BOWLZILLA: GIVE IT UP FOR TORA WALDREN ON THE MIC
BOWLZILLA. One day to go. It’s been a loooooong year but the wait is almost over. The largest park competition in Australia is going ahead in Elanora Skatpark tomorrow Saturday 13 March 2021. The vibe around the notorious bowl is buzzing with excitement and Bowlzilla 2021 is set to be a fun, positive experience to competitors and spectators alike. Tora Waldren will be on the mic to guide, support and hype us all through the day - so before she looses her voice we hit her up for a quick chat about all things skating and Bowlzilla.
All photos @yeahrad
Santa brought her a Bart Simpson Kmart skateboard when she was 8 years old and ever since her life has evolved around skateboarding. From bombing down hills in Ballina, popping ollies in her teens, to skating comps and running events all around the country. From fan-girling over skaters like Shanae Collins - to now being a role model to a lot of little skater girls herself.
“To me, the skatepark is home.”
Tora Waldren is now 26 years old and a well-known face in the South-East Queensland skateboard community.
She founded Girls Skate Brisbane (now WeSkateSEQ) with her friends Sophia Ross, Indigo Willing and Evie Ryder back in 2016/17 when they all saw a need to connect the female skaters in a welcoming and safe community - and simply to find skate mates to hang with in the skateparks.
Together they planted the seeds to a flourishing female skate culture in Brisbane and built a healthy foundation for girls and womxn to evolve in skateboarding.
Supporting girls & womxn by facilitating a safe and welcoming skateboard community is close to her heart. Actually, Tora is all about making everyone feel welcome and have a good time. Whatever the age, gender or music taste. And she encourages everyone to get on that skateboard and start pushing.
“Just start and never stop, cause you’re life’s over once you stop skating”, is Tora’s best advice to rookies.
“Go hard or go home. You WILL hurt yourself in your life, so just do it. Go out and know that there is no pressure, you just have to participate to be a skater, and if you’re a skater you’ve got a bed waiting for you on the other side of the country when you get off the airplane, you’ve got a halfpipe in someone’s backyard just waiting for you to ax yourself on and so much concrete to loose your skin on.”
Yeah, her passion for skateboarding is definitely real.
Just as real as her enthusiasm to support, help and encourage other skaters at competitions and remind them that it really is about the fun. Especially the younger girls can sometimes need a shoulder to cry on and a supportive word or two to boost from. And Tora is all about it.
She’s there to remind everyone that skateboarding is the-best-thing-ever!
“No matter the competition, go in there and have the best time. That’s what it’s all about!”
Yeah! Tora on the BOWLZILLA 2021 mic is definitely a match made in skateboard heaven.
Continued below the photos.
All photos by @yeahrad
Hi Tora, lets get to it. How many times have you competed in Bowlzilla yourself?
This will be my fifth year in a row at Bowlzilla and my first time involved in the event organisation. I am very excited to be sharing the microphone with Tony - and the day with everyone.
Definitely. We’re all SO excited. What does Bowlzilla mean to the local skateboarding community?
For the Gold Coast skate community, Bowlzilla is a stand-out event. It’s spectacular to see so much local talent compete with big interstate names. Unfortunately our community has been restricted as none of our international friends are able to get here.
Yeah, the kids are coming, for sure. Bowlzilla generally seems like a super inclusive community and event, am I right?
The community that Bowzilla has been built by is honest and so welcoming to all. It’s unique event sharing equal prize for men & women and holding room for masters as well. Sad we weren’t able to accommodate for under 12’s this year. Bowlzilla is family and we respect one another, all deserving and equal.
Shari has been on the judging panel for years now, Sass is so great to keep the price money equal the past few years also hosting the lessons and workshops. Last year we held an exhibition with womxn and queer skaters art displayed throughout the event.
Amazing! Do you have any special memories from BOWLZILLA you want share with us?
Most years are pretty insane. Really, really incredible skateboarding. Yet, the best part is always seeing friends and celebrating with everyone - but one of my favourite things is watching idiots skate off the top of the full pipe.
Haha, that sure sounds like quite the show. What makes the BOWLZILLA experience so special - what do we have to look forward to?
Bowlzilla is special to me because it keeps me falling more in love with skateboarding every year. The event has grown a lot over the years and only getting better, good food from the legends at Beach Burrito, insane bowl skating, a great atmosphere and this year you can look forward to me yelling over the microphone for 10 hours.
Sounds pretty good to me. Anything else we should know about BOWLZILLA?
Hot tip, bring shade cover! SEQ is notorious for wild weather this time of year and we’ve had plenty of it around Elanora. Blistering sun then the next minute black skies and heavy rain. No grandstands to keep it Covid safe this year, so everyone needs their own comfort for the day.
Great advice!
And thanks for your time, legend. We can’t wait to see - & hear - you on Saturday.
