Four Wheel Fools

Saturday, 29 July 2017

Bury St. Edmunds Skatepark Experience Summer Jam

All words and photos by Paul Jackson

Since my move to Sugartown back in '01, I've tried to involve myself fully in the skate scene here. From my first discovery of Hardcore Hobbies in it's former home on St. John's Street, my introduction by the HH boys to The Priors on a Thursday night to the skate park. More recently, taking a roll as a Trustee of the charity, Bury St. Edmunds Skatepark Experience, a small group that with the help of St. Edmundsbury Borough Council managed to raise the funds to not only secure the site of the park for years to come, but also replace the tired wooden ramp park with a concrete construction in 2014. With growing council support for the charity to take on the organisation of events at the park we took the plunge and went ahead and held the annual summer jam this year for the first time. The council gave us advice and helped with the administration required, and two councillors that have been great supporters of the park gave a generous donation to cover the cost of running an event (along with the replacement of the lights).
So, on Sunday 9th July we did it. Our first independent event.
With refreshments from The Coffee House, food by The Mobile Pizza Co and Aroy-D Thai Food and first aid support provided by St. Johns Ambulance the jam opened at midday. And it went off!
Various comps were held throughout the day including an amount of scooter events.
Therefore, this article will inevitably contain a load of photos focusing on enthusiasts of the pastime. I think we can all appreciate the bittersweet effect the micro scooter has had on our skateparks and the skate industry. Without the scooter, many of this country's our parks and shops would not exist.
With that said, the Bury scene is as tight as it is due to it's inclusivity. So BMX is also heavily represented. We all get along. Respect is given to anyone that gives it.
And the gnarly in every discipline are rewarded at our summer jam. Deal with it.

(Normal four wheeled service resumes next post!)

The Numbers:

Over £2000 raised to improve our skatepark at Olding Road (IP33 3YU)

76 people signed up to DKMS (We Delete Blood Cancer)

Event sponsors:
Hardcore Hobbies
St Edmundsbury Borough Council
Etnies
Birdhouse
Alien Workshop
Muckefuck
Stay Hard
Four Wheel Fools
Haro
Gusset
Volume Bikes
Collective Bikes
Simple Bike Co.
Proper Bike Co.
Demolition
United Bike Co.
Dominator Scooters
District Scooters
Blazer Pro Scooters

Thanks to:

Little Angels Day Care (for FREE face painting)
Rehearsal Rooms (PA)
The Mobile Pizza Co.
Aroy-D Authentic Thai Cuisine
The Coffee House
Slick Cuts
SGT Magoo
Sickness and Dismay
Illustrious

The Results:

BMX Bowl:
1. Ash Finlay
2. Charlie Cope
3.Ban Callingham

BMX Street:
1. Wichai Saensawat
2. Adam Welton
3. Beans

BMX Newcomer:
1. Marcin Maciolek
2. Jack Roe
3. Jasper Skeads

Scooter Bowl:
1. Josh Tucker
2. Jack Towns
3. Dylan Yallop

Scooter Street:
1. Tristan Mcdonahew
2. Max Bent-Marshall
3. Jamie Ryan

Scooter Newcomer:
1. Calum Lowe
2. Reece Roberts
3. Sam Frost

Skate Bowl:
1. Will
2. Sid Pallot
3. Jake Pervis

Skate Street:
1. Dylan Pooley
2. Alfie Jefferies
3. Will

Skate Newcomer:
1. Charlie Turner
2. Henry Mcbride
3. Riley Lowes

Luke Jarvis Shield:
1. Ash Finlay
2. Max Gill
3. Jacob Carroll

#uk #skateboarding #skatepark #BuryStEdmundsSkateparkExperience #charity #hardcorehobbies #fourwheelfools #new #summerjam #summer #jam #BMX #scooter #volunteering

Thursday, 8 June 2017

Luke Jarvis Getcha Pull Dayer

Words & photos by Paul Jackson

Luke Jarvis inspired the days events. His love for skateboarding, heavy metal and drinking were all very well catered for with King Ramps supplying a miniramp on which Luke's many friends and acquaintances larked around on in the sun while bands played from a lorry body parked in the middle of Stowmarket Town FC's pitch. The club bar was running full tilt all day, with a second bar outside, also with a constant queue.
Organised in the most part by Luke Irons, the day went off without a hitch. Apart from one fruity booter, who managed to knock himself out dropping in to the ramp. I was getting a beer at the time so I missed it, but Warren Munson was filming the entire incident and it can be seen on his Instagram feed. Oh, and the loss of the entire book of raffle ticket stubs. That was a tense 30 minutes! Andy eventually found them in the glove box of his van.

Jarvis made a session. It was strange skating with his close friends and not him. I kept expecting him to do something straight up shitface mental. But he wasn't there in body. He was however in my mind all day. And with his image adorning the back of the makeshift stage, he became a part of the whole event. Even if his static image was stuck in one place. Static is not something I can ever remember Disco being before. Unless unconscious.

So many people have written about Luke since his passing. So I'm just going to proudly leave you with my record of the day and say that it was so heartwarming to see so many paying respect to the one, the only, Luke 'Disco Swayze' Jarvis.