Back in the Bay: Taking on skate challenges at the annual Richards Bay Dolosfees Skateboarding Competition 2022

Held annually in the sunny seaside city of Richards bay, The DolosFees is a fantastic amalgamation of everything Zululand has to offer. For the skateboard comp, skaters had to face an array of challenges, including highest and longest ollie comps, best runs and three best trick challenges on a variety of obstacles at Alkantstrand skate park.

By Chantal Graaff.  Photos by LGT Photography, Sphiwe Shandu, Khahliso Makhakhe and Quinton Mathonsi.

The Dolosfees is an annual cultural music and market festival that showcases an array of South Africa’s most prominent acts. This integrated festival features something for everyone from good food and drink to surfing, skateboarding, music arts and culture.

As part of a diverse program, the DolosFees put on a skate comp at the iconic Alkandstrand Skate park in Richards Bay. This year, the first Post-Covid skate competition was hosted in partnership with Minority Skate Co, Zoo York SA, blunt Magazine, Slappy Skate Co, and Wulfpaxx Clothing.

Every year, Pietermaritzburg-based Skate Collective-Minority Skate Co makes the trip up to Richards bay to put the skaters through their paces in a series of fun and, sometimes, gruelling skate challenges.

This Year’s Line Up Featured:

• 2 x 1 minute runs on the Park.
• Highest ollie challenge
• Longest ollie challenge
• Longest powerslide challenge.
• 3 x Best Trick challenges on various obstacles.

“2022 saw the most varied attendance in the competition’s five-year history, with some of KZN’s most recognisable skaters pulling through for the day. Equipped with a series of props and arms full of prize giveaways and merch, the hosts and skaters put on a spectacular showcase of talent and determination under the hot Zululand Sun.”

2022 saw the most varied attendance in the competition’s five-year history, with some of KZN’s most recognisable skaters pulling through for the day. Equipped with a series of props and arms full of prize giveaways and merch, the hosts and skaters put on a spectacular showcase of talent and determination under the hot Zululand Sun.

Main suspects in a slew of skate crimes. Dolosfees skate comp line up.

2022 Dolosfees Skate Comp Results

1 Minute Runs in the park: 

Skaters all gave it their all in this competition for the top spot.

1.  Kalvyn ‘Tink’ MacMillan tore up the concrete in two flawless runs. 
2. Up-and-coming local Sebastiaan Nieuwoudt showcased his consistency and surprised everyone with his near flawless runs. 
3. Cloudy Brothers’ Mike Sparrow came at the park from a completely fresh angle, showing the local skaters a different and creative approach to the park layout.

Kalvyn MacMillan, frontside air.

Highest Ollie: Tylor Huston

Hosts presented the skaters with an adjustable prop, starting on the lowest measurement, with skaters clearing each level to progress. This challenge was a lot of fun, eliminating skaters one by one sending a fair few slamming into the concrete and into the obstacle itself. Tylor Huston holds the record at 81 cm cleared.

Local skater Bevan was a contender in the highest ollie comp.

Longest Ollie: Kalvin Tink MacMillan, followed by Keegan Linda

With another set of props, the hosts demarcated a section of the park for the longest ollie challenge, starting out small, and ending in skaters clearing well over three meters to compete for the top slot.

This, the skaters’ equivalent of the long jump, had skaters pushing it to their limits and flying through the Park. Eventually, it was down to Tink and Zoo York’s Keegan Linda, in an incredibly close match, with Tink upholding his reputation as one of South Africa’s highest flying skaters – clearing an incredible 4.1 metres on a flat ground ollie.

“For the skaters’ equivalent of the long jump, it was down to Tink and Zoo York’s Keegan Linda, in an incredibly close match, with Tink upholding his reputation as one of South Africa’s highest flying skaters – clearing an incredible 4.1 metres on a flat ground ollie.” 

Longest Powerslide: Liam De Villiers

The longest powerslide is a crowd favourite, hosts waxed up a section of the Park, and skaters competed for a set of brand new orbs and Bronson speed Co bearings sponsored by Slappy skate Co. This fun showcase of the skater’s steeziest powerslides saw local skater and surfer Liam De Villiers take the top spot with an incredible powerslide. No official measurement was taken, but we are pretty sure it was halfway to Durban.

Sparrow, backside powerslide.

Best Trick 1: Sparrow

The first best trick challenge saw skaters battle it out on one of the Park’s latest DIY additions—an iBeam glued down in place with Sikaflex®-291. Each skater was given five attempts to land their best trick, but Sparrow took the prize with a steezy front blunt shuv.

“The competition concluded with another crowd favourite, a 10-minute Jam Down the 5-set at the entrance of the Park. The crowd gathered to watch the skaters throw themselves down, throw themselves down the stairs, a notorious board snapper.”

Best Trick 2: Tylor Huston

The second best trick challenge was held on one of the Park’s most skatable obstacles, a concrete hip accessible from both directions. Again, skaters gave it their best shot, coming at the obstacle with a lot of speed and style, but in the end, it was an effortless big spin flip from Tylor Houston taking the top spot.

  Two times best trick challenge winner Tylor Huston, tre flip over the rail.

Best Trick 3: Tylor Huston

The competition concluded with another crowd favourite, a 10-minute Jam Down the 5-set at the entrance of the Park. The crowd gathered to watch the skaters throw themselves down the 5-set, a notorious board snapper, competing for a brand new Minority Skate Co Deck. But, in the end, it was, once again, the effortless steeze of Tylor Huston that took the top spot, this time with a stylish fakie half cab.

Keegan Linda, second place longest ollie comp.

A Word From The Hosts

Minority Skate Co would like to thank the Organisers of the DolosFees for trusting us once again with the task of throwing the annual skate comp.

We would also like to thank our incredible Sponsors, Zoo York SA, blunt Magazine, Slappy Skate co, and Wulfpaxx Clothing, for making this possible. Special mention to Giba Skate Camp and the Durban and Richards Bay local skaters for pulling through for us and always showing support.

We hope next year’s skate comp is even bigger, better, and more refined with even more skaters competing. Catch you at the 2023 Dolosfees – anyone who would like to get involved can contact Minority Skate Co. at minorityskateco33@gmail.com

Sponsors: @dolosfees @zooyorksa @minorityskate_co @bluntmagza @slappyskateco and Wulfpaxx Clothing

Check out more photos from the 2022 Dolosfees Skate Comp below: