OGJS #2 - Skatelab in Simi Valley

I’m writing up this contest summary with a little pain all over my body from a couple of slams this week, an endearing token to remember this contest by. This contest got rolling in a timely manner at about 1 o’clock on Sunday June 3, 2012, and about 20 old guys put pen to paper and slapped down a little green for the pleasure of competing for a large pile of loot!

50 & over kicked off the day. Just when you think no one can take on the super charged master, and mayor of Skatelab, Eddie Hadvina on his own turf, Gregg Garrett put on a fine performance of his own. Sliding, twisting and grinding in all kinds of ways. Steve Wright is still going. He’s an amazing man who has lived through every era of skating from the earliest times. He has more then a few stories to tell, and this contest probably added another one. ‘Sleepy’ Schoman threw down and Xavier Lanes shocked the crowd as he went for it. He’d ran into the bowl all day to get started but in the contest he got so fired he decided it was time step up to the lip and drop in. The crowd held there breath… Its not every day you get to see a 50+ year old put his life on the line… and ‘swoosh..’ the drop in was completed! The crowd was hyped! In the end Eddie Hadvina is just too strong, knocking out big fs airs over the hip, Inverts in the deep end, and stylish speedy lines all over the bowl.

Greg Garret – Crail grind

Eddie Hadvina – flying the hip

Steve Wright putting backside grinds in place.

40-49. Since I competed in this division my recollections are a bit shakey, I was focused on my own situation. I knew Garret was going to be the man to beat. He’s got tricks, speed, style like nobodies business. If you didn’t know him you might think he was a 25 year old pro skaters as he looks and skates like one. Robert Weddle suffered through some early back spams to compete. Every time I see him skating through the pain I feel a pain in my back as well. He put in some real solid and consistent surfy lines. Darin Sanders was pushing himself hard and it paid off. Making some long runs, a few mixed n tricks, and I think he made a really good switch carve run. Aaron Glascock is a grinding powerhouse. He rides trucks he made himself and they are loose and can turn on a dime. He unleashed his double truck madness and threw in a great layback air. Jeremy Fletcher was rolling on cruising mode I think. He looked calm, cool and collected. He made some rocks, a 360 rock, and some grinds and didn’t appear to break a sweat.

Garret Naka flies into a slider to switch smith, power and beauty in this move!

Darin Sanders – reaching for it

Jeremy Fletcher knows a thing or two about Rock and Roll(s)

30-39. Resident local pro Steve Badillo had no problem taking this division. his first run was equal in length and difficulty to 3 runs from everybody else. Kevin Hewitt hinted he had a bet of some sort and he had some rip rides to back up his end. FS 50-50 over the hip aint easy! Mike Buckly looked like he was going to snap his board on his slamming disasters. He was pumped and over amped a couple of tricks and fell off. This is not normal for him. Sicky Niky…. Zack Mayal, a long board specialist, does not take the easy road for these bowl contests. his board looked like a 40 inch, very trim, and massive wheelbase. He didn’t stay on very long, but each run he did something gnarly. Gnarlest was a very large Miller Flip. Kevin Davis likes to have fun and he brought it. Speed lines and frontside airs got him to 6th. Mellissa Spillman brings in a burst of girl power. She’s got several tricky lip tricks like kickflip to rock fakie, but didn’t string enough together to win the Mens Division, but she takes 1st in the ladies!