The finale of the Nike SB European Series exceeded all expectations in the level of skateboarding and atmosphere today during the Berlin Open at the Nike SB Shelter skatepark.

Urged on by an eager crowd all 40 riders who came through from yesterday’s qualification shifted up a gear in a bid to take a slice of the €20,000 prize purse. Brazillian Carlos Ribeiro was incredible and a candidate for trick of the day with a switch kick-flip back tail down the hubba. Keven Backel the winner of Barcelona AM is amazing to watch and stormed the park with his classic do or die attitude – wallrides, big footplants and a 540 out of the quarter into the oversized flatbank. Aurelien Giraud was the top placed qualifier from semis and kept up the level right through to finals turning the judges heads every tick on the way. Consistent, technical, solid execution and the support of a strong French crew, Giraud was on a mission, highlighted by an insane kickflip from the vert ramp platform into the park (a drop of about 3.5M) to tre-flip down the 7 in a line, pulled first try and only equalled by a hard flip down the same drop with a broken board… Giraud takes home €6,000 for 1st place and a ticket to next week’s CPH Pro in Copenhagen, Denmark!

BERLIN OPEN FINAL Results

1st Aurelien Giraud
2nd Kevin Baekkel
3rd Carlos Ribeiro
4th Richard Tury
5th Maxim Habanec
6th Douwe Macare
7th Justin Sommer
8th Alex Mizurov
9th Oskar Hallberg
10th Roder Silva

The last event to close the European Series brought technical mayhem in abundance in the shape of the best trick comp that took place down the hubba. €1500 in prize money always ups the ante and today was no exception.

Best trick Results

1st Neverton Casella – Nollie heel back nose blunt.

2nd Carlos Ribeiro – Switch flip back smith.

3rd Yuri Facchini – Hard flip back nose grind.

Photographer-Maksim Kalanep

(Courtesy of http://www.boardsportsource.com/)