Stairs, Steel and Stoke: Groundswell Festival Rail Jam Brings the Heat

The Groundswell Festival Rail Jam delivered pure chaos in the best possible way, with BMX, scooter, and skateboard riders lining up to throw down their best tricks on the stair set and rail. Each discipline ran its own mini jam, giving riders the chance to step up, get creative, and push their limits in front of a buzzing festival crowd. The atmosphere was electric, with spectators cheering every big hit, slam, and jaw-dropping trick. The energy from the crowd kept pushing the riders to go bigger and get creative, making the jams feel alive from start to finish.

Louise Johnstone,  giving it his best to stick an uprail to bri, inspried by his friend and rival Jack Carwardine who was atttempting an up rail to bar twist.. Louise tried this trick over and over and at one point hit his face with his own handlebars, he didn’t stick it in the end but it makes a great photo. For the full album, click here.

BMX kicked things off with speed, power, and fearless riding. Josh Caradwine was relentless, he sent it hard for over 30 minutes, nearly making history with a bar twist off the uprail. It would have been a world first if he had landed it. Young Archie Welton showed he’s got the stoke and skill to match the veterans, while Samuel Grace graced us all the way from Queensland, fresh off his win in the BMX Bowl Battle just one hour beforehand, proving he’s a versatile rider who can ride anything. Kody Strong impressed everyone with a no-hander down the stair set, massive and in charge. Jay Roadley threw down and fell down, but he did finish up with an awesome 360 over the rail that had everyone talking. And of course, Louis Johnstone, pictured above, absolutely blew minds, throwing a tailwhip off an uprail, a trick so difficult it left jaws on the floor, securing him the win. With the trick in the bag, he took inspiration from Jack to try a world first with an uprail grind to bri off, which is what you see in the picture above. This trick wasn’t the one he nailed but it was definitely a fun one to watch him try. 

Such a slick photo of Freestyle Now team member, Oben McHoull. This had the crowd seriously hyped and it’s wicked to put huge scooter tricks and skill on display at Groundswell Festival. For the full album, click here.

The scooter jam kept the energy flowing, with riders going all in on the stair set and rail. Joshua O’Neil and Kody Strong, who had both competed in the BMX rail jam, also threw down in the scooter division. Josh landed a huge 360 down the stair set while Kody survived a few big slams that showed serious commitment. Oben McHoull, pictured above, stole the show with a massive inward down the stairs, earning the win and $200 and showing just how tenacious scooter riders can get. A young rider also caught everyone’s attention, bringing incredible attitude and fun to the jam, reminding us that participation and enthusiasm matters just as much as sending it. The crowd’s cheers and energy elevated every run, making the scooter jam feel bigger and more intense.

Josh Birtwhistle sent it hard, taking slam after slam to get this trey. The crowd went absolutely wild for it and he walked away $200 richer. For the full album, click here. 

Skateboarding closed out the rail jam with heavy hits and technical precision. Perth local Brendon Cross went all in, repeatedly using the rail for a huge ollie over into a backside tailgrind. Dylan Rees kept the crowd entertained with big attempts, putting down numerous tricks even if they didn’t all stick and snapping his board in the process. Josh Birtwhistle, pictured above, stood out with a clean treyflip down the stairs, landing perfectly, after multiple failed attempts. He didn’t give up, and that is a huge part of why he won.. The skateboard division was full of skaters giving it their all, with plenty of huge slams and victories to keep everyone on their toes. The festival vibes and crowd engagement made this jam one of the most memorable sessions of the day and hyped everyone up for the next day which is host to WA’s biggest Skateboarding Competition, The Groundswell Grind. 

Raw, loud, and full of commitment, the Groundswell Festival Rail Jam was a festival highlight. Big tricks, fearless riding, and a perfect showcase of BMX, scooter, and skateboard sharing the same stage, with a crowd that helped lift every single run.

Stay tuned for more exhilarating skatepark competition as Freestyle Now continues to celebrate the passion and skill of our incredible action sports community. Freestyle Now is dedicated to delivering high-energy events and inspiring communities. From thrilling stunt shows to engaging coaching sessions and well-managed competitions, we promote active and healthy lifestyles while pushing the boundaries of action sports.

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We would like to thank our partner, Right By You. Rightbyyou.org.au is a mental health resource made for young people, by young people. There is easy to understand, useful information on the website if you or your friends are in a mental health crisis situation. Head to rightbyyou.org.au if you need to help a friend or yourself today.