Canadian Skateboarders to follow in 2020: Kolten Austin, Alan Ng & Tyson Shewchuk
I’ve been lucky enough to have travelled pretty much all over Canada for work. During the summers I go cross country giving advanced driver training courses for a US based company. It’s a day full of high speed, behind the wheel evasive manoeuvres on a track we set up for students. It’s a lot of fun but what I really appreciate is that it takes me to all sorts of places… such as Red Deer, Alberta.
Red Deer A.K.A Dead Rear
When I first arrived I really didn’t think much of the place. The city’s biggest claim to fame is that it sits half way between Calgary and Edmonton on Highway 2 and has a popular Gasoline Alley. Some – myself included – have jokingly referred to is as Dead Rear.
But – that was before I started bringing my skateboard along on all my work trips. My eyes opened up a lot when I realized there are some dope skateparks out there with some sick skaters and they’re killing it.
Kolten Austin – Tech wizard
But I’m getting ahead of myself. This story actually begins when I was working in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Because that’s where I met Kolten Austin at the Lion’s skatepark down by the South Saskatchewan river.
Austin blew me away with his technical wizardry. Like seriously, I met the kid and within 2 seconds he had done like 50 lines with a dozen tricks I never even bother to try.
Plus he was just a good guy and we hit it off.
Kolten actually hails from Regina, which has a sweet ledge downtown I once skated, but that’s another story…
And now that brings us back to Red Deer… where Kolten is kicking it these days. Recently he posted his best of 2019 edit and it does not disappoint.
Red Deer Crew
I recently asked Kolten if there were some other sick skaters in his neck of the woods that I should be following. He didn’t have to look far to find some rude boys – his roommates are straight up destroying Red Deer on the regular.
Check out this recent edit from Alan Ng, Red Deer local – he is a beast… destroying Incline Industries skatepark in Sylvan Lake. An indoor park is a must for those brutal Red Deer winters.
I would recommend you go and make sure to follow Tyson Shewchuk too. He’s Kolten’s other roommate in Red Deer.
Tyson actually hails from Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
I think I’ve seen him skate once at the Glendale park in Red Deer. Dude is killing it – check out this edit and that huge back 180… so sick.
I’m looking forward to visiting again and having a chance to skate with this crew. Give these boys a follow and recognize that AB has got some sick skaters out there. 2020 is looking promising.
Bonus tip
If you are ever in the area, make sure to check out the skatepark in Lacombe. For whatever reason I really enjoyed skating that place, and it was pretty dead compared to Glendale. Just a couple KMs north on highway 2 to get there.
You heard it here first, on Canada Skate Shop!
