A popular Sunshine Coast skateboarding instructor is “pumped” that he and his skate team will be part of the region’s first water-bound halfpipe show.
Mat (Chiggy) Chigwidden and his crew will be displaying aerial tricks on a floating skate ramp on Lake Kawana on Saturday (October 30) as part of the Buskers by the Lake festival.
Chigwidden said a mix of about 15 roller-skaters and skateboarders from Chiggy’s Skateboarding will be carving up the pipe.
He said the riders ranged from skateboard coaches, professional skaters and avid riders at his indoor park located in the Coolum Beach industrial estate.
“The youngest is 14 … and then we’ve also got myself and a couple other riders that are in our thirties,” he said.
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Chigwidden said many team members were ultra-excited when he asked them to be part of the performance, especially since it would be the first of its kind on the Sunshine Coast.
“I love bringing people together, and just creating good times for everyone, so if there’s an opportunity there that I could be involved with, I’ll take it for sure,” he said.
Notable Coast skate pros and coaches performing on the day include Hayden and Mitchell Howse, Nixon Osbourne, Brayden Curtis and Mikayla Senior, while noteworthy roller-girls included Tia Pitman and Phoebe Michetti.
“We’ve got some roller skaters and skaters that are coming through to perform who are pretty spectacular to watch,” Chigwidden said.
He said the event would be especially exciting considering the resurgence of roller-skating in the country and on the Coast, which has seen young riders populate skateparks.
“These girls are pulling off manoeuvres that have people forever thinking, ‘How the heck have they done that’,” he said.
Other major events to be hosted at Buskers by the Lake festival include the Battle of the Buskers, music performances at the Sundowner Celebration and freakshow Deja Voodoo.
The festival runs from Friday until Sunday, October 31. Information: www.buskersbythelake.com.au
