Roller Skating - Vert Ramp Champs NZ

This event was inspired by the First Roller Skate Jam hosted by CIBAuckland crew in 2020. This event inspired us down at CIBbayofplenty to create another, bigger event, that utilized our world class 14-foot vert ramp, stationed in Mt Maunganui, Tauranga Moana.

Ivyk'nivey especially wanted to encourage rangatahi - young people to enter and have a go.

The event is focused on encouraging and uplifting each other, inspiring and sharing ideas while competing in a fun skate competition. The Vert Ramp Champs 2021 was the first ever vert roller skating event for Aotearoa. We had over 15 juniors enter and 11 open section skaters.

2021 Vert Ramp Champs NZ

Photos by @karliem of Caitlin Burns is @hellfushia and Ivy Bates is @ivyknivey

With the first Vert Contest going so well in 2021, Let’s Roll Coaching decided to host the return of the Vert Ramp Champs in 2022, opening it up to bladers as well in the hopes to see more top-level skaters show their stuff on 8 wheels and inspire our newer skaters.

Ivyk'nivey is the main coach at Let's Roll Coaching said this about the contests effect on the local scene , "I've noticed how these skate events have increased awareness of skating, numbers of skaters around & at parks & street skating. Also previous competitors have been noticeably more focused on improving their skating skills."

Let’s Roll Coaching is a coaching team who coach around Bay of Plenty, with focus on teaching skills for skatepark skating and Roller Derby.

Ivyk'nivey also said this about the contest, "The Vert Ramp Champs event is mainly focused on encouraging those to have a go, have fun, uplift each other, the competitive side also helps to expose skating in ramps as a fun, athletic activity. Its been encouraging for young people to see representations of hardcore, talented and athletic women & non binary skaters who are some of our best skaters in Aotearoa New Zealand. Seeing these skaters compete is  especially inspirational to young females to see that these role models exist and giving them hope that they could be one too."

The 2022 Vert Champs Run Down

The lead up was tense with covid closing in and many skaters from around NZ unable to attend due to covid. This included our reigning Quad Champ from last year Rose Crooks. 

However, of those who did travel for it they came from wide across NZ from Taranaki - Napier, up as far as Wanaka in the South Is & down from Auckland. 

This year we also welcomed some new faces from the blading community and we challenged them to roll our 14 foot vert. 

It was great to see a new mix of tricks go down from 180's to even seeing some 720's attempted. Check out an edit on John Iscariot's insta @willhangforsilver.

Then there is all our Junior rangatahi skaters in the quad section who each leveled up from their past year and also braved it out to skate in front of the crowd which many of us as adults fear. 

The most Improved was Milla Hornet Smith who last year was just getting to the top of panel one. Over the past year she has been getting coaching with let’s Roll Coaching and has progressed so much she was confidently dropping in from the side over hang move and dropping in fakie, then using the speed to keep her skating high and smash out all her tricks including her mum’s favorite trick the "Sassy Milla Marilyn" pictured here.

Photos by Dash McCall

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Most Joyful skater was Nava Stewart - 8 on roller blades who skated with a smile the whole time. Was such a joy to watch her joy for skating.

Here is the Round up Video made by Kelvin Wong of Shred City Skates:

Here is the list of winners: 

Juniors Quad 

1st Ishta Joyce 

2nd Kaya Ford

3rd Kuini Rose Shewry 

Juniors Blade 

1st Mally Matheson 

2nd Nava Stewart 

Intermediate Mixed 

1st Fiona Dominick 

2nd Frankie Moore 

Open Quad 

1st Kyle Hamilton 

2nd Caitlin Burns 

Open Blade 

1st Mickey Muller 

2nd Surya Van Lierde 

3rd Tiffany Hough 

Biggest Air: Kyle Hamilton 

Best Trick: Kuini Rose Shewry 

Biggest Slam: Mally Matheson  

Most Improved: Milla Smith-Hornet

Brave Award: Amelia Twiss

Chuffed on Skating Award: Nava Stewart 

Doubles: 

1st: Ishta Joyce & Milla Smith-Hornet 

2nd: Kaya Ford & Kuini Rose Shewry 

3rd: Leila & Nava Stewart 

Sponsered by: @letsrollcoaching @saltairsurf @cibcrew @seaside_skates_nz @shredcityskates @mountlongboards @chuffedskates @brunnyhardcore @keaskates.nz @pierpeoplenz @impalaskate @s1helmets @s1rollerskate 

Here is the link to video clip made by Kelvin Wong of Shred City Skates: https://youtu.be/OVWgCTaFfRc We had Joyce Mahe on photography @joycemahe_