SK8ER VIBES
The 25th Annual Wave Rave Skate Comp transformed the Mammoth Lakes Volcom Brothers Skatepark into a vibrant showcase of skateboarding talent and community spirit.
Despite unpredictable weather—with snow atop Mammoth Mountain and rain at the park—the event went ahead as the sun ultimately broke through.
As the temperature rose, so did the energy of the park. The typically quiet edges of the bowls were lined with spectators lounging on the concrete.
Kids of all ages, clad in knee pads, jorts, and helmets, wandered about, excitedly chatting and awaiting their competition times.
This was my first introduction to the skate community. As I meandered through the crowd, one observation became clear—everyone seemed to know each other. In fact, it felt like everyone was friends with each other.
“A lot of people I went up against were friends that I grew up skating with in San Diego before I moved up here,” said Braden Prescott, winner of the Men’s Open Street competition.“I was homies with at least four of the people I was going up against.”
Prescott’s family and friends were in attendance, which he said helped him perform at his best.
“The difference between me last year and me this year was like night and day,” he said. “I was smarter about saving some of my better tricks for last.”
Through the jumps and falls of the day (and there were plenty of wince-worthy ones!), all eyes were on the athletes, and this attention seemed to propel them forward.
“When I skate for myself, I already know what I can do and it gets boring,” said Norah Hinson, winner of the Shredder Street Girls 13-15 division and the Women’s Open Bowl. “When my friends are here, I somehow skate better.”
And she certainly skated better.
Hinson attempted a new trick during her competition, riding above a ledge on the wall of the bowl, and nailed it. Then, she did it again. She celebrated her successes with ice cream, she said.
Young Koa Benchetler also drew strength from the cheers as a crowd favorite. He won the Micro Grom Street Boys 6 & Under competition and went on to become a finalist in the Men’s Open Bowl category.
“[The energy] felt really good, I don’t really get that anywhere else except for Mammoth,” he said.
The hype was especially strong for 71-year-old Bev Bihler and 63-year-old Mike Raden, who were the sole competitors in the oldest age group
The sense of community cultivated by the event has also fostered inclusivity. Last year, the competition saw the highest number of female contestants ever, and this year, they continued to make their presence felt.
“I was really impressed with the women’s division, especially the women’s street,” said Steve Klassen, owner of Wave Rave. “There were so many kickflips that went down.”
This increase in female participation is partly due to women-oriented social groups like Part Time Babe Club, which was founded at the Volcom Skate Park after COVID-19. Their goal is to get more girls on boards.
“We don’t want to compete; we just want camaraderie,” said the club’s founder, Mel Maningat.
She almost didn’t participate in this year’s competition. But she promised the club she would drop in if they convinced three other hesitant girls to enter as well.
“It’s really important to have female representation, to show women that they can do it, and that we’re here together,” said Savannah Nickells, Part Time Babe Club crewmember and contestant.
