Calvin Macmillan takes the top title at the 2021 Ballito Pro Skate Jam
Some of the country’s best skaters took to the Ballito Bowl on Saturday, 18 December where they got the chance to showcase their well-honed tricks to a captivated audience. The 2021 Ballito Pro Skate Jam was the setting for some incredibly talented displays but, in the end, it was Calvin Macmillan who took home the R7 500 cash prize for overall win.
“The Skate Jam welcomed a really high standard of competitors and was a fantastic success for the participants and spectators,” said event organiser and judge, Alan Marola. “This is always a great platform to start young skaters in a bowl, and all the kids were ripping it out there! There’s really some amazing talent in South Africa.
“Congratulations to all the competitors for spectacular performances and we’re and a big thanks to all those who came out to support the talent. I’d also like to extend special thanks to our sponsors Volcom, Fallen Footwear US, Re/Max Dolphin Realtors, Oakley and Monster, as well as our hosts KwaDukuza Municipality for their invaluable support.”
All first-place winners received a generous hamper supplied by the sponsors with Calvin Macmillan taking home the overall R7 500 cash prize, and Murray Sharp receiving R2 500 for pulling off the best trick of the day.
Macmillan (33) has been a competitive skater for a number of years, commented: “It’s always great to skate an event that’s well-supported and that’s exactly what we all got from the Ballito community. It always makes a huge difference when there’s hype from the crowd to push the skaters to their limits during contests.
“I’ve grown up with most of the guys and we are all friends who support one another. We are all focused and would like to win, but we’re equally as stoked to see our homie next to us take it. At the end of the day, it’s about having a good skate session with your friends, having fun and pushing each other’s limits. I don’t ever enter to win, I enter to skate as best I can with my friends and have a good time – and whatever happens, happens! I made the finals and skated with friends and, this time around, I took the win and I’m stoked about it. All in all, the event was amazing – a great turnout and hopefully we will continue to grow it year on year.”
The uMhlanga Rocks resident also extended his thanks to everyone involved in making the skate jam a success: “Big thanks to KwaDakuza Municipality, Re/Max and Dallas Oberholzer for the revamp and build of the bowl last year. Dallas is a good friend and he’s been giving back to the skate community for years. This bowl is a great facility for kids to learn and hopefully we can add to it and build more each year.”
He said that watching the progression of the youngsters, particularly the female skaters, has been rewarding: “There are exciting times ahead and l look forward to seeing what these girls and groms are going to end up doing. Big thanks to Volcom, Fallen Footwear and Monster for backing the event, and to all the guys behind the scenes for making sure it happened.”
2021 Ballito Pro Skate Jam Results
Women’s Division
1st Jessica Louw
2nd Caetlyn King
3rd Ella van der Merwe
Boys U16
1st Ezra Vosloo
2nd Cooper Smith
3rd Levi Vosloo
Men’s Open
1st Calvin Macmillan
2nd Brandon Valjalo
3rd Khule Ngubane
Best Trick
Murray Sharp
Ballito Pro Festival Programme
The skate jam forms part of The Ballito Pro Festival Programme which has been hosted at outdoor venues across KwaDukuza between 9 and 19 December. Also forming part of the festival was a number of family-fun activities at Willard Beach, fantastic retail options, outdoor eateries and live music after dark. Sarah Ferguson, the founder of Breath Conservation, ran the Ballito Pro Environmental Awareness Campaign and Programme which included a guided marine walk, pop-up snorkel day and the Slip Slop campaign.