War of the Thistles 2017 Report

Skateboard Scotland’s War of the Thistles event is now in its’ 12^th year! Time flies when you are having fun. This year the event returned from a long hiatus to Dumbarton’s Unit 23 skatepark and back to the staple of Aberdeen’s Transition Extreme Skatepark. We kicked off with Aberdeen on the 2nd of April. Everyone loves TX in Aberdeen with its lovely bowl and skateboard orientated set up. For a change we thought that we would actually try and run a kids comp with proper judging as opposed to trying to throw products at kids for making an ollie over a hip.  The standard was pretty high top and the 5 ended up being as follows:

1. Lachlan
2. Geordie
3. Anton
4. Shaun
5. Tom K

For the cash for tricks section we kicked off with a jam in the mini-ramp as things were heating up in there while the kids comp was running. Standouts in the halfpipe were Baillie, Big Ron, Kieran, and the two Jordan’s who had managed to tap Vans team manager manhead for some petrol money to get up for the event. This was the first visit to the Thistles for Jordan Sharkey and Jordan Thackeray and we hope it won’t be their last, especially since they staked claim to one half of the WOTT Claymore for absolutely smashing it all weekend! Thackeray took the first day by skating in the Mini-ramp, street and bowl jams consistently and not really falling off. Go and check out the Aberdeen footage that the Sidewalk guys produced:

Big props need to go out to Rye and Chris at Sidewalk for coming up to video and photograph the weekend’s antics! We heavily appreciate the support that you have provided the event over the years. And while we are at it Massive thanks goes out to all of the Sponsors! As this event would not happen without them:

• RedBull
• Bawbags
• Concreate Skateparks
• Transition Extreme Skatepark
• Unit 23 Skatepark
• Bones Wheels
• Bones Bearings
• Focus
• NinetyOne
• Fundamental
• Doric
• Vans
• DC
• Santa Cruz
• Clan Skates
• Darkstar
• Andale
• Heathen
• Unabomber
• Sidewalk
• Edinburgh local
• Dopezine
• Knatchbull

We returned to Dumbarton for a leg of the Thistles for the first time in a while. It brought us back as the first ever Thistles took place in Dumbarton and it was nice to back running a leg there again. We continued the kids comp idea over from day 1 and Anton stepped up in the relatively recently and nicely set up street area which they have in Dumbarton. Top 5 kids were as follows:

1. Anton
2. Alex
3. Lachlan
4. Geordie
5. Tom K

For the tricks for cash section we started off in the street section, moved over to the park area and finished off in the bowl. Aaron recommended the park area and it did not disappoint with loads of people getting in on the session and Baillie and the two Jordan’s destroying the spot. Check out the Sidewalk footage below for proof. Mr Sharkey went kickflip daft and skated amazingly in all three of the Sponsored sections earning himself the second half of the sword. The English came and conquered taking the full sword home!  We are really forward to seeing them back here next year to try and defend their titles.

If you want to check out Sidewalk’s article and rad photos go and check them out here: https://sidewalkmag.com/skateboard-news/war-thistles-2017.html

Gallery

Photo Credits: Zeefoto2017

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