Salt Lake City, July 18–19 July. The ramps were hot, the vibes were real, and the air was thick with skate wax and second chances. Tony Hawk’s Vert Alert 2025 wasn’t just a contest. It was a cultural reset.
We went for the skating. We left lifted emotionally, spiritually, and with a fresh pack of stickers.
But let’s rewind to the moment the roof nearly cracked.
🚴‍♂️ Tabron Still Soars
Simon Tabron, UK vert legend, dropped in like it was 2004 all over again. And just like that, he sent 540s so clean and high above the deck, you could feel the arena pause. It wasn’t just nostalgia, it was a reminder: style doesn’t age, and the vert ramp still owes this man airtime.
For us, seeing Tabron again 21 years to the day since NASS 2004 was amazing. BMX might not have had its own bracket this time, but Simon’s reappearance gives us hope. Hope that BMX isn’t done here. Not by a long shot. Hawk’s event may be built on skateboarding’s spine, but the heart? That still pumps for all the vert soldiers.
🛹 Legends and Legends-In-The-Making
Viking Destroyer (yes, that 8-year-old phenom from Springville) met both Tony Hawk and Arisa Trew — the queen of competitive vert skating at just 15, already carrying Olympic gold and more medals than most of us have board stickers.
“Meeting them made me want to skate harder… and be nice to people.” — Viking Destroyer
And that’s what’s wild about Vert Alert. Every conversation with these pros felt real. They weren’t in hiding. No velvet ropes, no PR filters. Just athletes and fans, sweaty and grinning in the same air.
🔥 This Wasn’t Just Inspiring — It Was a Rocket Boost
Some events make you clap. This one makes you want to go home and build a ramp in your driveway, call your old skate crew, and throw your phone into a ditch. Because the only thing that mattered was who showed up and who showed out.
Vert Alert is what happens when respect meets rebellion, and both bring their boards.
⸻
We’re not just grateful. We’re fired up.
Let’s bring BMX back. Let’s keep the next wave rolling. Let’s stay very alert.
— DeathJuice Crew