Wednesday, July 2

Boost Mobile Pro: Days One, Two & Three

By Rob Brink
EXPN.com

Thirteen-year-old Ryan Sheckler, who bowed out after the first heat, bluntslides the flat rail.

Day One: The Wildcard
The Boost Mobile Pro of Skateboarding at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas was one of the most anticipated skateboarding contests in eons. The event, which took place June 27-29, boasted the largest purse ever ($250,000), and was unlike any contest we've seen. Contestants in Street and Vert were handpicked by the Thrasher magazine staff and judged by fellow pro skaters. Thrasher even requested that no security guards be present in or around the course, due to the many infamous skater/security scuffles at similar events in the past.

Think about it: A skater-organized and run contest, all the best skaters on the planet (some, like Ethan Fowler, Heath Kirchart and Jim Greco, who never enter comps) Hard Rock Hotel and $250,000. Throw those ingredients into a blender and what you've got is a potentially insane event.

First prize in each division was $40 G's. That's more than some of these guys' parents make in a year. The last-place finishers took home $2,000 just for showing up and Boost Mobile paid airfare and hotel expenses for every invited athlete. Talk about royal rock-star treatment. But let's face it, skateboarders are the new rock stars.

Keep Reading ... Plus day-one photos and results

Caswell never missed this 180 nosegrind down the hubba.

Day Two: Street Competition
Judging by Friday's practice, it seemed this event might be just another contest. But by Saturday evening's Street competition, it was obvious that these pros were on a mission. Whether it was for the $40,000, the fun or the glory -- they were crushing it.

The format was similar to the Wildcard event. Four pros jam for three minutes, while the pros from other heats watch from the decks and vote on handheld devices. Two guys from each heat advance to the semifinals, then one rider from each of the semifinal heats moves into the finals.

Keep Reading ... Plus day-two photos and results

Pierre and Bucky after their final runs ... ready to hit the casinos and lose their winnings.

Day Three: Vert Competition
All good things come to an end. The Boost Mobile Pro capped off a weekend of heat, havoc and high rollin' with the Vert contest and more spice than Channel 99. The evening was windy, which irked the pros, but they adjusted and put on one sick show for the Vegas crowd.

After three rounds of impressive skating, Bucky Lasek and Pierre Luc Gagnon were the only remaining riders headed to the final jam. Before their runs, they secretly decided to pool their winnings and split the cash down the middle -- $30,000 each ($40,000 for first and $20,000 for second). They felt that, pressure off, this would ensure the crowd would get a damn good show.

Pierre skated hard and pulled some amazing tricks, but in the end, it was Bucky who triumphed, taking first. Or, was it Pierre who really won out? I mean, come on, $10,000 is $10,000 ... right?

Keep Reading ... Plus day-three photos and results