Van Doren Invitational at Vancouver

It's Paul Zitzer and I running this one up here in Vancouver while Clements, Porpe and the rest of the #boardrboys are in LA at The Berrics running adidas Skate Copa. Paul's doing straight up classic skateboard business on the landline in the hotel room. Nearby is a printout of his flight itinerary. I don't know about all these analog tactics. Maybe only on Throwback Thursdays.

The day before, the bowl had a fresh coat and empty canvas for some local artists to get to work on.

The devil is in the details.

That's Rhino putting aside the pro camera gear for an Insta or Omar's meron over the hip. Rhino's here with the whole Thrasher crew. They're doing a live webcast of the Semi-Finals and Finals today at 2pm.

Our local judge and chill time tour guide is Mike Prangnell. Thanks for the number crunching and Vancouver fact dispensing, Mike.

Sluggo killed it today and just made the cut to the Semi-Finals. At 44, he's the oldest dude in the Contest, with Tom Schaar being the youngest at 14. 30 years apart and both killing it. I love skateboarding's diversity like that.

Watch for a Bru Ray from this well traveled man.

Rene Rene with a new friend that couldn't get in the Contest. Thanks for the microphone entertainment.

Cardiel is here DJ'ing and giving out two grand for the Cardiel Cash Best Trick.

Ben Raybourn is automatically in the Semi-Finals today from a special invite from Vans. I'm looking forward to seeing the shred from this young man with an old soul.

Riley Stevens warms up before his run.

The perch for the weekend.

Being from Florida, mountains are always an amazing site. The crowd is starting to fill the stands.

Every time I come to Vancouver, there seems to be a permanent smell of herb in the air. Alex Chalmers is below the judges stand sending us smoke signals.

Robbie Russo floats a frontsider over the hip.

Pause for a webcast gear check.

We had some time after the Contest to roll through town being skateboard tourists.

There are some postcard neighborhoods around here.

Speaking of late night sausage, it's time to head to the after-party.

Paul Zitzer loves a good pat down.

We are the first ones in the club tonight. Or we could say this is at 4am and we're the last ones in the club.

Clint Peterson is on the judging staff here. Now we're in at Bryce's photo show and enjoying a nice walk down memory lane through the super tight work of Bryce over the last three decades.

Cards was killing it on the sounds.

Casual art observers documenting their appreciation.

I like the bathroom stall style display.

Just as the crowd starts to pick up, us responsible workers have to bounce for good night's rest for a big day following.

Cody is one of my new favorite bowl skaters after this weekend. Frontside frip meron!

Sluggo skated just like he looks, like a strong grown man. This method to fakie reminds me of Mike V.

Raven floats these rocket Gonz ollies over the small hip that looked so good.

Cody Lockwood with a frontside tailgrab over the small hip.

This is a first time I've seen Chris Russell skate in person. He's only 17 and definitely earns his spot on the Creature team.

Two filmers P-Stone and Jared. One kills and consumes beers and the other kills and consumes wild boar.

Those stands were like giant people cookers in this sun. Hopefully you got an umbrella.

Rene Rene putting Ben Raybourn on blast.

All of those ripping tunes you heard by DJ Vinyl Richie are on 45's.

A frontside smith grind with sauce flying by Riley Stevens.

Get your John Hancocks in from John Cardiel.

Alex Sorgente is just 16 and seems to have grown up overnight. See the hip way down there below this stale fish?

Omar's still killing it out there as usual.

Before Ben Raybourn comes down from this frontside air, he's going to switch grabs to a mute air.

Curren Caples floated big snaps all around the park. I spent a lot of time in the judges' perch at this angle.

Kevin Kowalski's got a crazy frontside invert over that hip.

Behind the scenes at Raven's Instagram.

These dudes came super early and set up their own scaffolding seating section right outside the fence.

Tom Schaar was the youngest one out there at 14 and one of the crowd favorites.

This hip his huge into the deep end. Raven's got a good looking Indy.

This guy won Big Hair.

Rene Rene gave out the Cardiel Cash during Best Trick. Hopefully you came up on a bill or two.

Sky Siljeg got some.

Reney Beres climbs out of the bowl shortly after this slam attempting an NBD transfer into the big bowl.

Congrats Alex for taking first today! Thanks Vans for another ripping weekend of bowl shred at the VDI. The next one is in a couple weeks in Huntington Beach.