Basic “World Cup of Skateboarding” Bowl 2002

Words and photos by George Crosland

A Huntington Beach Police helicopter hovers overhead, aluminum abruptly grinds against cement, the Smut Peddlers are rockin, and Greg Cassel has got police siren noises screaming out of a megaphone at volume ten…

A Huntington Beach Police helicopter hovers overhead, aluminum abruptly grinds against cement, the Smut Peddlers are rockin, and Greg Cassel has got police siren noises screaming out of a megaphone at volume ten, it must be time for a Basic Bowl contest. The Basic Bowl is a clover shaped backyard dream has seen a lot of action in its almost ten years of existence. On top of the skating and parties, more than once it has floated out of the ground. Now it is markedly over-vert. Pro skaters and ams attacked the over-vert clover bowl fueled by hot dogs and beer. This is a truly unique event. Once or twice a year a makeshift contest is “organized” sometimes pros show and sometimes they do not. Who the hell cares, it is a blast either way. This round saw an absence of big name pros, perhaps because the purse was only $500.

The vibe was pretty mellow as the ams took to the bowl. There is finally a new generation of bowl skaters. Usually bowl riders are over 25 years old this always left me wondering if bowl riding was a disappearing art. Now there is a younger generation. Two kids that were probably under twelve, ripped in the finals. Chris Graham is only eleven and he won, solid. Maybe there is a future in pool skating. The crowd was getting a little lubed when the pros took to the bowl. Jimmy the Greek could have won with his practice runs. The Greek was pulling shit in every inch of the bowl. In the final jam he flailed a few tricks and wound up fourth. Jake Piasecki is always solid and rolled to third. Mark Partain fucking shredded. Mark was pulling good airs in the over-vert pocket and grinding the piss out of everything. Dave Reul hits all the lines and always has some good tricks. The first call was that Dave Reul won and Mark got second but after some Budweiser induced deliberation it was decided the Reuler and Partain would share 1st place honors. After that it was free skate for those who could still stand.

Here are the results:
Am
1) Chris Graham
2) Kyle Embla
3) Devun Lamm
4) Phil Flora
5) Eric Woods
5) Brant Austin

Pro
1) Dave Reul, tie
2) Mark Partain,tie
3) Jake Piasecki
4) Jimmy The Greek
There were a few more guys but everyone was wasted so who cares?