A few weeks ago, Australian skateboarders were given a chance to grab some World Skate Ranking points at the Australian Skateboarding League National Street Championship. These points will go towards the qualification for the Tokyo Olympics, which has been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. There was also a 10k prize pool on the table, with equal money for the Men’s and Women’s Finals.
Words by Lily Smith. Photos by Albert D’Urbano.
The National Champs brought together some of the country’s best competition skaters who battled it out at Melbourne’s Riverslide Skatepark during the annual Moomba Festival. After a day and a half of qualifiers and semi-finals, the top eight from each division made it to the finals.
Kicking off with the 12 & Unders, Daniel Woolley took the cake, with Jack Lewis and Noah Bardas nipping at his heels. These boys skate like grown men. We got a glimpse of the future during the 14 & Under girls Final as Rivers legend Estelle “Commando Girl” Seymour won the crown, followed by sisters Emma Smart in second and Megan Smart in third. Wrapping up the age groups was the 16 & Under Males. Stepping up from second spot last year, Tashi Freeman came away with gold, Hamed Anvari claimed the silver and Ben Field got bronze.
Daniel Woolley feebling into first for the 12 & Under division.
When it came to the big show, the cameras were rolling. The entire Women’s and Men’s Finals were live-streamed to 7Plus. For the 5th consecutive year, the one and only Hayley Wilson conquered the Women’s Final with her competition experience shining through. At only nine years old, Chloe Covell finished in second and 14-year-old Haylie Powell came a close third. Closing the day, the Men threw down, but the Best Trick section unravelled some.
Chloe Covell, boardslide.
Hayley Wilson front boards for the win.
Young gun, Rome Collyer, gained himself third at just 14 years of age and with a smile on his face the whole time, Manu Etchegoyen finished in second. Showing his experience, Tommy Fynn, put four scores on the board to secure his spot as number one, before bailing his last two attempts at Best Trick. Huge props as Tommy went into overtime to claim his kickflip crooks down the big Hubba, not for points, but for the crowd while the Moomba madness surrounded the skatepark.
Rome Collyer front blunts for bronze against the big dogs.
The Frenchman, Manu Etchegoyen, switch tré lip into second.
The Tommy Fynn took the win and then dropped this kicky crooks after the buzzer.
Under 12: 3rd Noah Bardas, 2nd Jack Lewis, 1st Daniel Woolley.
Under 14: 3rd Megan Smart, 2nd Emma Smart, 1st Estelle Seymour.
Under 16: 3rd Ben Field, 2nd Hamed Anvari, 1st Daniel Tashi Freeman.
Open Female: 3rd Haylie Powell, 2nd Chloe Covell, 1st Hayley Wilson.
Open Male: 3rd Rome Collyer, 2nd Manu Etchegoyen, 1st Tommy Fynn.
Click through to The Boardr for the full Men's and Women's results.
