New Zealand Vert Champs Recap
On Saturday 22 March, local roller skating legend Ivy K’nivey Bates hosted her 5th annual… Der Beitrag New Zealand Vert Champs Recap erschien zuerst auf Dogdays Magazine.
On Saturday 22 March, local roller skating legend Ivy K’nivey Bates hosted her 5th annual New Zealand Vert Champs. And tons of seriously skilled skaters showed up. Spectators were treated to a skating display of gravity defying tricks with skaters airing out of the 14-foot ramp, performing slides the length of the coping, handstands into the ramp and an array of flips, grinds and aerials.
The event brought the skate community together to celebrate the sport and to learn from each other with a weekend packed with competitions and workshops delivered by some of New Zealand and Australia’s top park and ramp skaters.
Ivy was extremely happy with the success of this year’s event. “I wanted this year to be even bigger, a world class skate event. One day specifically for the vert competition and another day to learn skill in an array of skate workshops for beginners to advance skaters.”
Local roller skaters claimed the top spots in the junior’s category with 13 year old Amelia Twiss taking out the Junior Quad section, performing a number of tricks including a series of smooth inverts near the top of the coping. Moses Carr took the first spot in the Junior Blade competition, and this was also his first time competing in a skate event.
Alyssa Greany of Mount Maunganui took out the top spot in the intermediate section.
Upper Hutt teenager, Malachi Mathes was back defending his 3rd Vert Champs title, landing an astonishing 720 spin and taking the win in the Open Blades category and also taking the win for the biggest air of the competition. While Aussie, Garry Manfroid, claimed the title of Vert Champion in the Quad Invitational Open.
“Seeing Garry skate again was a real treat, I met him on Parhan vert Melbourne when I had never seen a roller skater fly like he does on vert, so I was excited to see him pull together some epic runs and potentially win the comp… Which he did!”, Ivy said.
Skaters came from all over NZ and Australia, we even nearly got a few Americans and a French skater over but due to varied reasons couldn’t make it… this year.
Next year I hope to do it all again just as community focused and grass roots. Yes, the tie dye shirts will be there, and the handmade trophies and we keenly look forward to celebrating skating and learning new things with next year’s coaches.
Mark your calendars for 2026. The next New Zealand Vert Champs will take place on 21–22nd February. The best weather for NZ summer.
New Zealand Vert Champs 2025 Results
Blade Open
1. Malachi Mathes @willhangforsilver
2. @edwin_the_inverted
3. Surya Van Lierde
–Best trick @ribletrollfriday
Quad Invitational Open
1. Garry Manfroid @garry.rrr
2. Rib Let @ribletrollfriday
3. Rose Crooks @cowboy_crooks
–Biggest Slam @tiff.skate
–Best outfit @bolz_bolz_bolz
Doubles
1. Amelia @skater_girls_nz and Mei @m_sk8_eight_wheels
2. Alba Irvine @eye.lens.studio & Lydia Clark @fivelittlebirds
Open Doubles
1. Freya Wakenshaw @freyawakenshaw & Nick Searle @nick.searle.311 coached by @tiff.skate
Junior Quad
1. @skater_girls_nz Amelia Twiss
2. Lydia Clark
3. Alba Irvine
–First timer awards to Isla Twiss & Isla Hammond
1. Junior Blade Moses Carr also his first comp.
Intermediate Mixed:
1. @alyssa_greaney Alyssa
2. Sara
3. @nicki_nyx_ Nyx
–Biggest Air: @willhangforsilver
Words by Toni Twiss
Photos by @eye.lens.studio
Der Beitrag New Zealand Vert Champs Recap erschien zuerst auf Dogdays Magazine.
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