Barcelona 2012

Words by Ben Perks

Barca may well have been ‘shut down’ many years ago, but who gives a fuck? The

place more than lives up to the hype as the city-sized skatepark also has mountains of

cheap beer, cheap kebabs and hot girls galore.

Only sex trafficking, cult meetings and skateboarding can make groups of strangers

fly abroad and share an apartment - the latter is definitely the most fun. I will clarify

that the group of 12 skaters consisted of the “Sowie” crew (Ali Watson, Ash Wilson,

Danny Holmes, Ben Fenner Stead, Chris Langford, Dan Brown, Andy Ashcroft) some

boys from the capital of sheep shaggers (Conor Charleston, Hywel Burke, Tom and

John Williams) and a Telford lad (Ben Perks) that didn’t really know anyone before

deciding to travel to this skateboarding Mecca.

One week was definitely not long enough to skate the Catalonian city, as any plans

to hit numerous spots on the metro line quickly evaporated when any ‘quick skate’

turned into 4 hours – the spots are just too sick. We were here to hit as much as

possible but also to have a laugh, this is probably why one of the best sessions was on

a pole-jam/hill bomb beautifully situated on the seafront. Still, some shredding went

down on a daily basis, as trying to take it easy and recover from the two-litre pitchers

in the Black Sheep the night before was impossible because the terrain in this city is

just too skateable and tempts the weariest of legs to muster some trick or another. If

you haven’t been to Barcelona book a flight now.

Ali Watson fakie flip MACBA: this place is chilling and full of tramps that smash

up tellys; you don’t get that on Skate 3.

Chupa Chup devourer Conor being keen as ever with an ollie to flat.

Hywel Burke tailslide: Hywel isn’t even Welsh but he held it down for the God’s

country crew with a tail slide at the bottom of another dope hill bomb, by getting

drunk every night and managing to fall in the sea fully clothed when trying to

commandeer a boat when twatted.

Tom busting out the shorts and the footplant hop scotch.

- Ali Watson getting his snoz bonk on.

Ben Perks (myself) ollie over and into a bank: I lost a pair of kegs to this.

Long John Silver: The world’s tallest 16-year old obviously couldn’t fit in his bed

properly, but the apartment we stayed in was amazing and very reasonable - as was

the guy who owned the place who nearly kicked us out for living up to the ‘Brits

abroad’ stereotype, thanks for not doing that.

Ali sticks his tongue out for ‘Danny the Grinner’ in his Espana shorts while doing a

bluntslide revert.

Danny showing what can so easily go wrong as Besos.

Ali Watson floating well above the Besos rail.

Ben Fenner Stead king of the nollie front foot flip wasn’t feeling the strip club; I

don’t know if getting his wallet nicked by a prostitute deterred him at all.

Ali Watson BS feeble: This spot was located right near our hotel and was skated the

most.

Andy Ashcroft enjoying a paddle: It’s a holiday requirement.

‘Gnarly’ Watson gets gnarly yet again with a tail drop into a bank much to the

delight of some Korean basketball players.

Dan Brown Jumping down stairs: Chatting to Dan on the first day at Parallel, he said

he wanted to get on skating again – well he did more that that he killed it. Amazing

what a diet of vegetables and 6 oranges a day can do eh?

Chris Langford getting raw on the seafront with a transfer to side-disaster-thingy, nearly as impressive as when he managed to not spill his beer when getting hit by a Moped when crossing the road – lads on tour!

Ash Wilson and Andy posing for the Camera with true gangsta steez “Lost Art yo!”