peaking out. Some things never change.
Nightfall found the pros making last minute
strategy and equipment changes and
trying to be optimistic about the next day's
events. Many were less than stoked with a
lot of what had already gone down; morale
was low. "I was gonna kill myself, but I'm
waiting for the new THRASHER to come
out," (M. Gonzales as told to Rocco as told
by Gerry Hurtado). Gonz's outlook, before
he disappeared for the rest of the week-
end, summed up the prevalent attitude of
many concerned. A circus-like atmosphere
had begun to pervade the scene, which
they were soon to become a part of. Plenty
of clowns but no one was laughing.
Sunday moming broke bright and sunny,
in direct contrast to the dim spectacle now
encircling the area. Event planning had
forced the massive crowd of spectators to
take a very circuitous, narrow route around
the park just to gain entry. Parking was
adequate, but access to it wasn't as
radio-controlled racers, skaters, and i
spectators, tried to squeeze two-way
traffic through an ever-narrowing single
lane. The most unnerving and dangerous
aspect of all this was the overcrowding of
the spectators inside the park. Even as the
bleachers filled to capacity and overflowed
into the surrounding area, more and more
people were allowed to enter. Many ended
up with anything but prime seating
(standing?) and even more were forced to
walk precariously close to one-way vertical
drops.
Practice began and ended amid the
chaos and the contest was at hand.
Spectators leaned forward to watch the
event they had paid so heavily for. The
skating was unquestionably intense. Unfor-
tunately, in some cases, high scores for
powerful, stylish moves have given way to
style-sterile, trick-stuffed gyrating,
assaulting the same four pieces of coping
in side to side fashion. Not to take anything
away from anyone, but a substantial part
of the attraction of skating lies in the
intangibles of form and style and not just in
the concrete fact of trick production. The
contest progressed to the final top ten jam
with the skating interspersed with outside
scenes of ugliness. McGill rips through a
run as flawless as I have ever seen. His
resulting low score draws a rousing
bull-shit chant. Tony Hawk pulls off the
amazing feat of back to back McTwists. A
young spectator breaches security in
search of autographs only to be met with
the business end of a miniature golf club.
"Hey mom, look at the souvenir I brought
from the contest." Real good P.R. work.
Gator and Miller are drawing the ever rarer,
smooth power lines. Does anybody care?
These two guys have as solid a style as
anyone has ever had. I personally sit in
envious awe of Gator's skating, the man
has it down. Mr. V. confronts an in-charge
type and, having threats of ejection thrown
in his face, volleys back with threats of
withholding payments due. Funny how
hitting where it hurts can have a calming
effect. Lester Kasai showed a great deal of
courage and determination, skating with a
taped-up practice-incurred injury that
would have sent many home to their
42
mothers. Chantry pulls off a flawless
Funt-plant (ala Candid Camera) and
heads back to the mountains with a
satisfied smile.
The jam eventually went down to the
wire. Tony Hawk managed a much deserved
win with his usual penchant for pulling a
couple of amazing new tricks out of his
bottomless bag. McGill, on consistent
blazing runs, took an equally well-earned
2nd. Steve Caballero rounded out the top
three. Stevie has had a run of tough luck in
recent contests and was visibly emotional
over his showing. His sincere stoke over
3rd place was a touching bright spot, since
a couple of years ago it might have seemed
insulting to him. Steve has developed a
great deal of class in a tough situation.,
Summary in brief, post-contest: "Some-
body just opened my car and took two
brand new boards," (Jeff Grosso, laugh-
ing). They're giving away free boards in
the parking lot," (Frank Hawk, to clear the
post-contest crowd out of the park).
"Obvious who'll have the last laugh." (K.T.)
Epilogue
The preceeding words are merely
thoughts and observations on a limited
time frame surrounding a single skating
related event. They should be taken at
more than face value, though, because
they reflect a trend which threatens the
very future of organized skating. Realizing
the massive logistical problems of putting
on an event this size, a certain amount of
problems can, and should, be expected to
arise. The true problem here is deeper and
more troubling than these "given" rough
spots. The problems here are attitude and
motivation.
The powers that be, at present, are
trying to totally disregard anything that has
come before. No chance is being given to
LINE #1
1- SLIDER
A-PAKIE SUDER
3- GATAIR
4- MADONNA
5-P. GRIND
• F.H. P.
7- FAST PLANT B.
8-B.CARVE
9. B. OLLIE
10-F. CARVE
11- INDY POP
12-MUTE
18-BAM
EXTRAS
VARIAL TAL
FOLLIE
F.FSTPLNT
AIR FAKIE
TO FAKESPE
F. DISASTER
50-50 DOWN
14-546-ANDRELT SLAB
16.66 VAR
16 F. FLIP TO TAIL
LINE #2
1-F.CARVE
10-BAIR/RATAIR
1-540 INVERT
2-INPY DOPIS LB 12 F. GRIND/ANDET
15 F.H.P. (GRIND
3-MUTE
H BOSTR SLOB
GRIND
4- B. OLLIE
5-MADONNA ELVIS-
-HIRSHNROLL
16-OLLIE FAST
17-BERTAUSTALL
18-VARIALTO TAIL
7 LB.A/JAR
8-FTPLANTE
9-So-50 ISDERFAME
establish a solid foundation from the past,
which is so important to any sport hoping
to build a future. Total ignorance of past
actions and an attitude that "they just don't
matter anyway, are all too obvious.
Skaters and figureheads from the past.
who really helped elevate skating, are
totally disregarded in exchange for an
attempt to establish a sleek, big bucks
approach toward skating "promotion." In
an appalling low-point to the Del Mar
event, Henry Hester, a founding father of
the earliest organized downhill and vertical
contests, was denied entry to the main
"arena" for lack of whatever. An action
equivalent to turning Willie Mays away
from a Giant's game. Self-importance, and
no small amount of egotism and greed,
appear to be behind this push to dispose
of the past. Establishing themselves as
some sort of "new beginning" for skating
seems to be a few individuals' view of
skating progress. It just cannot work.
The uniqueness and true soul of skating
lies in the very way it was conceived and
perpetuated since the earliest days.
Recognizing these roots and acknowledg-
ing them with pride is the only way or-
ganized skating can gain respect, class
and substance. An obvious lack of
concern for the spectators is also danger-
ously prevalent. Many in charge to do not
realize that the future of skating, as well as
their own, resides in the bleachers. What
I will come of all this remains to be seen.
One thing is for sure: if the present attitude
of the promoters does not change, then
street skating will become much more than
the latest trendy catch-word; it will be the
only word. "Pro skateboarding has
outgrown me, I'm still a youngster," (Glen
E. Friedman). Those who forget the past
are condemned to be forgotten.
Scott Foss
GULLWING
TRUCKS
MS
TRACKER
VISION
The ever-studious Gator has his lines down...on
paper Opposite: Clearly the top verticalist in the
world today, Tony Hawk skates most comfortably
on the home Turf.
Am Pool
1. Adrian Demain
2. Greg Aguilar
3. Eric Nash
4. Don Pollard
5. Reese Simpson
RESULTS
6. Chris Black
7. Todd Swank
8. Owen Neider
9. Eric Zepeda
10. John Schultes
Pro Pool
1. Tony Hawk
2. Mike McGill
3. Steve Caballero
4. Mark Rogowski
5. Tony Magnusson
6. Lester Kasai
7. Chris Miller
8. Allen Losi
9. Ken Park
10. Jeff Grosso