AFRICAN VACATION PRO TOUR!

AFRICAN VACATION PHOTO FEATURE BY TYRONE BRADLEY:

DAY 1
Photographer Tyrone Bradley came along on the African Vacation Tour taking totally epic photos for the full tour feature coming in the next issue of Session. The behind-the-scenes photos were just too good to waste, so we’re running them on the site over the next few weeks.

DAY 2
More photos from the African Vacation Pro Tour by Tyrone Bradley of the guys killing it at the Urban X park in Joburg!

DAY 3
Photos from the trip to the Rhino and Lion Park in Joburg where Ben Raemers nearly got eaten by a lion cub… by Tyrone Bradley.

DAY 4
More smoking photos from the African Vacation Tour by Tyrone Bradley. Hitting up the Revolution warehouse, Boogaloos Stoneridge and skinner!

DAY 5
African Vacation Tour hits Wavehouse, Durban for a day… photos by Tyrone Bradley.

TOUR DIARY

DAY 1

Haslam, Decenzo, Brophy and Raemers all arrived in Joburg on Thursday 23 and had one bad ass braai! Check out all the photos by Gavin Scott HERE.

DAY 2

On Friday 24 September, we all went down to the Red Bull Box Car Race in Soweto to hang out and check out the craziness. We also found the tour mascot… a burnt bull skull with horns and everything! Then over to Boogaloos Brightwater for the first demo of the tour. Check out more photos from Gavin Scott HERE.

DAY 3

Day 3 on Saturday 25 September started with some football followed by a super rad demo at Revolution Festival Mall and then an evening street session at Fox Street banks. After that everyone went down to Bohemian for pizza and pool, then to Gin, which ended in a power failure so we all ended up at the most crazy ass drum and bass party at The Woods. Madness!

DAY 4

On Sunday 26 September the African Vacation demo went down at Urban X skatepark. Holy shitballs the dudes were killing it and it was a super fun day! Hit up a couple of street spots in Joburg afterwards and had a chilled out night at the Zoo Lake Bowling Club. Check out more photos HERE.

DAY 5

Monday 27 September was an off day on the African Vacation Tour and we all spent the day at the Lion and Rhino park. It was super sick, the touring guys were all freaking out at all the animals. Haslam liked the dangerous animals the best, Decenzo really liked the tortoises, Raemers had a special encounter with an ugly ass bird that looked like it’s balls were hanging from it’s neck and he also nearly got eaten alive by a lion cub. Brophy was just generally stoked and proved to be an eagle eye when we were searching for lions in the park. After all the action we chilled with some beers and a braai… good times all round!

DAY 6

On Tuesday 28 September we started the day with a visit to Revolution HQ followed by a lovely walk through the muti market in Joburg. It was pretty much the most disgusting thing ever… organs, sun dried squirrels, rat heads and other very freaky shit. After that we went down to the Stoneridge Boogaloos, what an epic park. It was a mad demo and after all the signings we went for an incredible street skate at Skinner in Pretoria. The session was crazy! A gang load of guys skated until after sunset… mad good times.

DAY 7

On Wednesday 29 September, we had to catch a flight at 5:30am from Joburg to Durban… retarded early. Once we got into Durban, we did what most people do when they come from Joburg to Durban… hit the beachfront. After a mean Wimpy breakfast, we checked out the beach and had a roll around the beachfront park, which was solid fun. From there we went through to Wavehouse for the demo and the guys killed it… the demo was insane. We spent the rest of the afternoon pretty much chilling out in the park before flying out again at 5pm to Cape Town where we caught a braai and some sleep.

DAY 8

On Thursday 30 September Haslam, Decenzo and Raemers went shark cage diving out in Gaansbaai. Luckily the sharks didn’t manage to get Raemers like the lions had! Brophy decided to skip it and do a bit of street skating instead, ‘cos back home in Australia there are plenty of sharks. It was a chilled out day, checked out a couple of spots, hit up one or two and had some fun. We met up with everyone at H-Street in town after the shark and street sessions and Brophy tried to ollie the double set (yeah the huge one that’s 3 stairs flat 4 stairs)! He had it cleared by miles and nearly landed the first 2 tries but totally busted his knee on the 3rd try. Unfortunately he’ll be man down and won’t be able to skate the rest of the demos but he’ll still come and hang out for sure. Last couple of days of the tour left now… let’s make ‘em count!

DAY 9

The first African Vacation demo in Cape Town took place at the Sport Unlimited skatepark in Tokai on Friday 1 October. Unfortunately Andrew Brophy damaged his knee trying to ollie the double set at H-Street in town, so he was man down for the rest of the tour. But Chris Haslam, Ben Raemers and Ryan Decenzo totally killed that ramp! The craziest tricks went down man, I couldn’t believe my eyes! After the demo we hit up a pub in Newlands and then went through to town to party and Neighbourhood.

DAY 10

The last demo of the African Vacation tour went down on Saturday 2 October at The Shed skatepark in Stellenbosch. Brophy was still not able to skate because of his knee but once again Chris Haslam, Ryan Decenzo and Ben Raemers totally destroyed the park! The park was rammed full of tons of kids and the signings lasted for hours! Had a tour braai that night and head out into town again that night for some crazy times.

Friday 24 September - Boogaloos Brightwater Skatepark, Joburg
Saturday 25 September - Revolution Festival Mall Skatepark, Joburg
Sunday 26 September - Urban X Skatepark, Joburg
Tuesday 28 September - Stoneridge Skatepark, Joburg
Wednesday 29 September - Wavehouse Skatepark, Durban
Friday 1 October - Sport Unlimited Skatepark, Cape Town
Saturday 2 October - The Shed Skatepark, Stellenbosch

INTERVIEWS

ANDREW BROPHY – CLICHÉ

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
I was hoping that I would make it to South Africa on a skate trip, my mum and dad have been there, and some of my friends from London are from SA and there fu*kin the best. As for other countries that were crazy, I would have to say Russia because of the crazy background they come from. It was a amazing place though.

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?
Someone in London was telling me that downtown Joburg has some good spots and Jason Dill had some footage down there too, but I dont really know any spots.

What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?
Meeting some people, doing a safari and being in South Africa.

Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.
I just finished my Cliché commercial and now im filming a section for my upcoming pro shoe on DVS, so im going to be workin my ass off!!

If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
I’ll take a shark please and hope to god it gets me good. I feel a lion is like a big cat and would probably play with you for a while, it wouldn’t be quick. Shit would suck eather way.

CHRIS HASLAM – ALMOST

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
Well I have been to Johannesburg one time already and that was amazing. I guess the only of the country I have been to that I never thought I would go to would be Belarus.

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?

Yeah I have seen some of the spots there before but we never get to skate them because last time we were there we were recommended to NOT skate outside the place we were staying.


What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?

The experience. I’m with a new group of guys, a new distributor, which means new experieinces. It’s gonna be fun.


Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.

I have been touring and filming for the last ten years haha…


If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
Probably a lion because then I wouldn’t have to deal with the fact that I am drowning as well.

RYAN DECENZO – DARKSTAR

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
I definatly never thought I would travel to Africa for skating. The other crazy countries I’ve toured so far would be Panama, Philippines and Tahiti.

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?
I haven’t really heard anything about the skate scene I SA, other than there are people who skate out there… and that there must be spots because it’s a fairly developed country.

What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?
I’m looking forward to exploring the city and culture of SA as well as checking out the skate scene, skate spots and hanging with some people over there!

Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.
I’ve been doing some touring just mostly north America lately for the Dew Tour contest and events that my sponsors are putting on. I’m also filming street stuff for the upcoming Bones video, Busy Busy!

If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
I would rather be eaten by a shark because I would die faster in the water and it would be less painful.

BEN RAEMERS – ENJOI

Did you ever think you’d go so far as touring in South Africa ? What are some of the other crazy countries you’ve toured in so far?
I never though I would get the chance to go to South Africa! It’s one of the craziest countries going. The craziest country I have visited would have to be will still have to be Holland, I go there quite a bit, Amsterdam to be precise, there is some crazy things to do/see at that place, words can’t even explain.

Have you seen or heard anything about the skateboarding and spots around South Africa?
No I have never been informed about South Africa’s skate vibe, I do not know what to expect when we go there.

What are you looking forward to most about coming to tour here?
Everything! The plane, the landing, the sights, the food, the drinks, the beach’s, the people, the music, the buildings, the animals, the music, literally everything!

Have you been doing much other touring or filming lately? If so, please fill us in.
Yes I recently moved to San José, so we have been filming. We where on a enjoi trip to the the East Coast, I injured my knee so I had to have a month off resting, but I can skate again and all is well, I leave for a month es’ trip today, preety exited.


If you could choose to be eaten by a shark or a lion which would it be and why?
That is a tough one! I would have go with the lion, as it would not be fun in water getting eaten, I would want the lion to bite my head off in one!