For Tony Hawk, competing in the 2001 Summer X Games skateboard Vert Doubles competition was simply not enough. That's why the big man has announced that he will officially be competing in the Vert Best Trick competition (Monday August 20th) held right here in the beautiful city of Philadelphia. Yes this is very exciting but it's also very important to know that both of these competitions are heavy on the friend factor (as illustrated by his doubles partner Andy Macdonald) and low on the hard core competition stress vibe.

Tony and Andy, Returning Champions.

So, being the laid back guy that Tony is, his addition to the best trick comp is perfect. Perfect because instead of being an official sounding "addition" it's more of an extension of his desire to constantly progress the sport while at the same time having fun with friends. Being that he has previously accomplished so much, this chilled out competition is a perfect forum for Tony to show off what he's been working on. And working is what he has been doing. Whether it be in public with the Tony Hawk Gigantic Skatepark Tour or in private at exotic locations such as Bob Burnquist's incredible new ramp in Vista, CA. Tony has got some of the new. So why the late announcement? Maybe it's the thrill of the crowd, maybe it's the satisfaction of cleaning up the ramp with his uncontested skills, or maybe it's just that he loves to session with his friends in an environment he knows best. Whatever his reasons, we all have to wait to see what he has in store.

The stomping grounds for this year's best trick are on an all new ramp that is located inside the First Union Center. Here is the breakdown: The ramp itself has been designed by Tim Payne and is 56' wide and 12'6" high with 1'-9" of vert. But that's not all because on each end of this tool for fun are 2' extensions with the deck built into it's curved escalator construction. It's a very fun set-up and the possibilities for pulling what is to be deemed the best trick are endless. Wait! There's more. The whole thing is covered in Skatelite, a new man-made material that combines the properties of wood and plastic for a buttery smooth feel and mega fast ride that we all want to know and love.

Tony gets mobbed after the 900. What will he have up his sleeve this year?

Two years ago Tony made history after successfully completing the first ever competition 900 at the 1999 Summer X Games in San Francisco. And yes, we've seen stills of the burly-as-hell Murrieta desert 18' ramp gap. So the question that's on everybody's mind is will he take it? And if he does what will he win it with? Hmmm. Is there any possibility of seeing the elusive 1080? Will Tony get nutty and bust out something that we've never seen before? Can Bob give him a run for his money as far as technical merit goes? I guess we'll all have to wait and see. Very exciting stuff indeed.

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