Two for the Show
By O Dedo, ASA & Enzo
EXPN.com
Mar. 22, 2002
Two Brazilians made the cut today in the Latin American X Games Qualifiers to go to X Games VIII this Summer in Philadelphia, PA. These Brazilians achieved their newfound fame by winning the Bicycle Stunt Flatland and Aggressive In-Line Park respectively. There was also a BMX Vert comp, but it was more to check out the Brazilian riders than to invite them to Philly because riding BMX Vert really isn't that big here yet. Plus Hoffman, Sandro and Bobby B came out to demo and blow up the crowd.
First up in today's final rounds was the flatland competition. Now these flatland guys are truly amazing, they kind of remind me of when freestyle skateboarding used to be the shiza. They roll around in this kind of mystical trance of balance and poise while their yoga like presence calms and sooths the spectators and judges. This sport is pretty cool because you really don't need any type of terrain to execute your skills, I mean a dope ass place to session for these guys is pretty much like a grocery store parking lot. Today was great though because the crowd was really into watching the competitors go at it. So the smooth wind of a rider would cruise into a trick and the crowd would go nuts like it was a heavyweight knockout or something. But when Marcos Paulo de Jesus, the Brazilian from Sao Paulo, won his ticket to the big show all his friends and family came out and partied like it was 1999. And being there for that un-jaded and authentic excitement is really one of the best things in the world to be present for.
 |
| Second place finisher Leondardo da Silva Claro, slow and low. |
Next up was the Aggressive In-line Park competition. Jess Dyrenforth of the Aggressive Skaters Association (ASA) provides his expert commentary on the finals.
International Rollerblading never ceases to amaze me no matter how much I am exposed to great skating. I'm overwhelmed by the level to which these kids skate. Rio was no exception even in the prelims the level was already very high. Skaters like Dalmo Tavaguni, Caio Germano, Raphael Camargo, and existing ASA Pro Carlos Pianowski all had great runs. The weather was perfect for the finals, humidity was bearable, and a nice cool breeze was coming off the Atlantic Ocean. Rollerblading is going off, practice was intense as the top ten finalists, all stepped it up several notches, highlights were Brooke Howard Smith look a like Wagner Martins with his stylish mistrial around the flat curved rail and his massive California condor style bio 540 thrown off the platform over a ledge into the street course in true BHS style. Caio Germano had a flawless 2nd run landing 2-900's and nic switch up grinds on the long flat rail. Carlos was in first place going into the finals but both finals runs lacked the perfection and intensity of his previous runs. Nevertheless he was very fun to watch starting his run in the rafters and dropping into the big 1/4 pipe. Carlos has progressed to world class levels over the last 2 years, and I hope to see him at the X Games in Philly. Dalmo Travaguni had two perfect runs, and he packed in more tricks than anyone. Dalmo deserved to win with his technical grinds along with huge spins that got him scores in the high 70's which makes him the ASA's newest professional. Brazil should be proud of these Rollerbladers, they are truly amazing to watch.
 |
The last final of the day was bicycle stunt vert. Due to the small field of riders preliminaries were dispensed with and all competitors went the finals. All competitors threw some pretty basic moves including barspins, no-handers, no-footers, x-ups, but no one spun or got inverted. But it was, Ednilson Rodrigues, from Jundai, Brazil who went bigger than the rest and won because of his attitude toward amplitude. He edged out Andre Rossi Timoferzeras by just one point. The top two riders both agreed that third place finisher Clayton Marcos Araujo, at age 18 is the future of bicycle stunt vert in Brazil. And since it was decided that nobody will qualify for Philly from this competition all competitors will wait for their chance to make it to the X Games. Steve Swope of Hoffman Sports Association (the sport organizer for Bicycle Stunt at the X Games) had this to say, "Basically there weren't a lot of vert riders here, and they still need a little time to raise their skill level before they're ready for that level. It's the first year (for an X Games Qualifier) and there aren't that many vert competitions here. We just had to come down here and get a feel of it. After what happened today we'll definitely consider adding one for next year."
 |
| Mat Hoffman lighting up the crowd after each run on vert. |
You wouldn't have known from the crowd's reaction to the riders that the competition was anything less than X Games quality. But when a Mr. Hoffman, a Mr. Mat Hoffman, took to the pipe the crowd went , well, looney. Mat flew in from the States for this demo and held nothing back. In his carry on bag of tricks Mat brought along a flair, a tailwhip, 540 no-hander and several dozen other feats that will not be mentioned here. Also participating in the vert demo were Brazilian skateboard favorites Bob Burnquist and Sandro Diaz. While these guys had the crowd on their feet it was Hoffman who had them frothing at the mouth. Imagine if you will a couple thousand voices chanting "Condor! Condor! Condor!", in a thick Portuguese accent. Or perhaps it wasn't an accent. Perhaps because of his vert wizardry the Brazilians had created a new nickname for Mat, "Gandolf! Gandolf, Gandolf".
Related Photos:
BMX Vert Finals
BMX Flatland
Send to a friend
|
Most sent
|
Submit your photo or video
