2010 NY BLOGS (9)
Felipe Ortiz Frontside Flip |
Louie Lopez Feeble Grind |
Ryan Decenzo Crooked Grind |
Ryan Decenzo doing a frontside feeble over the grate on the Flushing Meadows Park replica. |
Any day where you get a great collection of professionals together to skate in a relaxed fun session with kids in the mix, skating a new skatepark - a great skatepark, by all accounts - is a great day for skateboarding. In the afternoon most of the pros and ams from this weekend's contests came out at one time or another. All the skateboarding prerequisites were happening: ripping skating, some typical skateboard drama - mostly just smack talk - some funny dorking around, and a lot of heads chilling and having a good time.
Today's Maloof Money Cup qualifiers was yet another history-making event, taking skateboarding to still new levels, and providing the 10000+ in attendance with some great moments to remember. While Chris Cole, Greg Lutzka and Ryan Decenzo all spun their way onto the rail and into switch front boards and switch bluntslides, it was number one qualifier Paul Rodriguez who set the standard, with smooth and effortless shredding on every obstacle in every section. Paul had great lines in sections one and two, with switchflip front boards to switch crooked grinds on the hubbas, right into ledge tricks over the Flushing Meadows replica grate. Noteable come-backer Bastien Salabanzi worked his magic with backside flips over the big rail, a cab flip down the 9-stair, and half-cab noseslides to 270 out on the grate ledge. Tomorrow's Finals are going to be off the hook, with Torey Pudwill, winner of the Tech Deck Best Trick Contest, in second qualifying spot, and quiet annihilator Peter Ramondetta rounding out the top five.
Finals Today! Who takes home $100,000?
Chris Cole Repeats!
Congratulations to Chris Cole for winning Maloof Money Cup 2010, 2nd year in a row!
Volcom Street Pro Pro Contest Contest Final Results:
1. Chris Cole ($100,000)
2. Paul Rodriguez ($40,000)
3. Torey Pudwill ($25,000)
4. Bastien Salabanzi
5. Sean Malto
6. Sierra Fellers
7. Ryan Decenzo
8. Peter Ramondetta
9. Greg Lutzka
10. David Gonzalez
World Industries Amateur Street Competition Final Results:
1. Felipe Gustavo
2. Tom Asta
3. Gilbert Crockett
4. Jeffrey Marshall
5. Ishod Wair
6. Cody Davis
7. Timmy Knuth
8. Manny Santiago
9. Filipe Ortiz
10. James Hardy
Best Trick Contest
Torey Pudwill ($10,000)
In a brief yet complete ribbon cutting ceremony this afternoon at the new Flushing Meadows Skatepark, New York Parks and Recreation Department Commissioner Adrian Benepe led the crowd through the process that everyone involved with the Maloof Money Cup went through to get to this monumental moment. With introductions and brief speeches by Steve Van Doren and Joe and Gavin Maloof, and well-deserved thanks and recognition to Rodney Torres, Steve Rodriguez, Tim McFerran and others, the whole event was a painless fifteen minutes, followed by the actual cutting of a green ribbon, representative of the Parks of New York City. To cap it off, a group of skaters, including close-as-you-can-get local Rodney Torres, barged down the bank and into the crowd of photographers for a few close calls, which always make for great shots.
The rest of today is practice, and the heavy hitters are showing up Dennis Busenitz, Chris Cole, Billy Marks, Anthony Van Engelen, Chris Pfanner, and tons more are out there ripping right now.
More later.
Right now the first of the skaters are rolling in to get some last minute riding in before the contests starts at 1pm. Don't forget the live webcast. I'll keep photos throughout the day, and well have scores after each jam.
Tomorrow will separate those who are here to simply have fun and those who came to have fun and show their shred. The course is good, low impact, and showcases all styles well. AVE, Billy Rohan, Eric Koston, Chris Cole, Brandon Westgate, Eli Reed, and Zered Bassett have diverse style and all found stuff to rip on. Be sure to tune into Fuel.tv tomorrow for the webcast!