Wondering How the 2017 Vans Park Series Works? We're Going To Break It Down.
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| Photo of Hana Zanzi at the 2016 Vans Park Series in Huntington Beach by Ian Logan |
So, it's a new year and a new system for girls in skateboarding - one that we all need to learn and get used to. With skateboarding's inclusion in the 2020 Olympics, a clear path on how to get there had to be defined and this is the system that has now been put into place so everyone knows exactly how they can start working to make it to the Olympic Games!
*If you are not familiar with The Boardr, they put on the contests for the Vans Park Series and many other events - they make sure that things run smoothly, on-time, and their site keeps stats on all events and skaters.
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| Image via The Boardr |
There are 3 paths to get to the World Championships within the Vans Park Series, and we are going to break them down one by one:
There are both Global Qualifiers and Continental Qualifiers.
GLOBAL QUALIFIERS have 2 categories:
1. Select Pro
2. Tour Pro.
Please Note: For 2017 there is only ONE Global Qualifier for women prior to the Vans Park Series World Championships.
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| Photos By Joanne Barratt |
1. SELECT PRO
These are the girls who placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd last year (2016) at the Vans Park Series World Championships in Malmo, Sweden.
- There are 3 of these girls
- Select Pros this year are; Brighton Zeuner, Jordyn Barratt, and Kisa Nakamura.
- Having earned Select Pro status means theses 3 girls go straight to the semi-finals in Huntington Beach and are able to skip qualifying rounds
- These girls will also advance to the Vans Park Series World Championships
2. TOUR PRO
These are girls whose skating ability is at a certain level and have been selected by the Vans Park Series Committee.
- There are 15 Tour Pro female skaters
- Who are the girls? The 15 skaters will be announced by Vans soon
- 7 of the 15 Tour Pros will advance to the Vans Park Series World Championships
During the Vans Park Series Global Qualifier in Huntington Beach, Select and Tour Pros will compete together once they make semi-finals. The 3 select Pro's are assured to be in semi-finals. Tour pros must work their way there through qualifiers.
DATES YOU SHOULD KNOW:
The one female skateboarding Vans Park Series Global Qualifier - with the 3 Select pros and 15 Tour pros - will take place in Huntington Beach, California during the period of August 1-5, 2017 - exact day TBD
The Vans Park Series World Championships will take place in the USA (location and exact date TBD) in September 2017
In The United States we learn in school that there are 7 continents - in other countries, they learn that there are 5-6. For Olympic purposes, there are FIVE.
3. OPEN DIVISION AT CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
There is an OPEN Division with a separate Vans Park Series "Continental Championships" for any girl who did not get selected as a Tour Pro.
- There are 5 Continents (by Olympic standards), so that means 5 Continental Championships
- Continents are: Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania
- You must compete in the continent where you have citizenship - i.e you can not come to Huntington event if you reside in Europe - this rule is ONLY for OPEN division
- There is a fee (TBD) to enter these Continental Championships
- If you place FIRST in that comp - you then advance to the World Championships
- If you win your region - you will get & keep TOUR PRO status moving forward to next year
- You do not win prize money at these Continental Championships
- There are no age or requirements / or submitting of videos - anyone can compete
- These contests are held at separate times and days than the Select and Tour Pro contests
- The 5 winners (1 each continent) will join the 10 other girls who qualified in Huntington at the World Championships, where all will compete together.
- You can only compete in one Continental Qualifier - you can not go from country to country trying to qualify.
OTHER FACTORS:
Tour Pros are encouraged to also represent their region by competing in both events. However, if a Tour Pro wins a Continental Championship, that Pro will qualify for the World Championship via the Continental path, potentially opening up a spot for another Tour Pro to qualify in via the Global Qualifier.
HOW THE EVENT IS RUN:
Organized jams format for Qualifiers, Semi-Finals, and Finals
- Organized jams format for Qualifiers, Semi-Finals, and Finals
- 5 skater jams, skate in order
- 4 runs each
- Max 30 seconds or skate until you fall
- Judged on overall impression
- Top 20 advance to Semi-Finals
- Top 8 from Semi-Finals advance to Finals
- Cuts may be adjusted based on participation
DATES YOU SHOULD KNOW:
March 2, 2017 - Manly Australia, Women's Continental Qualifier / Oceania
May 2017 - Africa, Women's Continental Qualifier / Africa
May 27, 2017 - Malmo, Sweden, Women's Continental Qualifier / Europa
June 2017 - Asia, Women's Continental Qualifier / Asia
Aug 1- Aug 5 (exact day TBD) - Huntington Beach, California, Women's Continental Qualifier / Americas
** The Vans Park Series World Championships will take place in the USA (location and exact date TBD) in September 2017
OLYMPIC TRIVIA:
We hope this article has helped everyone have a better understanding of the new system. If you have any questions, please let us know and we will do our best to get answers!
Email us at pr@girlisnota4letterword.com
Many thanks to The Boardr for their time and patience in answering all our questions for this article.
*Article updated 8/20/17 with new info under OTHER FACTORS