When they call your name to ride, you gotta think, "Whatever it takes:" Jason Ellis
(below) is like that-power slob into third. Mister Stratosphere, Neal Hendrix (right),
coming in from a half-Cob mute to fakie. Mike Frazier (opposite), torqued, tucked
and mute. Colin, Ben, Nash and the crew (bottom) take the seats with the best view.
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8:15 pm, SFO to LAX, blah, blah, blah.
Arrived just as the amateur contest was ending. I
was bummed because I missed seeing Jen O'Brien
and that other Floridian, Jody MacDonald ride.
I don't know who else skated, but I know John
Comer wasn't there. He's fuckin' rad.
After the amateur contest, there was a short
lull period, and then the big guns began to infest
the ramp like ants at a picnic. Some guys rip vert
BLKP
hard, and I bet a lot of people don't even real-
ize it. Props to Phil Shao, Moses and many
more. The contest was set-up in the old elimi-
nation/head-to-head format, and trying to fol-
low it got pretty confusing, so I'll just let you
in on the things that stood out in my mind:
First of all, Mike Crum didn't even make
the cut with monstrous frontside nollies and
switch ollies. It just didn't make any sense.
Rune Gilfberg (who I've only heard about before
this contest) also got royally gypped. This
guy is seriously no joke. It's inspirational to
see Lance Mountain still tearin' it up. He was
flippin' fat ass McTwists on the E, huckin
Lance-style frontside inverts and fastplants.
I think Chris Gentry has been skating the
Soul Bowl a lot. He rode fast and focused
with champ airs, backside noseblunts and
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