SKATEBOARD COMPETITION OPENS IN ETHIOPIA

The first skateboarding competition in Ethiopia organized by Malta Guinness in collaboration with Addis Skate Park was held at Bisrat Gabriel behind Laptho Mall last Saturday in Addis Ababa.

Over 15 skaters participated and the first round of the event that began with a skateboarding training session. The event, which was dubbed “Skate with Malta”, was organized for young Ethiopians and Diageo donated 50,000 birr to Addis Skate Park, the venue where the event took place.

The three winners of the competition were awarded a cash prize ranging from 3000 birr to 1500 birr and a branded skateboard. The event was free of charge and was open to the public.

Malta Guinness brand manager handed the prize to the winners of the competition who finished first to third. During the event, Abel Anagaw, the Malt Guinness brand manager, said: “This event is a great opportunity to engage with young people and promote healthy living in Ethiopia. This donation will enable the young community and all skate park users an opportunity to own and take care of these grounds.”

Addis Skate Park was built by Ethiopia Skate in cooperation with Make Life Skate Life, a non-profit organization that works with local skateboarding communities around the world to create free of charge community-built concrete skate parks.

A professional skater, Natan Eyasu, said: “Our vision is that youths from different backgrounds can come together to have access to free skateboarding facilities and this community can ensure that all members have the means and lead a healthy life.”

Ethiopia Skate was formed in 2013 at the Sarbet parking lot in Addis Ababa. They have been working to empower youth in Ethiopia by providing access to skateboard materials and by creating skate spots. The communities consist of over 150 skateboarders in Addis Ababa and other small towns across the country, with many more eager to join.

In April 2016, they teamed up with Make Life Skate Life and a team of over 60 volunteer skate park builders and skateboarders from around the world to construct Ethiopia’s first and only free-of-charge public skate park, Addis Skate Park.