Donny Barley with a speedy ollie north on the Girl obstacle



Practice for the Vans Downtown Showdown commenced today. Things officially started at 4 pm and ran until 9:30 pm. Let’s take a journey through all of the obstacles so that when you watch the live webcast you will have brain skated everything already. As you may or may not know, the Vans Downtown Showdown consists of obstacles designed by skateboard companies. This year the companies that are taking place in the build are Girl, Black Label, Foundation and Zero. Today was a mellow day if you will. Don't be fooled, some great skating went down for sure it just seemed like everyone was having good time and skating, pure and simple. No pressure situation, the way it should be. Tomorrow, when the finals start at 5 pm Hollywood time, the bangers will be going down for sure.



Find the biggest, craziest gap in the whole place and chances are good that Jake Duncombe will be doing some crazy stuff over it. Jake welcomes you to hell otherwise known as the Zero obstacle with a kickflip. Don’t be surprised if Jamie Thomas throws some water and sharks in that gap by tomorrow


Josh Hawkins on the Black Label obstacle


The Foundation obstacle is going to be the gnarliest feature


Black Label put together a sold obstacle this year, guess they always do, really. Basically a big gap/ledge followed by a stair set with a flat bar down it. While neither the gap or the stair set are particularly huge, getting a good two trick combo will be challenging; hitting the gap then immediately rolling into the stair set with something good. There’s going to be a lot of great skating going down here as there options for skaters to get tech or go big or both. Shane Borland locking into a smith grind


Nick Garcia


Chris Pfanner over the gap section


Aldrin Garcia is part of the Powell team, a new team for the Downtown Showdown this year


Danny Cerezeni, you got it, on the gap of the Black Label deal


The Girl Obstacle just plane looks like a hella fun set up. Basically it’s two little half bowls connected together with a set of bumps. While even a beginner could skate this, it will be amazing to see what pros bust out, so much potential in this fun zone. Donny Barley taking advantage of the fine curves that the Girl obstacle offers. This is something anyone would love to have in their backyard


It’s two mini ramps, it’s a bowl, it’s a mini gap, its’ a big gap, it’s a race car track...lots of fun options here


Elijah Berle, boneless one


See, told you-racetrack


Elijah Berle puts the pedal to the metal and goes for the big ollie transfer from bump to pocket


Not a whole lot of skating went down on the Foundation obstacle today but what did go down there was no joke. This thing will separate the men from the boys and madness will go down for sure. Vincent charges


Abdias Rivera rides for Foundation and, coincidently, is shown riding the Foundation obstacle


Zero is building an obstacle this year


The Zero obstacle was the latest in getting finished, maybe 8:30 pm and practice was only supposed to go until 9 pm. Relax, they not only extended practice until 9:30 pm but also extended it for tomorrow morning so everyone can get their licks on it before the big show. It’s basically a volcano with a gap across the middle and a half moon rail up top, use it as a quarter pipe, as a gap or even a rail obstacle. Cody Haggo, boneless


What looks like a simple volcano at first glance, upon closer inspection reveals a big gap, via bank to bank, to jump over in the middle, a mini mega, if you will. Kieran takes a benihana to the gap


blunt action


Jake in a familiar spot - going big


In an earlier post it was stated that the Vans Downtown Showdown was built by skaters. If you did not believe us, here then, is in fact one of the builders, Patrick Nagy getting a krooked in during practice