Lil Spots, Big Stunts: A CCS Invitational Contests Recap

Back in 2017, Brand Director Matt Price had an idea. CCS would faithfully recreate the legendary 20-stair set and matching handrail from El Toro High School in SoCal, but right here at our warehouse loading dock in Portland. We would then invite some of our favorite pros and local rippers to step to this monumental obstacle, hucking themselves into fame and glory.

But El Toro is big. Really big. Like, much, much bigger than the small space we had on our loading dock to build it.
Never ones to let space (or budgetary) constraints get in the way of our oversized ambitions, we crammed a miniaturized El Toro 20 into what space we had, got sponsors to build a tent city of games and booths around it, miniaturized the prize checks (in size, the dollar amounts were still big), and, somehow convinced the elusive Heath Kirchart to come judge the event.

Over a thousand local skaters came to the event, a lot of pizza was eaten. Ben Raybourn recreated the Hook-Ups van gate crashing from The End, Ryan Lay got some vindication for Dan Pagaeu, and Portland’s own Austin Thongvivong was declared the winner of the CCS El Torito Invitational!

Watch the full video recap here.

How would CCS top itself for the next year’s event? Why, by creating scaled versions of 2 famous skatespots merged into one awesome obstacle, of course. So it was that in the summer of 2018, Hubbaberg was born. We combined two San Francisco treats by affixing the renowned ledges of Hubba Hideout to the bone-crushing 4 block of Wallenberg High… once again made smaller to fit our loading dock area.

Dreams were fulfilled as Crazy Monk Steve Olsen recreated his post hammer ledge leap off our warehouse roof (with the help of a dummy), and then the nation's top skaters did what they do best… hang out at the spot and drink 40s while they heckled the young upstarts who were actually skating the contest.

A taste of street skating reality was thrown in the mix as the “cops” tried to kick everyone out and the hubbas were skatestopped mid-event, only to be liberated by the crowd moments later. The hucking continued, more pizza was eaten, 40s wrapped with $40 were distributed for famous trick recreations, and when the dust had settled Henry Gartland was declared the king of Hubbaberg (and Kader had gotten dunked into a tank of water).

Watch the official event video here.

For the third annual CCS Invitational, we looked to the East Coast to recreate the famous brick wave, highway wall, and bridge pillars of New York’s Brooklyn Banks (which we, of course, miniaturized into the Brooklyn Bumps). Bobby Puleo was brought on to clarify any trick disputes, Tim O’Conner was on hand to make sure no faux paus went un-mocked, and no crusty spot would be complete until Freddy Gall gave it the thumbs up.

Skate legends past, present and future from both Coasts and also Arizona absolutely destroyed the spot. Graffiti king Remio provided authentic graffiti on the obstacle and then all over our warehouse and office space. Prize winning checks were etched onto bricks that no ATM would possibly accept. Maurio McCoy rolled away the winner. And, most importantly, Price dressed as an old-timey hot dog street vendor.

Check the video recap here.

Then, in 2020, we didn’t do shit because there was some kind of pandemic lock down. 2021 also didn’t happen. 

But now we’re at full immunity after everyone got Covid at CPH and ready to get buck once again, miniature style.

With the support of Converse Cons, CCS is proud to offer to those skaters willing to accept the challenge of the granddaddy of all embankments Lil’ Sunset Carwash!

We hope you come and join us on Sunday, August 21st, from 2-6pm at CCS Headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Carcasses will be tossed. Montucky beers (and waters) will be drank, prizes will be won, pizza will be eaten, cars might even get washed. The whole CCS Skate Team, plus a cavalcade of skateboarding's brightest stars from the past, present, and future will be there. Frank Gerwer and Elissa Steamer will be emceeing. Carwash OG John Fuckin' Cardiel will be DJing. It's gonna be wet and wild so don't miss out.