Spring has officially sprung; tulips showed up in my garden, Dunbat has opened and the Toronto streets are populated with skaters. To kick off the spring season, and dust off those winter legs, Globe hosted the Springtime Showdown on Saturday at the Sound Academy. Paying out $500 in cash, it was the perfect start to the Toronto skate season.

 The jam format brought out the best in all the riders, and while sessioning the Jersey barrier, the skill and steez requirements for the night were certainly met. Jordache Bouchard fast planted so cleanly it was impossible to ignore. He then dialed up his style, channeled Bastien Salabanzi, and started kickflipping while landing cross-legged. It got somewhat disgusting when Bouchard landed his Salabanzi flips twice in a row so well that it looked like an instant replay. Ariel Stagni threw down with his dialed-in cleanliness, throwing textbook-inspired tricks so consistently, I thought that I was watching an instructional video.

 Thanks to the Loveliest of Gentlemen, Rob Fowler and Bradley Hainschwang, for handing out cash for the best tricks, and to Globe and Polson Pier’s Andi Roth for the hospitality.

 Text by Kathleen Gurski.

Photos by Richard Roth.

Jordache Bouchard

Ariel Stagni

Mike Crook

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