm for this heat. When the expert kids stepped in, everyone around the bowl was stunned at the big, smooth, airs. Sooo many lip tricks. It was hard to remember that all these skateboarders were so young. I think the bowl really set the tone for the day, and it seemed that the vibes were right!
The Mini-ramp:
Outside in sunny Simi Valley the Skatelab mini-ramp sits. It’s big, and steep and the Groms killed it. The whole crew crowed around to root on their favorite Groms. I said it earlier and I’ll say it again. The support of the parents, and energy they threw was real positive and fresh. A few highlights were the ultra young pumping the mini, while the spectators cheered loud and proud. I am also amazed at the deep bag of tricks that went down during the intermediate and expert divisions.
The Street contest:
Really I could go on and on and on. The scene was similar to the earlier contests. Can ya feel the theme? Support for each other, amazing skateboarding in an amazing skatepark. I think every spot on the street course got handled today.
I must throw out the name Curran Caples. This 11 year old was simple amazing. Good attitude. This skateboarder kills it. He qualified 1st in all 3 events! Bowl, Mini-ramp and bowl!
This whole King of the Groms Series is a straight up celebration of the youth, and we all know the youth are our future. These youth…they are hungry! The only bummer is that it is a contest and you have to have a winner and a loser. This is so cliché, but it rings true.
Congratulations to all who made the finals, and the same goes for those who missed it.
There is a certain unexplainable something that all skateboarders share, from generation to generation. Keep the vibes positive, EVERYTIME. Will see what happens in the finals?
Saturday Contest Report
Saturday Contest Report
