I was introduced to a localite who
donned a foot cast acquired after fumbling
an axle stall on the ramp. Ron. Ron is one
of the skate elders in the area. One of the
earlier Calgarian pioneers. He sings in a
city band, RIOT 303. Ron told of one of the
legends of the ramp. The Ramp Ripper, as
he was called, almost literally destroys
ramps with his thrashing, portly mass
Sometimes the other ramp locals call him
Fred Flintstone because of his bedrock
style.
S: Whale is God!
THAT NIGHT
The hip nightlife was concentrated in a
joint named "The Calgarian Hotel." Here
was where the local bands got their
exposure. The Calgarians' bar was
separated into two factions. The front of
the bar was infested by a congregation of
grease-hippy dudes and their wenches.
Also a few Firewater Indians." Hardcore
types pass through this jeering squad on
their way to the back area of the establish-
ment, where a stage awaits with one of
a number of house bands ready to
blast away the doldrums of these
people of the city oasis. Calgary
is situated in an area where it's
an all-day journey to the next
anywhere.
Some Vancouver types asked me how I
liked this Canuck beer as compared to the
water liquid they claimed we drank in the
states. Big talk for out of town Canucks. I
didn't see them drinking anyway. They
should talk.
The entertainment scheduled for tonight
was StingZilldda and Stretch Marks. The
local crowd wasn't gigantic, but it sure as
hell was loyal Everyone knew everybody.
The big setback in this country is you
have to sit down at a table to drink. "Old
Stock ale was the mainstay. They say it
has more alcoholic content than American
domestic. Beer is beer is beer.
The crowd was warm and receptive to all
who played and demonstrated such by
kicking up their heels in mighty thrusts
As I found much to my
threat to sobriety, the
controls the beer in
It's not possible to
the corner market
chase an ice-cold
Barley byproduct.
the question.
dismay and no
government
this country.
tromp to
and pur-
sizer of
Out of
-BLAIR, Slob-Air
Liquor stores all but exist. One must search
for a beer store, which themselves are a
rare commodity. If you like your beer cold,
you must search for a Cold Beer Store
In Canada, the act of drinking beer is a
challenge.
The first competition scenario was at an
Ice Hockey rink. Inside the rink, the
freestyle, high jump and the most 360's
competition were to be played out. Up from
Santa Cruz, California, was Keith
Butterfield, the prime amateur freestyler.
He was looking to chalk up a few more
victories to shove under his belt.
The turnout was big, and with Brad
Kasha at the reins and Monty Little taking
shotgun honors, the Great Canadian Open
was under way. The field of freestyle was
impressive. The top Canadian freestylers
were out in force vying for national honors.
Chris Guild was showing some impressive
style and elegance along with Kevin
Harris. (Weeks after this, Chris and Kev
were to burst onto the American Skate
scene with an appearance at Del
Mar, both grabbing high honors.)
Harris was ripping the two
boarded tail 360's and Chris
had the fluid looking tight
stance space walk
Out of the Canada wilderness came
Steve Harnish. Swivelneck, as the locals
called him. This guy was a Bones Brigader
to the letter (or button if you must be
technical). He had almost every contem-
porary move wired, inside out. Watching
Steve skate was just like watching a video
of Rodney Mullen. In fact. nah, it couldn't
be.
There were a few madmen street.
skaters and vert stylers who added their
two "Canuck cents" into the freestyle for
overall points. The Samoan Squatter spun
around the arena doing various speed
tricks and the lot. He looked just like Jerry
Valdez, except that "The Jer" is taller and
runs slower. The Ramp Ripper, Blair
Watson, conveyed a routine that I had
never seen before. Long slides, a few
kick-flys, and as a finale, he went and
pulled a footplant off the 4 foot high railing
The level of freestyle is very polished,
considering the amount of exposure these
Canadians have to the more contemporary
moves. Hand stands and other tricks of the
old school are taken very seriously.
although when someone goes abroad, and
picks up a few new tricks, the rest are quick
to catch on. Keith Butterfield advanced
Canadian freestylers into the modern
world as a for instance.
There were three girl freestylers.
Margaret Winter, Sophie Bourgeois, and
Denise Frohlick. Sophie was the Canadian
Women's Freestyle Champion. She
shredded the freestyle lines to the
burlieghtoad most.
As the categories went, the winners for
16 and under unsponsored were Roy
Turner, third, Camero Bachysky, second.
and Keith Butterfield, first.
The unsponsored seniors were Don
Nimi, third, Terry Orr, second (Terry is a
tall skinny guy who drives a batmobile and
his girlfriend has black hair and nice legs).
and Dale Kitchner, first
The women's freestyle winners were
Margaret Winter, third, Denise Frohlick,
second, and Sophie Bourgeois, first. The
men's sponsored winners were Chris
Guild, third, Steve Harnish, second, and
Kevin Harris, first.
The high jump event was something I
hadn't seen since the 1976 contest at
Alameda Skatepark back home in the Bay
Area. Then it was the Alotaflex boys who
were ripping it up. Kevin Harris was the
highest sponsored men's flyer of the day.
Covey Bauman gave Kev a big struggle for
the final height. Terry jumped the highest
in his division.
After all of these formalities had
subsided, I copped a ride with "Rockin Ron
Hadley Ron, the injured skate enthusiast.
was around lending Brad a hand at some
of the events.
Brad Kasha
Some of the cast
Cops clock Luge
Dave Crabb at sixteen buckets.