Tony Hawk, Vans Off The Wall Skatepark, Huntington Beach, CA Image Credit: by Michael Burnett
Clash @ Clairemont 7
The Clash Rocked Clairemont this weekend! Read more
Future Primitive – Special Edition DVD
Special Edition DVD sheds light on Primitive. Read more
Birdhouse Left Coast Tour – Stop #1
The Birdhouse Skateboad Team has commenced their new ‘Left Coast Tour’ yesterday. I jumped in my buggy and headed over to Santa Clarita Skatepark to check out the mob scene. Where ever Tony Hawk goes, the mob is sure to follow and today was just like many before. The Birdhouse team is a wrecking crew beside the Birdman so its not a one man show, not a bowl only show, or a street only show. Its a good all around demo stoking out everyone. Read more
Quiksilver Presents: The Tony Hawk Vert Jam
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CLASH AT CLAIREMONT 2008
The PacSun Clash @ Clairemont 2 raises over $13k for cancer and skatepark…
X Games Skateboarders Fly High at Miramar
X Game Skateboarders Fly High at Miramar – Tony Hawk / Andy Macdonald
Anaheim B3 – Greener Pastures
Now that I have been to a few of these ESPN events over the last few years I can say I know what to expect. It’s there formula to bring you skateboarding on television by the best pros out there. They do this (competition format) and it works out well for them to give what the general public wants to get interested in the sports involved. Show some footage of the best (Usually only the top 3 finishers) and get all excited about them for the on-air broadcast.
But what I’m seeing and the fans in attendance are seeing is so much more than what you get to see on the tube that it comes down to 2 different versions of what’s going on: The Real Version and the T.V. version. Here are a couple examples,
In the Real Version (being there) you get to see a pretty chaotic snake session in progress. You may have Chris Senn wanting to hit the same ledge Pat Channita does. Both skate at different speeds and are coming at the ledge from 2 different angles. Sometimes both will pull away if they see each other resulting in no attempts at dialing their tricks. Sometimes maybe Chris Senn will be moving mach 10 and only to see Channita double heel flipping to 5-0 on the ledge. He can pull out in time again losing a shot at the ledge. Maybe Channita will see Senn barreling down on him and decide to pull back and make room for Chris to fly by. Only when he pulls out Chet Thomas is in mid flight and going to land right where Channita suddenly changed direction to. Slam! (This didn’t really happen but it’s a similar version to reality each event). On T.V. you don’t get to see what happens in between runs. You’ll see Chris Senn (who got 1st place) ripping unobstructed throughout the course like it was easily orchestrated to be able to practice his lines.
In the Real Version you might see some new guy bust out a 900 on the vert ramp and it’ll blow you and everyone there away.
On T.V. you’ll never even see the 900 because he placed 25th and the cameras weren’t rolling on the practice session.
Because of this we seldom bring you the ESPN version of the events and bring you the down home version. In the photo gallery and video clip we’ve got scenes from the practice sessions and some from the finals. We weren’t there to bring you up to the minute play by play. We went to watch the top skateboarders perform and bring back some photos and video of guys you may or may not get to see much of. ENJOY!
Andy Macdonald – Indy Air
Bucky Lasek – Frontside Invert
jesse fritch -kickflip indy
Christiano Matteus
Neal hendrix
Tony Hawk – Tuck Knee Invert
Vans Hard Rock Cafe – Triple Crown of Skateboarding 1999
Welcome to the Vans Hard Rock Cafe – Triple Crown of Skateboarding here at Huntington Beach California.
THE CLASH AT CLAIREMONT
Saturday was a good skateday. All kinds of stuff giong on. Jeff covered the Pedlow contest and I ventured down south for the Clash at Clairemont event. The old (last years) X Games ramp found a home at the Mission Valley YMCA. The vert demo consisted of most the big names. Bucky, Bob, Lincoln, and of course Tony to name a few. You know if Tony shows up the crowds will follow. He and the other skaters went right to work on the beast ramp.
Tony Hawk stalefish
I’ve be lucky enough to cover The X Games and stand on the deck of these huge ramps many times. But it always blows me away when a guy throws a ten foot plus air in front of me.
Lincoln sky master.
The demo moved into the pool and the session raged.
Chris Miller classic FSA.
Bob was on fire.
Mike Rogers got into the mix. Grind For Life was one of the event sponsors. Always cool to catch Mike skating.
Lots of booths , food and give aways. Big Bonus…. Agent Orange played pool side. It was sick!
Good times all around. Big thanks goes out to Laszlo Kelemen and to everyone else who made this event happen.
Check out the gallery for more photos here:
https://www.concretedisciples.com/skate_photos/cate gories.php?cat_id=230
Slam City Jam 1999 – Vancouver BC
The Finals. Only the Strong survived to ride again until today.