Thrasher Magazine

The Vans road show rumbled into Montreal leaving stoke, laughs and most importantly a spankin’ new skatepark in it’s wake. The Brazilians dominated, but everyone got a piece. O’ Canada!

By Michael Burnett

Sky view from the top of the Olympic stadium. Photo: Dan Mathieu

Meanwhile, down on deck, the new gen readies for battle

Spencer Breaux from Denver, slappin’ D

Not that it was all gnar-gnar

Oh, y’all don’t know the Slaughter Queen??

Canadian masterlensman Jeff Thorburn with Riley B of tactical braid fame

Japan’s Mami Tezuka planting handily

‘Yeah, but do you have any memes about boba tea??’

Stand-up through the corner. She’s very good

Some unsolicited coaching

Ah, and the master becomes the pupil!

Meanwhile, Yndiara, all biz

Up to grind, radical overalls

Frédérique Luyet, extension bashing

Deckside banter, everyone was in great spirits

Alex White and Jordyn Barratt

Wallie legend Tim O’Connor on the mic

Rye investigates this Autumn Tust story

Grace Marhoefer, planting eggly

Beef!

Yndiara draws a line in the sand with a sweepy thing off the sign. First into the finals!

Not that it was all skate action. Plenty of cultural opps in this thing. Big O retrospective photo show over in the activity zone. Photo: Ryan Lebel

And an entry-level streetstyle course. Photo: Ryan Lebel

Check out photos of the Vans women’s team, if you’re down. Photo: Ryan Lebel

Or get a caricature from Jay Howell. Wow! Photo: Ryan Lebel

Shit, you could even get a haircut. Something for everyone, pretty much. Photo: Ryan Lebel

Good ol’ Polar hop. Always a fave Photo: Ryan Lebel

Tubs, hot angles Photo: Ryan Lebel

Oh shit, Breezy was there?! Photo: Ryan Lebel

Back in the bowl, Ceddy sets one up to the spine

Undercarriage maladies notwithstanding, The Muscle™ was totally terrorizing

Kreiner!

That’s right, there was a spine at this one

Not that you always had to go over it

Eggs up, haters down

You know Gregson was there dominating

Tristan Rennie has the most effortless style in skateboarding. Floater, barely concerned

The deep-end face wall was a bitch to set up for, meaning 540s were especially tough as would-be spinners would get sent into a corner. Didn’t really stop Roman, just worth mentioning

Adam Hopkins with his patented double-hop plant

Did I mention it was 1000 degrees?

If Cedric was effected you know it’s harsh conditions

He’ll be fine

Delfino made it, blasting for the HPX jihad

Boland in the bowl too

‘Wait’ll Cory Juneau gets here …’

Cross section of the spine, Boland on bonk

Murilo, frontal bluntal

Wooten!

View from the stands. V Kakhino sliced gap to nose grinds every time

’Babe! You seen this Blood Wizard video yet?’

Lil’ cat and mouse on the apron

C-Cup in the house!

A more aggressive Curren Caples this event!

While forgoing none of his trademark delicate touch

Ah shit … the Juneau Float has arrived

Crossed up in heavy traffic. If I had a board company I’d definitely be making this young man an offer

CJ Collins and the varial flip! Who knew?! Gonna be a heavy finals

Mixed media at the lip

Fired up!

Our guy Lui, scheming on his next blockbuster post …

Omar and Greyson kept the commentary going for the gaming community

Which CJ may or may not be a part of. No way of knowing

Ewan and Muscle, disparate cooling techniques

Good vibes all around

Ronnie jumped in for some last-minute runs

‘Is he skating this thing?’

Yep, real camaraderie

Roman at the ready

Pedro, too hyped

Still, time to find some shade

La vida loca

What’s so funny?

You gotta log in to find out

Meanwhile, best trick popping off at the Big O. Hallowed fuckin’ ground Photo: Ryan Lebel

Soda toss Photo: Ryan Lebel

The gang’s all here! Photo: Dan Mathieu

Legends of O – Marc Tison and Barry Walsh Photo: Dan Mathieu

Tison with his patented up-slide Photo: Dan Mathieu

Leon Chapdelaine’s backside NBS, but you’ve seen that already, right? Photo: Dan Mathieu

Then Riley took it Trujillo off the roof! Photo: Dan Mathieu

Yndiara on the come up, 40 Canadian Photo: Ryan Lebel

How sweet it is! Photo: Dan Mathieu

Back at the bowl, Luiz Francisco catches last light. Insane Photo: Dan Mathieu

Finals day. Bowman, behind the wheel

Soundtrack of 8:30 am EST

Should we come back for it?

Into the frozen planet of Hoth

We had a private parkour entrance we took each day

Alex White had no problems

Though she couldn’t shake her mother’s concern for Ewan

Special forces shit!

He was fine

Nice wake up

‘Park Series forever!!!’

He’s not just the announcer, Tony can’t help but thrash Photo: Dan Mathieu

Roman, off the sign. It was metal and made a nice noise

Omar takes a break from the gamesphere with a hearty board slide fakie

Fish of CJ’s varial flip. Wow!

Spinal egg. Thanks Ro

Ain’t nothin’ like fuckin’ air time

Enticed the legends back over to the O

Although Tony has performed demos to thousands inside the Olympic stadium, he’d never actually skated this thing

Luckily, he’s had a lifetime of halfpiping to prepare

Lil’ ‘cane fake-out in the window

Blunt to back tail, trust me on the first part

Then, of course, 14-year-old-nerd me requested the handplant

He’ll get there

Bean to tail

The face says it all!

Though this was the make, I believe. Thanks Tony!

And then the doubles slide to drop

For life

Back at the arena – bedlam

Packed house

Wear your technical shades, if you got ‘em

Down for lifers, everywhere!

And Canadians!

Aftermath Tour survivors O’Dell and Pastras

Dan Mathieu and Grant Hatfield, media table

Back in the bowl, women’s finals! Lizzie, up to slide

Spinal!

Yndiara with the slob fasty. Who woulda guessed this trick would make such a huge comeback?

Or the GD Texas plant?!

Barrett, boneless backside

All the top girls can bust eggs

Mami, corner pocket

See?!

Basically a smorgasbord of '80s classic moves. How I love ‘em!

Alana Smith was trying to be all low-key but she may be one of the gnarliest women vert skaters of all time

As her 540 attempts will attest. Next time!

Pressure building

Mathieu’s artful angle from the nosebleeds. Wow! Photo: Dan Mathieu

Crowd was eating it up

But in the end it was Yndiara Asp who put it all together, as they say

Heartfelt hugs while O’Dell documents

No shrinking violets, these Brazilian champions

Art as trophy. Nice

Here she is

‘Over here!’

Good show, ya’ll

Fans even more sizzled. Photo: Ryan Lebel

Roaring, practically

Finals time!

Tristan nosegrinds through the pocket

Rye was ecstatic!

Luiz Francisco, heelfip indy

Good ol’ NBS

Kreiner, Cab Indy grab

Let’s talk about the Sleepy Turtle for a sec. So smooth, so casual, he barely seems like he’s trying …

Until he explodes into the air with his trademark frontside flips of death!!!

But if there is one thing that can rattle his relaxed grace, it’s the aggro pitbull power approach of Pedro Barros

Searing the Canadian airspace!

Hectic Hail-Mary 540s!

The last wall switch disaster, just hanging on

Fools went nuts!

Everyone knew he took it

Oh yeah

Crazy Brazilian style

Swooped it!

Top three. Nice work, boys!

Best trick on Satan’s spine. Gregson unleashed all his FS flip attack variations

Ollie to fakie, super solid

There was a ton of shit that went down, so check the video for a complete report. This fakie thruster from Lizzie though! Photo: Ryan Lebel

Kicky D. They were fucking it up

$100 at a time

CJ with the Cab noseblunt

I did enjoy Ducky going for the blunt fingerflip

Loves to slam, the Duck

Delfino’s frontside invert up showed promise! No dice

And then Greggy unleashed the KF FS disaster BS revert. Kinda the icing on the cake

And that was fuckin’ that!

Wrap it up, boys

Now, it’s time for US

Afterparty, Canadian style Photo: Ryan Lebel

Meaning, in an old swimming pool Photo: Ryan Lebel

A flood of familiar faces Photo: Ryan Lebel

Curren, a moment of levity

Brazilian barrage Photo: Ryan Lebel

And that’s time!

Here we go… Photo: Ryan Lebel

Sonic assault, all night long Photo: Ryan Lebel

Ink check!

The two sides of the Larry Experience™

And the other one

Oh yeah!

When the boss gets tubed …

… that means we did a good job

Thank, God! And thank you, Canada! See you in Paris, Park Series bros! Photo: Ryan Lebel