group of speed meisters came bar-
reling down the line. One bystander
romarked, "They look like old school-
ers. But then the dirty dudes began
committing full velocity noseslides,
manuals and nosegrinds on the
assorted obstacles. This brash dem
onstration of velocity-fueled trickery
erased any thoughts of new vs. old
class school war and encouraged all
to gang down the chute and juice the
ditch for all she was worth
The beginners division began the
proceedings with an assault by the
youngstas. Buster Brown got down
with long frantaide bench sides and
Lunar bombed the foot locker, but
Mark Lander brought home the bacon-
with backside 180 kickflips.
Yelling in the natural amphitheater
of the reservoir, Beaker didn't need a
PA to suggest that the intermediates
hit the ditch as well as the props. This
instigated a volley of no-complys on
the bank and 360 bonelesses from
comic master Billy Frey, who also dealt
a stunning sample of crooked grinds
and bench hops. A local named John
shunned the walls entirely and pro-
duced an all flatground run that includ
ed a smiling switchstance doublefip
and a backside 180 heellip, Holding
on at all costs, David Reasbeck got his
points for pure determination.
The battle of speed scholars
against freestyle protégés hested up
in the advanced class. The odds
looked doubtful for the new crew, with
a host of pool, ditch and downhill sep
soned judges tabulating the affair
Starting off with a bang, Ryan Mendar (right) bounds down to eventually
take the cake. Young gun Gabe Salas (below) throws a heelflip over the
hole. David Reesbeck (bottom) preferred the slick of the bench to the
smooth of the ditch. Ducking maids and pigs, Tommy Yoder (opposite left)
sinks one in the corner pocket after the contest. Bristles and buns are poins
we must andure (opposite right) for the thrill of a Las Cruces ditch ride.
WHO STILL SKATES?
January 16, 1993
Beginners
1. Mark Landers
2. Buster Brown
3. Lunar
Intermediate
1. Billy Frey
2. David Reasbeck
3. Chad Rauschenberger
Advanced
1. Ryan Mendar
Downhill Stand-up
1. Tom Muhlberger
Laydown Downhill
1. Bob Garza
2. George Azepatia
3. Danny Castro
2. Tommy Yoder
2. Brian Brannon.
3. Mark Ullstrom
3. Gabe Salas
36 THANK
Not one to worry about labels, Paul Martinez
packed a power punch with tailgrab nosegrinds across
the bench and a big old launch from ramp to bank
Crazy Charlie Ondras took the speed drop and com
mitted 720 Bert slides at will. Gabe Salas lit the torch
with 360 pressure flips, and aces like switchatance ollie
revert and heelflips over the hole, Scott Smidgen
unfurled noseside shove-its, Tommy Yoder cruised the
comer and committed noseslides and boardslides up
the block. Jaime "The Horrible" Favela powered down
the line with big wheels and plenty of speed, swirling
his famed frontside 360 tatap on the tall wal. Ryan
Mendar rang in all-around carve lines, fast-
plant to fakie and a truck,
hood drop. One thing
about his run, he
stayed on
When the results in the advanced division were
announced, there was a noticeable disagreement from
the crowd. On one hand, there were those who felt
an old school bias in the judging lost points for Salas
and Martinez. On the other, there were those who felt
most of the new schoolers fell too much. Everyone real-
ized contest results don't mean shit anyway, but next
year Beaker vowed to make separate style divisions.
Downhill is a matter of mind over matter, like any
other form of skateboard riding. Those who see the
light at the end of the tunnel with fire in their eyes are
destined to retain the prize. So it went in the stand-up
event, and Team Radster associate Tom "Beaver"
Muhlberger had the fever for speed. Without event
one practice run, the Beave pushed twice as
long and twice as hard as anyone down
page