The grounds of the Maloof Money Cup DC where Andrew Reynolds took the throne in 2011, the Maloof Skate Park in Washington DC recently opened to the public. We sent professional photographer over to the park on RFK Stadium Festival Grounds to capture the now well established addition that the Maloof Money Cup brought to the community with the help of designer pro skater Geoff Rowley and builders California Skateparks.

My partner in NJSkateshop, Steve Lenardo, has a pretty spot-on theory about the state of skateboarding -- it's turning into professional wrestling. One can't help but see the correlation when everyone has a silly fictional nickname and you have grown men video-rap-beefing on the Internet. And of course there is the constant rumor mill. Recently the Maloof Money Cup scaled back its annual event held at the Magic Trade Show and scrapped its Southern California contest due to delays in the Huntington Beach Skatepark. In true wrestling fashion, a rumor quickly spread that the Maloof's were done and pulling out of skateboarding -- it was like Triple H started telling everyone The Undertaker was dead.

I get more bogus information coming across my office desk then one can believe (yes, I have an office and a desk) but this tidbit really caught my attention. If true I was going to be really bummed because the MMC is the only contest series currently committed to building permanent skateparks in the places they hold their events. I decided to call Tim McFerran and ask him if Hulk Hogan is, in fact, bald under his do-rag. Turns out the Maloofs are still committed to skateboarding and have chosen to take a page from David Stern's playbook, who has grown the NBA into a global phenomenon since he took over as commissioner in 1984.

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The Finals for the Best Line Contest were held in Las Vegas on the MAGIC tradeshow floor (MAGIC is the largest fashion tradeshow in the U.S.) Tuesday afternoon and marked the culmination of the four-month long Maloof Road Tour that visited 12 cities throughout the U.S. hosting contests to find the best young skaters.
 
Final Results:
1st  Ronnie Creager -- $10,000
2nd  Morgan Smith -- $5,000
3rd  Kurtis Colamonico -- $2500
 
Creager's winning line included a smith grind 270 out, a switchtail 270 out to a switchcrook half-cab flipout.  Creager is a twenty-year veteran from Orange County, Calif known for his technical skateboarding, as well as his humility and friendliness.
 
Held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center as part of the new Ride Unltd. action sports initiative at MAGIC, the fashion industry’s largest event; Maloof Skateboarding and MAGIC flew in skate retailers from around the U.S. to attend the show.
 
"When we started working with MAGIC, our goal was to make MAGIC a skateboarding industry destination like it once was. We've seen a huge growth in skateboarding industry involvement and we're very excited as we look to the future of this partnership," said Tim McFerran, GM of Maloof Money Cup.
 
About MAGIC
Every August and February, the fashion industry converges in Las Vegas for the most influential event in the business – MAGIC.  Taking place at dual campuses at the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, the February 2011, MAGIC will run from February 14 – 16, 2011.  For up-to-date exhibitor listings, seminar scheduling, travel support and registration information, please visit www.magiconline.com.  During the February show, MAGIC is launching a new skate division, RIDE Unltd., which will be the dedicated home for all things skate – showcasing established and emerging skate apparel, footwear and hardware brands. RIDE Unltd. will be located adjacent to S.L.A.T.E. and brands already on board for the debut include L-R-G, DGK, HUF, The Hundreds, Fly Society, Analog, Gravis, iPath, Obey, Primitive, Diamond, Tumyeto, World Industries and Skull Candy, among others.  Exhibitors will showcase their designs to a highly targeted, built-in audience of more than 60,000 visitors from 80 countries.
 
About Maloof Skateboarding
Maloof Skateboarding (www.maloofskateboarding.com) produces the Maloof Money Cup. Presented by Vans, the Maloof Money Cup is the world’s greatest skateboarding event and the premiere showcase for amateur and professional skateboarding. In 2011, the Maloof Money Cup hosts three U.S. contests, returning to Queens, NY June 4-5 and Orange County, Calif. plus a new host city, Washington, D.C., on Labor Day weekend, September 3-4.  In addition to the U.S. contests, the Maloof Money Cup expands internationally this year with the first ever Maloof Money Cup World Skateboarding Championships in Kimberley, South Africa, September 30 – Oct 2.  Join our online community to share the competition experience with a global audience and be the first to know about exciting upcoming MMC announcements. Go to www.maloofmoneycup.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter:  @MaloofMoneyCup.

Mark Waters
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