It had been three long years since the last Dime event, so when the announcement of the Glory Challenge’s return came, it was clear that this was a must-attend event. The skateboarding community had missed what many consider the best “contest” in the game, and everyone anticipated that the Dime crew would come back with new surprises.
One of the notable changes was that the event was ticketed, rather than free and open to the public. The production team explained that this decision was made after previous years where many attendees were turned away due to capacity limits, despite travelling from all over the world. While this was a minor inconvenience, it didn’t deter those who were determined to experience the event.
As more details unfolded, it was clear that this year was set to be a massive celebration. Two block parties, two days of skateboarding, and skaters and fans arriving from across the globe created an electric atmosphere of anticipation.
Wilson Lucas getting a good view of the block party from a shipping container
Our team converged in Montreal, traveling from different parts of the country. Former intern Wilson Lucas came in from North Carolina, sales and partnerships manager Thomas Barker from Los Angeles, and filmer Ian Ostrowski and I drove up from New York. Our meeting point was at the block party, where Wilson managed to get a great vantage point from atop a shipping container.
The venue space at the Dime Glory Challenge had an epic feeling
The venue had an epic feel, not in the typical sense, but in a way that made you feel like you were witnessing something special, like Wrestlemania. It was evident that no detail had been overlooked.
The expanding bump to bar obstacle at Dime's Glory Challenge
By now, many of you have probably seen clips and photos of the expanding bump to bar, which was just one of the obstacles. This thing reached an insane height, towering over everyone present. Here’s John Shanahan with a nollie front 180, clearing Evan Smith’s head, who stands at least 6’2″. It was joked that everyone was basically skating a Hollywood 16-height drop without realizing it, and looking back, that assessment might not be too far off.
Conor Neeson, the event's MC, at the Dime Glory Challenge
Head MC Conor Neeson was, as usual, on the mic throughout the event. It turns out he is also the singer for a Montreal hardcore band called Faze, who performed at the closing party on Sunday. It probably shouldn’t have been that surprising.
The rainbow rail at Dime's Glory Challenge reaching seven levels high
The expanding rainbow rail reached a fitting height of seven levels, matching the number of colors in a rainbow if you recall your kindergarten lessons.
Joe Valdez hands were everywhere throughout the day
The iconic Joe Valdez hands were ubiquitous throughout the day. For those unaware of the lore, there’s a whole backstory, but essentially, they’re thrown up to hype up skaters or as a sign of approval. It would be quite amusing if the Valdez hands became a widespread cultural phenomenon, replacing typical expressions of encouragement with a flurry of Valdez hands.
Zered Bassett sporting speed shades before a Game of Skate
Here’s Zered Bassett doing his best Cyclops impersonation before the Game of Skate between Alexis Sablone and Breana Geering. Countless versions of the “speed shades” were circulating, and Dime gave away a free pair to every attendee. It’s hard to imagine where you could find these shades, so kudos to Zered for staying ahead of the fashion curve.
Nora trying to maintain a neutral expression
Nora tried to remain neutral, but that’s just not how things work!
Alexis Sablone competing at Dime's Glory Challenge
Alexis emerged victorious, representing the US and the East Coast. It wasn’t entirely surprising, especially given our bias. Her history of skating flat ground with PJ Ladd during his prime is akin to practicing with LeBron James.
The scene at the Dime Glory Challenge after the contest
After the contest, we went out for a night of drinks and exploration. On Saturday, we visited the usual spots on St. Laurent, including Apt. 200 and TRH Bar. TRH is your typical dive bar, except that it also has a bowl in the back, as well as a secret mini ramp and memorabilia gallery upstairs, which you need the owners or managers to show you. It’s safe to say that in America, skating a bowl in a bar with alcohol would likely be out of the question.
The rain didn't stop people from coming out on Sunday
The rain was heavy on Sunday, but that didn’t stop people from showing up. The breaks between tricks were pretty miserable, to be frank. Despite the stoke everyone had in the footage, I was incredibly hungover, hadn’t eaten in 24 hours, it was cold, and even an umbrella was not enough to keep you dry. Still, seeing all the incredible tricks in person made it all worth it.
Back at the Airbnb, we discovered that Ian’s camera had malfunctioned, with a fully white screen. He ended up having to put it in rice to try and absorb the water and save it from completely breaking. Thankfully, it worked, and we left Canada without any major casualties.
Despite the rain and the camera scare, we have amazing memories from the weekend, which somehow felt longer than it was. If you’ve never been to one of these events, this is your reminder to make it happen before you get too old and lose your edge.
Filmed by: Austin Leleu, Wilson Lucas, and Ian Ostrowski
Edited by: Alexis Castro
Photos by: Josh Cotto, Wilson Lucas, and Ian Ostrowski
Words by: Alexis Castro
