Phoenix am 2004.AS I WAS PACKING TO LEAVE I thought, "This should be interesting--a contest in the rain." I couldn't believe it. Here I was driving in the Skaterade Urban Assault Vehicle packed with 90 cases of our energy drink, flying down the wet, rainy highway at 90 mph trying to get to a contest I really didn't think was going to happen. The drive went quick. A lot of people hate that drive, but not me. I see it as the best time for reflecting and planning. So I arrive to The Desert West Skatepark A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment for skateboarders, bmxers and aggressive skaters to ride and develop their sport and technique. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, handrails, trick boxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, stairs, ; as I get out of the van I see Laura wrapped up in a plastic bag trying to keep the water off! I'm thinking, "This sucks." After all, it takes a lot of heart, time, money, thought, and coordination to execute a contest of this caliber. Not to mention the sponsors who want to facilitate a fun weekend for their riders, and kids that want to get sponsored. So there were plenty of reasons for everyone to be bummed if the rain didn't let up. On the judges panel, I found myself sitting with Matt Milligan. Ronnie Creager Ronnie Creager (b. January 14, 1974) is an American professional skateboarder from Orange, California who primarily skates street, and more specifically flatland technical skating. He currently resides in Califorina. , Dave Duran, and Joey Suriel. I was seated next to Joey in particular, and that was cool We've known each other for years and could relate to the excitement exhibited by the skaters in Phoenix. We got to talking about how we used to go to am contests and how much fun it was. It's interesting that the generation before us looked down on street skating Street skating is the practice of roller skating (commonly on inline skates or quad skates) in groups on public roads. Street skates can be formal affairs, with prespecified routes, marshals and, at times, police escorts or ad hoc gatherings of like minded individuals. , yet we being street skaters have a true appreciation for the progression that we witnessed that weekend! Mirko was magic on the mic, and certainly had a way of connecting with the audience. There were several guys that for sure came away with new nicknames that their friends won't ever let them live down ... right, Annie? Contests are what they are; it's your moment to shine. What's interesting about contests is that they do in fact matter for everyone, and at the same time they don't. It could be the minute that changes your whole life! Here's a laundry list laundry list A popular term for a long list of Sx, diseases, or etiologies that share something in common–eg, differential diagnosis of acute abdomen of skateboarders that can show you what time it is. The Future is Now and here they are: TOP ELEVEN Colin Provost PROVOST. A title given to the chief of some corporations or societies. In France, this title was formerly given to some presiding judges. The word is derived from the Latin praepositus. : Flawless! Wait until this spud grows some power Grant Taylor: Smoother than microwaved butter Ryan Lay: Unassuming ripper Software that extracts raw audio data from a music CD. See ripping and MP3. Kurtis Colamonico: On point, consistent. Tech and power Marty Murawski: This guy I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. at all. Reminded me of a sleeping lion. Killed it Bjorn Johnston: Dude stole my legs! Switch master! Josh Perkins: I'm on a nightrain Andrew Cannon: Cannon Ball Run Jimmy Astleford: Ripped it! Lizard lizard, a reptile of the order Squamata, which also includes the snake. Lizards form the suborder Sauria, and there are over 3,000 lizard species distributed throughout the world (except for the polar regions), with the greatest number found in warm climates. : 31 flavors--watch the flick out. Don't sleep on this kid Kyle Nicholson: Where did you learn to skate skate, fish: see ray. skate Any of nine genera (suborder Rajoidea) of rounded to diamond-shaped rays. These bottom-dwellers are found from tropical to near-Arctic waters and from the shallows to depths of more than 9,000 ft (2,700 m). ? BEST TRICK Grant Patterson: What?! This kid is coming for your job. Nollie crooks and hen noseslide in the rain with headphones Head-mounted speakers. Headphones have a strap that rests on top of the head, positioning a pair of speakers over both ears. For listening to music or monitoring live performances and audio tracks, both left and right channels are required. on Adam Dyet: Kickflip back tail; back noseblunt the big rail! Greg Myers Gregory Richard Myers (born on April 14, 1966, in Riverside, California) is a former baseball catcher and designated hitter most recently for the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League of Major League Baseball . He played 18 seasons in the MLB, which began in 1987. : Infectious Charisma--the future is now! Devine Calloway: Bakersfield's best. Chocolate? Silkoway! Javier Nunez: Daewon, do you have an apprentice? Adrian Mallory: Rowley meets 151 Richard Villa: Tre flip; Jason Lee would be proud Ted De Gros: Got something for J-Wray: mad snaps, clean Antwaun Dixon: Victorville what? Anything for five dollars Rodrigo Petersen, Rodrigo Lima: Brazilian, homework done Jon Goemann: better than you hurt! PHOENIX AM 2004 RESULTS Place Skateboarder Score Home Town 1 COLIN PROVOST 87 HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 2 GRANT TAYLOR 85.67 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 3 RYAN LAY 85 MESA, AZ 4 KURTIS COLAMONICO 84.67 LONG BEACH, CA 5 MARRY MURAWSKI 83.67 MESA, AZ 6 BJORN JOHNSTON 83 NEW ZEALAND 7 JOSH PERKINS 83 CAPE NEDDICK, ME 8 ANDREW CANNON 81 GLEN MILLS, PA 9 JIMMY ASTLEFORD 79 SAN MARCOS, CA 10 LIZARD KING 77 HELLROSE, CA 11 KYLE NICHOLSON 76.33 READING, PA THE THIRD ANNUAL Phoenix Am contest, brought to you by Cowtown in association with Circa, Zero, KR3W, Nixon and Skaterade, went off without a hitch hitch to fasten by a knot, usually used to describe tying a horse to a post. thanks to all our sponsors! Circa: main sponsor / Zero: best trick sponsor / Ramps provided by KR3W and Cowtown / Official time by nixon / SKATERADE is the official drink of the Phoenix Am / www.phoenixam.com ZERO'S BEST TRICK SPLIT DECISION on the "DEATH RAIL" ADAM DYET, kickflip back-tail GRANT PATTERSON, nollie heel crooks |
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