It's been slow rollin' out my GO211 profile, but slowly but surely getting there...without boring you to much, here's an update for 08 skate life.
Tampa Pro in March was fun and I ended up getting a 3rd place golden turtle trophy that happens to be one of my favorite keepsakes. Tampa is always fun with lots of night life, skating with friends and unique formats that help stimulate vert skating. The Red Bull ramp wasn't fun to skate, but somehow we all survived its unpredictable surface in the end.
Beijing China, April 08, I hurt my MCL 20 minutes before the finals and somehow managed to skate through it. I didn't really skate well and got 6th, I think (go check the ast site if you want facts, haha).
I rehab'd for two and a half months and scrambled to compete at the first dew stop where I was granted a "wild card". This meant I didn't have to skate the prelims. Unfortunately, I didn't make the final but managed to get a 13th place...which meant I sucked and wasn't prequalified for Cleveland stop no. 2. Oh, Cleveland....But before that was Maloof Money Cup.
July 11thish: Skateboarding's very own Maloof Money cup was slated to be the biggest purse that a skateboard contest has ever seen. Well, yes they pulled it off with flying colors but the purse breakdown stunk...if you paid you way there and blew it, then you were going home in the red. I got 10th (100,000 cents) on the best ramp and contest format we've all seen in a very long time. I hope this contest happens annually and if not, many times annually. Hats off to the Maloof Bros, Pierre and Jake and WCS and everyone else who made it happen! Let's blow doors and have the "skate only" event the largest event for us every year. I love the bikes and moto, but we need to have some huge events where we stand alone...like the old days. It will keep us grounded.
Stress was high in Cleveland in July. I had to skate the "open qualifiers" to get in the regular contest. Luckily I qualified 2nd out of 7 guys. They only took 3 of us, so I was good. Then in the real contest, I qualified pretty well, and
in the finals two days later, I stunk it up and ended up in 10th again. Argh!
Right after Cleveland, Adam Taylor, PLG, Jake, Rob Lorifice, Digo, Lincoln Ueda, etc. spent a lot of time skating with Bob Burnquist at the Mega Ramp. Most of us hadn't been skating mega in a long time (me mostly because of my mcl injury). Anyway, with X-Games coming the following week, we scrambled to get some time in before we could skate Staples Center in LA. Man, the mega is the most amazing thing, but the scariest as well. There's so much that goes in to it...from pads/gear to mental focus to adrenaline, to fun to fear, etc. Like I've always said, it's the funnest, scariest thing I've ever done on my skateboard. It's basically a big airgasm...
Bob's was fun and we survived about 5 days of practice, barely. Adam hurt his mcl the last day before we were to skate Staples. MRI showed some minor tears but nothing he could do but brace it up and hope he could skate xgames. Also, Digo hurt his heal and could barely walk. He almost "jaked" it! Digo went up the quarterpipe and pulled out way to far, and landed super hard on his ankle...it just could withstand the 20 + ft bail. Oh, Adam was doing a tailgrab 540 when he got hurt. Oh, again. I forgot...Lincoln hurt his mcl too! He bailed over the gap and the ramp had a screw sticking up which managed to snag his shoelace in attempt to yank his leg off. His knee got twisted to the side and he sprained his mcl too. The mega is weird like that. The speed is so fast that even on casual bails, things can simply go wrong that are out of your control. Jake flew over the gap one time and his king pin on his truck decided to break in mid air. Fortunately, he realized it and made a safe bail that time.
Moving on to XGames...it was incredible again. I accomplished my first goal and that was simply to have fun and survive. In the process I managed to do 360's over the small gap and a 17' stalefish 540 on the QP. Also, finally, I manned up and did the 70 foot gap (mute 360) to a 20' backside air to bail to "oh shit, I can make this" to slap it on my feet indy to stomp and roll. It was the best feeling I've ever had on a skateboard. Unfortunately, I missed the final by one spot. That's life...the finals were gnarly and my thoughts were bitter sweet. Part of me wanted in there, the other was releived. The finals pushes all beyond what they have done before. Danny proved (again) just how gnarly the mega is, and he is of course.
It was nice to have some down time after mega and get back to normal skating. I didn't skate vert at x, so it was like 2 weeks of no vert for me. The first time back on vert is weird...the board feels like a street stick, the ramp feels mini and the airs and 540's are a whole adjustment that takes me a few days.
The sessions at the YMCA in Encinitas were pretty cool. It was nice to session with 15 kids. Things seem to be changing which is nice. Most of the people on the ramp are under 20, instead of over 30 like it has been. Finally, it really does seem like the next vert sqaud is here. Vert is part of skating, has heritage and it would be great to keep the progression going. Anyway, next comp was Portland, Oregon on August 23 (AST Dew Tour - stop no. 3)
Oregon is awesome, the people seem cool and layed back. It rains a lot usually, but we managed to have some good weather this time. Really it didn't matter since we were parked inside the Rose Quarter with AC on high and where neither the sun nor rain need consideration. I'll make it quick...I barely squeeked in the final by qualifying 10th. Then in the final I finished 6th....Bob and Pierre were off the hook! Check it out, it should be on NBC on August 30th...take care!
