Last year’s winner, 17-year-old Quest Kara from Hawke’s Bay, came third, bagging $500.
The 30-year-old Mr Baker has skated at Alfred Cox Park since he was about nine years old.
He skated professionally for seven years and won the New Zealand national championships in 2009, but cut back competing in recent years due to injuries.
“The competition was epic. I did about a month’s work training, getting fit and getting runs together.”
Go bigHis secret was to simply “go big”.
His best run started with a huge gap to 50-50 down the ledge.
“I was just going big and doing something different.”
While most of it came together, he bailed on a few tricks and was nudged out of the win — but he was still “stoked” with the result.
“It was a big deal to skate with the top young New Zealand skaters. It helps to know they are still pushing the limits and still following their dreams.
“It was definitely in the top few competitions we have had in Gisborne.”
Mr Tejada was lucky to even be able to compete after he got severe cramp in the early stages.
Fortunately Gisborne physiotherapist Jane Moore was on hand to help, and had him up and competing.
“Thanks heaps to everyone who made the competition happen and the good vibes down there. Such a good day,” he said.
A highlight of the competition was the “best trick” category, with the $500 prizemoney split between two skaters: former national champion Dallas Marshall (Whanganui) for a “massive” gap jump to nose blunt, and Corbynn Williams (Auckland) for a nollie flip to back tail slide to fakie on the box.
Tiarnan Diamond of Hawke’s Bay took the $500 for best vert run.
“I hadn’t seen skating like that here in a long time,” Mr Kingsbeer said.
“Having Reuben Baker on the podium and the young Gisborne guys doing well were also highlights.
“The sponsored skaters from out of town coming here, and the impact they have on young Gisborne skaters, is why we do it.
“We don’t normally get a lot of them coming, but they all enjoyed the Gisborne atmosphere.
“We had a really good collective of sponsors, which also enabled us to offer a decent amount of prize money and help them out with accommodation.”
It is the second year Sequence Surf and Skate Shop has been behind the event, and owner Blair Stewart says they are already looking forward to making next year even bigger.
“Shane and I have a good partnership,” Mr Stewart said.
“We will use this as a stepping stone to next year. We want to make it New Zealand’s richest skateboarding event, with the biggest cash prize.
“That way we can continue to bring the best skateboarders to Gisborne — not only for the skating but to showcase what this region has to offer.
“Big thanks to Eastland Community Trust, Shane Kingsbeer, Paul Nache Gallery, Manual magazine in Auckland for promotion and all the others behind the scenes.”
