The ASA Pro Tour World Championships competition wasn't just the best comp of the year. It may be remembered as some of the best street skating for years to come. Matt Lindenmuth showed up with a mohawk and a half million thread count patch on his jean jacket proudly announcing, "Love To Roll." With such vert heavy hitters as Taïg Khris and Eito Yasutoko out with injuries, Matt looked hungry for his opportunity.
The vert prelims kicked off with a bang, but ended with a whimper for Lindy whose falls in both prelim runs knocked him out of the final round.
Instead, Jaren Grob led the charge with a heart-felt lip synch to whatever song he had chosen. Randy Marino dropped in dressed as a Washington road cone but somehow managed to pull into 7th over veteran Mike Budnik. Rui Kitamura pulled a flat spin 540 and a 1080 in unblemished Takeshi Yasutoko style. Borja Fernandez lofted a set of eight foot airs above the coping and threw in a smattering of progressive lip tricks. 2002 Gravity Games champion Marc Englehart pulled a 540 over the channel and finished with a 1080. By the end of the first run, two skaters looked too close to call and indeed, Shane Yost and Takeshi came out tied for first place.
The second run was a head to head explosion between the two vert masters. Shane dropped in and pulled a 900 over the channel. He controlled his spins and landed everything with ease. If anything was lacking, it was his lip tricks, which were a little too basic. Takeshi dropped in like a jackhammer. His airs were higher, his spins more complex and his lip tricks shot off the progressiv-o-meter. When the dust settled, Takeshi was once again in possession of the gold as both 2002 ASA World Champion and overall ASA Pro Tour Champion.
Over on the street course, Carlos Pianowski and Jaren Grob roamed the course like panthers looking for lunch. Aaron Feinberg eyed a few possibilities, looking for an opening, then finally put on his skates and rolled around. Randy Spizer dropped in and surprised everybody with his finesse. Conspicuously absent with injuries or missed flights were street mainstays Sven Boekhorst, Sam Fogarty, Dominic Sagona, Bruno Loewe and Beni Huber.
For pro street finals, the bleachers were overflowing with rollerblading fans. Old school met new school in the parking lot of Sweden's most famous brand name furniture store. Old-timers Pat Milbery, B Love and TJ Weber cheered alongside newly annointed pros Matt Donald and Eric Perkett. When Aaron Feinberg and Carlos got knocked out of the prelims, the excitement didn't drop.
The big, burly course that seemed to be designed for Jaren Grob, somehow didn't suit him. While he qualified for the finals with scores in the 70's his highest final round score was a 56, leaving him in tenth place and costing him enough ranking points to drop from his season-long position at the top of the rankings to end the year as the #2 ranked skater on Tour. Jason Stinsmen came out strong with a flawless double back flip over the launch box that led into a backflip 180 and another back flip over the 13 foot stairs. Randy Spizer, who dedicated his run to Chris Haffey (out with a broken leg), picked a great line and boldly declared for all who had forgotten, that he is still a formidable street player. Stephane Alfano nailed a 900 and a 720 over the spine. He gapped out of the bowl to disaster frontside a far away rail.
Ryan Dawes was the biggest surprise of all. He stepped up all his grinds, from fakie spins or zero spins and transferred everything on the course. His creativity launched him into second place and that rocketed him up the charts to finish 7th in the year end overall standings. Blake Dennis mastered the street course with amazing transfers and an X grind to shuffle down the bank. As the Tour Champion, Blake's stylish silhouette may come to represent rollerblading the way Anthony Perkins' represents fear.
If that comp didn't recruit the hearts of rollerblading's naysayers, the Corn Nuts sick trick comp surely did. On vert, Borja pulled a fakie 1260. Marc Englehart did a flat spin 900 over the channel. Rui landed a 1080. And Shane topped everybody with a forward 1260 that earned him the year end cash bonus.
On street, Carl Hills pulled a 1260 over the box. Stephane launched out of the bowl to disaster soul the rail. And Aaron Feinberg, bitter from his prelim upset, took the $1500 check for his 540 transfer that spanned the distance of three ramps.
"Sick," said Aaron after the comp.