Bright European Skateboard Awards 2012 results | skate, skating

Europe’s premier skate tradeshow hosts its first ever awards show in Berlin, presented by Relentless Energy Drink

The Bright European Skateboard Awards presented by Relentless Energy Drink took place on 21 January 2012 for the first time ever. The European scene came together in Berlin to celebrate and honour their standouts in style. Bright Tradeshow and Kingpin Magazine invited all the most revered European skateboarding movers and shakers to the former Stasi headquarters’ theatre – the red carpet was rolled out, the dress code formal, and the stage set for a night to remember.

Celebrating in style

The hall in front of the theatre was packed with people, with an electric atmosphere prevailing, and when the doors finally opened Bright's Mathieu Tourneur welcomed everyone in to take a seat. The skate crowd showed their appreciation for the dapperly dressed Lennie Burmeister and Sally Braid, who both did a fantastic job hosting the night.

The awards

The first award to be given out was the prestigious Kingpin Reader's Choice award, voted for by more than 70,000 readers, which went to Eniz Fazliov from Finland – well deserved for a year of destroying everything that he could get his wheels on. The BESA trophy that was handed to Eniz, and the winners that followed, was stunningly eye catching, designed with a distinct nod to East German architecture and inspired by one of Berlin's hottest skate spots. It truly proved to be a stylish gem, befitting the occasion.

Suspense and surprises filled the following two hours, with music on stage by Ray Barbee and Sami Seppala's Finnish polka band. Various wonderful presenters such as TransWorld Skateboarding magazine’s Skin Phillips handed out a total of ten awards. Sweden's Albert Nyberg took home the Rookie of the Year award for his outstanding technical wizardry on the plank. Lucas Puig from France won the award for Best Skater of the Year - punctuating the phenomenal year he’s had with a number of amazing video parts, including a banger for TWS and a pro shoe dropping for adidas, which won him the best video award as well.

Other award-winners:

Best Skate Shop: Lost Art, Liverpool / Hardest Slam: Steve Forstner / Photographer of the Year: Sem Rubio / Best Trick: Steve Forstner / Cover of the Year: Sem Rubio, Kingpin / Brand of the Year: Palace Skateboards

Last words

When the ceremony finally came to an end, it was none other than icon and street-skating pioneer Ray Barbee who precisely summed up the historic dimension of the night. “Last time I came to visit Berlin, it was for the 'Ban This' tour back in the ’80s. Being here now, spreading the word of skateboarding at this particular place is something I could have never imagined. What a change. It's fantastic.”

Thanks to Bright for making this happen and for giving the European scene just the right bit of flair and glamour. Very becoming. See you next year.