Photos by Jeff Newton
The main skate attraction at Kona Skatepark, the ramp, provided an excellent battleground for a classic east meets west confrontation.
SUNDAY 11th
Sunday July 11th saw us pulling into
Jacksonville, Fla., under a rainstorm that
wouldn't quit. Eleven hundred miles is a
long way to go to watch the rain come
down. We were assured that it wouldn't
last long. Well it lasted, so we checked
into our $100 a week (no occupancy limit)
room at the Holiday Motor Inn just down
the freeway from the park. This place was
a definite improvement over last year's
accommodations, which was a $10 a
week rundown house (complete with dog-
sized roaches). Checking in and settling
down after the eye-burning drive, we
heard noise outside and saw that the
mandatory "stickering session" was in full
swing. Too tired to play-time to hit the
hay, a big week ahead.
MONDAY 12th
Monday started out foo early with an
unauthorized 5:00 a.m. wake-up call.
Someone's gonna die. Leaving the
receiver off the hook insured a few more
hours of sleep. After getting up, going to
the park, and checking in, we surveyed
the surroundings. The bleachers at the
halfpipe were sporting a "rainbow" type
paint job. The halfpipe itself had been
refurbished with new layers of fiberglass.
The only thing it lacked was adequate
coping, but that's life. Lots of skaters
here. The G&S boys, the Variflexers, guys
from New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia,
Michigan, Tennessee, Texas (hey, that's
us), and even Brazil. Hmmm, the Boys
from Brazil-who were they? What were
they doing?
That night came the mandatory room
thrashing party. "Mr. Hair" had a get
together in his room that soon got out of
hand. I guess some guys think it's cool or
something to destroy. After the law
arrived, some of the guilty left for home.
Micke Alba continues to hover near the top of
the pro vertical circuit. Handplant.
TUESDAY 13th
Another day spent at the park watching
practice, playing video, and shooting pool.
The crowds of skaters were growing
each day. There were little teeny tiny kids
who were wearing wall-to-wall padding
and biker types with scraggly beards and
their "cycle mammas" watching them
skate.
The temperature began to rise to
unbearable levels so we headed back to
the hotel to take a dip in the pool. Luckily,
someone stopped us from jumping in. It
seems that "Nature Boy" Baucom had
seen "Caddy Shack" once too many times
and wanted to re-enact the pool scene
with the Baby Ruth floating around. The
only difference was that it wasn't candy
floating in the pool. What a cool guy.
As evening approached, I began to
wonder where all the girls were, where
were the parties? I guess we'll have to
make do with what we've got.
WEDNESDAY 14th
Today the skating is getting hotter and
hotter. The Boys from Brazil are there
hanging out again (who are they?). Also
on hand is "Wild Man," what a guy! He
goes for anything, he'd even lay on the
edge of the halfpipe and let people do
rock-n-rolls on his belly. Mike Smith
shows up and Micke Alba tried. He slept
thru his plane transfer in Dallas and
ended up in Orlando, not knowing where
he was or what city the park was in. A few
phone calls later got Micke on a bus
bound for Jacksonville.
Tonight was the feast at the Ramos'
Rude Boy, Chris Baucom, settled down long
enough to blaze some night air, and ninth place.
home. It was well received by everyone.
Some guys looked as though they hadn't
eaten all week. I think I saw a few people
stuffing chicken and pizza in their pockets
to be eaten at a later date.
Baucom and his buddies are at it
again-pissing in the shampoo bottle and
having another of his "pool parties."
THURSDAY 15th
Thursday was the first actual day of the
contest. Today's events were freestyle,
bank&bowl, and pool.
The freestyle didn't seem to be freestyle,
it was more like banked freestyle. Only a
couple of skaters (including Mike Valdez,
the self-proclaimed alcoholic) did hardcore
freestyle routines on flat ground only.
Where were you, Mutt? These boys need
to be talked to. Stand-out was the Schmitt
look-alike who did the most original
freestyle trick ever-360's while spewing
a mouthful of water, "The Water
Sprinkler."
A typically contorted and rubberized Tony
Hawk grabs an inside railer.
Bank&bowl was a trip to the past. The
main objective was to ride the "Tombstone"
at the back of one of the bowls. This
monolith has at least six feet of vert that
had the kinkiest transition this reporter
has seen. Despite this, "hair ball" tricks
were pulled on this "thing." Amazing.
Next was the pool event. The practice
session turned into an unofficial "air"
event as the video crew set up and as
crowds grew to spectate. Chris Miller
chewed a few times on six- to seven-foot
airs until making one. Lester Kasai was
pulling chest-high airs along with Lance
Mountain. Tony Hawk's screaming
backside ollies were insane. The pool
event came and went with little trouble.
The big surprise was that "Halfpipe
Wizard Jeff Phillips of Texas managed to
win over more pool-oriented skaters like
Chris Miller and Buck Smith. But we know
why Buck lost. Riders shouldn't complain
about what truck the judges ride for.
Micke quote: "You've just lost, Buck."
Another night, another party.
VARFLEX Summer
Chris Miller, equally as high bouncing on motel
room beds.
FRIDAY 16th
Another morning, another hangover.
We decided to go chow at "Duff's-all you
can cram down-Smorgasbord" with the
G&Sers. What a mistake. Billy and Neil
inform me that they've been coming here.
all week and have been giving the
employees grief. They make piles and
piles of plates with half-eaten lunch on
one table and wait for "Pearl" the lady
who cleans the tables to come by. Billy
figures that today Pearl's s--t will hit the
fan because of the mess. He was right!
When she saw the pile she began picking
on "Bonehead" Wilkes for making the
mess. He informs her that today was the
first (and last) time he's been there. She
calls him a liar and wants to fight NOW!
After more words, she picks up a spoon
and threatens to "cut your heart out." I've
never seen so many people try to keep
from laughing in my life. Time to go and
just in time, as she had gone to the
kitchen to get three big black cooks to
help her. We waved bye-bye as we drove
back to the park.
Mike Smith imitating Mike Smith doing a
backside aerial and a 5th place finish.
This afternoon's objective was to cut
the Pro & Ams to the eight riders needed
for the head to head on Saturday.
Everyone wanted it bad, pushing the
limits was in order. A perfect example of
this was John Grigley hanging onto an
Andrecht handplant too long. He landed
on his back in the flat bottom of the ramp.
OUCH.
I won't bore you with details, so here's
who made the cut:
1. Jeff Phillips
2. Scott Green
3. Bob Reeves
4. Jeff Jones
5. Craig Johnson
6. Buck Smith
7. Chris Miller
8. Brian Farabegoli
The pro eliminations only got halfway
done because the ramp became too slick
due to high humidity, the other half was to
take place on Saturday.
Variflex veteran, Allen Losi, returned to
competition at Kona and dropped into 8th
place.