21 March 2025, Issue 1252
Ready to shred!
Excitement is ramping up for the 2025 National Skateboarding Championships being held in Mount Maunganui on March 28-29. More than 80 competitors will participate in park, street, and vert competitions at the Destination Skatepark and Blake Park Vert ramp. Skateboarders will compete in three divisions,
including open men’s and women’s for all categories, plus an Under 13 division for park and street. Prize money is on offer for the open divisions, while U13 participants will receive merchandise prizes from local sponsors. Among competitors will be Tauranga skaters George, Manville, 9, pictured in action, and
sister Emma Manville, 11, who’ve have trained at the Destination Skatepark, along with 16-yearold Bodhi Cavell – pictured above between the siblings – who first started developing his skills while attending Kaimai School. “The nationals is an exciting opportunity to unite the skateboarding community, and I’m stoked that it
will be hosted locally at Mount Maunganui this year,” Cavell said. Skateboarding New Zealand chairwoman Sonia Griffin said there had been a “huge uptick” in skateboarding participation in Tauranga with the recent development of Destination Skatepark. To learn about the action on March 28-29, see page 10. Photos / Brydie Thompson