Norm Eder photographed the first Rockstar Energy Skateboard Open in Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park in August 2024 as stringer for The Portland Tribune.

Many of the women and men who competed were fresh off the Paris Olympics. They treated Portland fans to three days of high-speed skateboard acrobatics and confirmed Portland’s reputation as a “boarders” town.

The competition was held took place a professional state-of-the-art skate park built exclusively for the event. Sadly, when the event was over, rails, jumps, grandstands and the recently created concrete bowl were removed.

It was a first for Portland and a first for Norm, who received a quick lesson in how to shoot the super-charged action.

The Rockstar Open will return to Portland, August 15-17, 2025.