Kalvyn Mac Millan returns to defend his Ballito Pro Skate Jam title!

After taking first place in both the 2021 and 2023 Ballito Pro Skate Jam, Umhlanga’s Kalvyn Mac Millan (35) returns to the 55th Ballito Pro presented by O’Neill on Saturday 29 June in the hope of claiming that third title achieve. The Ballito Skate Jam 2024, presented by Monster Energy and Volcom, is part of the epic Ballito Pro festival program that KwaDukuza is hosting from June 25 to July 8.

“Every year the competition gets bigger and better, everyone improves and the level of skateboarding keeps getting higher. Last year saw the most talent yet, with skaters coming from all over and this year is no different. More prize money always means more competition,” said Mac Millan, who has competed in all three previous events and finished second in 2022.

For him, competitions are not about winning, but more about pushing each other out of their comfort zone and doing what they normally wouldn’t do during a skating session.

“The hype and support from the crowd also fuels that energy and adrenaline, so these events are always a good time for me. We skaters all grew up together and have competed against each other for the past twenty years, even if it is a competition where we support each other on the day and push each other to our limits. It’s not a rivalry, it’s a brotherhood. That’s skateboarding,” he said.

The skating action kicks off at 12pm at the Ballito Bowl, where South Africa’s best skaters will compete for cash, prizes and ultimate glory in the Groms, Open and Best Trick categories. The judging will be done by the experienced team at Old School Productions (OSP) Events, the annual host of this event.

Spectators are in for a real treat this year as the event now features live music with Durban’s own punk rock Scrubs Band providing the atmosphere. There are plans to include an adrenaline-packed BMX demo in addition to the top-notch skateboarding action on display.

Markus Müseler from event organisers, OSP Events Co, said: “The OSP events team is looking forward to returning to our fourth annual Skate Jam as the competition reaches higher levels every year and this edition will be no different ! We have an additional prize pool attracting skaters from all over South Africa with a live music element from the Band SCRUBS adding to our overall production, PLUS including BMX in the mix to really expand the Action Sports offering to the Ballito community . This Bowl Jam is without a doubt the best competition of its kind on the skating calendar, organized in one of the most fantastic winter locations! It’s just undefeated.”

Paul Canning, O’Neill and Volcom brand director said Volcom was thrilled to be part of the Ballito Pro Skate Jam again.

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“The fourth edition of the Ballito Pro Skate Jam is going to be bigger than ever and we are calling on all skaters to participate this year and enjoy the platform to showcase their skills. We are always overwhelmed by the support from the Ballito community and have added even more entertainment this year to attract even more crowds,” Canning said.

The Ballito Skate Jam 2024, presented by Monster Energy and Volcom, is free to anyone who wants to participate that day.

The Ballito Bowl, a popular skating venue, was revived from an abandoned swimming pool by ReMax Dolphin Realtors with the generous support of the Ballito community as part of the Spark Up the Parks initiative. This is now a vibrant hub of activity and an important part of the local landscape, but there are plans to improve it even further.

A proposed flat track for novice skaters is planned, involving holding the ground on the west side of the bowl.

While support has been secured through SJC Construction and Petrakos Developments, there are still the necessary materials to make this happen. Anyone interested in participating can contact Simon or Kim Peacock on 082-461-0885 or 082-410-6615.

Ballito Pro Skate Jam 2024 Details

• Location: Ballito Bowl
• Date: Saturday June 29
• Time: Registration at 11am | Competition from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
• Divisions: Groms, open and best stroke
• Cash grant: R28,000 plus baskets from event partners Volcom, Etnies, Monster Energy, Groundswell and Rise Up Movement

For more information about Ballito Pro’s festival programme, presented by O’Neill, visit www.theballitopro.com