The Mystery of the Belmonte Bowl in Portugal

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Skateboarding in Portugal Quandary in the Quarry - The Mystery of the Belmonte Bowl. 

  • It’s a kidney shaped bowl, wrapped around a half-pipe that leads to a fullpipe ending in a cradle
  • BELMONTE SKATEPARK

The village of Belmonte (population: ca. 3500) lies towards the northeastern part of Portugal. It’s head of a rural municipality where you can find about 54 people per square kilometre and where they’re highly likely to be advanced in years, as the ratio of elderly to young people is close to 3:1. Towards the northeastern part of the village, not far from the local Intermarché supermarket, there’s a small residential neighbourhood facing an abandoned quarry. Inside this quarry sits one of the biggest skate bowls in the world.

 

It’s a kidney shaped bowl, wrapped around a half-pipe that leads to a fullpipe ending in a cradle. The pictures should help make this clearer. It’s close to 4 metres deep and has almost a full metre of vert all around. There are oververt extensions over a metre tall. It’s a beast of a thing, especially when you consider the standards of skateboarding and skateparks in Portugal. Anyone that sees it immediately asks himself “What the hell is this doing here?” And it seems to me to be a fair, reasonable question.

Anyway, when faced with a Portuguese skate-related mystery, there’s always one thing you can do, and that’s call up Luís Paulo. This dude was the first Portuguese skater ever to get sponsored, one of the few to have met Tony Hawk and the only one to have done an aerial over him, so he’s been in the game for a bit and knows his shit. I thank him for giving us the lowdown on this one.

Apparently the whole idea came from the Belmonte Municipality. They are close to Serra da Estrela, the only ski resort in Portugal, where there’s also quite a bit of downhill biking and hang gliding going on in the summer, so they figured a skatepark would attract some of that crowd and get some more visitors to come to the village. Not a bad intuition

However, as it often happens, they didn’t consult any skateboarders before diving into the project. At the time, the largest skatepark in the world had just been built in Shanghai (SMP Skatepark – it’s since been surpassed by the one in Guangzhou) and the architects hired to do the job in Belmonte decided to take inspiration from one of its sections. They did an impressive job: the bowl is nicely tucked inside the quarry walls, the transition is good and the full pipe and cradle look amazing. The only problem is that vert skaters in Portugal are thin on the ground. They did build a street section above the bowl, but unfortunately they didn’t study this subject as well as the transition bit, and it’s just unskateable.

As it is, the Belmonte Skatepark, which was inaugurated in April of 2011, is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a still pristine coping. We have seen examples of what can go down at that bowl when the right people find it, but they’ve been few and far between. In 2012, Jake Phelps and the Thrasher crew (P-Stone, Rhino) came by and brought Peter Hewitt, Pedro Barros, and Grant Taylor for some serious ripping. One year later the Carve Wicked team (Sam Pulley, Alex Perelson, Sam Beckett, Rob Smith, etc.) also dropped some hammers. But the place can take it. In fact, it’s begging for it. If you’re into big walls, start planning that trip and type this into your GPS.

By Sebastião Belfort Cerqueira

Mafra skatepark tour with the crew

Next stop on our mission to visit all the skateparks in the world is the new Mafra skatepark in Portugal Now that we've almost mapped out all the skateparks in the world, it's time for our next mission: visit them all. Special thanks to Bana skateshop for sponsoring our first spot, to Patrick Costa for the show and to Rodrigo Simão for filming and the video edit. We started our trip to Mafra with a couple of street spots and then went to check out the new skatepark in Parque Desportivo Municipal de Mafra. The new 1.648,91 m2 Mafra skatepark is a wooden park, built by Academia dos Patins in 2023. Mafra skatepark is made up of 3 different sections, featuring a bowl, jump area and street section.  Visit Mafra skatepark

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Whether you’re heading out to the next town over or abroad to a new country when you take your board with you, the possibilities are endless, and Trucks and Fins can navigate the skate along the way or even help find a place to stay.  Though it may feel awkward to carry and seem like extra weight at first, the benefits of bringing your skateboard will soon reveal themselves in more ways than one. Between waiting for buses, taxis, trains, and all the downtime that travel provides, your board is sure to keep you occupied when you're not seeking out new skate spots or exploring a new city on four wheels. With a board in tow, you have the ability to get from point A to point B, all while expressing the creative outlet we call skateboarding. As you hit the streets to take in the new sights, sounds, and smells, the pure joy from kicking, pushing, and rolling in a foreign place is a feeling second to none.  “Skaters respect other skaters no matter where they may find themselves in the world and there’s a special connection in a shared passion and lifestyle” Besides skating legendary spots, parks, and plazas, you’ll quickly learn your skate doubles as a universal language for making new friends. Not to mention it helps you navigate language barriers and tap into skating’s tight-knit subculture. Skaters respect other skaters no matter where they may find themselves in the world and there’s a special connection in a shared passion and lifestyle. Skating knows no boundaries, no borders, nor skin colour because every skater knows how much, blood, sweat, tears, and time goes into the learning process. When you meet other skaters, there’s an unspoken bond that brings high fives and high vibes in whatever corner of the globe you may find yourself in.  Skating can be a tool to clear one’s mind, let off steam, challenge yourself, be present, and rediscover the learning process. Besides helping you get around, it’s a useful tool to have when traveling long-term and can be all the above and more. You may even inspire others to get on a board or help a groom cruise for the first time. Each skate mission will give you a glimpse into the local skate culture and diversity of skaters worldwide. You’ll meet new friends, skate legendary spots you can only dream of, and make memories to last you a lifetime. All made possible by a wooden toy and the desire to ride.  “Becoming friends with locals is always a powerful travel experience, leaving you with the feeling that you were fully immersed and a part of the city” When you arrive at a new destination, just show up at the local, and you’ll be in the neighbourhood crew before you know it. Young or old, beginner or professional, skateparks serve as places for people of different backgrounds to interact with each other. When you’re on the road, stopping by the skatepark or DIY spot is one of the best ways to take in the vibe of a unique place and meet new people. No matter where you are in the world, skaters are gonna skate. Becoming friends with locals is always a powerful travel experience, leaving you with the feeling that you were fully immersed and a part of the city, town, or village you were visiting. On your journey, you can’t forget to make a stop to support the local skate shop. Around the world, skate shops serve as a catalyst for developing and sustaining the local skate community. It's a place to gather and chop it up to gain some insight into what you should really see and do in a new place. When traveling, the best advice is always from people who actually live there. A skate shop is the root of a city’s skate culture, and it brings people together. Skate shops are much more than a storefront, they support real people and put their money back into the local skate scene. Skate shops around the world always have a welcoming atmosphere that illustrates just how vibrant the skate community is. “Travel and skating are all about freedom, creativity, and thinking outside the box. When you combine the two, you’ll experience the best of both worlds” Traveling with a board taught me how skateboarding and traveling are similar in many ways. Through both, you must be present and only concentrate on the now. Skateboarding, like traveling, has always taught me about patience, persistence, never giving up, and mental toughness. Both prepare you to adjust when a mistake arises and to keep trying when something doesn't go your way. They teach you to adapt when things don't go correctly and push you out of your comfort zone to try new things. On the road or on your board, there’s a humbling feeling when you fail or fall down, leaving you to get back up and do it again through sheer determination.  Freedom, creativity, and individuality are values of skateboard culture. There is no question that skaters are unrelentingly dedicated to the progress of the sport and welcome anyone who has the courage to get on board. The skate community is built on mutual respect. Instead of one-upping each other, skaters continually encourage each other and embrace their differences, something ever so prevalent when you travel the world with your board. Travel and skating are all about freedom, creativity, and thinking outside the box. When you combine the two, you’ll experience the best of both worlds.  So when it comes to packing for that next trip, make sure you leave enough room to bring your board. Your skateboard will take you to places you could only dream of and give you memorable experiences that will stay with you long after your adventure is concluded. With 85 million skaters around the world, you’ll be sure to find your tribe when you travel, and all you’ll need is your board.  Website Bros around the Globe Instagram Bros around the globe

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Mumbles skatepark, a skateboarding community triumph against the odds

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We talked to Jason Williams, chairman of Mumbles Skatepark Association, who explained what went wrong, what people did to stand out and how hard was to go against those who have the money to stop, or at least postpone, a dream of so many. «The whole thing became a political hot potato and I’m glad to say we managed to use all this to the advantage of the project», he says. Built by Maverick Skateparks, it was opened last Friday, the 17th of February 2023. What was the trigger that made you stepping forward against those people who wanted to stop building the skatepark? It was all about getting a concrete park. Swansea’s got a rich surf and skate history, and a concrete park was long overdue. We get that not everyone wants a skatepark or feels an area need a skatepark, but there was a massive support for the park, and we had to co-ordinate to ensure the very vocal minority didn’t overshadow what a skatepark brings to a community.  Tell us about the process of making your association. Tomsk, Will and Jono were all involved from the beginning, advising the local council, but once initial planning permission for the project was granted, it was clear a more formal group/association was needed. Ironically, I didn’t attend the first meeting, but got voted in as chair and told afterwards! What kind of initiatives did you put in place? We held some meeting etc, but really relied on social media to engage with the communities (skate, bmx etc). We also worked closely with the local council driving the project and lobbied the larger County Council as well.  “There was also an incident where the individuals had threatened some kids using the mini ramp on site, which was filmed and went viral. Following that, the amount of support for the project skyrocketed and it all went pretty viral.” Then, it came local opposition… Yes, it got complicated when some local opposition with significant financial backing issued a judicial review in an attempt to stop the project, which really seemed to galvanise those in favour. There was also an incident where the individuals had threatened some kids using the mini ramp on site, which was filmed and went viral. Following that, the amount of support for the project sky rocketed and it all went pretty viral. Hitting local, national and international press and web sites. The whole thing became a political hot potato and I’m glad to say we managed to use all this to the advantage of the project.  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});   How did non skater people react to your advocacy? Where they just ignoring or did they join the ‘battle’? Was this more than just a skatepark? Overall, pretty good. Throughout, we’ve focussed on the positives a skatepark brings and the importance of an open, visible, accessible site. Covid and lockdown really shone a light on the need for free, accessible facilities and the whole start of this came from school kids saying they wanted a skate park, so the parents were all in favour. With the issues mentioned above, that support just went off the scale (our online petition went from 4500 signatures to 24000 signatures in a week!). Could you name special episodes that took place that you will remember for ever? So many moments: the ‘incident’ and being contacted by local and national press, including TV interviews with the BBC. Our story appearing in pretty much all the UK press. Being asked to participate in a debate on live national radio (cancelled at the last minute as no-one was prepared to participate from the group that issued the judicial review). A local brewery creating a delicious beer and soda called Damn the Man, to help fundraise. Finally getting everything signed off, the building of the park started.  What kind of support did you have across this prolonged period? Legal, mostly? None, really. We did have some well-wishers giving us informal advice, but we pretty much worked it out ourselves. The core of the Association are older, so experience from work, friends etc helped. When it came to the formal legal issues, the Council led and we fed in as much as we could, to ensure the right messaging was coming across. We did have to get involved in formal council stuff, but again, we just worked it out. “Bonnie Tyler’s husband was one of the group who signed the judicial review” How those people who wanted to stop building the skatepark changed their behaviour as your voice got bigger? Is it true that singer Bonnie Tyler was one of those at the frontline? Bonnie Tyler’s husband was one of the group who signed the judicial review. They were all in the background really and thought they could throw money and big-time lawyers at it and get it shut down. We were lucky that the local councils really saw what the skatepark could provide and bought into the project. That meant they worked through the legal challenge, rather than rolling over. It helped that there was so much press about ‘the incident’ and a huge amount of focus and support on the project.  Because of this legal battle the skatepark will cost much more. How and who do you think should pay the difference? Yeah, that sucks. Not just legal costs but build costs increased, all because a bunch of millionaires tried to stop it. Luckily, we did get support from lottery funding and the Mumbles Community Council made up the difference.  “I’d recommend every project gets a panto villain to bring the community together!”  This episode had impact at the media, like you said. Do you think your cause could be an example for other organizations around the world? Absolutely, I’d recommend every project gets a panto villain to bring the community together! In all seriousness, I don’t know if we did the best job, or if we were just lucky. Also, each project has a different context and different challenges. In a nutshell, we tried to remain positive, repeat key messages about community (not just skate, bmx community) and the wider benefits of skateparks, tie in politicians and councillors wherever possible, and just kept pushing.  If you had to ‘baptize’ this skatepark on a consequence of this social movement, what would be its name? Loads of people have come up with ideas already, mainly as a big FU to those who were against it. Me, I don’t really care, I’m just over the moon it’s there. Let’s call it ‘one’, as we’re already talking to the local council about a possible 2 or 3 more parks. Visit Mumbles skatepark Find out more about Maverick skateparks

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