As part of Tallinn – European Sports Capital 2025, Simple Session athletes took to the ice on Friday, March 7, to determine who dominates not only on ramps but also on skates. In a high-energy hockey showdown, the BMX riders emerged victorious with a score of 8-4 against the skateboarders.
The friendly match took place at Harjumäe Ice Rink, where two mixed teams faced off—one made up of skaters and the other of BMX riders – to battle for the title of puck champions. The event proved that these athletes can handle slippery ice just as well as massive ramps. While some participants had previous hockey experience, for most, this was an exciting opportunity to try a new sport. The result was a fun-filled game packed with friendly collisions, unexpected wipeouts, and plenty of laughs.
The game was commentated by Simple Session legends Andy Zeiss (BMX expert) and Dave Duncan (former pro skater and SS commentator). According to Zeiss, the match was fast and chaotic, with BMX riders taking the win thanks to a solid performance by their goalie. “Latvian rider Arturs Koskins did an incredible job as our goalie, but credit goes to the entire team for the win,” Zeiss said, also praising the skateboarders’ impressive effort.
Dave Duncan, typically known for his skateboarding commentary, highlighted how intense and entertaining the full two-period match was. He jokingly added: “Without the skateboarders, the BMX team wouldn’t have had anyone to beat!”
For 24-year-old Austrian BMX rider Linda Grabner, the victory was extra sweet:
“Winning is always fun! The last time I played hockey, I was 13—just for fun. But I’ve never worn real hockey gear before—this was such a cool experience!” she said, before heading back to prepare for the Simple Session BMX contest the next day.
BMX Team:
🇪🇪 Gert Nõgu, Kaspar Peek, Liis Lokk (Estonia)
🇺🇸 Austin Augie, Nikita Ducarroz (USA)
🇬🇧 Joe Jarvis, Stu Chisholm (UK)
🇩🇪 Jan Bisanz, Erik Herschke (Germany)
🇨🇦 Beatrice Trang (Canada)
🇦🇹 Linda Grabner (Austria)
🥅 Goalie: Arturs Koskins (Latvia)
Skate Team:
🇪🇪 Mark Taru, Tuuli Jevstignejev, DJ Muul (Estonia)
🇺🇸 David Gravette, Shawn Hale, Dylan Witkin (USA)
🇧🇷 Diego Fiorese (Brazil)
🇳🇱 Jason Lijnzaat (Netherlands)
🇫🇷 Stellio Sakellarides (France)
🇧🇪 Beau Brunclair (Belgium)
🥅 Goalie: James Threlfall (UK)
The last time skateboarders and BMX riders clashed in a hockey match was in 2019, making this the fifth official hockey face-off in Simple Session history.