Daredevil skateboarders left cheering crowd in awe at GrindBaru 8 competition
SHAH ALAM - Daredevil skills and loud cheers from audience as left international skate boarders wanting for more.
The participants from Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia were at GrindBaru 8 competition at Shah Alam Extreme Park, Selangor over the weekend.
Kenny Kamil, 19, a contestant from Singapore loved his experience.
“It has been eight years since I joined the skateboarding community and in Malaysia. I started skateboarding in 2017,” he told Sinar Daily.
Asked about the difference in skateboarding in Malaysia and Singapore, he said they do not have a lot of skaters and the events were also quite limited.
“There are frequent events here,” he said.
However, he said, the common stigma is that skaters are rebellious and aggressive.
“But we are very friendly,” he said.
Commenting further he said he was personally invited by the founder of GrindBaru himself to participate in the event.
Meanwhile, Lovely Anne Paulene Painaga from the Philippines said she enjoyed the skateboarding event as the skating areas in her country were smaller.
“In the Philippines, we only skate on the street and I am amazed to see this at the event,” she told Sinar Daily.
The 21-year-old skater also said that the reason why she flew all the way from her country to join the event was because she wanted to experience international skateboarding competition.
“I have tried almost every skateboarding competition in the Philippines and wanted to try my skills overseas,” she said.
Lovely further said that she knew about the event from a friend of hers who lives in Malaysia and was invited to participate in the GrindBaru 8 skateboard event.
Indonesian skater, Panji Nusantara said he wanted to experience the vibe here.
Asked on the differences of skateboarding scene in both countries, the 22-year-old skater said the community in Malaysia is ‘alive’ as audience cheer at every trick. "The energy, loved it,” he said.
