The CS SA Tour 2017 by Chris van der Merwe
Who wouldn’t want to go on a skate trip around the country? Skating new or different skateparks and spots, hanging with friends and being on the road…all sounds rad. So it is pretty clear what an SA Tour is but what is the CS SA Tour?
CS (ChristianSkaters) is a global network that consists of smaller CS crews. CS aims to provide opportunities for skaters to join a CS crew or to start one. A CS crew is a group of skaters/bmxers/bladers/filmers/friends coming together regularly to session together and to grow spiritually together. CS International started in the US and has grown across the globe. It is not a brand and has no pro team. Anyone can be part of it.
A guy named Bradley Jones, started Son Skate in Edenvale in the early 2000s. They later joined Christian Skaters. Son Skate turned into Christian Skaters Africa (CSA). CSA now has groups across Africa like in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Swaziland and Mozambique. In South Africa there are CS crews in Cape Town, Somerset West, Brackenfell, Paarl, JBay, Bloem, Trompsburg, Joburg, Durban, Nelspruit and Brits.
I took CSA over from Bradley in 2014 and we did the first CS SA tour in 2015. It was only my wife and I, funny enough. I still remember God telling me that if I stay faithful he will make it grow. Two years later in 2017 we had 12 people on tour that included 3 CS crews. We had such a rad time and managed to do 9 best trick comps in 13 days. It was a privilege to have done all the events with these guys. They serve the skate industry but firstly God. I am proud to call them friends. Each stop had its own flavour and all round it was an unforgettable experience.
Stop 1:
The I2B Skatepark in Somerset West
Stop 2:
Trompsburg Skatepark just outside Bloem
Stop 3:
The 29 Degrees South Skatepark in Bloem
Stop 4:
Thaba Nchu Skatepark just outside Bloem
Stop 5:
Beachfront Skatepark in Durban
Stop 6:
Indigo Skatepark just outside Durban
Stop 7:
The Key West Skatepark in Krugersdorp
Stop 8:
Menlyn Skatepark in Pretoria
Stop 9:
YBF Plaza in Bryanston
Thanks to all the locals who came out to each best trick event. You guys made it happen and it was great to meet new, awesome people. And a super big thanks to Louis Mans who hosted us in Bloem, to Daniel Mcbride and his family who hosted us in Durban and to Frank Joubert who hosted us in Pretoria.
Ethan Cairns from CS Cape Town, boardslide on the famous, dirty, curved rails in Durban.
Duncan Meaker from CS Somerset West with a noseslide over the lips at Beachfront.
Alex Williams from CS Cape Town with a takin-it-easy shov down the stairs after dinner in Bloemfontein.
Below is the tour group that consisted of 3 groups. CS Cape Town, CS Somerset West and CS Mpumalanga. From left to right: Ethan Cairns, Jody Ellis, Alex Williams, Stuart Rothon, Chris van der Merwe, Gareth Green, Duncan Meaker, Dylan Whitehair, Ruan Venter, Joshua van Roodt, Wayden Landore, Devin Nyschens (insert).
Super proud of all these guys. We skated hard, worked hard and had super fun times together. Love you guys.
Alex and Ethan killed it on this tour, here are two quick edits of them:
Video of Alex Williams – Here!
Video of Ethan Cairns – Here!
Video cred: Gsk8
Photo cred: Gareth Green, Stuart Rothon, Devin Nyschens