CONTEST WRAP-UP
PER
XX
BOWL
RESULTS
Shop Sponsored:
1. Chris Shubert
2 Keith Nash
3. Michael Lantz
4. Jason Shrievers
5. Dylan Fogle
Factory Sponsored:
1. Mike Morrison
2. Richard Kirby
3. Ryan Wilburn
4. Devan Todd
5. Kurt Disney
With no regard for safety,
Richard Kirby rushes out of
the tight end, makes a
touchdown on the wall,
then pulls it off frontside for
the extra point.
Glissexpo Skateboarding Contest
Paris, France
January 25-26, 1997
Paris may be just a faraway town to
many of you, and a place where you can
visit the Eiffel Tower and some great muse-
ums, but skateboarding is big here, and a
contest was held at the end of January
Some Americans were present, as well as
many English, German, Dutch, Italian, and,
of course, French rippers.
In halfpipe, Matthias Ringstrom from
Sweden won first place. Second place was
given to Giorgio Zattoni, the Italian rider.
third Darren Menditto; fourth Brian
Howard; and fifth Sebastian Daurel, the
French rider.
On the street course. Kris
Markovich burnt everything, while Tom
Penny had his famous English loose style.
flippin every way. But the winner was Willy
Santos, despite some weak runs during the
finals. Fourth place was given to Alexis
Jauzion from Annecy, France, who was
going big, normal, and switch; while Reese
Forbes took fifth place. (Sebastian Daurel
and Alexis Jauzion won the last French
Championships in November, they're ams.)
But what is important here in Paris
these days is that the pools under the
Eiffel Tower (Les Bassins) are empty.
Imagine some perfect lines under one of
the most impressive architectural monu-
ments in the world. It's not something
you're allowed to ride everyday. By the way, there are many
cops to prevent you from skating there. So, you have to wait
for the night when the tower is even prettier with her lights.
If you ever come to Paris, don't forget to bring your
board, if a visit to the Eiffel Tower is part of your schedule.
and ask for Les Bassins. You won't regret it, except if the
pools are full... -François Rolland
Clockwise from left: Willie
Santos frontside flips right into
a video poacher's waiting
snare. Jordan Richter tweaks
his hand like a french waiter
on this backside ollie. The
french are known for
having big noses,
Sébastien Daurel,
Indy nosebone.
Superbowl Showdown
22
It was a cold 25 on Sunday afternoon.
January 26. Most people were huddled on their
couches ready to watch football-that is, except
for a room full of hardcore skaters who chose to
converge at XXX Sports in Nashville.
Tennessee, for the Showdown In The
Superbowl. The cold weather wasn't enough to
stop the gang of skaters who came from all over
to witness and skate the new XXX Superbowl.
The bowl, designed and built by former pro
skateboarder and ramp-builder extraordinaire.
Dave Duncan, is fast and tight with a smaller end
and a hip that is reminiscent of a pool.
People started rolling in to Nashville
Saturday afternoon to session the bowl and
catch a bit of the Nashville nightlife. As the sun
went down, the temperature dropped below
freezing outside, and the bowl heated up
inside. In the early session, Richard Kirby adapt-
ed to the bowl with blistering corner grinds,
while Ryan Wilburn worked on his airs over the
hip: Kurt Disney, a local, showed up later to
show the out-of-towners all the smooth lines
and ripped the bowl apart. Later, after the skat-
ing was done, everyone hung out for a short rid-
ers meeting and then regrouped into party
mode. With so many skaters in one place, you
would think they could organize and get
together for a party. Wrong. It seems Kirby and
some others missed their hook-up, missed the
party and had to sleep in their car.
On to the contest: As usual everyone
showed up late, and practice had to be delayed.
Once everything got started, there was lots of
action as every imaginable line was hit, and the
bowl started to heat up. Chris Shubert from
Knoxville rode with speed and style as he blast-
ed airs off the ledge to disasters and rode away
with first place in the shop-sponsored division.
Keith Nash, a Nashville local, skated his way into
second place with fakie carves around the shal-
low end and fastplants to fakie In the factory
sponsored division, it was balls-out action as the
competition intens fied. Everyone was tearing as
the skaters attacked in jam format. In the 30-
minute jam, the riders skated in order to avoid
snaking. Richard Kirby started the session with a
stand-up frontside grind that covered two cor-
ners. Kurt Disney wasn't skating as well as usual,
but managed to pull nice 50/50 grinds and an
invert over the hip that went unnoticed. Devan
Todd, another local, brought his street moves to
the bowl as he pulled frontside flips and various
lip tricks. Mike Morrison used every inch of the
bowl as he performed burly tricks with a casual
style. Ryan Wilburn pulled backside tails des
around the corner and caught huge air over the
hip. And local favorite, Jamie Highers, busted big
mellons to fakie to end the first runs. As the jam
went on, the airs got bigger and the grinds
longer. Kirby blasted frontside ollies to axle at
speed. Wilburn went big over the hip to fakie,
but slammed, and Morrison ground the corners
switch. The final runs were the deciding factor in
a close and hard-to-judge jam. Kirby finished
his runs with a near flawless run that included
mega grinds and ollies and a frontside air to wall-
ride. Morrison stayed on, pulling Caballerials
over the hip and an iceplant to fake off the wall
that left everyone with their tongues hanging
out. Mike Morrison, having recently moved back
to Nashville, emerged victorious and was pre-
sented his prizes by the Fly Girls who dropped
in from Louisville. -Barry Page
ROLLERBL