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Gnarathon Vienna 2025 by Alfred David

Photos and text - Alfred David


I'm not even sure where to begin. I’m not sure if it was the skating, the beer, or the sheer chaos that erupted over the past few days…


The Gnarathon Vienna 2025 was a rollercoaster of emotions — three days of gnarly skating, rain-dodging jams, video screenings, and parties.


Day one began in Währinger Park. Members of FLINTA* gathered for a skatepark session as well as a workshop with Ruby Mateja, followed by an art show and panel talk at OBEN — a massive stairway-led rooftop bar in the midst of bustling Vienna. Everyone attending the Gnarathon was there, enjoying drinks, viewing artwork and dancing into the night like there was no tomorrow… Except there was…


Theo Acworth - hang-ten nosestall.
Theo Acworth - hang-ten nosestall.

Day two kicked off just down the river from the Copa Beach skate plaza, parallel to the Danube. Vans and the Gnarathon had constructed a hill bomb-style obstacle course (no pushing needed — sounds great until you’re rolling at 70 mph), featuring two moveable, compatible ledges, a rainbow rail, and at the end, a kicker-to-high-jump challenge. Everything was going great until we got rained out around 3 p.m. After about half an hour of dodging torrential rain, the sun began to peek through the clouds, and within the hour, everyone was skating again — although the rain didn’t stop everyone (@phillippedarosa).


After this, we all headed down the river to the next spot — a five-minute walk — and we had arrived: a 21-flat-21 stair set with two wide banks fixed down the middle. The second bank included a ride-on ledge, and I think Robin Bolian was the only person to hit this with a backside 50-50 before we got rained out again. As we all stared at this monolith of a bank, I could feel small drops of rain once more. Everyone ran for cover — me and the Dungeon Gateway crew took shelter under a miniramp nearby. Charlie Gush was on beer bong duty (he made literally everyone do it), and after the rain cleared, the skating resumed. At first, only the bottom bank was getting skated, but shortly after they uncovered the top bank, the crowd parted and huddled around while skaters began sending themselves down the partly wet banks.


I shot Schian Taylor’s heelflip into it, as well as Ramon Notz’s boneless into the river dive. The evening ended with a video screening at Himmel und Wasser.

Jake Yanko - 5050.
Jake Yanko - 5050.
Jechu Corvalan - 5050.
Jechu Corvalan - 5050.
Lea Meny films Madalena Galante.
Lea Meny films Madalena Galante.
Jordan Thackeray - 5-0.
Jordan Thackeray - 5-0.
Robin Bolian - 5050.
Robin Bolian - 5050.
Joe Lascar - Kickflip.
Joe Lascar - Kickflip.
Schianta Lepori - Heelflip.
Schianta Lepori - Heelflip.
Ramon Notz - Boneless.
Ramon Notz - Boneless.

Day three was the final day of the event, held at the Ottakringer Brewery. Monster had set up this beer keg pathway with some obstacles — a bank to ledge, a rail, and a quarterpipe. Hovering over the deck of the quarter was a ledge held up by a forklift — you can see where this is going. The session began. I shot this backside tail of Hugo Westrelin shortly before my camera got hit — broke my fisheye… but it was worth it. Defiance HXC began playing their set midway through the jam in typical Gnarathon style: loud music and mosh pits amid fast, aggressive skateboarding. I shot the front smith of Trey Wood, as well as a kickflip melon by Yam Behar.


The session reached another level when he did the indy pull-in off the highest point of the raisable ledge — it was absolutely mental. They closed the outside jam area at around 9 p.m. and began leading everyone indoors, where they announced prizes for the three-day event. After this, DJs started their sets, and the beers started flowing. We left around 2 a.m., but I’m pretty sure people stayed up all night and partied all the way through — hats off to you legends.


Maite - Steenhoudt smith.
Maite - Steenhoudt smith.
Pete and Charlie Gush - Double sweepers.
Pete and Charlie Gush - Double sweepers.
Yam Behar - Kickflip melon.
Yam Behar - Kickflip melon.
Trey Wood - Frontside smith.
Trey Wood - Frontside smith.
Charlie Gush - Indy nosebash.
Charlie Gush - Indy nosebash.
Pete - Sweeper
Pete - Sweeper
Phillipe De Rosa - Brushstrokes.
Phillipe De Rosa - Brushstrokes.

The Vienna Gnarathon embodies everything I love about skateboarding — the music, the videos, the art, and the parties too, I suppose. And let’s not forget the skateboarding. Everyone is welcome at the Gnarathon, as long as you bring good energy, a good attitude, and a thirst for gnarliness. Paul Labadie has created such an awesome and unique event that I am sure will be cemented in skateboarding forever. There is nothing I look forward to more than the next Gnarathon. Get there — or prepare to sink into a pit of FOMO.



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