The soaked battleground. The saturated skaters. The astonished crowd.
The above photograph was taken from the inside of the van
pointing out the open side door as these kids chased the moving
vehicle. Below, from left to right, witness Chavo, industry-type-V
Rocco and Natas
Dudley Count
tators absorbed with wondering awe, exclaiming approval towards unique things they've never seen. Many of the
contestants awkwardly rode, hopped, jumped, planted, tumbled and slammed their way through whatever imaginary
course floated in their minds. After the first qualifying rounds of all the age divisions, a change in curriculum was
called. By the looks of the impending Oregon weather, which looked frighteningly like rain, it was determined to
continue the rest of the am competition after the pros competed. The pros were scheduled to fly back to California
the next morning and therefore couldn't stay for a postponed comp. The clouds dropped a light amount of water.
"Hey! I think it's sprinkling." The present contingent of professional skaters lollygagged in the designated skating
area, unaffected by the sprinkle of water. To put a little more light onto the subject; when it is said that these gifted
individuals are lollygagging, it means they were... goofing off sess boiling. Only flying ten feet off a ramp rather than
seventeen and that sort of thing. The boys were, in essence, warming up. A MILLION ANGELS, FOR SOME
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REASON, BEGAN CRYING ALL AT ONCE. UMBRELLAS POPPED OPEN. NOBODY RAN FOR COVER. THE
SKATERS DIDN'T MISS A BEAT. The only reason you should be afraid of water is if you're made of sugar, or if
you're made of shit. If you're made of sugar, you're gonna melt. If you're made of shit, you're gonna float away. Need
more be said? Caballero grabbed an umbrella and tried riding with that for awhile. B.K. slammed hard and retired
for the rest of the day. Hosoi ground on a parking block at speed, gouged and somersaulted across the very wet
pavement. "WILL ALL THE PRO'S PLEASE REPORT TO THE JUDGES AREA FOR A DISCUSSION ABOUT
THE RAIN? A voice over the loudspeaker said. Natas jumped up onto the slimy wet car and flew off the front
end, landing sliding and riding away. COULD WE HAVE A RAIN TALK OVER HERE PLEASE?" Rocco impli-
cated a sliding clinic. Fifty-thousand slide variations in a rainstorm. "WILL THE PROS PLEASE STOP SKATING
FOR A FEW MOMENTS? COULD WE DETERMINE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A CONTEST IN THE RAIN, A
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