he time machine fantasy goes
something like this: through some
board are sucked back in time so that
you may: a) skate all the great
skateparks of the 1970s, b) impress the
shit out of the bonelessing savages
with your flippery, or, c) get the ollie
named after you; in my case it would
be called the Mike.
Well, damn it, if I didn't do the next
best thing when I attended the Second.
Annual Basic Bowl Pool Rider's Classic.
Zipping across the tiles and barking their
trucks like the mess of pit bulls that reg-
ulate the Huntington Beach backyard
oasis were my heroes of yesteryear.
Heavies Salba,
alba, Ricky Stiles, Dave Ruel,
and Mark Partain were joined up by
some not-so-new-but-slightly-younger
upstarts like Brian Patch, Peter Hewitt..
and Jake Brown to do battle in th
n the
smooth triple pool. It was terrific-like
watching one of those old Del Mar
videos except you didn't have to stop to
fast-forward through the freestyle parts!
"Skating is war! Every jam another
battle!" was the copy for a 1980s Speed
Wheels ad. It seems a little silly, but it's
hard to avoid describing pool skating
without using a few macho adjectives.
If the death box was slashed, then the
death box was slashed. There's just no
death box was slashed.
other way to explain it.
Practice was hectic as newcomers
tried to make the lumps and kinks work
in their favor, and the vets dialed their
lines into their DNA. Brian Patch had the
most modern moves, but lacked the eye
of the tiger. "I'm not even entering." said
the gloomy Gus. Late-shove-its over the
roll-in were his, along with tweakers
from shallow to deep end. Some peo-
ple just don't like money, I guess. Other
practice highlights were Shag from
Arizona, Duane Petersing a roll-in right
into Christian Brox, and a surly dude
known only as "Swope's bro." chuck-
ing his board at people after they caused
him to fall.
After two rounds of qualifying was the
Masters contest, which was open to the
30-plus crowd. Marty Jimenez did
backside blunts in the 4' bowl, and
another contestant was named Rhino.
Other than that, it was more of an inter-
mission between the real action and
gave the crowd of tribal tattooed guys
and gals a
a chance to toss back a few
cold ones or grab a burger
r two.
The final top ten action went like this:
10. From the land of a hundred skateparks, little
Jake Brown had a tricky time getting used to the
bowl, but had one exceptional run where he went
method over the hip and frontside in the big bowl.
ead smBAC
KATEBO
OWL
BUST
JONES
emerica
closer to the top, but then again, the mega-eggplant
can only take you so far.
7. Jake Piasecki is the former Mike Smith protégé.
Black Flus
HERB
and 50/50s to fakie before taking himself out on a
frontside 540°. Hewitt's the only vert skater left who
still makes the audience scared to watch, god love him.
turned kick-ass blaster. 6' plus airs and angry-man por- 4. Dave Ruel is still King of the Nude Bowl, but had
tions of Smith grinds make you wonder why the only a few runs that ended too early in the Basic. Layback
coverage he got back in the day was in Poweredge.
6. I understand Mad Dog is pushing 40, which makes
airs, tailboned frontsides, and stand-up-and-be-count-
ed frontside 50/50s from the first coping block to the
ollies over the roll-in to stand-up in the shallow
stuff, but lacked the solidity he's known for. Still,
5. Peter Hewitt showed up a little late and warmed up there wasn't a single skater there, except Brian
by doing backward carves at 100 mph. During an Patch, who could match his airs, hip work, and
unplanned doubles run, Peter started out behind anoth-
end. It's hard being judged against yourself, but it's
had the mega-eggplant. It was surprising he wasn't
8. Kevin Rucks was the smoothest of the smooth and
Not even a kickflip mute attempt could save him. But,
at least he wasn't afraid to enter, unlike several pros
his backside Smith grinds over the hip all the more last gave Dave fourth.
with models who showed up only to watch timidly
exciting. He had Salba-like consistency, and, shit, his
Plagued by injuries, Omar Hassan had the
name is Mad Dog.
from the sidelines.
9. Jerry had no official surname, but made up for it
with padless frontside stand-up grinds over the hips.
Maybe his name is like Madonna, or Charo.
er skater, zipped up in front of him on the wall, rammed
him at the coping, then rode back down, sitting in the
even harder when you're judged against how you
guy's lap. Peter skated padless, did frontals, Miller flips,
skated before a mess of maladies.
SVE
O
ONESTY
2. Mark fuckin' Partain. I thought this guy was dead, but instead discovered he's
still rolling like a damn freight train. 5' judos, blunts, lipslides, reverts, and a pro
model from a bong manufacturer! His runs lasted as long as an episode of Happy
Days, and he was as cool as the Fonz. "I'll be right back!" he yelled at me, while I
was taking pictures on the small hip. Sure enough, another carve, and he was back
to the hip with an eye-contact ollie. His second place finish prompted one dis-
agreeing judge to throw his score sheet and yell out, "Then why are we even hav-
ing a contest?!" Good question.
1. Salba is a pool menace. He wore swastikas on his sleeve, and you couldn't
help but cringe at his illogical hatred for the pale white coping. He battered
the bowl, hitting every inch over and over again, riding the kinked deep section
like it was a mini-ramp, and following grinds with Andrechts with pogos with
hip transfers and then more grinds. First place was the final solution for the all-
time führer of pool skating.
This is where all the thank-you's are given out, but every person involved knows
that the reason for putting in all their time and energy was strictly a selfish one-to
be a part of a great event. The ride in the time machine was spectacular, but I
can't help wishing guys like Ben Schroeder, Lance Mountain, Jason Jessee, Jeff
Grosso, Danny Way, and especially Chris Miller could have made an appearance. I
guess I'll have to pull out those old videos again until next year.
BASIC
OY THE RIDE
emerica
-Michael Burnett
Worn Star
Clockwise from left: Throw a G&S banner over the pool and
you're back at Del Mar. Mark Partain, Judo air. Brian Patch
could have spanked them all. The judges confer: Salba, first
place, Goddammit. Kevin Rucks, mega-eggplant.