The legendary Belco Bowl is ready for Australia's biggest skateboarding festival - you better believe they're pumped

Belconnen’s new ‘halfpipe’ will be put to the ultimate test this weekend when Australia’s biggest skateboarding event rolls into town.

The seven-metre-tall, competition-standard feature of the Belconnen Skate Park on Emu Bank was craned into place in sections in June last year, the result of years of lobbying by local skateboarders for better facilities.

Come Sunday (16 February), it will be the centrepiece of a new ‘vert jam’ event – the last hurrah in the three-day-long 25th ‘Belco Bowl Jam’.

“[The vert jam] is a loosely structured jam format – we don’t have any points system of criteria for this,” vice-president of the Canberra Skateboarding Association (CSA), Brenden ‘Woody’ Wood, says.

“Skaters pretty much put together the best runs they can or try the best tricks they can and put on a show for the crowd.”

This February marks 25 years since a modest gathering of local skaters met at the Belconnen Skate Park in 2001 for a day of tricks and stunts.

At its heart was the iconic keyhole-shaped bowl, a “beloved piece of infrastructure” and a “big part of Belconnen’s history and culture”, according to Woody.

“For about 25 years (starting 2001), Belco Bowl Jam has grown into a thriving grassroots event, driven by local skateboarders who have worked tirelessly to make it happen,” he says.

“What started as a small gathering has evolved into a significant multi-day, Canberra-wide event that attracts skaters from not just across Australia but also internationally.

“The success of the event has had a positive impact on the local economy and helped put Canberra on the map as a skateboarding-friendly city.”

Talent now performs in front of hundreds of fans for cash prizes of more than $40,000 – not to mention the social-media glory.

“The event’s unique jam format, which encourages participants to have a good time without strict rules, has contributed to its global appeal,” Woody says.

This year’s event will be “bigger and better than ever”, and include appearances by Australia’s youngest ever Olympic gold medal, Arisa Trew, as well as teams from Vans USA and Vans Europe.

“Jams” at several other locations, including Civic, the Kambah ‘U-pipe’, and a “street party” around a halfpipe in Eloura Street in Braddon, will round out the weekend.

“It’s a skateboarding event with something for everyone. Skaters from across Australia and beyond are expected to make their way to Canberra … not just to compete but also to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the camaraderie that defines Belco Bowl Jam.”

The Belco Bowl itself is among the original features of the Belconnen Skate Park, which was constructed in 1990. It is one of the few to remain after the park became the largest in the southern hemisphere during a substantial revamp in 2011.

The original metal vert ramp was also knocked down in 2011, and despite initial plans to replace it, Woody said it was put on the back burner until last year.

“There were plans to build a new ramp alongside the refurbished park, but for whatever reason, when the refurbishment was completed in 2010, it wasn’t rebuilt.”

Woody said a band of locals always give the Belco Bowl a spruce up with a “fresh coat of paint and some much-needed maintenance” before the event every year to ensure the bowl is in “top condition”.

The Belco Bowl Jam will be held from Friday, 14 February, to Sunday, 16 February, at various locations from 1 and 4 pm. Follow the Instagram page for updates.