Thrasher Magazine

Local hero Nixen Osborne gets sad on the new plank at Belco's iconic bowl

Canberra—the capital city of Australia—is mostly known for its dodgy politicians. But every year in the middle of February, the masses converge towards Belconnen for the annual CBR takeover, better known as the Belco Bowl Jam. A couple of lawless days running riot around the town with an array of street closures, crusty parks, late-night parties and leg wrestling. Beyond the big bowl we added an extra day for the new vert ramp in town. This year’s three-day event was packed with the young and old, and let me tell you, Boganhagen did not disappoint.

This one was a special one, as it was the 24-year anniversary of the jam and it was dedicated to Mike D, who was an influential Canberra skateboarder since the beginning. He was “the voice” behind the Belco Bowl Jam since its inception in 2001. Mike sadly passed away last year, but his spirit lives on with murals in Kambah and Belco. He had a wicked backside boneless, so it was only fitting to add the boneless award in his honor.

The days were long and the nights were even longer, but a huge thanks to Potty, Jim and all the sponsors for putting on yet another unforgettable weekend. See you all next year for the 25th where it will be even bigger and better. —Sam Coady

Photos by Sam Coady and Wade McLaughlin 
Captions by Wade McLaughlin

Starting out stong in the famous U pipe, Steven Pineiro nosepicks Conz' pet statue Sebastian

Omar plants a bean on the deck of what the local council thought a halfpipe was in the late '70s

Still there and still in good nick, just like this guy. Rune half-Cab noseslide

The noping has been rough as guts since forever until a crew put in the work recently. Liam Pace does what might be the first nosegrind

Footloose Jake Yanko hangs onto a slob fastplant

Schaar's in with a head-high indy! Time to move to our first street spot 

Over to Canberra City, the Pace boys Rob and Liam feel out the twisted steel

David Gravette chucked a U-ey with a front 5-0

God of the round bars, Elijah nollie flips outta nosegrind

Rome had a helluva year and he ain't stoppin'. Back Smith through the whole bend

Some local and imported legends: Mashy, Sarge, Lannie, Tom

Over on the Boosted session, Shiloh Catori takes the rail route, backed up by Maurio McCoy frontside flipping out of service

Then a kickflip crooks before Rome gets the reverse nosey, no wuckas

Toa Sasaki gets some, BSNB style. More on this move later

Kicker to rail that would usually be illegal, but anything goes at Belco—it’s about fun! Aussie golden girl, Chlo the Flo throws a frontsy down the stack

Toa, rifling them off from the tail and nose

Corey Nixon, nollie front feeble

Taiga’s biggy front blunt got best trick ... but I fucked the photo. We got it when Jake Yanko flew over Sebastian though!

The people wanted more pipe and more Gary! First rip, Zepp Heyes fireballed up front disaster

Unreal stack session, Schaar front blunts the tippy top

It's UP there

Aus legend Lachie Abbott, no shoes to no tooth

Memories for a lifetime

Canberra letting it rip for the opening night ceremonies. Monster also premiered the new Down Straight Up and it’s a belter!

Saints and Sinners! Some of SC and Creature's best made it out

Day two we got K-White and Gary along with Australian stars Nixen and Hayley

Rob Pace created this menacing drop-down rail and Brad Saunders gets in early with a long front crook

Slam section with Gravette scorpion hunting Down Unda. Listen to the legend Steve Irwin describe the moment

Elijah got the 5-0 through all that and scored some serious pineapples

Robbo with the trifecta

Next up, this oversized 12 rail. "Tradie Guy" may have been all the rage last year, but it was "Footy Guy" who stole the show this time. First to jump on with the front board

He didn’t get AUSOTY for no reason

On point, backside nosegrind

Toa closed it out with a psycho BSNBS

Unlike Tradie Guy, Footy Guy could actually skate, and when crew learned he’d been bikepacking all the way from QLD to Canberra, with nothing but some pots, pans, clothes and a tent, his front board beat Toa’s BSNBS for best trick. Belco marches to the beat of its own drum where Australia’s characters are celebrated

Over to this year's double-set installation. Namndi rips the front tail to flat

Preston Mitchell broke his board on this 5-0 but still got the roll away

Winkowski hucked about 15 fully committed six-flat-seven switch front shuv attempts

He didn’t get the make, but he gave the people a solid show! Onto our main event

RIP MIKE D! Belco’s commentator since forever sadly passed away last year, this one is for you, Mike. Epic mural work by Sid Tapia

Mike D’s closest with his last board and Gravette!

Vertical sensation Arisa Trew gets a look at the competition

Time to kick out the jams. Taniah Meyers heats it up, back T

Ink, homies and dogs, we got it all at Belco!

Invert variations are rare these days, but Grace Marhoefer knows the repertoire

Skippin' channels, switchin' hands, the women's jam was a total spectacle

Arisa Trew with her famed switch Mctwist on lock. What a time to be alive!

Line 'em up! Omar knocks down the empties with a ride-on railslide

Triples is best. Marley Rae, Josh Matwijiw and Nixen Osborne

The Pirate Plank was a welcomed addition this year. Matt Beer with a magic touch backside boneless to fakie

Meanwhile Roman throws a fastplant varial over the ladder

John Worthington in familiar territory, tailblock

And it's high air time! Taiyo Amano takes two grabs to the stars

Mega Ramp Keefer put the stamp on it early

Then started showing off ... Woah!

A bit going on in full attendance

Open jams went off. Matt is from the UK but living in Aus and he’s rad as fuck. You could say he’s a local now. Extended crail air

Rune's back!

Tom Schaar hit the alley-oop lip. Insane-o

Belco regular Jedd Mckenzie caught some flyin' fish

Omar skated hard and even revisited this platform gap to lip that he ticked off the NBD list back in the day

It’s all happening

They're all prizes if you think about it

Gap egg! Roman got the NBD

Also in NBD Town. Steven Pineiro gap to BSNB

Mirrored moves, Roman rips the full frontal

Having never skated the bowl and with no warm up, J-Worth was like a fish in water. Backside boneless in your face

And the show stopper! Tom lets the lid fly over Omar's coffin, 540

In the end, it was inevitable that Arisa and Tom took king and queen of the bowl. Winners are grinners. Who’s going to give these back-to-back champs a run next year?

And it's over to the basement. QLD represent!

IT’S TIIIMMMME!!!!

Berle takes out Survivor AU brawn Jesse Noonan

On his way to regaining that title, Conz gracefully etched out Larry early in the piece. Great view

Jadey the tradie was back to defend her title, but she was no match for secret weapon, Mikayla, AKA Mik Dawg

And now, time for the main event! “It’s getting easier every year” — Big Woody, 2X Belco Leg Wrestling Champion

Sympathy smooch for Conz. How’s the budgie smugglers?!

Time for the tunes! The Veebees set if off

Party cam recap

We ain't done yet! Day three Sunday service at the newly installed vert ramp. Swellbows does it his way

Zedyn Fellows spins 540, all the way up

The Moto show, get that up ya

Puerto Rican Playboy with the money grab

Wouldn’t be Belco without a benihana. Moto doing it for the people

i don’t know what this is so I’ll just call it the Final Boss. No holding back for X-Games

Dreamboat Jake Yanko

Meanwhile with the Creature crew

Last rips, J-Worth gets rad on two wheels. Local homie with the angles

Time for the pub. Footwear, check

“Hey, Conz, we’re going to get tape to strap fireworks to Sebastian,” we say. “He’s got his own tape, mate” he replies. Sure enough, there was some at his feet

Thanks, Canberra and everyone involved in making this event happen. Epic weekend! Maybe Sunday night legless wrestling becomes an event next year too?