La Kantera Pro Pool Contest 2016 in Bilbao, Spain

La Kantera Pro Pool Contest 2016 from Confusion Magazine on Vimeo. Video / Edit: Jonathan Hay

Words and Photos by Fred Ferand

If you are Californian, this seems easy… pool riding, sun, sea … just another day.

For us Europeans, it’a different story. You can count the European backyard pools with two hands. Luckily, we have Bilbao, Spain. The Basque Country has concrete bowls in almost every city, great weather, great food, great waves and great people. So when a contest is held at the famous La Kantera skatepark, you really need to hit the road and enjoy the show.

Txus and his crew asked the judges to emphasize real pool riding vs. tricks, and it showed under the eyes of thousands of spectators (in the stands around the pool or on the grass watching the big screen).

Sean Goff rode faster than ever with tricks in every part of the pool and claimed the first place over Diego Doural who blasted high airs in the deep. The master contest level was really good; from Dickie to Salba, there was a lot of gnarlyness. One special holler to the poor Kako, who took a tough bail and ended up with a broken arm! Heal fast, buddy!

In the pro contest, the red hot Alex Sorgente ended up with the title with really long runs, high airs and so much style. In second place, Danny Leon from Madrid was really close from winning, I have to mention Ivan Federico who is better each time I see him, Josh Borden, a crowd favorite, Kalle Berglind, last year’s winner, Chris Russell who did not enter the contest, but won the best trick, Robin Bolian and a bunch of local kids who ripped so hard.

Thanks to La Kantera contest organization, Melvin and Johan Berglind for the ride.