| " Welcome to the Vans Hard Rock Cafe
- Triple Crown of Skateboarding here at Huntington Beach California. We
have todays top pro's battling it out for some really big bucks this weekend..."
This
seems to be the story getting pelted out at all the big contests this year.
Some people like it, some people don't. All I can say is it's cool as shit
seeing the best of the best in real life!
It was seriously killer that Tony Hawk pulled
out another victory. I've since read an interview
that he can now retire from the competition circuit and get to enjoy some
extra freedom. Good going Tony! The competition was fierce on the vert
ramp. This vert ramp shoulda been called the Gadget Ramp. Gizmo's
in 3 area's included the coping off the extensions on both sides and the
eat you alive hole in the middle of the opposite wall that had a fall back
transition with an extension. The Masters held a competition in the Capsule
Bowl. Too bad I missed that, it would been great to see Lance Mountain
trying to beat out Grosso and Mike Smith, only to have Caballero take home
1st place. I heard Mike Smith had to come out through the plexiglass hole
built into the bottom of the bowl. Dinosaur skaters can still skate hard,
they just slam harder!
Matt Beach took home the 1st place award in
the street competition. (You'll get no info out of me since I missed that
too.) So let's get back to the vert competition. Burnquist is insane! He
was able to pull of some sick lip tricks on the bar extensions. He was
hampered by falls in his runs. Lincoln Ueda looked fierce today hanging
on to some of the biggest, sketchiest kickflip airs ever witnessed. Colin,
Bucky, Andy, Omar, and more duked it out on the ramp. Meanwhile the wind
was freezing spectators and the drama seemed slow to unfold. In the end
it was Tony Hawk who pulled a masterful run covering the ramp in full like
it was a sidewalk stroll who took home the $$$ for the Vert.
When the runs were done, Jason the mad M.C. Ellis
wanted the finalists in the vert to get busy in the Best Trick contest.
He called them out then proceeded to get busy himself. He had this freaky
looking trick to show off (see photo). Ueda made a 9 foot + frontside slob
540 over the death gap. Colin McKay made a gnarly f.s. caballerial with
a kick flip in the middle. Buster Halterman was doing some smooth f.s.
sliders over the death gap. Ueda got the prize though!
If you'd like to bear a little more witness to the
weekend long affair I'd check out the WCS
website or try catching it on ESPN2 Nov. 6th @ 10:30 a.m. When these
burnt out pro's come to your town you don't want to miss it!
-Jeff Greenwood |
