Meelis Erm
On the fringes of the side dish, inevitably looming, is the main course. Risto Kalmre and his gang concocted a mind-bending course this time around. It's always touted as sick, but this was a special breed that the skaters reveled in. A wild ride, fast and colossal, tailored for the essence of skateboarding. The rails were behemoths, ready for glorious boardslides and grinds that could murder eardrums. Endless possibilities sprawled in every direction, with building poles adding to the chaotic joy.
Niklavs Vetra
Among the local riders, a collective awe gripped them at the monstrous scale of the course. Hungry to conquer it all, Kristo Õismets looked like he hadn't tasted a morsel for weeks. The rails were his banquet. Rain Lindemann, meaner than hell, executed heavy frontside wall rides—no hands, mind you! Nils-Eerik Vesberg momentarily escaped his kitchen, just across the street, proving his insatiable appetite.
Nils-Eerik Vesberg
Tom Seppänen, our revered S1su owner, made it through qualifications, giving a 110% to tear through the park. Johannes Teder took his first colossal leap into such a major competition, and optimism surrounded the young man. The future was about to dance on his very board!
Tom Seppänen, during best trick contest
A formidable crew from Tartu set out to conquer the capital's territories. Led by Romario Siimer and Eivo Kisand, these southern warriors were here to take no prisoners! Another smooth operator, Siim Teder, felt the transitions and park's flow like no other local.
Siim Teder
Romario Siimer
Eivo Kisand
But wait, here comes the bastard! Yes, Meelis Erm, freshly sponsored by Nightwood Skateboards, injected pure emotion into the weekend. Maybe it was the shoe commercials plastered all around, the raucous crowd rallying behind him, or perhaps just his nature as a park murderer. A smooth 1st qualification run launched him straight to the finals. Not many Estonians had scaled those heights in skateboarding before. Yet, he blazed through the finals with a big wall ride, a smooth feeble tail lock, and a jaw-droppingly high 360° transfer—pure adrenaline thrown into the crowd. He finished 13th, leaving us all with a warning: he's coming back next year, hungrier than ever.
Meelis Erm
Meelis Erm
Our neighbors weren't timid either. Our Latvian friends, Niklavs Vetra and the rail-slaying Artūrs Bogdanovičs (7th placed), made sure Nils heard the walls getting kicked across the street.
Artūrs Bogdanovičs
Artūrs Bogdanovičs
From our Finnish cousins, the colossal skate Viking Onni Saltevo sailed across the Baltic, partnered in crime with Jonne Nordlund.
Jonne Nordlund
Yurii Korotun, the Ukrainian, seized the best trick contest with a mean Heelflip frontside smith 180 out. Ripping the park with savage beauty, he claimed the 11th spot.
Yurii Korotun
Yurii Korotun
On the podiums, the big boys from northern and southern Americas, the towering figures, even the Spaniard Danny Leon—all fell short against a young half-French, half-American genius. Enter Julian Agliardi, a 13-year-old, showcasing the smoothest rail tricks, a pure spectacle in every move. What style!
Chris Gregson
Aaron "JAWS" Homoki
Julian Agliardi and Danny Leon
Not to be overlooked, our Frenchies, Carl Bourguignon and Stellio Sakellarides from the City of Lights, graced us with French-style entertainment—pure style.
Carl Bourguignon
Now, picture this gladiator showdown, folks. It's like a cosmic collision, and who better to guide you through the chaos than the sonic titans themselves - the mythic Dave Duncan and the wild bard Kristjan Eier, their voices carving through the fray like a chainsaw symphony. This ain't just commentary, it's a full-blown auditory rollercoaster, for the battle-hardened souls in the arena!
Kristjan Eier and Dave Duncan
So, until the next rendezvous in this skate-fueled odyssey of wheels and rails, stay weird and keep rolling!
Words and Photos by Nicolas Bouvy
Marcelo Jiménez Ramírez
Meelis Erm
Julian Agliardi
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