A SKETCHY HOLIDAY INN
"Please excuse the mess as we are remodeling in order to serve
you better. Upon check in at the closest Holiday Inn we were
delighted that our suite included the use of a rather large round
pool evidently drained for the occasion of our visit. Nice touch. We
made mental notes on rideability and transitional radius before
diving into our room for some shut-eye, secure in the knowledge
that we had chosen a location that everybody else hadn't.
Boy were we wrong! Not only did we wake up to the sound of
skateboards clacking by outside and fists pounding on our door but
soon learned that warnings were being issued regarding the use of
the dry pool.
PRACTICE SKETCHES
Meanwhile back at the rampsite, Arriving, I was immediately
reminded of the gnarly nature of Dennis' skate structure along with
a clearer picture of where we were and why Micke Alba was
swinging side to side forehead level backside airs to a crew of
skaters gathered on the large rollout decks. Since the Newtron
format for this contest dictated "Texas Ams only" most of the early
practice sessions were made up of such. Ken Fillion, Tom Koesel,
Bob Mertz, Todd Prince, Troy Chasen. Curtis Hyatt, Allen Gruimond
and others were all showing well practiced lines on the metal ramp.
The rest of the pro contingency began to filter in later that after-
noon. I continued to hear phrases like godly, fuggin' killer dude'.
insane' and perfect, the best' as I grilled for ramp reactions. It was
pretty obvious how most of them felt by the skating being per-
formed. McGill, Mountain, Hosoi, Hawk and now Magnusson were
tossing themselves into McTwists seemingly at will. Where would it
stop? It wouldn't I realized as I remembered T. Hawk's newly wired
720° air from a takie, ready for its contest debut
Perfect terrain breeds perfect skating. Skatepark of Houston has
a perfect half pipe and the skaters to match it were definitely in
attendance for the weekend. The field of 24 pros eventually arrived
on the grounds and traded bio calesthenics with the ams during the
easy going practice sessions that ensued 'til late evening. In no
particular order the names of Blender, Kasai, Reategui, Lopes,
Nell doing the carve of his life.
Gibson and Todd Prince Bark Hard
Holiday mn crew Christ, Neil, Lance, Chris, Billy, Eddie
Dennis Martinez, Houston entertainment.coordinator
#2
WELCOME
SKATE BOARDERS
Skate by Numbers