BOWLZILLA Wellington, Waitangi Park 9/03/2019

Wellington is set to be the Capital of Skating for New Zealand again the first week of March. 2020 is going to be the biggest year ever for skateboarding on the global stage and BOWLZILLA Wellington is the first big step for New Zealand skaters.

The road to the Olympic Games for skateboarding begins this year. Qualifying points started accruing in November for skaters competing in National Titles and other international professional competitions around the world. BOWLZILLA Wellington is the only points awarding Park competition in New Zealand for local riders to try and earn their way toward the biggest stage in the world.

BOWLZILLA Wellington is returning for its fifth year with the highlight being the all-encompassing New Zealand National Park / Bowl Skating Titles. Skateboarding.nz the National Governing body of skateboarding in NZ, sanctions this event as the National Championships for Park / Bowl skating which sees skaters from all around the country and expats flying in. The festival includes an art show, parties and music and an old school ramp jam and barbecue. It is the greatest week of skateboarding in New Zealand and everyone is invited to join in the celebrations.

“Wellington has had a commitment to skateboarding going back decades, which makes it the natural home of this national event,” says Mayor Andy Foster.

“Our community has benefitted from showcasing the healthy and creative lifestyle of skating at Waitangi Park since it was developed in 2006. Skateboarders were also using the same site for more than a decade before that.

“As skateboarding enters into the Olympics for the first time this year it is important we all find ways of encouraging our community in their goals of reaching the world’s biggest stage.”

Participation in the competition, spectators and fans at all the festival events and overall interest in BOWLZILLA Wellington has increased double digits every year since its inception, which sees Wellington really come alive with all the best of skating. The Park Skating National Champions for 16 & Under, Women, Masters 40+ and Pro/Am Open are special for the skating community and are now an important annual part of what makes Wellington great.

“2019 saw several international firsts and wins for New Zealand in Skateboarding Street and Park. Members of our fledgling National Team self-funded participation in several Olympic Qualifying events from L.A. to Rio De Janeiro in Brazil to represent their country. BOWLZILLA 2020 continues in its fifth consecutive year as the National Qualifying event for Skateboarding Park. We invite expressions of interest from new partners wishing to support this key step for Tokyo 2020 Olympic athlete selection." Ramon Thackwell, Director – SKATEBOARDING NEW ZEALAND – Skateboarding.nz

Wellington City Council, Skateboarding New Zealand, Redhead or Dead Events and Miryoku Agency have joined forces to create this fantastic opportunity for New Zealand skaters.

“BOWLZILLA Wellington has always been a community based and focused festival. The support we have received over the years has allowed us to build a platform for our friends to develop and showcase their incredible talents to their community and the world. It is difficult to see government agencies turn away from skating the very year they would get the biggest recognition and return especially with such a capable National Governing body like Skateboarding.nz doing amazing work regardless. Our friends and community are amazing though and together we will make this year’s BOWLZILLA Wellington the best one yet. Come skate and celebrate with us.” BOWLZILLA Director – Chad Ford.

BOWLZILLA was born out of likeminded friends in the skateboard community looking for new platforms to promote the extraordinary talents of their friends, talents that run in oversupply within skateboarding but are not often seen in the outside world. BOWLZILLA Wellington is the biggest platform for showcasing all of this amazing talent in skateboarding in New Zealand. There is an open invite for everyone to come and be part of the celebration.

There will be more information coming shortly about all the great events and sponsorships happening as part of BOWLZILLA Wellington 2020.

Event Name: BOWLZILLA™ Wellington

Dates: Competition; 7th March 2020, Festival events 5-8th March 2020

Event info:

5th March: Fusion Surf/Skate Welcome Party – The Cambridge Hotel

6th March: ARTZILLA – Manky Chops

7th March: BOWLZILLA Wellington competition – Waitangi Park, Wellington

7th March: Dive In – official after party

8th March: Karori Vert Jam, Ian Galloway Park, Karori, Wellington

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/bowlzilla

INSTAGRAM:

@bowlzilla