The 33rd edition of the SEA Games saw continental-level shredding in the disciplines of Street and Bowl in Bangkok this past week, as part of the wider programme which included 50 different sports and more than 10,000 competitors from sports-mad nations of the south-east Asia.

World Skate were on hand to offer guidance and insight in the judging of both events.

With competitive skateboarding becoming such a boom aspect of the culture particularly throughout Asia, events like the SEAGames provide two huge benefits to the athletes involved: professionally- adjudicated contests and big-game experience, both of which are vital in helping the skateboarders understand what future events for them might look and feel like.

Professional, standardised adjudication allows participants to gauge where their talents lie on an international scale and by extension where they can improve should they wish to join the World Skateboarding Tour and beyond as representatives of their nations.

Among those who did well in Bangkok were some names which might already be familiar to followers of the WST: among the double Bowl gold for Philippines were Kiko Francisco and Mazel Paris who are both familiar faces on the Tour.

Rounding out the Men’s Bowl podium were Konwit Ketkaeo with Thailand’s first Bowl silver, and compatriot Brian Upapong in a strong showing for Thai skateboarding on home turf.

Not content with two medals in Men’s Bowl, Thailand also scooped a bronze in Women’s Park courtesy of Freya Brown, who came in behind Philippine Elizabeth Amador for silver in a strong overall showing for the Philippine team here in Bangkok.

It took Indonesia to break up the Thai-Philippine podium dominance in the Street contests which took place last Sunday night: while the Women’s event was won in some style by Chunkao ‘Mini’ Udomphen, who only picked up skateboarding through finding one as a display in her parent’s coffee shop during the pandemic.

She romped home 30 points clear of Indonesia’s Wayalan Fairbrother in silver and Thai Olympian Vareeraya Sukasem in bronze position.

Indonesia flipped the script in Men’s Street, however, with Basral Graito Hutomo stomping his last trick - a Biggerflip Frontside Boardslide- to seal victory, ahead of 11-year old Thai prodigy Kirin Petkiree and fellow countryman Thawatchai Siangouang in third place for what seems certain to be a pleasing medal tally for the host nation.

Our thanks and gratitude for this shared experience goes out to all involved both in participation and organisation.

Photos courtesy of Mr Wasuwat/ Thailand Extreme Sports Association.