Author: skatedsm1

DES MOINES – Skate DSM, a local nonprofit dedicated to making skateboarding fun and accessible to all, announced today that it will host the first-ever Des Moines Streetstyle Open, a skate contest from September 23^rd – 25^th with prize money held at locations throughout the Des Moines region. The Des Moines Streetstyle Open is modeled after what is known as the “best” international skate competition, the Copenhagen Open. This multi-day event, presented by Jethro’s BBQ will take place throughout the Des Moines metro with skate contests moving from spot to spot, with the final contest held at the Lauridsen Skatepark. This event will feature some of the world’s best skaters, as well as talented skaters from the Midwest and of course, right here in Des Moines.

“With skateboarding’s debut in the 2020 Olympics and the opening of our new world-class Lauridsen Skatepark, in downtown Des Moines, we are seeing an explosion of new and former skaters in the region” said Norm Sterzenbach, President of Skate DSM. “This will be a great opportunity for us to host an amazing one-of-a-kind event and showcase our great city,” Sterzenbach said.

Jethro’s BBQ will be this year’s presenting sponsor. “We at Jethro’s BBQ our proud of our dynamic City and our new one of a kind, world-class skatepark. Jethro’s is excited to be the presenting sponsor of the first ever… Des Moines Street Style Open, said Bruce Gerleman, Founder of Jethro’s BBQ. “Visitors from around the country will be impressed with everything our City has to offer. I invite everyone to visit our 8 Jethro’s BBQ locations throughout the Metro and enjoy our first class hospitality and World Famous BBQ,” Gerleman said.

Red Bull will take part in the 3-day skateboard event in Des Moines, supporting a number of activities (on and off the skateboard) as part of their Red Bull Drop In program. Additionally, professional Red Bull skaters will be on the ground in Des Moines to participate.

Polk County Supervisor and Board Chair Angela Connolly added “We are very proud that Skate DSM is able to bring the Des Moines Streetstyle Open to Polk County. We knew the opening of the Lauridsen skatepark would bring a new sense of excitement and new events to the community. We are proud of Skate DSM of their commitment to make our community a skating destination for all ages and skill levels with events like this. We are sure between their passion and our world class skatepark, this will be one of many events to call Polk County home.”

Event Details

Thursday, September 23

4pm – Welcome to town Streetstyle Jam

Subsect Skate Shop, 309 E. Walnut St

Select skaters will compete on various elements on E. Walnut St including a jump ramp/wall ride best trick contest hosted by Street Plant and judged by Mike Vallely.

Friday, September 24

Select skaters will compete in skate contests at various skate spots throughout the metro.

11:00am – Iowa State Capitol Center Plaza, Des Moines  

2:00pm – Railroad Park, West Des Moines

Includes contests for all ages including Tic Tac Races, Highest Ollie Contests and more

4:00pm – Skate to Legion Skatepark

5:00pm – Legion Skatepark Competition

8:00pm – SIDE-LOT Video Premiere, The Hall, West Des Moines

Saturday, September 25

11:00am 1:00pm – Streetstyle Open Men’s/Women’s Qualifiers, Lauridsen Skatepark

1:30pm – 2:30pm – Semi-Finals

2:30pm – Finals

TBD – Best Trick Contest

Awards Ceremony immediately following

6:00pm – After-Party at Captain Roy’s featuring Mike Vallely and the Complete Disaster

To learn more, or to register, go to DesMoinesStreetstyleOpen.com.   

###

Skate DSM is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the positive aspects of skateboarding by leading fun and educational skating programing for new and advanced skaters at all levels of the sport. Programming will include: Clinics, private events, regional and national events including an annual contest.

2021 Summer Dew Tour to be Held May 20-23 at the New Lauridsen Skatepark

Home of the nation’s largest skatepark, and will serve as the only U.S.-based global Olympic skateboard qualifying event in 2021. Sanctioned by world skate as pro tour level events for men’s & women’s skateboard street and park

(Carlsbad, Calif.) March 23, 2021 — Mountain Dew® and Accelerate360’s ASN: The Adventure Sports Network Group announces its annual summer Dew Tour skateboard competition and festival is moving to Des Moines, Iowa, and will be held May 20-23, 2021 at the brand new Lauridsen Skatepark.  The event will include World Skate sanctioned men’s and women’s skateboarding Street and Park competitions, serving as the only U.S.-based global Olympic skateboard qualifying events for 2021. Skateboarding will make its debut at the Olympic Games this summer in Tokyo, which was rescheduled in 2020 for July 23 – August 8, 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. READ MORE

Be the first to get your hands on the new t-shirt so you can show your support for Skate DSM. Our new shirt was designed by Skate DSM Board Member, skater, and all-around good dude, Tim Tucker.

Skate DSM has big plans for 2021. With your help, and so many others, the largest skatepark in the nation will be right here in Des Moines. With the new Lauridsen Skatepark set to open in the Spring, we are raising money to help us fund clinics, events, and activities at the park to make skating accessible to all. All proceeds from these shirts will help us fund our efforts.

Click here to get your Skate DSM t-shirt today!

Construction crews have left the Lauridsen Skatepark job site for the winter, but will return in the early spring. It will take approximately two more months to complete the skatepark and have it ready to open by May 22nd, which will be the date of the official grand opening. Please allow crews to finish the construction so it will be ready to open by the grand opening date. We know you are all as stoked as we are to start skating, but we are asking to please hold tight a little bit longer.

Continue following Skate DSM and the Lauridsen Skatepark website, Facebook, and Twitter, for grand opening details and more information!

LAURIDSEN SKATEPARK PROJECT SLATED TO BE COMPLETE IN THE FALL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 24, 2020

GREATER DES MOINES, IA (April 24, 2020) – The Lauridsen Skatepark in Downtown Des Moines (DSM) is on track to be completed this fall, the projects leaders announced today. Spring construction began on April 1.

To-date, nearly 30% of the construction work has been completed, including site rough grading, the majority of site utilities and all of the concrete retaining walls. Once complete, the skatepark will be the largest in the country.

“We are pleased to see this project continue to move forward and are thankful to all the partners and funders who stepped up to put us in a position to continue full steam ahead heading into construction season,” said Angela Connolly, a Polk County Supervisor and co-chair of the skatepark fundraising committee. “This project is an example of what we can accomplish when we work together with a common vision and goal.”

Skatepark leaders previously announced the completion of the $6.3 million fundraising goal. The Polk County Board of Supervisors is managing the project, which is adjacent to the Principal Riverwalk between Second Avenue and the Des Moines River. Five acres of land were donated by the City of Des Moines for the project. The 88,000-square-foot skatepark will have the capacity to host national and international competitions.

Additionally, the WOW skateable sculpture design has been finalized and the fabrication is underway. The sculpture was designed by renowned artists Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt of R & R Studios in Miami, Fla.

Learn more about the Lauridsen Skatepark on the skatepark’s website. See a live feed of the construction here.

If you haven’t heard the big news going around the Des Moines metro skateboarding community, don’t worry — we’ve got your back!

Earlier this month Skate DSM, a new non-profit with a mission to make the Des Moines community a place where skateboarding is a celebrated activity, officially launched!

Founded by Norm Sterzenbach, Tom Miller, Brad Anderson, Kevin Jones, Jami Milne, and Tim Tucker, Skate DSM will develop and implement programming for skateparks across Central Iowa that are designed to benefit the local skateboarding community.

Skate DSM is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.