After a bit of a rocky start, the Rubén Alcántara
skatepark in Malaga opened in 2015. Available to
everyone, from complete novices to pros, the park has
made waves and is now considered one of the best
in Europe, welcoming people of all ages who want to
skateboard, BMX, ride scooters or inline skate.
Skateboarding and Freestyle BMXing were im-
mensely popular throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.
After both sports experienced a decline throughout
the 2000s, they are now once again regaining popu-
larity and are even due to make their debut at this
year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
As a teenager growing up in the 90s, skateboar-
ding and its surrounding culture were a big deal. At
the time, many kids fancied themselves as the next
Tony Hawk or Bob Burnquist (likely spurred on by
their incredible skills on the bestselling Tony Hawks
Pro Skater games for the PlayStation).
Now, I’ve never been known for my love of out-
door activity and my physical prowess, but I must
admit, even I fancied a go…. after all, how hard
could it be? But my short-lived skateboarding career
(lasting approximately half an hour) ended with scu-
ffed knees and a bruised ego, so I turned back to my
PS2 to live out my kick flipping dreams. But for those
of you with better balance and agility, the skatepark
in Malaga offers world class facilities, skate and
BMX lessons and of course, lots of fun for people
of all ages.
The success of Malaga’s skatepark begins and ends
with its namesake – pro BMXer, Rubén Alcántara. Born
and bred in Malaga, he started his extremely successful
BMXing career at age 9. Since then, he has gone on
to win the world championship twice (2000 and 2002),
competed in the X Games, graced the cover of count-
less magazines and been sponsored by brands such as
Huffy, Macneil, Terrible One, Flybikes, Fox, and Etnies.
What sets Rubén apart are his street riding skills. Wi-
dely considered one of the best BMX street riders in the
world, he has appeared in numerous videos showca-
sing his imaginative and ground-breaking style. His abi-
lity to utilise every day urban planning and architectural
elements with flowing simplicity and ease earned him
the 2007 NOVA award for the best rider in the street ca-
tegory. His X Games biography also describes him as a
rider with “an arsenal of tricks that not many riders can
match (rodeo grinds, 540 wallrides, tailwhip wallrides
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and incredibly tweaked inverts)”. Rubén has also been
involved in the design of bike parts, shoes and clothing.
Construction for the park initially began in …...,
with Rubén called in to advise on the project and to
design the bowl. He drew his inspiration from various
places he had ridden over the years, using different
elements and sections that he particularly liked and
enjoyed, ultimately creating what is now described as
one of the best skating bowls in the world.
After piecing his design together and ensuring that
the bowls layout covered different riding styles and
was a fun experience for riders, he set about over-
seeing the build. With so many different elements to
consider, he visited the site daily to make sure that
each curb and hill were constructed correctly.
But after months of hard work the project was
abandoned, and the incomplete park remained uno-
pened and practically unused for three years. Rubén
and other BMXers and skaters would often jump the
fence to ride the bowl, frustrated and annoyed that
the project had been deserted with no prospect of it
ever being finished.
But finally, in 2014 the park was handed back to
the city of Malaga and placed under the responsibi-
lity of Malaga Sports and Events. Rubén was called
back in to help get the project up and running again
and the park opened its doors to the public in 2015
to great success.
The 10,000 square metre space includes the
world-famous bowl, a street area comprising of rai-
lings, inclined planes, walls and benches, a halfpipe,
mini ramps and a BMX dirt track with 7 different cir-
cuits, allowing kids and adults of different abilities
to enjoy all it has to offer. There is also a café, rest
areas, changing rooms, stands and a commercial
area.
The park was quickly heralded as the best in Spain
and one of the best in Europe, with enthusiasts tra-
velling from all over the world to visit. Shortly after
opening, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk chose
Malaga as one of six stops on his Birdhouse Euro-
pean Vacation tour and was joined by pro-skaters,
Aaron ‘Jaws’ Homoki, Ben Raybourn, Clint Walker,
David Loy, Clive Dixon, Mike Davis, Shawn Hale, Ke-
vin Staab, and Lizzie Armanto.
The Vans BMX Pro Cup World Championship was also
held at the Rubén Alcántara skatepark in 2017 and 2018.
OTWO 08 / MARCH 2020
The park also offers different courses for young
novices or for those wanting to improve their skills.
Whether you want to try out skateboarding, BMXing,
scooters or inline roller, there are private one on one
lessons, regular or intensive courses and group acti-
vities available.
Following the roaring success of the park, Rubén,
together with architect and BMXer - Aitor Veguillas,
founded the company Soul Parks, specialising in the
construction and management of skateparks. Their
years of experience in the BMXing world has given
them extensive knowledge of good design, as well
as the ability to strike a balance between areas of
ease and difficulty. Their aim is always to construct
progressive spaces where anyone starting the sport
can improve and develop their skills over time in one
place. They have completed further projects in Zara-
goza, Bilbao, Vigo, San Pedro de Alcántara, Pizarra
and Vélez-Málaga.
By not allowing the skatepark project in Malaga
to fall by the wayside, Rubén and Malaga Sports
and Events have created a world-renowned sporting
complex that has not only attracted visitors from
around the globe, but has also given young people
in the area an outdoor space that they can enjoy and
call their own.
To learn more or to book courses visit:
www.skateparkmalaga.info
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