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NSA BACKYARD SERIES #1
Visalia YMCA June 16, 1990
NSA President Don Bostick may not have known what
he was getting into with his idea for a backyard
series three contests at various sites in California that
would, if anything, be a departure from arena-style and
park events that may be going the way of the clay wheel.
Underlining the sketchiness of such an undertaking was
the fact that, at press time, the #3 mini-ramp event
scheduled for Waterworld at Cal Expo in Don's home burg
of Sacto had to be called off completely and #2 streetstyle
in downtown Santa Cruz was almost stymied by an
insurance hassle. Even Visalia's YMCA ramp almost didn't
receive the required new ply and masonite needed to
entertain the pros who were beginning to converge on this
sleepy suburb south of Fresno.
Within several hours of practice it was evident that this
contest" would have an asterisk by the results for several
reasons. First off was the contention that the ramp sucked,
at least in the minds of many pros. Chris Miller, who
eventually would dominate the proceedings with his flair
for airs and lock-up tricks at speed, summarized it for
most, "It's been a while since I rode a ramp that was less.
than perfect. It's pretty fun, but I don't think it's that good
for a pro contest. Because of vocal bursts from Chris and
other contenders, the judging format was changed to allow
the pros to judge each other. This idea, which had been
much talked about over the years, would be implemented
for the first time. Chris liked the idea, "Instead of everyone
being really conservative and trying not to fall off, now they
can just rip and be judged by their peers and skate the
ramp their best." Steve Caballero described the conditions
out on the masonite that was reflecting the 90+ heat, "I
think everyone is going to say the same thing about the
ramp, it's very slippery, but the real problem is, it's over
vert on one side and not vert on the other and the coping
doesn't stick out so there's no pop. It's really hard to
control your board. It's like going to some guy's ramp."
More of a session than a contest, there was serious talk of
chucking the whole judging scene and just having a
barbecue and pool party. Cooler heads prevailed, as there
was something else at stake here.
The Masters division. That's right, 27 and over, the
senior tour for the old school, was inaugurating itself on
the harsh vert. Interest was real and the competition was
serious. Jake Phelps, ramp owner and job holder, told
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some of the ugly details, "I dislocated my elbow yesterday
and I'm an idiot for skating in this." Still the Phelper went
out and mixed modern moves with older aggro. Sacto
Steve-O Brockway summed it up for all, "It's between
Northern and Southern Cal in a neutral zone where it
doesn't matter and it's fun because it doesn't really count."
Cohort Roger Folsom lived up to his nickname "Folslam"
by adding his observation on the Masters, "I survived-I
slammed, but I survived."
Indeed, the presence of the Masters lent a lighter air to
the proceedings (literally, when Salba skated up the wall.
for a tail tap once, he couldn't help but notice that
somebody was burning leaves).
Randy Katen, 30, had the ultimate words on the scene, "I
haven't seen a lot of these people in years. It's good to
see them come out and try this. Duane and I used to skate.
doubles years ago. Hackett, Fish, Duncan, Jim
Gray there's some heavy skating experience out on that
ramp. The ramp is fun. I heard a lot of the younger kids
complaining about it, but I think they get a little spoiled. If
they skated more pools they'd know that nothing is
perfect. You gotta work the kinks out.
Spectators who thought the seniors division was going to
be a wheelchair event were pleasantly surprised by thei
skating going down and the variety of moves being.
thrown. Masters finals continued to get burly as each
veteran skater dropped in. Hackett tried to play Andrew
Dice Clay during his routine but Bostick had to throw up.
his hands and pull it on obscenity charges. DH continued.
undaunted, with viciously smooth laybacks, both tuck knee
and stinkbug frontside air grabs. Mixing it up with Bobby
Valdez-style inverts was Dave Duncan. Cold cocked acid.
drops and frontside sweepers were brought to you by
Duane Peters. Indy airs, alley cop frontsides and "some
sort of eggplant" were Schneers strong suits. Disasters, a
lien-to-grind from low to extensions and a slide show
featuring a carving edger up the extension proved Salba's
metal. Large frontside airs, grinds-to-revert, Jim Jams,
frontside 50's down the escalator and high flying, feets-off,
slob grabbed airs were presented by James Gray who
said, "I always do them like that."
Down the home stretch, it was Gray who continued his
freight train approach to the ramp while others puffed and
wheezed. (Card on next page
Above: Chris Miller prepares to smack the metal with a rear axle during a
speedy frontside sugarcane. Below: Pro masters winner Jim Gray jams about
the lip with a hackside sweep on a rather hor afternoon
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