Events

If there is one thing I’m starting to realize in rollerblading, it’s that thirty is quickly becoming the new twenty. Last weekend in Bellevue, Washington, rollerbladers from all around the northwest US and southwest CA came out for the fourth installment of the Beat the Chump 4 contest, the Seattle-area park competition with a unique run-based format. Skaters take turns doing lines through the compact park until they stop, or fall. It’s a nice break from the common Jam Session format, which often proves dangerous in Bellevue Indoor.

Our Be-Mag staff videographer Karsten Boysen invaded this year's FISE event stop in Montpellier, France. The new downhill "slopestyle" course was introduced for the first time combined with an intense inofficial rail contest, and partying for four days. Here you can get a small glimpse of what went down in the Rollerblading division at Europe's biggest Extreme Sports Event.

First and foremost please let me apologize for prolonging the viewing of this edit. It wasn't until today that I was contacted by both Blake Taylor and Ian Copp and notified that the sentences you are about to read are what is taking the official drop so long to happen. I guess deep down I have written nothing because there is not much to be said. I tried typing this ridiculously long drawn out descriptive read that would cover every aspect of the event and all things leading up to it and after. But truth be told, there is no amount of descriptive words that can explain what an incredible event Pow Wow actually is.

Into its fourth year, the Sevilla Roll Session got off to a pretty wet start with some quite heavy rain. Luckily the rainclouds passed and allowed the Plaza de Armas skate park to dry out. There were three competition categories: Junior, Am, and Pro – each having a bowl and street section.

At this year's FISE 2012 in Montpellier, France inline skaters are in for a treat. No longer will they have to share the same course with other action sports, they will have a unique opportunity to ride a new blade specific course similar to slopestyle skiing and snowboarding. Take a sneak peek at the obstacles that some of the world's best pros will tear up this weekend.

When your with a group of guys as diverse as the ones I had the pleasure of spending the week with, it’s not just the stories you create that stick with you, but the one’s you hear as well. The 2012 Asian X Games showcase everything that is right in the world of Rollerblading, entwined with fake Scotch and a podium payout that park skating hasn’t seen in a while.

After six years of running the Panhandle Pow-Wow, Blake Taylor has figured out how to run things smoothly. I've seen him stress over previous Pow-Wow events, but this year it really went off without a hitch. His only complaint all weekend was: "We really need a water sponsor."

This years best trick at the Panhandle Pow Wow goes to... Mark Wojda! Mark pulled out a huge 540 and took the prize. Congratulations Mark!

Things are getting started here at Pop-Wow VI. We filmed a little 'test run' of some of the new boxes built for the contest, and the park is currently filling up.

For three years the Skate Association Germany has organized the Grindhouse Miniramp Masters. The German rollerblading club is a nonprofit organization whose members spend their free time voluntary to organize the series across Germany. It takes a strong volunteer effort to set up a nationwide series. In its first year, the Grindhouse Miniramp Masters had five tour stops, mostly held in Northern and Western regions of Germany. The second year’s series spread the five tour stops across a wider area of the country. As a non-profit organization, SAG depends on strong partnerships with its partners to put together the best possible competitions. The Grindhouse Miniramp Masters kicked off with its first tour stop in Leipzig, Germany on April 14th.