The Vans Pro Skate Park Series, skateboarding’s first-ever world championship park terrain point series, established a new field of contenders for the World Championship Title after a remarkable round of competition at the Australia global qualifier last weekend at St. Kilda Skatepark in Melbourne.
Powerhouse Chris Russell claimed first place in the Australia global qualifier with an unmitigated display of pure brutality, packing aggressive runs stacked with his deadly disaster combos including boneless reverts, inverts and more. Russell joined fellow Vans team rider and 2nd place finisher, the awesome Pedro Barros, who never ceased to amaze with his impossibly high airs and dynamic speed attack. Crowd pleaser and fellow Park Series Select Pro, Kevin Kowalski took third, inspiring all by landing the event’s biggest transfer from the double dragon extension (featuring original artwork by artist @funeralfrench) from one side of the course into the deep end on the opposite side. Watch all three winning runs now on www.vansparkseries.com. Honorary mention goes to Park Series Select Pro, Ronnie Sandoval’s jaw dropping, tweaked and stalled frontside invert from his first-place qualifying run in the semi final heats.
Vans Park Series Global Qualifier, Melbourne Results
1st – Chris Russell
2nd – Pedro Barros
3rd – Kevin Kowalski
4th – Cory Juneau
5th – Ben Hatchell
6th – Tom Schaar
7th – Ronnie Sandoval
8th – Alex Sorgente
With new global qualifier Challenger rankings now on the boards, the road to Malmö, home of the Vans Park Series World Championships, heats up as 16-year-old Cory Juneau leads the way as the highest scoring Challenger to rise from the field, placing him in the running for one of five coveted spots to compete against the fifteen exclusive Park Series Select Pros in the World Championships this August. Juneau’s performance dominated the open qualifier and final rounds, demonstrating fast and clean runs, while also earning him fourth place in the Australia global qualifier event.
The top five Challengers to emerge from the Mens Park Series Global Qualifier system will challenge the fifteen exclusive Park Series Select Pros in Malmö, Sweden for the title of 2016 Vans Park Series Men’s World Champion.
Global Qualifier Series Challenger Rankings
1st – Cory Juneau
2nd – Tom Schaar
3rd – Alex Sorgente
4th – Keegan Palmer
5th – Brad McClain
With five coveted spots to be claimed for the Men’s Park Series World Championships this August, the exciting world title points race continues next in Florianopolis, Brazil. Visit www.vansparkseries.com for the latest updates and follow the action on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat at @vansparkseries.
Showcasing an international roster of top pros and a total prize purse in excess of $500,000(USD), the Vans Pro Skate Park Series seeks to define and elevate park terrain skateboarding by establishing the premier global points ranking system and official world championships of park terrain skateboarding for men and women in order to grow participation and promote the culture of skateboarding worldwide.
The all-new Vans Park Series World Championship skatepark in Malmö will be the world’s first built-to-spec park terrain legacy construction and is being donated by Vans to the community of Malmö, Sweden for leading the world with their progressive support of the city’s youth through skateboard programming and activities.
Vans Park Series
2016 Schedule
Global Qualifiers
Melbourne, AUS*
April 16
Florianopolis, BRA*
June 11
Vancouver, CAN*
July 9
Huntington Beach, USA
July 30
World Championships
Malmö, SWE
August 20
*Men’s-only Global Qualifier
The Vans Park Series Men’s Global Qualifier system is made up of four events. Each Qualifier stop of the Vans Park Series will feature participating Park Series Select Pros and is open to established ams and pros. Qualified applicants may submit a registration request form online at vansparkseries.com. All requests will be reviewed and participation will be granted for each event at the discretion of the official competition organizer. Approved competitors will receive points for their placements at each event and their final rankings will be based on an average of their top three placements over the course of the series. The top five skaters to emerge from the Mens Global Qualifier system will challenge the top 15 pre-seeded exclusive Park Series Select Pros in Malmö, Sweden for the title of 2016 Vans Park Series Men’s World Champion.
Detailed event information for each stop of the 2016 Vans Park Series is available online at the official Vans Park Series Website. Follow the Vans Park Series on social media for the latest information on Vans Park Series events, Webcast details, Select Pros, official sponsors, sanctions and competition formatting.
www.vansparkseries.com @vansparkseries on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter
