The Rose Club Thorn Bowl @ Crossroads Skateshop 10.02

While 2020 was a rough year for most, two gals by the names of Jess Harper and Michelle Tierney made the most of it and started The Rose Club in Ogden, Utah. The Rose Club is a female-focused group whose goal is to empower women through skateboarding by providing community and a safe environment for all. Today, The Rose Club has become a staple in the Utah skateboarding community.

In the first week of October, The Rose Club held its second annual Thorn Bowl contest, a women’s skate event celebrating the end of their weekly summer meet-ups. The event took place at Crossroads Skateshop in Ogden and was open to women of all abilities and all ages. The judges present were local skate icons Lina Moeung, Kallie Lowery and Taylor Lundquist.

While the event primarily showcased the thriving community of female skateboarders, it also highlighted many up-and-coming, skater-owned small businesses such as Dhonka Hardware, Dad Skateboards and La Palma Skate as well as nonprofit organizations like Save a Brain and Pushing Ahead. To top it all off, Lucky Slice Pizza donated pizza to ensure all the skaters were fueled and ready to skate.

The event was split into two divisions—amateur and pro—with two heats for each division. There were no limitations on what could be skated, and the entire course was open to each girl showcasing their tricks. Once the heats started, the girls were focused and competitive, but you could hear laughter and cheering among this community-oriented group of peers. After the final heat, The Rose Club announced the winners and did not hold back with the prizes and trophies. Crafted with love, the trophies were hand-made sculptures of a rose painted in bronze, silver and gold to signify third, second and first place, respectively. Katie Morse won first place for the Pro division, Lena Garrido for the Amateur division, and Candice Jackson won Best Trick overall for a backside 5050 on the steepest, tallest quarter-pipe in sight.

The success of the Rose Club Thorn Bowl was felt throughout the community, and the event is sure to become a highlight of the Utah skate scene for years to come.

All Photos: Keisha Finai