Here is a little clip of Tom Flaherty skating in the VSA 1991 Rivers edge comp.
For those that don’t know Tom, or Flaz, he is a Melbourne Legend and wizard of timber ramp and bowl construction. If you want a mini ramp in you back yard, call Tom!
One of Victoria’s most loved timber bowls is the Ring of Fire….built by Tom.
In the same comp Tas Pappas also competed.
Tas won that comp along with many other VSA comps, and then went on to take the crown from Tony Hawk in 1996…with a broken rib!
Tas’ story is captured in All This Mayhem,
Board member and world champion Renton Millar also competed in many VSA comps, and Renton still retains his 1st VSA trophy from 1990 as one of his prized possessions!
The successes of Tas and Renton (Both Victorians!) really does prove the importance of grass roots skateboarding competitions such as VSA’s Skatepark League series, which not only runs to more than 50 events but also incorporates many more disciplines and terrains than just “street”.
Currently the National Sporting Association delivers only one single discipline qualifying event per state per year, and 1 national championship.
Regardless of the NSO’s limitations on competitions, VSA is committed to delivering event volunteer training programs and partner with trusted service providers to allow VSA to deliver events, so that Victorian Skateboarders will have many more opportunities to be their best!
VSA’s origin was back in the late 1970′s when Australia’s 1st champion, Wedge Francis was competing in slalom racing, freestyle and the 1st big ramp comps. The written history is long gone but the oral history survives to this day, and because of that, VSA can easily claim to be Australia’s oldest continuing skateboarding sporting association, predating SbA by at least 20 years.
So when it comes to Skateboarding Sporting Associations…………who’s ya daddy?
Victoria really is the Place to Skate!