Pro Qualifier update
Posted 05/16/2009 08:26:00 by i am vans
Finally someone brought me a wager. My money is on Bucky Lasek, and he's looking like the guy to make me rich. Rodeo 5's, boneless corner transits, 540's and about a hundred other insane acts. Also in heat 1, the ever stylish Sergie Ventura bringing on the air attack. Young guns Nolan Munroe and Alex Perelson came in looking to take out any and all comers. Alex launched a couple of hip transfers well over my 6'4" head, while Nolan threw down with just about every kickflip and varial air move that is currently known. Evandro Menezes from Brasil and Jimmy Beck from Australia got into the mix with haul-arse flat wall and corner regimen. Chris Reeves worked switch lines through the entire bowl. And of course Jimmy The Greek was in on it with his atypical and highly spontaneous backyard lines. Bucky pretty much handled this heat with ease, with Nolan Munroe hot on his heels with a very solid showing.
Heat 2 consisted of former pro Pool Party winner Omar Hassan, Georgian monster Tim Johnson, young guns Josh Borden, Sky Siljeg, and Michael Brookman, heshneck Benji Galloway, and Darin "Cookiehead" Jenkins. The final component of this mix was the overtly stylish Bennett Harada. Omar led it off with his signature marathon run, setting the bar impossibly high for all comers. Last year Tim Johnson hammered his way into the finals but he struggled a bit between big walls. the big story in this heat was the battle between Josh Borden and Michael Brookman, both out for blood. Benji turned up the heat on both of these youngsters, and it may or may not have been enough. Omar surely handled it and made it all look easy.
Heat 3 featured 3-time champ Rune Glifberg going up against a healthy mix of veterans and young guns. Brasilians Lincoln Ueda, Bob Burnquist and rookie Pedro barros came through with the typical South american madness, including Pedro's first run, first wall overhead 540. Vert vet Rob Lorifice launched himself well into the sky with big alley-oops and backside drifts. Later, he would throw up 3 540's in 6 walls. Unreal.The two new kids Josh rodriguez and Matt Boyster both laid down smoking first runs, and looked as relaxed as the vets as they absolutely destroyed. Adam Taylor got a few good hits in in traffic. In the final seconds all hell broke loose, Matt Boyster climbed the camera tower and bomb-dropped the corner taking out the overhead lights on his completely insane attempt, spraying glass into the bowl and nobody wanted to stop. One of the most insane heats ended almost too close to call. Stay tuned for the cuts...
Heat 2 consisted of former pro Pool Party winner Omar Hassan, Georgian monster Tim Johnson, young guns Josh Borden, Sky Siljeg, and Michael Brookman, heshneck Benji Galloway, and Darin "Cookiehead" Jenkins. The final component of this mix was the overtly stylish Bennett Harada. Omar led it off with his signature marathon run, setting the bar impossibly high for all comers. Last year Tim Johnson hammered his way into the finals but he struggled a bit between big walls. the big story in this heat was the battle between Josh Borden and Michael Brookman, both out for blood. Benji turned up the heat on both of these youngsters, and it may or may not have been enough. Omar surely handled it and made it all look easy.
Heat 3 featured 3-time champ Rune Glifberg going up against a healthy mix of veterans and young guns. Brasilians Lincoln Ueda, Bob Burnquist and rookie Pedro barros came through with the typical South american madness, including Pedro's first run, first wall overhead 540. Vert vet Rob Lorifice launched himself well into the sky with big alley-oops and backside drifts. Later, he would throw up 3 540's in 6 walls. Unreal.The two new kids Josh rodriguez and Matt Boyster both laid down smoking first runs, and looked as relaxed as the vets as they absolutely destroyed. Adam Taylor got a few good hits in in traffic. In the final seconds all hell broke loose, Matt Boyster climbed the camera tower and bomb-dropped the corner taking out the overhead lights on his completely insane attempt, spraying glass into the bowl and nobody wanted to stop. One of the most insane heats ended almost too close to call. Stay tuned for the cuts...