The third annual Brampton skate competition took place on Sunday the 14th of June. Endorsed by the City of Brampton and sponsored by Shop-Task and Blädr skate shops, the event has been building steam steadily since its first year and this year was no exception. Nursed into existence by Brampton local Dave Ghent (now a Toronto resident), the Brampton Competition has become one of the major landmarks in the Canadian summer; a much needed outdoor event in Ontario.

Brampton Park rail and box

Brampton Park upper area

The park itself is a creative concrete mix of transitions, grindboxes and rails, with the key to a skaters’ success being how versatile a skater they are. The judges were looking to see the skaters use the full course in a unique and creative line while staying on their feet- a given at today’s level of competition.

Upon arriving, the Shop-Task booth was already set up and trading away, manned by the owner Leon himself and AJ, both of them at the end of two weeks of touring Canada on the Taskaround ‘09 tour. Dave was talking away on the microphone and DJing from his iPod while people worked out their lines and their family/ girlfriends and casual onlookers basked in the baking sun on the grassy banks surrounding the park.

The park was packed full of skaters! The competitive field had grown massively since last year’s event with the Amateur section now being split into six groups of five skaters each, who took their turn to be paraded past the judges for familiarity. The standard of your average Amateur skater seems to have progressed in huge leaps recently, with even the most beginner skater now seemingly able to land the hardest of technical (read: negative) tricks. Standout of the amateur competition was its eventual winner Ben Solt, who skated fast around the whole course using a really good line.

The best trick contest looked like it was in danger of becoming a grindfest; Blair Lougheed destroying a series of fullcab to grinds, Erik Burrow nearly totalled a photographer with a fullcab true savannah, USD flow Mike David from Simcoe gave an early glimpse of what was to come with a lightning-fast true front unity down the rail, but it fell to MTL native Guillaume Latrompette who stepped up and took the prize for himself with a monumental 540 over an 8ft deck into the bowl… Game over.

Leon and Dub- Shop Task and Bladr

The ‘Pro’ final (to separate levels of ability, not actual ‘Pro’ status) was a showcase of the variety that rollerblading can offer, with each new skater finding their own unique way around the course and every spectator rooting for them, leaning forward for a better view, willing them not to fall. Of course, some did- but some highlights of the Pro section were Erik Burrow skating at warp nine, stomping everything he approached and keeping his speed right through to the buzzer; Dan Lefebre landing a massive gap from the bowl platform into a tiny kicker as easily as he might hop down from a curb; Alex Cochonnel putting together one of the smoothest planned runs of the day with a perfect halfcab front torque and Dan Millar for hearing the “last trick!” call, casually turning around and lacing the most perfect grabbed alleyoop fishbrain ever down the drop planter.

Trophies

However, the day (and the trophy) belonged to Mike David. Mike found unique lines in a park skated to death and landed every trick cleanly- royale to 8 ft drop, long sweatstance and a truespin front unity on the rail being enough to put him clearly over the top for the Judges.

Thanks for this event are mostly due to Dave Ghent (www.daveghent.com) for taking on the brunt of organizing the event. Thanks to the city of Brampton for being cool with such an event and even providing helpers and water on the day (Thanks Sean). Final thanks go out to Leon at SHOP TASK (Canada’s premier skate retailer) for providing the support, prizes and trophies for the event. Sincere thanks to all for putting on such an important event for Ontario rollerblading and thanks to all the spectators for their support- be sure to check www.bramptoncomp.com next year for information on the event.