When we last spoke to Central Mass Skate Festival organizer, Mike Girard, he was elbow deep in poison ivy trying to make sure the roadways were clear just days before the ninth iteration of his staple East Coast event was set to take place. After clearing up, Girard hopped on the phone to tell us all about the history of the Harvard-based event from brutal big air slams to dubstep raves in the local pool hall. You can check out the back story here.
Without further ado, this year's event seemed to go off without a hitch as the shredding commenced for an epic three-day showdown. While we may have been watching the social media coverage from the other side of the country, the recap shots from staff photog, Khaleeq Alfred, give a good idea of the insanity that went down at this year’s event. Have a look:
Friday: Mini Ramp Jam & Street Course
Saturday: Downhill Race & Freeride
Sunday: Slide Jam & Big Air
Monday: Clean Up
With Cen Mass 9 in the books, we're reminded of another point in our discussion with Girard where he confirmed that next year’s Central Mass 10 would be the last event in the series. With the amount of work it takes to pull off such a large event every year, Girard’s announcement was made with solid intentions and an intriguing setup for the upcoming year.
Speaking on this Girard said, “Rather than have it fade out of existence and cancel it out of nowhere, I figured we would celebrate the 10 year anniversary and go out with a bang.” In an effort to save any heartbreak or disappointment from a random termination, the local skateboarding community has a whole year to get their trips planned for could potentially be the greatest Central Mass Skate Festival yet. In addition, the community will still benefit from Girard’s continued efforts in organizing the IDF-sanctioned Gravity Fest 11 and Killington World Cup events, both taking place this coming September.
In the mean time, those who attended Central Mass or just want to capture a bit of the legacy for themselves can enter the Central Mass 9 Video Editing Contest. With top notch footage from the event and top notch prizes to pair, hopeful editors can enter the contest here and take until September 10th to get their submissions in.
All photos shot by Khaleeq Alfred & authorized to use by Mike Girard.
